Annual music post☆
I'm posting this a little later than I would have liked, but Merry Christmas/Happy Saturnalia/Happy belated Winter Solstice everyone☆
I will be posting more in a little while, but until then, enjoy!
NOTE: The second part of my annual music post is here.
ARTIST: 圭 [Kei]
RELEASE: [2008.11.19] the primary. [maxi-single]
DOWNLOAD: http://www.sendspace.com/file/13vn4t
TRACKLIST:
01. the primary.
02. oriental cancer. ♪♪
03. the blueroom. ♪♪♪♪
COMMENTS: 圭 [Kei] is indeed the same guitarist of baroque/kannivalism. I was surprised to find out that he had his own solo project, and am pleasantly surprised at how lovely his voice is. He sounds a bit like Yoshito from xTRiPx, and his music is also a bit like theirs - which is pretty funny because xTRiPx has always reminded be of baroque. Anyway, this release is pretty solid for his debut as a solo artist; it is a pleasant mix of the baroque's unique sound and floppy's 8-bit style with a touch of industrial sound, but overall quite ambient.
ARTIST: NФA
RELEASE: [2007.03.28] Invisible 1998-2006 [album]
DOWNLOAD: http://www.sendspace.com/file/ifra4m
TRACKLIST:
01. Destiny ♪♪♪♪♪♪
02. 失意の翳 [Shitsui no kage] ♪♪
03. Spiral conflict ♪♪
04. BEAST666
05. Cruel style ♪♪
06. lust
07. Breakthrough ♪♪♪♪♪♪
08. Mind control ♪♪
09. Rafflesia
10. シルエット [Silhouette] ♪♪♪♪♪♪
11. Tragic prologue ♪♪♪♪♪♪
12. Forever ♪♪♪♪
COMMENTS: NФA is absolutely one of the best, and yet most overlooked, artists that visual kei has to offer. In addition to being able to sing incredibly well (I'm not exaggerating on this), he plays his own instruments. 『Invisible 1998-2006』 is a chronicle of all his works as a guitarist and vocalist from, uh, those years. This album is fairly multi-genre, dabbling in multiple categories of metal - death, speed, black, power - but also blends blues/swing in songs like 「Cruel style」, features lovely acoustic ballads like 「シルエット」, and even a surprisingly sentimental and gorgeous piano & violin piece titled 「Forever」. Overall, his style is a bit old school visual kei, but the style suits him really well. His voice reminds me a bit of Tora's (Sel'm) lower register, and someone else that I can't quite place, but it's deep, smooth, and controlled. And it goes without saying that the the guitar work on this album is quite good. I highly recommend this album for songs like 「Destiny」, 「シルエット」, 「Tragic prologue」, and 「Forever」. All are really beautifully done.
ARTIST: XecsNoin
RELEASE: XecsplosioN [album]
DOWNLOAD: http://www.sendspace.com/file/mrzn4h
TRACKLIST:
01. The Creator Justifies ♪♪♪♪
02. UNSCARRED ♪♪
03. One Day in November ♪♪♪♪♪♪
04. CEREBERUS
05. SPIRITUAL ROAD ♪♪♪♪♪♪
06. FIREWALL(Listen to your Inner Voice) ♪♪
07. ASURA ♪♪♪♪♪♪
08. Children of the War ♪♪♪♪♪♪
COMMENTS: I've wanted to introduce these guys for years now, but I never got around to it for some reason. Well, XecsNoin isn't really known as a visual band, but rather just a metal band. They are one of my favourites though, and this album is one of my favourite metal albums. These guys are so fucking hardcore and each piece is packed with completely unrelenting drums, grungey, dueling guitars, and solos galore. What's interesting is that XecsNoin's vocalist, unlike many other metal vocalists, does put forth the effort to sing and his voice is fairly pleasant - just check out 「SPIRITUAL ROAD」 and my favourite, 「ASURA」. The only problem I have is that I have with them is that their bassist gets drowned out by the epic guitars and drums.
ARTIST: Blast
RELEASE: 緋い領域 [Akai ryouiki mini-album]
DOWNLOAD: http://www.sendspace.com/file/qcowu1
TRACKLIST:
01. 侵蝕 [Shinshoku] ♪♪♪♪♪♪
02. 嗚呼!所詮、嗚呼!無情、[Aa! shosen, aa! mujou,] ♪♪♪♪
03. 言論テロリズム [Genron terrorism]
04. 緋い領域 [Akai ryouiki]
05. 顔のない月 [Kao no nai tsuki] ♪♪♪♪♪♪
COMMENTS: The main reason why I am still completely in love with Blast, after all these years: 秀朗 [Hiderou]. He is one of my favourite bassists ever, and I will dare say that he is undoubtedly one of the best bassists as well. His style reminds me a lot of Yukino (the studs, lynch, deadman) - the same fast, hard playing style that, at times, completely dominates Blast's songs. The other reason why I love Blast: 維那's [Yuina's] voice. It's not the best that I've heard, and uncharacteristically higher pitched, but he sings quite well. Although my tastes in music have changed a bit and I've become a lot more critical, Blast remains one of the few bands that I continue to come back to time and time again. 「顔のない月」 remains one of my absolute favourite songs.
