Unboxing: CDJapan Haul 4

Unboxing: CDJapan Haul 3

Most Shocking/Disappointing/WTF Asian Music Moments of 2016

BLOOD STAIN CHILD Members Change...Again
I became aware of BSC's existance when they shared the stage with D at A-Kon 22. This was around the time their second vocalist Sophia joined the group. It was quite unfortunate to hear that she was leaving the group, but she remained active in the music scene and created SEASON OF GHOSTS, which I'll be putting up a concert report up eventually. ^^; They did make an appearance last year with their new vocalist Kiki at Oni-Con...another concert report that's pending. Unfortunately, a few months later, founding member and bassist RYO (also RYU's brother) and vocalist Kiki announced that they will be departing the band for one reason or another. As soon as this was posted on JAME, a new vocalist by the name of SAIKA and bassist Yakky joined the band and they released a new single, NEXUS. Despite the turn over of members, I'll still keep checking out their music and tracking their progression (or regression).


4Minute Disbands
Obviously, this news is not here for its shocking qualities, but more for its disappointing feeling for really the fans. For me, I honestly don't feel nothing towards this news. I do enjoy 4Minute's discography and "Hate" was a pretty banging track. I even enjoyed a couple of HyunA's solo songs from her last mini-album, but I normally enjoy about that same amount even though I don't care for her that much. Whether fans want to admit it or not, I'm sure they weren't that surprise to hear the news that everyone but HyunA renewed their contracts with Cube Entertainment. I mean the amount of publicity and promotion was very unbalanced for quite some time, which is really unfortunate. Whatever the members end up doing, I'll check it out if it presents itself in front of me.


Anzi leaves Matenrou Opera
It also sucks to hear a member leaving a band that's being around/together for more than five years. Despite me not keeping up with Matenrou Opera as much as when they debut, I tried my best to check out their newest PVs and listen to their singles when I had the time. From what I saw, things were looking pretty good and I was pleased with the growth and bond they had. Although, I admit that their sound/concepts felt a little stagnet after a while. Perhaps that was the reasoning behind Anzi's departure. I don't know; that quote just sounds like a fancy way of saying "musical differences". Nonetheless, I wish Anzi and the remaining members the best in 2017.


R-Shitei Banned from Nippon Budokan
Being part of a visual kei (and even just a musical act in Japan), most people's goal is to perform at the grand Nippon Budokan. Unfortunately, for this group, this dream may never happen unless the rules change. Honestly, this article/news appeared in the beginning of the year and I totally forgot about it. Fortunately, I had a link to the article saved to refresh my memory. The reasoning behind the ban was due to the band's inappropriate lyrical content, despite other bands performing similar controversial material on their stage. The article uses the example of Golden Bomber, which I know little about musically, but for me I thought of Dir en grey who have performed there countless times. So, I find it strange that this little band, who apparently is growing big enough for an 88 city tour and booking the stadium, is being denied this dream. Maybe R-Shitei fans can change things and give the band their dream.


DAIGO and Moon Hee Jun Get Married
...but not to each other. On January 11, Keiko Kitagawa announced that she was officially married to BREAKERZ's vocalist DAIGO. I don't actively follow DAIGO outside of BREAKERZ releases and even then I just enjoy the music; I don't go further than that. So, obviously, this was surprising, but good news to hear. Sometimes I wonder (and maybe a little bit of worry) about these older jrockers abstaining from love. On the other hand, they're very good at keeping their private lives private. DAIGO isn't your typical jrock star as he has crossed over to the mainstream, similar to Gackt, but that's old news for Japanese pop culture followers. H.O.T's Moon Hee Jun is someone I've come to accept in my introduction to kpop, in my earlier days. He was the exception of enjoyment for Korean rock and I still am quite fond of him, although I don't follow his activities constantly. Seeing the news on one of my favorite kpop sites, AsianJunkie, caught me off guard like the rest of the readers...except H.O.T fans. While the writer of the article was surprised and happy that the fans didn't rip apart Crayon Pop's Soyul for having a relationship with him, I was surprised no one made a big deal about the age gap (25 & 38), but maybe that's normal in Korea...or I'm just old fashion in some ways. Nonetheless, I wish these happy couples a wonderful and long marriage!


