23 posts tagged “pv”

girugämesh show a striking, different side of themselves with their new single 'crying rain' that was released October 7th.  You can feel it and see it clearly in the PV as well.  Their music has so far been dominated by aggressive, hard songs that usually have quite intense anger or bitterness behind them, though they also have a small collection of slower, more sentimental works such as "Kowarete iku Sekai" and "Ishutaru".  The emotional distinction between them and "crying rain" is a sense of real weakness and vulnerability, a sensitivity and personal sadness that hasn't really been expressed by girugämesh in this way before.  They've always been more about having a rocking good time or releasing more violent emotions, so it's nice to see them branching out and trying new things. 

Musically "crying rain" continues to expand on their recent composing style but at a slower pace, with some turntable scratching thrown in there and a substantial solo from Nii.  It also has female backing vocals but they're done in a fairly unobtrusive, tasteful way that supports Satoshi without being distracting.  I was immediately drawn in by the chorus...I think it's got great rhythm to it and the lyrics are catchy as well.  Maybe I'm just a sucker for Satoshi singing slower songs, because all their previous ones are among my favourites.  I think Satoshi has excellent range in that way...his voice is emotionally powerful but expressive in many ways, not just through growling and shouting, and he can handle softer feelings with equal ease.

The interestingly titled coupling track "S.T.F.U" is more standard girugämesh fare, and nothing too exciting in my opinion, but a fun listen nevertheless.  Its upbeat quality follows the mellow, sad title track nicely to end the single on a more positive, high-energy note.  Overall the sound of the single isn't revolutionary, but "crying rain" is definitely a solid, gripping song that contributes something fresh within girugämesh's discography.  I also liked that in the PV Satoshi shows a new side of himself by singing while soaked by the rain...it's a rather refreshing and endearing image to see him that way instead of energetically jumping around or screaming harshly. ^_^

Well, the day is finally here...the GazettE's new single 'Before I Decay' is out!  It's done quite well on the Oricon charts and is being used as the theme song for the movie Wild Speed MAX (aka. Fast and Furious 4), but there does seem to be some sense of dissatisfaction floating around with regards to this release.  Personally, I don't think it's among the GazettE's best work, and it does leave one with a sense of lack after listening.  I wouldn't immediately interpret a song being used in a movie as having a negative impact on their work since other beautiful songs like "Chizuru" have been used in films, but this time around seems somewhat different in that they definitely stated that they just barely finished production in time for the song to come out on time, the lyrics appear more clearly geared toward the film, as does the composition.  It's hard to know what the timing and relationship between the writing of the song and decision to use it for the film was, but even if the instrumental parts were mostly done previously, the result is that it doesn't quite stand up to the creative standard of their other releases. 

"Before I Decay" sounds a bit rehashed in that the guitar riffs are fairly reminiscent of "LEECH" and "A MOTH UNDER THE SKIN", plus there's a noticeable parallel to "Toguro" just past the 1:54 mark.  It does have its addictive hooks in the powerful intro and outro parts, and they are excellent, as is Uruha's tapping in the second half, but it still gives off a weaker impression than I would have hoped.  Reading how the guys initially described this single, I though it would be far more aggressive and heavy, and although it has screams, punch, and speed, there's none of the mean edge or stinging impact that some of their other songs like "OGRE", "MAGGOTS", or "HYENA" had.  The difference is that "Before" is more polished and not as gritty, which is somewhat due to the style they've been doing recently and what they were aiming for here, but nevertheless despite its aggressiveness, I feel like it doesn't go further in any new direction either way. 

The same goes for "Mayakashi", which vaguely reminds me of various other songs the names of which I can't quite put my finger on at the moment, but again, it's nice but not especially spectacular.  I am curious who the main composer was though, since I'm torn between certain members trying to figure out who it was.  As for the PV for "Before", it's cut in a fast-paced, interesting way and once again it's kinda nice to see the band without any extras.  The members look great as always...very glamorous and sharp, matching the harsh flourescent lights and wet pavement of the set.  I'm also so glad there are no scenes from the movie worked into it, cause I'd really rather not have Vin Diesel popping up every few seconds and ruining the flow. ^^;