ARTIST: Sel'm
RELEASE: [2006.10.04] dyed vacancy [maxi-single]
DOWNLOAD: http://www.sendspace.com/file/04t2up
TRACKLIST:
01. Megalomania ♪♪♪♪
02. 楔 [Setsu] ♪♪♪♪
03. 追憶 [Tsuioku] ♪♪♪♪♪♪
COMMENTS: Er, if you haven't realized it yet, Sel'm is my second favourite band so I will shamelessly use this opportunity to plug them and their music because their new single is coming out soon. That, and they deserve many, many fans. Perhaps it is my vocalist-bias speaking, but I adore the hell out of this band. Tora is just simply excellent. He's young and doesn't have all that much experience other than his brief stint as girugamesh's first vocalist, but he still sings better than "vocalists" who have 5+ years more experience. His voice is why songs like 「追憶」 are so haunting and lovely, he knows how to use his incredible range. The second thing that attracts me to Sel'm's music is Takuma's mastery of the bass in the short time that the band has been active, which is often played in almost a lazy, sensuous fashion. Then, there is also MANJ", who continues to impress me with each new release because of how fancy and complicated his drumming is getting. He completely blew me away with his performance on 『brilliant force』. I am really looking forward to hearing the new material with the newest addition to their family, Nagi.
ARTIST: R-15/R指定 [Formerly known as R-18 and キャサリン]
RELEASE: [2007.12.12] Beautyful Sad Song [mini-album]
DOWNLOAD: http://www.sendspace.com/file/oy626o
TRACKLIST:
01. A cradle
02. Dirty's culture ♪♪♪♪♪♪
03. Sad song ♪♪
04. In the concrete ♪♪♪♪♪♪
05. SE
06. Cult life ♪♪♪♪
07. End roll ♪♪♪♪
08. ボナストラック [Bonus track] ♪♪♪♪♪♪
COMMENTS: I said I would upload this for krashkan a while ago, but life got incredibly hectic so it's now about a month late. Ahaha. So I yeah, this is for you and anyone else in need of good, quality music. This band has gone through so many name changes that it's hard to keep track of at times. I love this band so much, マモ [Mamo] is so fucking hardcore on stage. But offstage, the kid is such a lovable retard who's journal entries make me laugh for ages. R-15 has some elements to their music that remind me of The Gazette at times, but ultimately, I find them to be the better band because マモ really knows how to use his voice. 七星 [Nanahoshi] also owns the hell out of Reita, and I'll take ウルトラ Z's [ULTRA Z's] guitar work over the shoddy mess that is Uruha's any day.
ARTIST: DELUHI
RELEASE: [2008.07.23] Orion once again [maxi-single]
DOWNLOAD: http://www.sendspace.com/file/7p1bmi
TRACKLIST:
01. Orion once again ♪♪♪♪♪♪
02. NO SALVATION ♪♪♪♪♪♪
COMMENTS: Another upload for krashkan. DELUHI is such an excellent band, there really isn't anything new to say that I haven't said before so you'll just get a copy & pasted review that I wrote a few months back:
Previously named GRAVE SEED, DELUHI are Juri on vocals, Leda on guitar, Ryo on bass, and Sujk on drums. While most of the members seem to be completely new to the music scene, they manage to display impressive maturity in both sound and style. Juri is a strong vocalist, with a clear & pleasant singing voice and real talent for screaming. In fact, it sounds like it could be two completely different people given how charming Juri's singing voice is juxtaposed against how brutal his screaming can get. What I am incredibly impressed with in general is their decision to keep the tracks relatively clean and listenable by pushing the screaming into the background and instead, choosing to highlight his singing voice. In addition to his singing and screaming, I want to add that Juri's English pronounciation is amazing. Holy shit, was I surprised.
You may know of Leda under his other stage name, Yu-to, bassist for the power metal band Galneryus. He is both an incredible bassist and guitarist, as well as a talented composer. He is responsible for composing all of the songs, as well as writing most of the lyrics for their releases. I really cannot stress enough the extent of this man's talent. If you haven't guessed already from Leda's background, DELUHI does indeed have strong metal influences in their music - many of their songs are filled with fast-paced drumming, heavy bass notes, crazy amounts of shredding, and a ton of great guitar solos. They also bring in other elements such as what sounds like the xylophone, organs, and piano.
ARTIST: Viored
RELEASE: [Created perfect new vision] -Taste of Heartless- [maxi-single]
DOWNLOAD: http://www.sendspace.com/file/tw993p
TRACKLIST:
01. 柘榴〜Taste of Heartless〜 [Zakuro~Taste of Heartless~] ♪♪♪♪♪♪
02. M.D.P.[Mad doll party] ♪♪♪♪♪♪
03. Invariable Ray
COMMENTS: I'm still quite devastated that 螢 [Kei] suddenly left Viored and seemingly disappeared from the music scene. I loved Viored dearly, they held an incredible amount of promise and sounded so together even though they only lasted for about 2 years. 優一 [Yuuichi] and Nagi were amazing together on guitar, and seiya is such a great bassist. Then there's 螢 [Kei]. My favourite member, and one of my favourite vocalists. He has such a powerful voice, it makes me sad that I might not hear from him again. Songs like 「柘榴〜Taste of Heartless〜」 really epitomize Viored's career - powerful twin guitars, great solos, active basswork that stays in the foreground, all overlayed with clear, strong vocals that soar in the chorus. There's a lot of layers and intriguing complexity in their music that a lot of other (much older) bands seem to lack. I'm happy that at the very least, Nagi is with Sel'm now.
ARTIST: P∞L
RELEASE: アジアのシンボル [Asia no symbol mini-album]
DOWNLOAD: http://www.sendspace.com/file/67y4dr
TRACKLIST:
01. POOLISH
02. 信度５ [Shindon 5] ♪♪
03. 白船 [Shirofune]
04. 色とりどりの答え [Iro toridori no kotae] ♪♪♪♪
05. 揺り籠 [Yurikago] ♪♪♪♪
06. symbol ♪♪♪♪♪♪
COMMENTS: I won't lie, I think P∞L is pretty fucking strange as well. They remind me a bit of merrygoround, who are also very good but both bands still make me raise my eyebrows at times. Nevertheless, if you like Nagoya and angura bands, you might enjoy them. Unfortunately, I just don't have the ability to describe their eccentricities, so you will just have to trust my tastes and check them out for yourself. Just get ready for a lot of random noises and one really eclectic singer.