Jin Akanishi, Meisa Kuroki, Daichi Miura and Wife Expecting Children
The expansion of a family is always great news! Since 2012's list, Jin Akanishi and Meisa Kuroki have had rare mention on jpop news sites I follow. When I saw that they were expecting their second child, I was very happy for them. I haven't heard any scandals or rumors about the couple, which is even better. Although I would love to hear more music from the couple, I wish them the best with their marriage and the birth of their second child. Last year was a surprising announcement of Daichi Miura's marriage and now we have even more exciting news that he will be a father! Congratulations to the proud parents!


Dead Children, Sel'm, & HaKU Disband
I know there are other lesser known bands that disbanded this year and I will be mentioning some other slightly more major ones later in this list, but these three in particular are bands that I personally enjoy. So, once again, forgive me if I didn't mention your faves. Dead Children is a band that I wished I listened to more often, but I don't think I have a lot of their music...or maybe they just didn't release a lot of it. Nonetheless, they're a pretty cool little band and I would like to return to them on my iTunes in honor of their accomplishments. Sel'm, on the other hand, was a band I listened to for quite a few years and I remember enjoying and sharing them with my friends. As my library grew and grew, their music did get lost in the shuffle, but I would love to return to their hard, energetic sound and relive my high school days. And then there's HaKU, a non-visual kei band, that displayed a lot of talent for the jrock scene. I got into them at the same time as BLUE ENCOUNT and Jaweye about 3-4 years ago. I was quite surprised to hear that they were disbanding as I feel that non-visual kei bands have a longer shelf life, but I will be treasuring what music I have collected of theirs.


Hyunseung Withdraws From BEAST & BEAST Departs From Cube Entertainment
Since the beginning, I've been a fan of B2ST. I enjoy their sleek choreography and beautiful vocal harmonies. As timed went on, their releases kinda slowed a bit and some of the members dabbled in solo works and of course the most promoted Troublemaker duo with 4Minute's Hyuna. The little news I did hear about them that didn't pertain to their music were just little bits here and there that weren't all that noteworthy...until I saw the handful of posts of Hyunseung's uncaring attitude with his B2ST activities and negative response from fans. For the most part, I kinda shrugged it off as it didn't seem too out of character in my mind, but the unfortunate (or maybe fortunate) occurred when he decided to depart from the group. Unlike the rest of his group mates, he did keep his contract under Cube Entertainment as a solo artist. So, hopefully fans of TroubleMaker will receive more from the duo. On the other hand, B2ST have created Around US Entertainment and remain on good terms with Cube. Hopefully, things weren't too terrible between the rest of the group and Hyunseaung, but I really hope that the group starts to become more consistent with music releases again and perhaps get back on track with being the awesome group I loved when they hit their peak with "Fiction".


GANGLION Indefinite Hiatus
After seeing them live at Oni-Con in 2014, and yes, I'm still going to do a concert report for it, I was excited for this band's future. Much like a lot of female visual kei bands I followed, they seemed to have the making of being the next exist trace or perhaps a band that could make things better than them currently, in my opinion. It was very unfortunate news to see that this young band would most likely be concluding their journey as GANGLION. Of course, I would like to think they will come together once again and rock our worlds with high energy and passion. Nonetheless, whatever they decide to do, I will continue to support them the best I can.


SHOXX Publisher Files Bankruptcy
The magazine that helped make visual kei a household name 26 years ago declared bankruptcy and planned to seize publishing with its brethren Fool's Mate. The publishing company planned to release its final issue with SuG on the cover in September, but...news was released with the renewal of their Twitter account that they'll be back in action in February 2017. How's that for a revival!




chariots and Lycaon Reborn
Ever since I saw Phantasmagoria live for the first time in 2005, I easily fell in love with their music, style, and stage presence. When they disbanded, I was very disappointed, but of course Kisaki wouldn't let go of Riku or the sound of Phantasmagoria. So, we ended up with chariots and Lin -the end of corruption world-...oh, and a bunch of post-Phantasmagoria compilations and DVDs. With the dissolution of UNDER CODE, Kisaki (and probably, Riku) struggled to keep these two bands afloat. So, the inevitable happened with disbandment and members leaving. Chariots has gone from the remnants of UNDER CODE bands to Riku's solo to silence...and then, here we are with the rebirth! I haven't listened to their limited live single, but I'm just excited to hear more of Riku's beautiful and unique voice. Last year, I mentioned that Lycaon, among others, were disbanding and I was very sadden as they were, in my eyes, improving in their sound and presence. Fortunately, the members stayed together to form intial'L. I'm looking forward to checking them out, comparing their old sound to their new style, and just overall enjoying them as a group again.