All things considered this is a rather harsh critique given that this release is so close after 'DIM' and one can't hope for innovation overnight, so it's not that "Before I Decay" isn't enjoyable or bad per se, it just ends up being "ok" when sized up by the standards the GazettE have set for themselves.  The band did say that they wanted simple speed not deep heaviness like 'DIM' for this song, and it doesn't seem like they're taking it too seriously in the sense of "this is our masterpiece!" so I don't think it's anything to get worked up over or lament as stagnation of their music or the representation of all that is bad about commercial appeal and mainstream intersection. 
Honestly, the fact that it's standard makes the song more accessible so it will attract people, which is exactly what you'd want in this situation where it's being paired with a very mainstream movie, whose viewers probably don't know the band and most likely won't be into really dark, heavy experimental music.  Therefore, for the fans it may not seem all too impressive in the context of their discography, but if it draws even a small amount of people to get interested in the band and check them out, that's a positive thing as well.  It's good to remember that realistically, music doesn't happen in a vacuum...if it's kept for too long in a self-contained bubble it doesn't leave room for growth.  (Like the band have said, they even worried if 'DIM' was too much for people to get into since they sorta went loose there and did whatever they felt like doing on it, so perhaps "Before I Decay" is its antithesis.)  I think they're actually using this opportunity rather well, because although yes, it isn't anything mind-blowing, it does retain the GazettE's style and displays some of their recent, usual composing and playing techniques.

*EDIT*: Looks like I spoke too soon, turns out they made a movie version of the PV too. (Which, btw, makes me wonder what ever happened to "Chizuru"'s regular PV...we're still waiting for them to release it!)  Anyway, the original is so much better...all the cg-filled car crashes and Vin Diesel busting people's windows in totally ruins the flow. >_<

Hahahaha, what IS this?!  It kinda freaks me out but amuses me at the same time...

I've been neglecting writing about new releases for some time now, mostly because I've been busy with real life work and spending my remaining free time translating for my other blog.  But after all it's a better use of my time and there's more interest there anyway. ^^;  So right now I'm honestly just procrastinating because I'm sick of doing my crazy amounts of Japanese homework (I've been at it for most of today, slogging my way through kanji study, an essay revision, 50+ sentence translations, and a four page reading comprehension worksheet). _|¯¯|O  Why are my Japanese sensei always so insanely ambitious?  Admittedly though it does me a lot of good, since if I were allowed to just sit on my ass and breeze through the class the lack of pressure from constantly having assignments due and needing to mentally prepare for class so I won't come out of there shamefully picking up the scraps of my shattered self-esteem would mean I'd never improve.

Hm, well anyway there's a bunch of releases coming out soon from artists like ScReW, D, and heidi., although so far none of the previews except maybe those for heidi.'s new album 'Panorama' have particularly struck me.  In fact, the pv for D's new single 'Tightrope' was pretty disappointing.  The song is alright, but rather mediocre and unmemorable despite its heaviness which wins some points with me, but the worst for me was the pv.  It just looks washed out and not very well put together from a cinematographic perspective, not to mention the obvious, overdone, and trite imagery.  I think it's the most awkward pv I've ever seen from D...a lot of the members' posing is so stiff and the scenes with Asagi as the "dog" and the man flailing in "fear" against the fence are just awkward to watch.  The whole idea just isn't very original and certainly not executed as well as it could be...the whole thing comes off as being tacky and cheesy rather than aggressive or sexy.

However, D'espairsRay's new single 'Final Call' is catchy and fun, and the pv is edgy with high contrasts between the vibrant colours, light and dark.  The line "Why can't you love me, baby?!" really makes you want to sing along, as dorky as that would be. : )  The song is upbeat and somewhat similar in sound and composition to 'REDEEMER', but has a sultrier feel to it that's played up in the pv's imagery and the lyrics.  I'll be translating it as soon as I get my hands on the kanji.

On another note, I just have to say, if I wasn't already decided on getting the GazettE's DIM SCENE Final DVD, then for sure these tantalizing, gorgeous photos would be more than enough to convince me! *o*  I mean, just WOW...I have no words!

Seileen, the gothic industrial duo formed by Selia and DJ SiSeN, finally released their debut work earlier this year, containing all the demos and tracks featured on their myspace page.  The mini-album, entitled 'Kinjirareta Asobi' [or "Forbidden Play"] is as one would expect, mysterious, dark, and hypnotically trance-like.  Comprised mostly of minimalist beats and melodies overlaid with a touch of classical influence from the piano, harpsicord, and Selia's elegant, haunting operatic vocals, Seileen's first release is a tantalizing venture into the shadowy, bewitching world of the gothic/industrial music and club scene.  The music is eccentric and no doubt won't fit some people's tastes, but if you're into trance, techno, or goth you might enjoy this album.  Here are two of the best songs off it:  'Baku'    'Kinjirareta Asobi'

