Okay, it’s been a while since some legit good J-Rock has been dropped to the public. But no worries! Because there has been some singles that are worth mentioning in this post. The three that’ll be on the choppin’ block is Satsuki’s “Moon Spiral”, ViViD’s “Across The Border”, and 12012’s “Tattoo”. Yes, that’s 12012 and they’re still old as dirt and making good music. It’s not as great as their other singles that have been recently released, but it’ll do for now until they decide to make another single or an entire CD.

So first off is Satsuki. For those who don’t know who he is (you should seriously fuckin’ burn if you don’t know him), he was the frontman and singer of Rentrer en Soi. After they disbanded he decided to do solo work and before this one he released a single called “La Lune” and in my opinion, it sucked massive dick. I’m not one for what can be described as harmonious, angelic ballads but if that’s what you’re into then his first single is worth checkin’ into. Now for his “Moon Spiral” single, it’s straight up amazing. I think it’s totally a redemption single from “La Lune” and it’s way more edgier. It’s a four track single and the song titled “You” is the power ballad of the single. The other three tracks are Satsuki’s harmonic voiced backed up with guitars and a dandy melody. It’s nothing intricate or anything, but it’s a nice listen. His second song on the single “Pray For The Sun” has some electronic elements to it, but it’s not to the point that he over does it. But rather, it’s a nice balance for the track and it’s something worth checking out. Overall, his new single is a definite download and I’m not saying that because I’m a devoted Rentrer en Soi fan either, haha.

Satsuki’s “Moon Spiral“

Second single is ViViD’s “Across The Border”. It’s a good follow up to their second single “69-II” since that was when I think they started to break away from their intended Oshare birth (with their first single “Dear”).  But back to “Across The Border”, it’s got a PV out for it and it’s really just the band playing at a border and some guys in suits are stopping them, well trying to. The track list for the single is also a four track one it’s just “Across The Border”, “Feast of the Moon”, “Twilight”, and “Yume no Michishirube”. Okay, so I’ll start off with a bit of “Twilight”, it’s the lightest song of the single. But it’s got a bit of a spark to it, but nothing really worth mentioning. Also, their song “Yume no Michishirube” is a light song as well. It’s a lighter song but with more of a ballsy tone to it. It’s not a total puss song. The real highlight of the album are the other three tracks, they’re all worth listening to.  Their vocalist Shin is really shining in the songs and they’ve even included like a mini-breakdown in “Across The Border” and then it’s followed up by a guitar solo from Ryouga. Their track “Feast of the Moon” is a song that seems focused on the guitars in it, the rhythm of the song is good. It’s just a good single overall, not the greatest but good. To an extent, it seems rather generic but it happens to most bands that try to be Oshare. Worth checking out though.

ViViD’s “Across The Border“

Finally, is the review of 12012’s single “Tattoo”. To be honest, I’m not so amazed by this single. It’s just really seemed like their losing what they once had when they started as a band. It’s a three track single, it’s got “Tattoo” and then an instrumental of it and it’s got a song called “Silhouette” and that’s the power ballad. Nothing special. The only highlight of the single is “Tattoo” and they’ve got a PV Preview for it too. Just gonna say that Wataru looks pretty badass in the single, haha. But musically, it’s really just another single from 12012’s “newer” days. I’m not trying to sound like one of those “old vs new” asshole fans but that’s what has happened. If you compare “Tattoo” to their songs like “Shooting Star” or even “Shudder”…Well, there wouldn’t even be a comparison. Die hard fans might not like it, but if you’re just getting into 12012 (then you’re so fuckin’ late) you’ll dig it.

12012’s “Tattoo (PV Preview)“

Okay so they’re obviously making this like their redemption video. Although it’s a clip, it’s a pretty damn good but visually it seems like a regular PV. Their sound is similar to some tracks on “Withering To Death” with like a quicker tempo and some melody. I’m actually anticipating this PV, but downside is that it’s not getting released till December 2nd :C

I am saddened.

edit by ty::
the name of the single is: Hageshisa to, Kono Mune no Naka de Karamitsuita Shakunetsu no Yami

and on this single will be two rerecordings of older songs: Zan, and also Shokubeni

They’ve done it again! The well-known J-Rock band alice nine. has released another live DVD called “Untitled Vandal(ism) Grace The Beautiful Day”. It’s just your average live performance but the set list is consists of mainly their new shizzle, not saying it’s bad. I’m just not a die-hard A9-er, so to me this DVD is just…ya know, another DVD. The band’s visual appearance has gotten rather toned down and personally I enjoy it, it’s not so…in your face. In the DVD Shou is seen strutting around it this red suede tuxedo ensemble thing. Rather dashing~ The actual performance the band puts on seems to be on point, but as I mentioned I’m not a super hardcore A9 fan. This is something a true fan would enjoy though, it’s got some mild fanservice, a dope performance, and visually pleasing.