MY BACTERIA HEAT IsLAND Becomes TenTen's Solo Project
Similar to chariots to some extent, I've been following TenTen since his KuRt days and tried to keep up with his various bands and projects, but it becomes quite difficult when his musical track record falls into the annoying pattern of Kisaki's band history. *sighs* Nonetheless, I was sad to hear that all the members left the band and left TenTen behind. So, it seems that he has decided to turn this into a solo project and rename it to "Re:My BACTERIA HEAT IsLAND". Of course, he can't do it alone; he has to have some sort of support and he does. Whether these new members are simply on a trial basis to become permanent or not, I look forward to seeing how things will transition from band to solo and hearing TenTen's unusual vocals once more as well as his new band LACK-CO..


MeteoroiD Disbands
I was fortunate enough to see this band at Tokyo in Tulsa and I was very pumped to hear more of their music in the coming year. It was very shocking for me to hear that they would be disbanding. As a new fan, it kinda hits hard when the memories of seeing them live, meeting them, and creating awesome memories just to have that moment cut short with disbandment. I really hope the members find what they're looking for musically and reappear in the visual kei scene, because they're all very talented people.


Jia Departs From miss A
Contract expiration dates can be a nerveracking time for serious kpop fans and I find it interesting that such things are so public to the media and fans, but I guess that leaves the surprise of non-renewals to a minimum to some extent. Miss A is a group that I've loved since the beginning, but their video for "Only You" was quite underwhelming. It was inevitable that JYP's lack of attention would affect another talented group, but remained supportive of Jia's decision. Fortunately, Jia didn't waste anytime debuting as a solo artist and I'm looking forward to seeing my bias continue to do what she loves.


Lynch.'s Akinori's Arrest
In November, it was reported that lynch.'s bassist Akinori was arrested for "antisocial activity", which I (and many others in the visual kei community) honestly read as marajuana possession...or something related to the drug. While I'm not completely sure if I read somewhere confirming that that was the case, but Akinori was very cooperative with authorities and removed himself from the band. Hazuki, the vocalist, did comment on the situation and the band decided to cancel future activities and go on hiatus. Most importantly, they assured fans that they will return to their usual band activities.


BABYMETAL Train Still Going Strong
Like it or not, this trio of young ladies are still rocking our world. They started the year off strong with the release of their second full length album, their first North American tour, and making their debut appearance on The Late Night Show with Stephen Colbert. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to attend any of the shows, but I heard for the most that it was a big success. Hopefully, that'll lead to more U.S. tour dates (y'know, somewhere closer to me =X). It was recently announced that they will be opening for Red Hot Chili Peppers and Metallica on their respective tours/shows. Hopefully, the metal world will come to accept them in the same manner of respect as Rob Zombie. I look forward to more groundbreaking accomplishments from this group in 2017 and perhaps a break for them as well. I mean...they're still kids.


Dio - distraught overlord's Revival
From time to time disbanded bands will reunite for special occasions on a temporary basis. Even though I cannot attend any of these revival lives, it still excites me to see all the members come together on one stage and bring the passion and energy to their fans through their music. After their disbandment, I tried my best to keep track of all the members. I believe Kei retired from music, so there was no way to find out what he was up to. Mikaru put together BLACK LINE with Denka and did some solo activities under G.L.A.M.S, which included photography pieces I believe. Ivy joined Moran and is now currently in LACK-CO.. And Erina, I can only think of him being in VII-Sense until they decided to disband, but I feel like I'm forgetting something. Anyway, B7Klan was celebrating their 10th anniversary and the band, along with Dirtrunks, came together for a European tour. They also planned a limited revival in Japan and released a single. With a musical release, I hoped that this would be a full revival, but sadly I think this may be temporary. Nonetheless, I look forward to checking out LACK-CO. and more of Mikaru's solo work.


Lolita23q Come Out of Hiatus
Well, this is a name I haven't used since 2012 when the band announced their indefinite hiatus. I thought 2012 would be the end for them and I would just have to enjoy them separately, which was fine. I still have to listen to LOUD GRAPE, even though they disbanded in 2016. When I first saw the news, I thought it was simply a limited revival situation like many bands before, especially since Ryosuke's solo project WING WORKS gained great momentum and the original vocalist Sou was back on board. Upon reading and rereading this post, it looks like this is an actual comeback for the band to their original form. I'm really looking forward to what they have in store for us, but I also hope that Ryosuke and Ryuto don't burn themselves out between bands either.