Moving back to the rock scene, meth. is a group I discovered not too long ago and may appeal to fans of dark, brutally heavy music.  The singer Akito has a good voice, especially when it comes to screams and growls, and the instrumentals range from relentless headbang-inducing riffs to softer, melodious phrases with equal skill.  The band came out with a new single earlier this year called 'THE LAST SLEEP'.  I think meth. are a promising young band, and despite their compositions sometimes sounding similar to each other, with this latest single I think the quality and variety of their sound has certainly expanded.  Now for some tracks to sample:  'THE LAST SLEEP'    'NO ONE CAN STOP ME'
As for upcoming releases, DELUHI will be re-releasing 'Two Hurt' as a single with one b-side.  I was really hoping for some new material from them, but this is still great 'cause Two Hurt' is an excellent song and worthy of a make-over.  From the pv sample it sounds like they've really polished it up and added background vocals to certain parts.  The sound is deeper, smoother, and Juri's singing in particular is more emotional and powerful this time around.  Still, I wish DELUHI would put out something with a more substantial amount of material, like a mini-album or even a full album.  Who knows, perhaps one is in the works waiting to blow us away, but knowing they have such incredible talent, I can't help but feel they haven't truly displayed it to their full potential yet...especially Leda, I mean, I love the guitar work he's done so far, but I wish we could see more of this kind of amazingness from him. ^_^

By the way, I finally got around to watching the footage that came with DELUHI's 'RECLAIMATION OF DELUHISM' dvd, and was surprised by the ironic revelation that though you couldn't tell from the pv footage, DELUHI filmed 'HYBRID TRUTH' at that abandoned building that's been used so many times in visual-kei pvs (e.g. the GazettE's 'Taion', alice nine.'s 'NUMBER SIX', Kiyoharu's 'Horizon', Merry's 'Komorebi ga Boku wo Sagashiteru', etc., etc.).
It's really quite amusing how often bands use the same locations for pvs, and it happens with photoshoot backdrops as well (like the infamous set with round red & white chairs).  For example, Phantasmagoria's 'Lost in Thought' and Vidoll's 'Gothikaroid' were done in the same place, D's 'Mayutsuki no Hitsugi' and Sadie's 'grieving the dead soul' feature the same church, and Ayabie's 'Glitter Tropen' and Sugar's 'Yokusou' were filmed in the same warehouse.

There's a handful of releases coming out June 24th, including Versailles' new single 'Ascendead Master', Kiyoharu's new single 'Darlene', and Matenrou Opera's first full album 'ANOMIE'.  The pvs for them just came out, and though I'll probably discuss Matenrou Opera's album in full later, for now I'll only discuss the title track 'ANOMIE' and its pv in keeping with the others.

So first off, 'ANOMIE' totally blew away my expectations for this release!  I wasn't that impressed by the band's previous two singles, but this has completely turned things around for me...I think it's a different but positive sound shift for Matenrou Opera, and still very much within their style.  And of course, this is the song that confirmed Matenrou Opera is Anomie, the mysterious group that caused quite a bit of speculation earlier in the year, but it remains to be seen what their plans for this "alter-ego" are. 

From the mysterious, bass-driven intro, to the fast-paced, hard beat of the chorus and lovely string and piano accents, this song is almost like a culmination of the talent Matenrou Opera is really capable of.  With their previous releases, it was clear they had skill, but I always got the feeling they could do even better, like they'd come close but just short of the mark, and I think they've really developed with 'ANOMIE' and hit right on with this one.  Their song arrangement has improved, Sono's delivery is more controlled and consistent, and at least for me, compared to their other releases 'ANOMIE' grabs your attention and doesn't let go.  With many of their other works, I find I lose interest and want to move on after giving it one listen-through.  I mean, that's just my opinion and not true for all their music, but something I've noticed tends to happen with me.  Also, the pv for this song is light-years better than their video for 'Alkaloid Showcase' in almost every way...the quality's better, the camera angles, choreography, and the band's performance are all more interesting to watch this time around. : )  By the way, if you pay close attention you'll see that Matenrou appear in their white outfits as Anomie in the pv!  It makes me really curious as to how they're going to connect these two identities.

Next up, Kiyoharu's new single 'Darlene' isn't anything especially new or innovative for him, but a solid, good song as is to be expected.  I really like the underlying rhythm from the bass in this song, as well as the switch from loud guitar riffs to melodious high notes.  Oh, and as you've probably already noticed, the song's title is a girl's name...he seems to have a fondness for doing that (e.g. Emily, Layra) or else using 君　(="you") or "love" somewhere in the title. ^_^  Ah, he's become such a sweet softie in his music as he's matured...rather different from the SADS days and songs like 'Porno Star', hahaha (though I happen to like both equally...Kiyoharu rocks no matter what he's doing :D).

Finally, the new single 'Ascendead Master' from Versailles....oh, where to start.  Versailles has plenty of skill and talent, that is obvious, but where they sometimes fail is in their tendency to repeat and overdo things.  Well, then again one can validly argue the whole point of their act and visual theme IS to be over-the-top, gorgeous, and レネッサンス！ all the time, but the roses, frills, vampires, and big hair get kinda tiresome after awhile.  If at least the members wouldn't look almost the same with every new costume rotation (except for the all-mighty "vampire lord" Kamijo who gets to change more than just the cut of his outfit design, lol) and maybe include some different concepts once in a while, it'd be so much more interesting!  I suppose this is one of the major pitfalls of being a concept band, but I sort of hoped they'd manage to do more with it, especially visually, as time went on.