ARTIST: xTRiPx
RELEASE: [2007.07.25] Blue well the Air [maxi-single]
DOWNLOAD: http://www.sendspace.com/file/vl83c8
TRACKLIST:
01. rhymeLoud ♪♪♪♪♪♪
02. cherry ♪♪♪♪♪♪
COMMENTS: I think xTRiPx is one of the most easily enjoyable bands active in the visual music scene. The vocalist sings fairly well and has a very pretty voice, their music is very well composed, energetic, and fun. They mix a bit of rap into their music, and have very catchy choruses that suddenly segway into loud and heavy breaks. Their work has elements that appeal to a wide range of listeners, which is probably why they are quickly gaining popularity.
ARTIST: VelBet
RELEASE: Song for ...xxx [maxi-single]
DOWNLOAD: http://www.sendspace.com/file/u3dok8
TRACKLIST:
01. Bunny ♪♪♪♪
02. サクラチル (Sakura chiru) ♪♪
03. Song for ...xxx ♪♪♪♪
COMMENTS: VelBet is another band that utilizes the fun, energetic chorus plus heavier breaks and verses formula for their music. They are pretty hardcore with rumbling basslines and furious drumming and screaming - elements that are borderline metal in sound, so the change into the chorus is often unexpected but also kind of fun in that respect.
ARTIST: Lusia
RELEASE: イバラノオリ [Ibara no ori single]
DOWNLOAD: http://www.sendspace.com/file/3mrd48
TRACKLIST:
01. イバラノオリ [Ibara no ori] ♪♪♪♪♪♪
COMMENTS: Unfortunately, this one song is all that I have from Lusia. They are fucking amazing though and I highly recommend them for fans of bands like DELUHI, CROWS, and R-18.
ARTIST: HATED
RELEASE: [2005.09.28] STILL devote myself to my BITCH [maxi-single]
DOWNLOAD: http://www.sendspace.com/file/lf6d69
TRACKLIST:
01. Desperate Gain ♪♪♪♪♪♪
02. habit ♪♪
03. 藍色（新録） [Aiiro (new recording)]
COMMENTS: This Nagoya band was made up of three of the four members of meth. Their style is not all that different from meth., but the only glaring difference is Akito's (formerly known by his stage name シキ [Shiki]) voice. Akito used to sing strictly in his lower register for HATED, but surprisingly he sounded pretty natural doing it (although a bit nasal at times). I know quite a few of you are meth. fans, so if you haven't heard HATED, I suggest giving them a try.
ARTIST: Lovin'
RELEASE: DESCENT THE SAVAGE [maxi-single]
DOWNLOAD: http://www.sendspace.com/file/5j91w7
TRACKLIST:
01. BETWEEN HEAVEN AND HELL ♪♪
02. SIREN ♪♪♪♪
03. 独心中 [Dokushinjuu]
COMMENTS: These guys are pretty much like 闇撫 [Yaminade]: brutal.
ARTIST: SCREW
RELEASE: VENOM [maxi-single]
DOWNLOAD: http://www.sendspace.com/file/7nccov
TRACKLIST:
01. DEADLY SILENCE ♪♪♪♪
02. VANQUISH
03. CELESTIAL BLISS ♪♪
04. REND: LOOP ♪♪♪♪
COMMENTS: I don't think these guys need an intro. You're all probably familiar with them on some level or another, right? It's the usual solid release from SCREW, although there is a bit of a change of pace with the significantly softer 「CELESTIAL BLISS」. Unforunately, I don't think Byou's voice is very suited for slower songs but the music is nice.
ARTIST: メトロノーム [metronome]
RELEASE: [2007.08.08] たわいないトワイライト [Tawainai twilight maxi-single]
DOWNLOAD: http://www.sendspace.com/file/hqfr57
TRACKLIST:
01. たわいないトワイライト [Tawainai twilight] ♪♪♪♪♪♪
02. MATSURI ♪♪♪♪
COMMENTS: Much to the surprise of many, I really enjoy groups like metronome and FLOPPY. I love the playfulness that metronome exhibits with the random old console game noises that they throw in. But in addition to that, RIU is a really, really good bassist.
ARTIST: BREAKERZ
RELEASE: [2007.07.25] BREAKERZ [album]
DOWNLOAD: http://www.sendspace.com/file/a7izra
TRACKLIST:
01. WAKE UP MY SOUL ♪♪♪♪
02. Birdman ♪♪♪♪♪♪
03. THE TRAIN'S GONE... ♪♪
04. JOKER ♪♪♪♪
05. Re:born
06. Miss you
07. Nights a Brighter
08. Let ecstasy be ours
09. REAL LOVE ♪♪♪♪
10. I feel...
11. Kamisori ♪♪♪♪♪♪
12. Neo-Breaker
13. Drive the Ocean
COMMENTS: The fact that DAIGO☆STARDUST fronts this band makes me roll forever, but all laughter aside, they are honestly not that bad. In fact, the musical compositions are actually really, really well done but DAIGO is still as nasal as ever. It's weird to see that DAIGO can manage to be ...uh, not so blatantly flaming serious and mature. If they strategically replace DAIGO with someone that can sing, this band would be pretty amazing. If you aren't one to be too caught up with vocal technique, I think you would enjoy this.