BORN Disbands
BORN was band that I happened to stumble across at the right moment, because it was not too long before they announced their appearance at Oni-Con in Houston. The band has undergone so many changes over the years with each other from constant name changes, moving to a major label, and losing a member. Nonetheless, they continued to push on and create more music for their fans. I was devastated and even a bit unsurprised by the announcement. What was really depressing was hearing Ryouga being unmotivated and as much as I love that man it makes me want to cry and hug him. At the same time, Ray announced that BORN will be his final band. Fortunately, news appeared that Ryouga and some other familiar faces in the scene joined together to create RAZOR, which I'm looking forward to checking out. Hopefully, we will see K and Tomo appear in a new band some time soon.


D=OUT Leaves PS Company
It's another year of someone escaping PS Company and it seems like their roaster is getting smaller and smaller. Yes, it seems as though Kouki and the gang are taking the solo and band activities elsewhere and I'm stoked to see their style evolving even further. I've seen so much good after previous bands have left and even a few experimentations that were hit or miss. Nonetheless, I feel like the band can breath with their creativity and not become Kagrra, 2.0.


2NE1 Disbands
This was the year of CL and everyone knew it and was ready for it. As a former CL bias fan, I was both skeptical and a bit optimistic for her debut in the U.S. Although, I wasn't quite fond of majority of her material. While it was catchy, fun, and full of energy on stage, the quality was lacking. Time and time again YG teased BlackJacks with the promise of a comeback and even brought them together for 2015's MAMAs. But with all the focus on CL's endeavors, I'm guessing Minzy knew she could do so much better with her talent. It was a sad day for BlackJacks to hear that their fiery dancer was departing. I was saddened, but not completely surprised. YG continued to state that 2NE1 were coming back as a trio, but with much silence from the group and a lot of push for CL's first American tour, it wasn't surprising to see that 2NE1 was no more. It's really unfortunate how their fate was such a slow pull of a band-aid, but I really hope that Minzy and Dara (and I guess Bom) continue their journey in music.


Girugamesh and SCREW Disband
After twelve years of great music, memories, and just full on love, Girugamesh announced after their European tour that they would be disbanding. This news was very surprising for many, especially for myself. Their latest release felt like a return to their roots of their first and second albums and I was quite pumped to this growth and perhaps more experimentation with their sound. But here we are. Fortunately, one member, the band's drummer Яyo, is staying in the music scene through YouTube, which is pretty interesting and mesmerizing to watch. I'm keeping my fingers crossed for the other members to resurface on the music scene and maybe a reunion appearance in the U.S. For many visual kei fans, hearing SCREW's disbandment around the same time made them skeptical whether the genre was dying or not. More disheartening than surprising, seeing the news of their disbandment seemed very unfortunate to me as I felt like the band never got to reach their full potential, especially under PS Company. Maybe if they had the chance to go to elsewhere, their music career would last a little longer and they would be able to grow more. But maybe there was more to it than the little I know as a fan/outsider. Nonetheless, just because these two bands who have been around for 10 years or more, it doesn't mean that visual kei is dead. #ResurrectVK


RAVE's Mikuru Passes Away
The really crappy part of these lists is including the decease. While I'm still a relatively new fan of RAVE, it was sad to see that one of their members departed from earth. Apparently, the guitarist had went on break to recover from an undisclosed illness. For now, it seems like the band has pushed forward despite the unfortunate situation and have released new material. RAVE have also announced a new album for 2017 while keeping the spirit of Mikuru's talent and passion laced through their music. I wish the remaining members luck for the new year and blessings on Mikuru's loved ones.

Unboxing: CDJapan Haul

Top 7 Recommended Music Videos

"BALLAD" by lynch.
I know it's been a while since I've done one of these and I'm pretty sure you've already seen this masterpiece. You would think this band would have a hard time with such emotion filled songs, but Hazuki's voice effortlessly carries his passion through while tugging at your heartstrings. The band's signature rock sound works just as well with the bits and pieces of piano added in here and there. The PV is quite simple by focusing mostly on Hazuki and his movements while switching to artistic natural faded tones of the band and a woodsy atmosphere. If you haven't watched this, please give it a couple previews.



