Computer issues...

Konbanwa. I've been having computer issues and also fighting bronchitis, so I haven't been posting much. No worries, I will be bringing you more news and interesting bits soon. Hope all has been well with everyone!

Sayonara til next time!

~Kuro

Band Spotlight: Exist Trace

Band Spotlight: D.

 As promised, I bring you D.

D - Dying message PV (FULL)

Here it is: The new PV from D.! What do you think?

~Kuro

Dir en Grey will be streaming UROBOROS at Budokan The Movie on Ustream

DIR EN GREY has announced that they will be streaming UROBOROS at BUDOKAN the MOVIE worldwide on USTREAM! The schedule will be announced on the 21st of May.

The movie will feature clips from the band's legendary two day show at Nippon Budokan on the 9th and 10th of 2010. The band's album UROBOROS came to life at this show, and they will share it with the rest of the world through their documentary.

Not much is released at the moment however they have uploaded a trailer, and included the staff credits as well, so make sure to check it out below!

Staff credits:

Director: Yuichiro Iwaki
Project: Sun-krad / Shirogumi Inc.
Producers: Atsushi Inoue / Yuichiro Iwaki / Yuji Akiyama / Shuichi Minamino
Music: DIR EN GREY
Editing: Shirogumi Inc.
Production: Sun-krad / Shirogumi Inc. / Musashino Ad Inc. / Presidio Corporation

(credit goes to jpopasia.com)

Asagi (Vocalist of D.) Meets with Tim Burton at the premiere of "Dark Shadows" in Japan!

At the end of last year there were rumors of an acquaintance with the vocalist of the group D. Asagi with director Tim Burton (insert squee of glee for both Asagi, Mr. Burton, and me right here!!) I'm not too sure if it was online or in person at the time of this writing. As it turned out, the director praised the clip of the song "Torikago goten~ L' Oiseau bleu ~", and even sent his own hand painted postcard to Asagi. After that, Asagi said in his diary to fans that he wanted to meet with Mr. Burton, as well show his love and appreciation for his films. Finally, the meeting that he dreamed of has happened!

Sorry I've been away..

Konbanwa everyone. I'm so sorry I've been away for so long. I have been diagnosed with acute bronchitis and I have been recuperating the best I can. I hope everyone had a great Mother's Day whether you are a mother or not. Did everyone show their oka-san some love?

Anyway, I just wanted to come by and let everyone know that I have not forsaken this blog. I have great things lined up for it and I can't wait to get started. I have some great bands to talk about, and other treats too. We all know about the GazettE's Venomous Cell DVD that has been floating around..I am not sure if I am going to post it on here, but who knows? But for those who aren't in the know..

"Titled TOUR11-12 VENOMOUS CELL FINALE OMEGA, the DVD will feature footage from the band's tour final held at Yokohama Arena on January 14th. The release will be available in two editions. The regular edition will feature two discs, while the limited one will come with a bonus third disc, though its contents have yet to be confirmed."

Credit to CDJapan.

I know, I know, it came out on May 9th, but I just wanted to recap.

The bands that are coming up for review and discussion are: D., Nega, and Deluhi.. though not in that order. I am also looking for admins too. If you want to be a part of this great blog, feel free to let me know! So with that, sayonara until next time.

~Kuro

Get ready for the sickness

I consider myself to be a J Rock and Visual Kei connoisseur. I have a never-ending need to find and hear new music and styles. I can say that starting this blog was a way to bring great bands to forefront. Yes, I know that there are so many J Rock blogs all over the web right now, and that I am just a little fish floating in a sea of other fans of a great scene and genre. The thing is,I feel that J Rock has got to be one of the most overlooked genres in music today. I went to Billboard.com and Rollingstone.com and I saw not one single article about Japanese Rock. Don't get me wrong; I really didn't expect to find anything about J Rock or Visual Kei anywhere in American magazines. I figured the most I would get is if I traveled to Anime Conventions and the like.

 I figured that it’s way past time to let the world know (especially in the United States of America) about these bands who kick ass and take names, social security numbers, and DNA samples whenever they turn on an amp and pick up a microphone. The bands that catch your attention not only with stunning beauty and cultural reverence, but with sickening bass riffs, and great melodic form.  The bands that have great bassists and drummers and mesmerizing guitarists. Bands that have vocalists who pound your eardrums, cerebral cortex, and soul with every syllable that bursts out of them with resounding roars, bellows, grunts, soothing harmonics and outright screams. The look is just the icing on the cake. 

I plan on showcasing bands who stand out to me and who have forged a niche in their own right. The intention is to cover all the nuances of J Rock/Visual Kei bands, from the looks, to the sounds,  and even bands who have disbanded but still brought their A game each and every time. Yes, I caught the J Rock virus a long time ago, and I plan on infecting others. Call me the “Typhoid Mary” of J Rock.

This is more than a communicable disease.

This is a plague.

There is no known cure.

You have been J Rock Infected.

Band To Watch: Biosphia

Vo.鳴(naru) (ex-Lovin'-->Lycee-->VULGAR-->VELGREED)
Gt.暦(reki) (ex-Marrow Haze-->Neah)
Gt.芽唯(may) (ex-Viola-->BERLIN-->GRIEVER)
Ba.夕紀(yuuki) (ex-Bloody Mary-->Ego Immortalize(support)-->Lovin'(support)-->Marvelous Maiden(support)-->Zodia-->HARNES-->Neah)
Dr.紫苑(shion) (ex-VELGREED)

http://biosphia.com

Biosphia is a band to watch. They have a full on death metal/grindcore edge to them that I find stimulating. I can't and will not put them into a certain box.I feel that they are just them. Biosphia.


Bassist Yuki, who you may remember from "Bloody Mary", and "Zodia" (if you don't know about those groups that disbanded, rest assured, I shall bring you up to speed) sets the tempo with driving chords and handles the change ups with ease in each song. Guitarists Reki (from Marrow Haze) and May (from Griever) blend together seamlessly with dizzying solos and accompaniments that will have you ready to go destroy whatever is in front of you. Drummer Shion (From Velgreed) continues his percussion with the same stamina and finesse that brought Velgreed to my attention back in the day.

Vocalist Naru blew my mind when I first discovered the band "Lovin'," and trust me, the name had even me, Miss Hattie Hardass, crossed up. I totally thought that it was going to be SUCH an oshare kei band and I made up my mind. "Pretty pop sound, bubbly lyrics, oh boy," I muttered to myself. Okay, I was wrong. As the song "Siren" from the single album "Descent the Savage" began and I heard Naru belt out the lyrics..I sat stunned into stillness. The music gripped me and I was borne away on the alternating smoothness and roughness of his voice. There came a point where he sang acappella and and I was totally dumbfounded. Simply put, the man can blow. I found the unpolished sound of the band gripping and I had to learn more. Give a listen after the jump.