ARTIST: PIERROT
RELEASE: [1997.09.03] CELLULOID [mini-album]
DOWNLOAD: http://www.sendspace.com/file/mpj20q
TRACKLIST:
01. セルロイド [Celluloid] ♪♪♪♪
02. Adolf
03. 脳内モルヒネ [Nounai morphine] ♪♪
04. Twelve ♪♪♪♪♪♪
05. 鬼と桜 [Oni to sakura] ♪♪
06. HUMAN GATE
COMMENTS: PIERROT has been perhaps the most influential band in my life, second only to MUCC. They changed music from something that I only listened to on occassion to something that I craved every moment of the day. It was Kirito's lyrics that first inpsired me to start writing poetry, and his voice that got me interested in singing again after I had quit. And it seems that no matter how many other bands I find myself attached to, I still come back to PIERROT's music for KOHTA's bass work, for 潤's [Jun's] synth work, and of course, Kirito's voice and compositions. This mini-album is one of my favourites. It may be over 10 years old, but still is so beautiful to me. It contains one of my favourite songs from PIERROT's impressive discography, 「Twelve」.
ARTIST: ONE OK ROCK
RELEASE: [2006.12.16] Keep it real [maxi-single]
DOWNLOAD: http://www.sendspace.com/file/tzthr1
TRACKLIST:
01. Keep it real ♪♪♪♪♪♪
02. 辛い＋一＝幸せ [Tsurai+ichi=shiawase] ♪♪♪♪♪♪
03. P.P.S.H. ♪♪
04. And I know ♪♪♪♪♪♪
COMMENTS: ONE OK ROCK is undoubtedly one of the best bands I've discovered this past year. Their music is characterized by clean, straightforward guitar work, simple beats, and Taka's distinct, clear, sweet, high-pitched voice that sounds almost childish and pure. Interesting fact: Taka's father is a famous enka singer, and it seems that Taka has directly inherited that ability to sing - his technique is just excellent for such a young guy. Their music is sometimes very simple, but infinitely catchy. They combine a nice mix of rock with rap and bluegrass elements. 「Keep it real」 is one of my absolute favourite songs.
ARTIST: Lycaon
RELEASE: [2008.03.19] RED RUM [maxi-single]
DOWNLOAD: http://www.sendspace.com/file/ypdqoe
TRACKLIST:
01. Grow
02. RED RUM ♪♪
03. The Death Game ♪♪♪♪♪♪
04. 「琥珀彩」～コハクイロ～ [Kohakuiro] ♪♪♪♪♪♪
COMMENTS: The first band that comes to mind when I hear Lycaon's music is Viored. Lycaon's style is really similar to Viored's, but also to R-15's as well. The vocalist is not as good as 螢 [Kei] or マモ [Mamo], but he is certainly very skilled in his own right. Lycaon's music is perhaps slightly more approachable because 悠希 [Yuuki] doesn't scream or growl as much as the other two vocalists. 悠希's voice in 「琥珀彩」～コハクイロ～ sounds quite similar to 螢's in certain notes, it's kind of trippy for me.
ARTIST: Lycaon
RELEASE: [2008.07.30] Sad/Sick:ness [maxi-single]
DOWNLOAD: http://www.sendspace.com/file/cfvgav
TRACKLIST:
01. into the dark
02. 緋雨 [Hi ame] ♪♪♪♪
03. The[1st] degree genocide holic ♪♪
COMMENTS: I really enjoy Lycaon, and I'm certain that quite a few of you also will so here's their second single as well. 緋雨 [Hi ame] gets a bit generic at times, but overall an easy listen. The third track is a lot more fast-paced and brings back some of the chaos and noise that they are a bit more known for. It gets a bit too chaotic and uncoordinated at times though, unfortunately. Otherwise it would be one really awesome song.
ARTIST: YO-HEI
RELEASE: [2007.10.31] Existence [maxi-single]
DOWNLOAD: http://www.sendspace.com/file/4m3as1
TRACKLIST:
01. Existence ♪♪♪♪♪♪
02. BURST OUT ♪♪♪♪♪♪
03. Ride on Madness ♪♪♪♪♪♪
04. Platinum TRAP a ♪♪♪♪♪♪
COMMENTS: Holy shit. So this release is purely instrumental, but the guitar work is crazy impressive. Reminds me of Ishiwatari Daisuke's work, and that is a really high compliment. If you like industrial/power/black/progressive metal without the often dying/screaming vocals, you would enjoy this. Basically, I would recommend this to fans of Galneryus and DELUHI. Or well, just anyone who likes guitar in general. This maxi-single is awesome.
ARTIST: 吉田兄弟 [Yoshida kyoudai, or Yoshida Brothers]
RELEASE: Hishou―飛翔 [album]
DOWNLOAD: http://www.sendspace.com/file/r06xhi
TRACKLIST:
01. Prelude: Hishou
02. Ibuki (Hishou Version) ♪♪
03. Kodo (Hishou Version) ♪♪♪♪♪♪
04. Ringo Bushi ♪♪♪♪♪♪
05. Ajigasawa Jinku ♪♪♪♪
06. Yasaburou Bushi ♪♪♪♪♪♪♪♪
07. Panorama ♪♪♪♪
08. Tsugaru Yosare Bushi (Hishou Version)
09. Time of Sand
10. Tsugaru Aiya Bushi (Hishou Version)
11. Modern (Hishou Version) ♪♪♪♪♪♪
12. Dual
13. Tsugaru Jongara Bushi (Hishou Version) ♪♪
14. Postlude: Hishou
COMMENTS: Tsugaru jamisen, yesss. I love 吉田兄弟, they are so epic. So for those who don't know who this duo are, they are shamisen players (a traditional musical instrument that has been compared to a banjo, but is plucked with a plectrum). They play in a modernized style known as tsugaru jamisen, which is basically incredibly fast plucking of the instrument. So yes, this is very much traditional, ethnic music fused with some contemporary elements. They sometimes bring in drums and the 笛 [fue/flute] to supplement their shamisen. Their music is incredibly beautiful, but also incredibly cool (yes, they deserve the emphasis). Just check out the insanity that is Kodo. They play the shamisen like one would play the fucking guitar.