"Beast" by Jolin Tsai
You would think videos for Jolin Tsai's latest album were done last year, but she makes another contribution that'll make kpop girls beg for mercy. The introduction music reminds me of the latest Robyn album with a few little updates for the new year. The visuals have an artistic Bjork vibe with subtle sex appeal and a pole dance that puts Gain to shame. Both the visuals and music are alluring or at least tempting to find out what the heck is going on. Either way, it'll be hard to tear your eyes away from this one.



"I.N.D.O" by Yankie feat. Tablo
Somehow I can picture this on Django Unchained soundtrack. It has a mixture of something Timbaland would produce with the looping Indian music. It makes me happy to see Yankie making music again. Don't let the black and white deter you from watching this abstract piece of fury. I like the abstract and quick cutting shots from Yankie and Tablo and random objects. I wish there were less vocal distortions during Tablo's verse, but nonetheless I am pleased.



"The art of seduction" by Heo Young Saeng
I was very reluctant to even watch this video, but I'm glad I did...with subtitles. This seems like a playful song that appropriately displays the mind of a kpop fan. It switches between reality and fantasy while showing off some slick and simple choreography. The song isn't that bad either. Nothing I would normally go for, but the video sold me to try this artist out. Hopefully, not all of his songs sound like something from an Eddie Murphy album.



"Just Go" by RANIA
I'm so happy that these girls are going in the right direction with their style and music. This is mature, catchy, and just plain good. There are a couple unflattering costumes that they should ditch: the white and black bodysuits. Other than that, this video is very polish and another huge step away from "Dr. Feel Good" and "Pop Pop Pop". I can't wait to listen to their new mini album. I hope they continue in this direction too.



"Standing Still" by U-KISS
The group is back...and with AJ! This video made me very happy. Not only is AJ back, but the song is amazing and consistent with their growth in the right direction. Whether South Korea wants to acknowledge it or not, this group has only been improving with each release. Ignoring the random girl, the video is quite simple and focuses on choreography by experimenting with flashing lights, polished settings, and silhouettes. Watch out, kpop boys, U-KISS is back to teach you a thing or two on the dance floor...and even some good vocal melodies.



"ie" by Yeti
If you haven't watched this from my last vlog or any where else, please give this band a chance, especially if you're a fan of aicle. or Emiru. This is his new band and it is far from oshare kei. It kinda has a Radwimps visual and musical style to it. I think Emiru's vocals have improved a little as well, but still has that unique sound that I can pick out from other vocalists. This video is very creative and fun with the different movable parts that the members change throughout the video. I look forward to more from this budding band.

Top 5 Recommended Music Videos

"FROZEN" by lynch.
After seeing "Inferiority Complex" PV, I was a little worried what this would sound like and I really love it. Nearly flawless lynch. is back and better than ever! I'm really looking forward to their new album with this new sound and new members. It's a nice mixture of old and new. There's a lot of powerful bass and Hazuki's voice is warm and rough. Totally in love!




"Beautiful Night" by Ulala Session
This was an unexpected find on YouTube and I absolutely love them so far. I've heard the first part of their release and not only do they have amazing charisma, high entertainment value, and a catchy tune, but they possess some great vocals when they're not doing fun little tracks like this. This is definitely a feel good, goofy, fun song and video that you can't help but smile at. It also stars SE7EN's beautiful girlfriend. I hope my wedding reception turns out that crazy.




"Tarantallegra" by Xiah Junsu feat. Flowsik (AZIATIX)
This might be a surprising pick to some who know me personally and my feelings toward DBSK/JYJ. In short, I'm not extremely fond of them, but I have some DBSK songs. They're not that bad. This is the second time that I've been seduced by Junsu's seductive, artistic ways. It's making me question my choices. There's a lot of risks being taken here, but honestly I don't think he cares and I commend him for taking the sexy, dark route again. The song is easily catchy and probably isn't the most amazingly constructed work, but it's definitely hypnotizing like the the title suggests.