The setlist for the DVD is:

01. Graced the beautiful day
02. RAINBOWS
03. www.
04. Seija no parade
05. Kiss twice. Kiss me deadly
06. Haikara Naru Rondo
07. JEWELS
08. Kokan
09. Hana
10. Hyakka ryolan
11. Kowloon – Nine heads rodeo show
12. Drella
13. Mugen -electric eden-
14. Subaru
15. the beautiful name

That’s just a sampler of what I was getting at, so you guys can get the jist of the new DVD. Enjoy!

Many of you chibi nihongoloids missed out on some of the most influential and creative acts. One such act was “industrial gender unit” BLAM HONEY ( myspace ).

BLAM HONEY
( 1995 – 2000, 2008 – ??? )

In 1995 two boys had the same vision of an industrial world filled with electricity, leather, lace and quite a bit of engrish. For 3 years they played lives and gained a following. Shows consisted of Tatsuya singing and on guitar with Ryōnai dancing and putting on quite a spectacle. In 1998 they released Grandiose Delusion, their first album followed by Artificial Delusion ( maxi-single ) and The other side of electronic brain ( single ). The next year they released their second album, Typical Ingeniousness -suggest-, on a major Japanese label. Then they broke up, and I was disappoint.

Eight years later, Blam Honey was resurrected and a memorial album was announced in honor of Tatsuya’s passing. The 3-disc memorial album, Providence of Decadence, will be released in August. Disc 2: "Remix＆Cover" may or may not feature a remix I did when Ryōnai held a competition in late 2008. It definitely would be track 14, Myasthenia (REMIX / Tyler Wheeler) if it were to be on the cd >w>!

TATSUYA -Vocals, Guitar, Percussion
( 04.06.xx – 01.06.2004 )

While Tatsuya may not have had the vocal range of Michael Jackson (or the fondness of a little boy’s touch) he was still a great vocalist, and sang from the heart. Not a lot of information is know about Tatsuya, except that he was able to sing while sleeping. In 2004 Tatsuya died of acute leukemia. This knowledge was kept from the public for 4 years until Ryōnai announced the death of his partner and the then planned memorial album in his honor.

RYŌNAI -Acts, Synthesizers, Percussion, Programming
( 03.06.xx – ??? )

Ryōnai’s expert use of programming and synthesizers mixed with his charm and costumes no doubt added to the popularity of BLAM HONEY. Live shows almost always featured Ryōnai dancing and enticing the crowd in a very elaborate costume. Think leather, lace and lots and lots of metal and spikes. In 1996 Ryōnai created a clothing line (with a music project attached) called Suppurate System. He has designed items for Kaya (ex-Schwarz Stein), Mana, Kaoru (Dir en grey), and Közi.

   have you ever just met someone and thought “man… she is so jrock.”

   that’s how i feel about myself.
   i’m so jrock, that i’m going to talk about a korean hiphop girl band that has stolen my heart. (they’ve a level 15thf, ok? i’m only lvl 12whm, itz not fair.)

2NE1

the bitch with a mohawk is one sexy motherfucker

   you can read the wikipedia, i’m sure. but in case you’re too lazy – in a few words: four girl version of big bang, debut: march 2009. they’ve got some hip beats that make your booty pop. even shota sp33n, who blatantly admits he hates k-music, will tell you how fly these ladies are. by the way, ima fuck minzy, just you wait. i think i just like these galz so much since i just turned 21, and i know it’s secretly a present for my birthday (their name is 21.. to anyone, 2NE1… it’s fate). anyway, the song that i super aishiteru is FIRE, which was just released recently, and they’re also mostly known for the collab they did with big bang lollipop, but let’s move along to my one true love, maya-kun.