I will be posting more in a little while, but until then, enjoy!
NOTE: The second part of my annual music post is here.
ARTIST: 圭 [Kei]
RELEASE: [2008.11.19] the primary. [maxi-single]
DOWNLOAD: http://www.sendspace.com/file/13vn4t
TRACKLIST:
01. the primary.
02. oriental cancer. ♪♪
03. the blueroom. ♪♪♪♪
COMMENTS: 圭 [Kei] is indeed the same guitarist of baroque/kannivalism. I was surprised to find out that he had his own solo project, and am pleasantly surprised at how lovely his voice is. He sounds a bit like Yoshito from xTRiPx, and his music is also a bit like theirs - which is pretty funny because xTRiPx has always reminded be of baroque. Anyway, this release is pretty solid for his debut as a solo artist; it is a pleasant mix of the baroque's unique sound and floppy's 8-bit style with a touch of industrial sound, but overall quite ambient.
ARTIST: NФA
RELEASE: [2007.03.28] Invisible 1998-2006 [album]
DOWNLOAD: http://www.sendspace.com/file/ifra4m
TRACKLIST:
01. Destiny ♪♪♪♪♪♪
02. 失意の翳 [Shitsui no kage] ♪♪
03. Spiral conflict ♪♪
04. BEAST666
05. Cruel style ♪♪
06. lust
07. Breakthrough ♪♪♪♪♪♪
08. Mind control ♪♪
09. Rafflesia
10. シルエット [Silhouette] ♪♪♪♪♪♪
11. Tragic prologue ♪♪♪♪♪♪
12. Forever ♪♪♪♪
COMMENTS: NФA is absolutely one of the best, and yet most overlooked, artists that visual kei has to offer. In addition to being able to sing incredibly well (I'm not exaggerating on this), he plays his own instruments. 『Invisible 1998-2006』 is a chronicle of all his works as a guitarist and vocalist from, uh, those years. This album is fairly multi-genre, dabbling in multiple categories of metal - death, speed, black, power - but also blends blues/swing in songs like 「Cruel style」, features lovely acoustic ballads like 「シルエット」, and even a surprisingly sentimental and gorgeous piano & violin piece titled 「Forever」. Overall, his style is a bit old school visual kei, but the style suits him really well. His voice reminds me a bit of Tora's (Sel'm) lower register, and someone else that I can't quite place, but it's deep, smooth, and controlled. And it goes without saying that the the guitar work on this album is quite good. I highly recommend this album for songs like 「Destiny」, 「シルエット」, 「Tragic prologue」, and 「Forever」. All are really beautifully done.
ARTIST: XecsNoin
RELEASE: XecsplosioN [album]
DOWNLOAD: http://www.sendspace.com/file/mrzn4h
TRACKLIST:
01. The Creator Justifies ♪♪♪♪
02. UNSCARRED ♪♪
03. One Day in November ♪♪♪♪♪♪
04. CEREBERUS
05. SPIRITUAL ROAD ♪♪♪♪♪♪
06. FIREWALL(Listen to your Inner Voice) ♪♪
07. ASURA ♪♪♪♪♪♪
08. Children of the War ♪♪♪♪♪♪
COMMENTS: I've wanted to introduce these guys for years now, but I never got around to it for some reason. Well, XecsNoin isn't really known as a visual band, but rather just a metal band. They are one of my favourites though, and this album is one of my favourite metal albums. These guys are so fucking hardcore and each piece is packed with completely unrelenting drums, grungey, dueling guitars, and solos galore. What's interesting is that XecsNoin's vocalist, unlike many other metal vocalists, does put forth the effort to sing and his voice is fairly pleasant - just check out 「SPIRITUAL ROAD」 and my favourite, 「ASURA」. The only problem I have is that I have with them is that their bassist gets drowned out by the epic guitars and drums.
ARTIST: Blast
RELEASE: 緋い領域 [Akai ryouiki mini-album]
DOWNLOAD: http://www.sendspace.com/file/qcowu1
TRACKLIST:
01. 侵蝕 [Shinshoku] ♪♪♪♪♪♪
02. 嗚呼!所詮、嗚呼!無情、[Aa! shosen, aa! mujou,] ♪♪♪♪
03. 言論テロリズム [Genron terrorism]
04. 緋い領域 [Akai ryouiki]
05. 顔のない月 [Kao no nai tsuki] ♪♪♪♪♪♪
COMMENTS: The main reason why I am still completely in love with Blast, after all these years: 秀朗 [Hiderou]. He is one of my favourite bassists ever, and I will dare say that he is undoubtedly one of the best bassists as well. His style reminds me a lot of Yukino (the studs, lynch, deadman) - the same fast, hard playing style that, at times, completely dominates Blast's songs. The other reason why I love Blast: 維那's [Yuina's] voice. It's not the best that I've heard, and uncharacteristically higher pitched, but he sings quite well. Although my tastes in music have changed a bit and I've become a lot more critical, Blast remains one of the few bands that I continue to come back to time and time again. 「顔のない月」 remains one of my absolute favourite songs.