"The Chaser" by Infinite
I've been waiting for a comeback that was more appealing than "Paradise" and "Be Mine" and this is definitely it. I've always enjoyed these underdogs from the beginning and they've grown so much. Their vocals still blow me away and their choreography is on point. If only they can get it together on stage.. The visuals have a cool deluded colorization that make things more dramatic and clean, like a few other videos that have been released lately with less vibrant videos. I hope they keep this up. Sung Jong has grown so much. ;~;




"Bounce" by JJ Project
For some reason I thought this was JYJ related. Silly me~ Anyway, I think this is how Bang Yong Guk and Zelo's "Never Give Up" was suppose to be, because this is a lot more appealing visually and audibly. This has a good mixture of hip-hop, electronic, and rock sounds. The boys are cute and charismatic which makes the song and video very enjoyable. The only thing I didn't like was those shaky camera movements they borrowed from 2pm's "Hands Up". I'm looking forward to their first release for sure.

Top 10 Things I'm Excited About in the Music Industry

10. lynch.'s first major release
It was announced in July that the band was finally going major. I was so excited and I'm looking forward to them advancing in their work. I'm hoping they'll get more exposure and possibly make an appearance in North America.

9. D=OUT's first PS Company release
Along with BORN, this band has joined the ranks of PS Company, a jrock label noted for bands such as the GazettE, Alice Nine., and former guitarist of the label Miyavi. Some people thought it was an understandable label change for them to go under as their sound and appearance would blend in with their future labelmates. I just hope their sound will continue to progress and they are able to do bigger and better things in the future.

8. vistlip updates
At the end of July, the band was involved in a car accident and their manager Ms. Asako Sakakibara (31) was unfortunately killed. The members and two other passengers had a few minor injuries. So, I'm hoping that the band can push forward through this tough time and continue creating music for their fans. Although, it was long ago, I wish Ms. Sakakibara's family and friends the best.

7. Sizna (ex-Sugar) joining Moran
I was surprised when I found out Sugar was disbanding last year, especially after I saw them live at Oni-Con. I was even more shocked when Zill, bassist of Moran, passed away recently this year. Moran has managed to keep it together and continue spreading their love through music and Sizna occupied himself with his solo work, TIME SECTION #. The two bands were pretty close, so it was refreshing to see the talented Sizna join the remaining members of Moran. I'm very anxious to see how things work out and commend them with their future memorial live.

6. Aoi's (ex-Ayabie) solo single release & DNL's debut
Along with the passing of a couple great musicians in the jrock world, Ayabie's disbandment was a huge surprise. I wasn't worried about Aoi's solo release, since a lot of artists do it when they're in a band like Hyde, Yasu, and Kirito. When I read the news, it appeared that the other members "abandoned" poor Aoi and created a new band, DNL. I'm interested in how this band will pan out and who will be taking over the vocalist role. On the other hand, I've always admired Aoi and his vocals, so I'm looking forward to his solo work and other future projects he has planned.

5. Mikaru's (ex-Dio - distraught overlord) new band DIGRAS
Erina, former guitarist of DiO and current guitarist of VII-Sense, left the band and then the members ended up turning things around with their words and broke up earlier this year. I was disappointed, but there was an announcement of a session band with Mikaru and two other former DiO members, Ivy and Denka. Now, DIGRAS has been introduced to the public, but the only members revealed is the great demon Mikaru. I'm excited to hear his deep, erotic vocals and see who fills in the remaining positions. I hope Ivy and Denka are part of it. Definitely gonna miss Kei.

4. Nega's 5th anniversary live DVD
Recently, they have released a new album compilation of various releases and a PV collection DVD. Now they're going to share their 5th anniversary live with the world, before going on a little hiatus to recharge. Nega has jumped the charts in my heart as my favorite Under Code band, since Vidoll and 12012 graduated, Dali has been in and out of the scene, and Phantasmagoria disbanded. They've always had a solid place in my heart, but they just keep getting better and better. I can't wait to get my hands on it.

3. 2NE1's first album & overseas debut
It's been pretty quiet for the girls of 2NE1, but it was announced that they've been working on an album. It will contain their previous releases and six new songs. Along with the album announcement, they're working on debuting overseas, like Japan and the U.S. I'm really hoping they can spread their wings a little further than California so I can check them out myself.

2. Miyavi's new album release
My love for Miyavi has been a long and rough one like my relationship with Dir en grey. I haven't been purchasing most of his stuff and I wasn't too fond of the Kabuki Boiz era. After listening to his latest releases of "Survive", "Gravity", and "SuperHero", I think I'm liking this new graduated Miyavi style. Hearing the new material live, made me anticipate new releases even more. In short, I'm very excited about the album and I haven't been this excited about his releases in a long time!