LM.C

let’s just disregard how hot topic goffik they look, ok?
   i’m not even going off on a tangent about how hard i would fuck maya, but let’s just make sure that’s a widely known fact. moving right along, lm.c, my one true band, released a new single on may 20, 09 called Punky ♥ Heart (here’s the PV). i’m definitely a fan of the song, let’s just leave it at that. also on the single was Days, which feels like it should be an anime opening… oh wait. it is… whaddya know. it’s the opening song for the hitman reborn DS game (lm.c’s done two anime openings for hitman reborn).
   Punky ♥ Heart also features the chill kawaii song-chan “ningyo no namida. if you’re familiar with LM.C, it’s the same kind of feel as the song marble-s.

the gazette

gazette features five tranny-fierce fagboys that look like shakira and queen latifa
and don’t forget that one douche wearing the chain mail.
   i suppose i should also mention a few other note-worthy releases. of course, the gazette (the most jrock of all jrock bands) released a new single (Distress & Coma) on march 09, 09. it’s a standard gazette PV featuring some retarded ballerina. oh jrock, you really love ballerinas. but according to my super jrock ex-boyfriend (i only date jrockers, thx. CALL ME, CELESTINE!) — this video was based on a dream ruki had. all i have to say is… what a douchebag. what a boring dream. ok, so ruki might look like a hot bitch in the video and in this live, but that doesn’t change the fact that uruha is a hot topic gayrocker in tripp pants. anyway, the song itself is also a standard gazette song, in which they still utilize that sweet female vocalist they used in filth & the beauty. (do we see a pattern? “filth & the beauty” – “nausea & shudder” – “distress & coma” — they’re so creative!)
   anyway. gazette also has a new album being released on july 15th called Dim. This album will feature seventeen sweet beats. i’m mildy interested, but we’ll see how this goes.

nightmare

second from the left. stare at him for a good ten seconds.
just take it all in.
   you know, i forgot how hip pleather hot pants were until i saw them on sakito (farthest left). see? those are really stylish. nightmare, normally a sugoi band, disappointed me with their sixth full-length album Majestical Parada (here’s a youtube playlist of the album). all of the songs sounded the same, and were very typical nightmare. this album was released may 13, 2009 and features 12 tracks. i don’t even know which one to link to because they all sounded so damn similar, although the first song PARADE did keep me intrigued and hopeful that the rest of the album would be better (in which i was sorely disappointed). they also had a single release on april 29, 2009 called MELODY that is only worth mentioning because it has a somewhat interesting PV. ok, so nothing happens in the pv except you see the band rockin out with their j-cocks out, but what else is new? yomi’s hair looked pretty sweet.

anCafe

so they look like they always did. but here they are lookin hard rock… (except yuki).
   idk if i should be surprised that i liked their most recent EP or not. Harajuku Dance Rock was released on march 13, 2009 and features seven tracks (three of which have pvs) and one of which is the fourth in the “nyappy in the world” songs. it’s very typical ancafe sounding, there’s nothing mind-blowing… but it keeps your interest. as long as you don’t mind miku’s chihuahua voice that is. Summer Dive ~sweet melty PEACH BEACH~ was easily my favorite due to the upbeat poppy sound of it. aroma was one of the other songs on the EP featuring a PV (…they’re going for a hard rock look?) and the final one with a PV is MY HEART LEAPS FOR ‘C’. let me mention another song though, Kawayu’s ЯocК… just … let me quote some of the beautiful poetry of the lyrics. “An OMG-like lie is an infamous see-thru” … yes, miku does literally say “O-M-G” in the song. idk what to think about this.
   in conclustion: this EP has a lot of variation, which is definitely a good thing.

other new releases
  → Abingdon Boys School – JAP & Valkyrie
  → SuG – 39GalaxyZ
  → Sadie – Ice Romancer
  → Girugamesh – Alive (full song) & PV Preview
  → SCREW – Wailing Wall
  → Kagrra, – Sakura Dzukiyo
  → POLYSICS – Young Oh! Oh!
  → VAMPS – Love Addict
  → Kra – Love Lab
  → Daizy Stripper – Dearest
  → Ayabie – Aitakute
  → Shiina Ringo – Ariamarutomi
  → Serial⇔Number – Chinese Ring

gackt has a shitload of new stuff for his 10th year anniversary countdown:
  → journey through the decade (released awhile ago)
  → koakuma heaven preview (june 10, 09)
  → FARAWAY preview (june 17, 09)
  → lost angels preview (june 24, 09)
  → flower preview (july 01, 09)

♥ tokidoki ty.