ARTIST: Sel'm
RELEASE: [2006.10.04] dyed vacancy [maxi-single]
DOWNLOAD: http://www.sendspace.com/file/04t2up
TRACKLIST:
01. Megalomania ♪♪♪♪
02. 楔 [Setsu] ♪♪♪♪
03. 追憶 [Tsuioku] ♪♪♪♪♪♪
COMMENTS: Er, if you haven't realized it yet, Sel'm is my second favourite band so I will shamelessly use this opportunity to plug them and their music because their new single is coming out soon. That, and they deserve many, many fans. Perhaps it is my vocalist-bias speaking, but I adore the hell out of this band. Tora is just simply excellent. He's young and doesn't have all that much experience other than his brief stint as girugamesh's first vocalist, but he still sings better than "vocalists" who have 5+ years more experience. His voice is why songs like 「追憶」 are so haunting and lovely, he knows how to use his incredible range. The second thing that attracts me to Sel'm's music is Takuma's mastery of the bass in the short time that the band has been active, which is often played in almost a lazy, sensuous fashion. Then, there is also MANJ", who continues to impress me with each new release because of how fancy and complicated his drumming is getting. He completely blew me away with his performance on 『brilliant force』. I am really looking forward to hearing the new material with the newest addition to their family, Nagi.
ARTIST: R-15/R指定 [Formerly known as R-18 and キャサリン]
RELEASE: [2007.12.12] Beautyful Sad Song [mini-album]
DOWNLOAD: http://www.sendspace.com/file/oy626o
TRACKLIST:
01. A cradle
02. Dirty's culture ♪♪♪♪♪♪
03. Sad song ♪♪
04. In the concrete ♪♪♪♪♪♪
05. SE
06. Cult life ♪♪♪♪
07. End roll ♪♪♪♪
08. ボナストラック [Bonus track] ♪♪♪♪♪♪
COMMENTS: I said I would upload this for krashkan a while ago, but life got incredibly hectic so it's now about a month late. Ahaha. So I yeah, this is for you and anyone else in need of good, quality music. This band has gone through so many name changes that it's hard to keep track of at times. I love this band so much, マモ [Mamo] is so fucking hardcore on stage. But offstage, the kid is such a lovable retard who's journal entries make me laugh for ages. R-15 has some elements to their music that remind me of The Gazette at times, but ultimately, I find them to be the better band because マモ really knows how to use his voice. 七星 [Nanahoshi] also owns the hell out of Reita, and I'll take ウルトラ Z's [ULTRA Z's] guitar work over the shoddy mess that is Uruha's any day.
ARTIST: DELUHI
RELEASE: [2008.07.23] Orion once again [maxi-single]
DOWNLOAD: http://www.sendspace.com/file/7p1bmi
TRACKLIST:
01. Orion once again ♪♪♪♪♪♪
02. NO SALVATION ♪♪♪♪♪♪
COMMENTS: Another upload for krashkan. DELUHI is such an excellent band, there really isn't anything new to say that I haven't said before so you'll just get a copy & pasted review that I wrote a few months back:
Previously named GRAVE SEED, DELUHI are Juri on vocals, Leda on guitar, Ryo on bass, and Sujk on drums. While most of the members seem to be completely new to the music scene, they manage to display impressive maturity in both sound and style. Juri is a strong vocalist, with a clear & pleasant singing voice and real talent for screaming. In fact, it sounds like it could be two completely different people given how charming Juri's singing voice is juxtaposed against how brutal his screaming can get. What I am incredibly impressed with in general is their decision to keep the tracks relatively clean and listenable by pushing the screaming into the background and instead, choosing to highlight his singing voice. In addition to his singing and screaming, I want to add that Juri's English pronounciation is amazing. Holy shit, was I surprised.
You may know of Leda under his other stage name, Yu-to, bassist for the power metal band Galneryus. He is both an incredible bassist and guitarist, as well as a talented composer. He is responsible for composing all of the songs, as well as writing most of the lyrics for their releases. I really cannot stress enough the extent of this man's talent. If you haven't guessed already from Leda's background, DELUHI does indeed have strong metal influences in their music - many of their songs are filled with fast-paced drumming, heavy bass notes, crazy amounts of shredding, and a ton of great guitar solos. They also bring in other elements such as what sounds like the xylophone, organs, and piano.
ARTIST: Viored
RELEASE: [Created perfect new vision] -Taste of Heartless- [maxi-single]
DOWNLOAD: http://www.sendspace.com/file/tw993p
TRACKLIST:
01. 柘榴〜Taste of Heartless〜 [Zakuro~Taste of Heartless~] ♪♪♪♪♪♪
02. M.D.P.[Mad doll party] ♪♪♪♪♪♪
03. Invariable Ray
COMMENTS: I'm still quite devastated that 螢 [Kei] suddenly left Viored and seemingly disappeared from the music scene. I loved Viored dearly, they held an incredible amount of promise and sounded so together even though they only lasted for about 2 years. 優一 [Yuuichi] and Nagi were amazing together on guitar, and seiya is such a great bassist. Then there's 螢 [Kei]. My favourite member, and one of my favourite vocalists. He has such a powerful voice, it makes me sad that I might not hear from him again. Songs like 「柘榴〜Taste of Heartless〜」 really epitomize Viored's career - powerful twin guitars, great solos, active basswork that stays in the foreground, all overlayed with clear, strong vocals that soar in the chorus. There's a lot of layers and intriguing complexity in their music that a lot of other (much older) bands seem to lack. I'm happy that at the very least, Nagi is with Sel'm now.
ARTIST: P∞L
RELEASE: アジアのシンボル [Asia no symbol mini-album]
DOWNLOAD: http://www.sendspace.com/file/67y4dr
TRACKLIST:
01. POOLISH
02. 信度５ [Shindon 5] ♪♪
03. 白船 [Shirofune]
04. 色とりどりの答え [Iro toridori no kotae] ♪♪♪♪
05. 揺り籠 [Yurikago] ♪♪♪♪
06. symbol ♪♪♪♪♪♪
COMMENTS: I won't lie, I think P∞L is pretty fucking strange as well. They remind me a bit of merrygoround, who are also very good but both bands still make me raise my eyebrows at times. Nevertheless, if you like Nagoya and angura bands, you might enjoy them. Unfortunately, I just don't have the ability to describe their eccentricities, so you will just have to trust my tastes and check them out for yourself. Just get ready for a lot of random noises and one really eclectic singer.