1. ALSDEAD live in Texas
I believe it was last year, LM.C was suppose to be the musical guest at A-Kon 20, but due to the "outbreak" of the swine flu, they had to decline the invitation. So, Cure brought ALSDEAD on the scene with Camino on their side to perform. Unfortunately, I had to miss out on the wild performance. Now, Cure is bringing them back to Texas for a performance at SoniCon. I know a lot of people complained and went "wtf" at the announcement of the band being at a hedgehog convention, but hey! it's something.

Quick Music Review

Juliette - MERCHEN A LA MODE (2009, Japan) | Rating: 3.5/5

Feeling excited about this amazing oshare kei band releasing their first album, I immediately obtained it and listened to it in my long list of new releases, after my vacation. They have great potential of being in the spotlight for new oshare kei bands. The album picked up some memorable songs from previous releases and combined it with a great variety of new songs to make Juliette fans and possibly oshare kei lovers happy. It's definitely worth a couple listen throughs and possibly worth adding to your jrock collection as well.



the GazettE - DIM (2009, Japan) | Rating: 3/5

I bet there was a mixture of excitement, anxiousness, dread, and hope for this new GazettE album. From the single releases, things were looking up and up, in my opinion. once it released, I got a little nervous to start up the first rack on my iTunes player and suddenly had horrible flashbacks of their last failure of an album, Stacked Rubbish. I started the first track and survived all 17 tracks without being disappointed or traumatized by another fail album. I was quite satisfied to the point that I added it to my wish list on CDJapan. I know a couple people disliked the album and thought it was boring, but you must admit it's a step up from the perfectly titled "rubbish" album. Although, I think I could've lived without all the meaningless instrumental tracks. For an added bonus, I would like to hear everyone's opinion on the album, since the GazettE is such a "big deal". So, please feel free to leave your comments below the review.



lynch. - SHADOWS (2009, Japan) | Rating: 4.5/5

For those who don't know me personally, I love lynch. to death. I'm very grateful I was introduced to them by a couple friends, because I followed them ever since. I've mostly became attached to Hazuki's unique vocal talent and adored their relationship with each other. Clinging to some of their older songs like "the whirl", "liberation chord," and "I'm sick b'coz I love you" and pleased with their new songs like "Adore" and "ambivalent ideal", I was getting very anxious to listen to their new collection of songs. not being surprised by the first run through, I re-fell in love with the band and immediately repeated the album at least twice that day. Shadows is absolute genius! Lynch. kept their signature dark, slightly aggressive and alluring sound and mixed it with something fresh and addicting. I don't know if any of my friends had any complaints about the album, because they were too busy relistening to the album. It's definitely worth adding to your personal collection. My only complaint about the album is the PV for "Shadowz". It was too boring for such an awesome song and made me disappointed they took the simple route of flashing lights and camera rotation on the band, but I still manager to enjoy the song no matter what. I hope they continue on the genius path they've created over the years.


Three Days Grace - Life Starts Now (2009, USA) | Rating: 4/5

Some fans complain that the album is too soft, but I think it's mature by having a nice balance of heavy hitting songs to make your blood rush and something slightly mellow to make you mentally reflect on personal issues. In my opinion, Three Days Grace just keep getting better and better though each album. You can tell that they've definitely grown but maintain their signature sound that makes them stand out from the rest. My only fear after hearing this album repeatedly is for the band to hit that horrible creative brick wall that Linkin Park has smacked into this year. But everyone has one big flop in their musical career.


Tokio Hotel - Humanoid (2009, Germany & USA) | Rating: 4/5

I've had some personal conflicts from seeing them live that made me hesitant to listen to them for a while, but I feel this album has redeemed them some to me. I think this is an improvement from Scream and I've been listening to a few tracks repeatedly every day now. Although, I must admit their first video choice was kinda weak for me. "Automatic" tried to make Tokio Hotel's appearance to be more bad boy than pretty boy by going all out in black, racing expensive sports cars through the desert, and featuring robots that end up falling in love. I didn't really like the song that much anyway, but tracks like "Human Connect Human" and "Darkside of the Sun" made me feel better about liking the German pop/rock band. I enjoyed the bonus tracks and the German album is equally just as good. There are a couple tracks I prefer in their native tongue, but the rest I like about the same in either language. Despite me praising this album, there's a good chance I still won't see them live again.