ARTIST: xTRiPx
RELEASE: [2007.07.25] Blue well the Air [maxi-single]
DOWNLOAD: http://www.sendspace.com/file/vl83c8
TRACKLIST:
01. rhymeLoud ♪♪♪♪♪♪
02. cherry ♪♪♪♪♪♪
COMMENTS: I think xTRiPx is one of the most easily enjoyable bands active in the visual music scene. The vocalist sings fairly well and has a very pretty voice, their music is very well composed, energetic, and fun. They mix a bit of rap into their music, and have very catchy choruses that suddenly segway into loud and heavy breaks. Their work has elements that appeal to a wide range of listeners, which is probably why they are quickly gaining popularity.
ARTIST: VelBet
RELEASE: Song for ...xxx [maxi-single]
DOWNLOAD: http://www.sendspace.com/file/u3dok8
TRACKLIST:
01. Bunny ♪♪♪♪
02. サクラチル (Sakura chiru) ♪♪
03. Song for ...xxx ♪♪♪♪
COMMENTS: VelBet is another band that utilizes the fun, energetic chorus plus heavier breaks and verses formula for their music. They are pretty hardcore with rumbling basslines and furious drumming and screaming - elements that are borderline metal in sound, so the change into the chorus is often unexpected but also kind of fun in that respect.
ARTIST: Lusia
RELEASE: イバラノオリ [Ibara no ori single]
DOWNLOAD: http://www.sendspace.com/file/3mrd48
TRACKLIST:
01. イバラノオリ [Ibara no ori] ♪♪♪♪♪♪
COMMENTS: Unfortunately, this one song is all that I have from Lusia. They are fucking amazing though and I highly recommend them for fans of bands like DELUHI, CROWS, and R-18.
ARTIST: HATED
RELEASE: [2005.09.28] STILL devote myself to my BITCH [maxi-single]
DOWNLOAD: http://www.sendspace.com/file/lf6d69
TRACKLIST:
01. Desperate Gain ♪♪♪♪♪♪
02. habit ♪♪
03. 藍色（新録） [Aiiro (new recording)]
COMMENTS: This Nagoya band was made up of three of the four members of meth. Their style is not all that different from meth., but the only glaring difference is Akito's (formerly known by his stage name シキ [Shiki]) voice. Akito used to sing strictly in his lower register for HATED, but surprisingly he sounded pretty natural doing it (although a bit nasal at times). I know quite a few of you are meth. fans, so if you haven't heard HATED, I suggest giving them a try.
ARTIST: Lovin'
RELEASE: DESCENT THE SAVAGE [maxi-single]
DOWNLOAD: http://www.sendspace.com/file/5j91w7
TRACKLIST:
01. BETWEEN HEAVEN AND HELL ♪♪
02. SIREN ♪♪♪♪
03. 独心中 [Dokushinjuu]
COMMENTS: These guys are pretty much like 闇撫 [Yaminade]: brutal.
ARTIST: SCREW
RELEASE: VENOM [maxi-single]
DOWNLOAD: http://www.sendspace.com/file/7nccov
TRACKLIST:
01. DEADLY SILENCE ♪♪♪♪
02. VANQUISH
03. CELESTIAL BLISS ♪♪
04. REND: LOOP ♪♪♪♪
COMMENTS: I don't think these guys need an intro. You're all probably familiar with them on some level or another, right? It's the usual solid release from SCREW, although there is a bit of a change of pace with the significantly softer 「CELESTIAL BLISS」. Unforunately, I don't think Byou's voice is very suited for slower songs but the music is nice.
ARTIST: メトロノーム [metronome]
RELEASE: [2007.08.08] たわいないトワイライト [Tawainai twilight maxi-single]
DOWNLOAD: http://www.sendspace.com/file/hqfr57
TRACKLIST:
01. たわいないトワイライト [Tawainai twilight] ♪♪♪♪♪♪
02. MATSURI ♪♪♪♪
COMMENTS: Much to the surprise of many, I really enjoy groups like metronome and FLOPPY. I love the playfulness that metronome exhibits with the random old console game noises that they throw in. But in addition to that, RIU is a really, really good bassist.
ARTIST: BREAKERZ
RELEASE: [2007.07.25] BREAKERZ [album]
DOWNLOAD: http://www.sendspace.com/file/a7izra
TRACKLIST:
01. WAKE UP MY SOUL ♪♪♪♪
02. Birdman ♪♪♪♪♪♪
03. THE TRAIN'S GONE... ♪♪
04. JOKER ♪♪♪♪
05. Re:born
06. Miss you
07. Nights a Brighter
08. Let ecstasy be ours
09. REAL LOVE ♪♪♪♪
10. I feel...
11. Kamisori ♪♪♪♪♪♪
12. Neo-Breaker
13. Drive the Ocean
COMMENTS: The fact that DAIGO☆STARDUST fronts this band makes me roll forever, but all laughter aside, they are honestly not that bad. In fact, the musical compositions are actually really, really well done but DAIGO is still as nasal as ever. It's weird to see that DAIGO can manage to be ...uh, not so blatantly flaming serious and mature. If they strategically replace DAIGO with someone that can sing, this band would be pretty amazing. If you aren't one to be too caught up with vocal technique, I think you would enjoy this.
ARTIST: PIERROT
RELEASE: [1997.09.03] CELLULOID [mini-album]
DOWNLOAD: http://www.sendspace.com/file/mpj20q
TRACKLIST:
01. セルロイド [Celluloid] ♪♪♪♪
02. Adolf
03. 脳内モルヒネ [Nounai morphine] ♪♪
04. Twelve ♪♪♪♪♪♪
05. 鬼と桜 [Oni to sakura] ♪♪
06. HUMAN GATE
COMMENTS: PIERROT has been perhaps the most influential band in my life, second only to MUCC. They changed music from something that I only listened to on occassion to something that I craved every moment of the day. It was Kirito's lyrics that first inpsired me to start writing poetry, and his voice that got me interested in singing again after I had quit. And it seems that no matter how many other bands I find myself attached to, I still come back to PIERROT's music for KOHTA's bass work, for 潤's [Jun's] synth work, and of course, Kirito's voice and compositions. This mini-album is one of my favourites. It may be over 10 years old, but still is so beautiful to me. It contains one of my favourite songs from PIERROT's impressive discography, 「Twelve」.
ARTIST: ONE OK ROCK
RELEASE: [2006.12.16] Keep it real [maxi-single]
DOWNLOAD: http://www.sendspace.com/file/tzthr1
TRACKLIST:
01. Keep it real ♪♪♪♪♪♪
02. 辛い＋一＝幸せ [Tsurai+ichi=shiawase] ♪♪♪♪♪♪
03. P.P.S.H. ♪♪
04. And I know ♪♪♪♪♪♪
COMMENTS: ONE OK ROCK is undoubtedly one of the best bands I've discovered this past year. Their music is characterized by clean, straightforward guitar work, simple beats, and Taka's distinct, clear, sweet, high-pitched voice that sounds almost childish and pure. Interesting fact: Taka's father is a famous enka singer, and it seems that Taka has directly inherited that ability to sing - his technique is just excellent for such a young guy. Their music is sometimes very simple, but infinitely catchy. They combine a nice mix of rock with rap and bluegrass elements. 「Keep it real」 is one of my absolute favourite songs.
ARTIST: Lycaon
RELEASE: [2008.03.19] RED RUM [maxi-single]
DOWNLOAD: http://www.sendspace.com/file/ypdqoe
TRACKLIST:
01. Grow
02. RED RUM ♪♪
03. The Death Game ♪♪♪♪♪♪
04. 「琥珀彩」～コハクイロ～ [Kohakuiro] ♪♪♪♪♪♪
COMMENTS: The first band that comes to mind when I hear Lycaon's music is Viored. Lycaon's style is really similar to Viored's, but also to R-15's as well. The vocalist is not as good as 螢 [Kei] or マモ [Mamo], but he is certainly very skilled in his own right. Lycaon's music is perhaps slightly more approachable because 悠希 [Yuuki] doesn't scream or growl as much as the other two vocalists. 悠希's voice in 「琥珀彩」～コハクイロ～ sounds quite similar to 螢's in certain notes, it's kind of trippy for me.
ARTIST: Lycaon
RELEASE: [2008.07.30] Sad/Sick:ness [maxi-single]
DOWNLOAD: http://www.sendspace.com/file/cfvgav
TRACKLIST:
01. into the dark
02. 緋雨 [Hi ame] ♪♪♪♪
03. The[1st] degree genocide holic ♪♪
COMMENTS: I really enjoy Lycaon, and I'm certain that quite a few of you also will so here's their second single as well. 緋雨 [Hi ame] gets a bit generic at times, but overall an easy listen. The third track is a lot more fast-paced and brings back some of the chaos and noise that they are a bit more known for. It gets a bit too chaotic and uncoordinated at times though, unfortunately. Otherwise it would be one really awesome song.
ARTIST: YO-HEI
RELEASE: [2007.10.31] Existence [maxi-single]
DOWNLOAD: http://www.sendspace.com/file/4m3as1
TRACKLIST:
01. Existence ♪♪♪♪♪♪
02. BURST OUT ♪♪♪♪♪♪
03. Ride on Madness ♪♪♪♪♪♪
04. Platinum TRAP a ♪♪♪♪♪♪
COMMENTS: Holy shit. So this release is purely instrumental, but the guitar work is crazy impressive. Reminds me of Ishiwatari Daisuke's work, and that is a really high compliment. If you like industrial/power/black/progressive metal without the often dying/screaming vocals, you would enjoy this. Basically, I would recommend this to fans of Galneryus and DELUHI. Or well, just anyone who likes guitar in general. This maxi-single is awesome.
ARTIST: 吉田兄弟 [Yoshida kyoudai, or Yoshida Brothers]
RELEASE: Hishou―飛翔 [album]
DOWNLOAD: http://www.sendspace.com/file/r06xhi
TRACKLIST:
01. Prelude: Hishou
02. Ibuki (Hishou Version) ♪♪
03. Kodo (Hishou Version) ♪♪♪♪♪♪
04. Ringo Bushi ♪♪♪♪♪♪
05. Ajigasawa Jinku ♪♪♪♪
06. Yasaburou Bushi ♪♪♪♪♪♪♪♪
07. Panorama ♪♪♪♪
08. Tsugaru Yosare Bushi (Hishou Version)
09. Time of Sand
10. Tsugaru Aiya Bushi (Hishou Version)
11. Modern (Hishou Version) ♪♪♪♪♪♪
12. Dual
13. Tsugaru Jongara Bushi (Hishou Version) ♪♪
14. Postlude: Hishou
COMMENTS: Tsugaru jamisen, yesss. I love 吉田兄弟, they are so epic. So for those who don't know who this duo are, they are shamisen players (a traditional musical instrument that has been compared to a banjo, but is plucked with a plectrum). They play in a modernized style known as tsugaru jamisen, which is basically incredibly fast plucking of the instrument. So yes, this is very much traditional, ethnic music fused with some contemporary elements. They sometimes bring in drums and the 笛 [fue/flute] to supplement their shamisen. Their music is incredibly beautiful, but also incredibly cool (yes, they deserve the emphasis). Just check out the insanity that is Kodo. They play the shamisen like one would play the fucking guitar.