I mean, though I do enjoy their music and you can't deny the awesomeness of their guitar work or the charm of Kamijo's voice, I really wonder if they can keep this up forever.  (Besides, the whole self-absorbed, dramatic "omg, look at us, we're so beautiful and aristocratic!" gets old rather fast.)  I certainly like 'Ascendead Master' better than 'Prince & Princess' (though I really liked those white costumes they had for that single), and I think 'Ascendead' is a very good song, but sometimes I wish they'd put a bit more variety in their work and not be so ridiculous sometimes.  And I don't mean that with respect to their costumes or dresses (though I get the urge to rip those awful fake lashes off Jasmine You every time I see him) but more toward their overall attitude, I guess...it gets to be too much when they go overboard with the act, and it probably hurts them more than helps them when it comes to potential/existing fans and exposure.  I mean, in other times like serious interviews and a few comments they act quite different, and I find them far more endearing in those instances.  I'm all for fantasy, vampires, aristocracy, etc., and they do it extremely well, but sometimes when the same fantasy goes on for too long, it loses its appeal and imagination.  (But I have to admit, Kamijo makes a very convincing, sexy vampire in this pv. ^_^)

As you may have noticed, I've put up a new banner once again!  This time it's from a photo of jellyfish I took at Osaka Aquarium...the jellyfish are always one of my favourites cause they're so ethereal and beautiful when lit up in the dark like this.  This display actually had rotating coloured lights so they would change from white to blue, pink, purple, etc.  It was really pretty! :D

Anyways, I found something pretty amusing yesterday.  I hadn't been paying much attention to xTripx's activities as of late, though I knew of the band.  I found them to be a pretty average group, not super spectacular imo, but I think they have more potential than some others out there, and their recent stuff has been getting better.  So, I just found out they released a pv a while back called 'Dream Catcher [-Re:evolution-] Mix'. 

Lol, the opening to this song completely threw me off!  I was like o_0 eh? at first but the hip hop/rap part is awesome in a WTF way!  Hearing it makes me break out in a grin every time, and I actually rather enjoy the song.  Some may find it horrendous, but I kinda like it a sick way because it's SO FUNNY!  I love seeing them looking visual and acting all gangsta in the beginning with the hand motions and stuff. XD  I think the hip-hop makes the song more interesting and unusual, but I don't think xTripx's done something like this before, and I get the feeling they're probably not gonna do it to this extent again.  Actually, they have a preview of their upcoming single on their OHP that sounds good and a bit heavier than 'Dream Catcher'...it's set for release on August 5th.

Also, a new group that's come to my attention recently is a band called Heartless, who just released their first single 'MASQUERADE' in April.  It's not bad for their first release, so I'll be keeping my eye on them to see what they come out with in the future.

Wooo, finally we get a peek at one of the new songs from the GazettE's highly anticipated album 'DIM'!  Not only did Kai play a clip of 'THE INVISIBLE WALL' during Radio Jack, the pv preview is out as well! 
At first the preview sorta threw me off...I don't know how to describe it really...but the chorus wasn't what I expected it was going to sound like, it was much smoother and sweeter, if that makes sense.  The song is an unusual mixture of sounds, and you can tell the GazettE set out to experiment a bit with this.  It has hard, guitar driven sections and even some screaming, but the chorus is unexpectedly soulful and Ruki is (not too surprisingly) accompanied by backing vocals.

Seeing the harmonized voices once again being put to use, I can't say I'm thrilled about it, but it doesn't entirely turn me off either.  In the beginning it was just a solo female voice that would appear every now and then, like in 'LEECH' and 'Filth in the Beauty', which then progressed into the chorus like backing of 'Distress and Coma' and 'Headache Man', etc.  However, though the band has often used harmonizing or chorus techniques in the songs they've chosen as singles since 'Stacked Rubbish', the b-sides are usually relatively free of any backing vocals, so it's rather hard to get a sense of how much they'll use it on the rest of 'DIM'.  I just kind of wish they'd for once pick a song that has only Ruki singing in a more pure, narrative way (which is the method that's perhaps his strongest and made him stand out as singer since the early days) to promote and make a pv out of.

Another intriguing point of 'THE INVISIBLE WALL' is the part right before the pv preview cuts off, where you can hear a curious, almost circus-like electronic melody faintly in the background.  I wonder if this is an indication of what's to come on the new album, because the members (particularly Ruki) have said in interviews that futuristic, cyber style had greatly influenced them while working on 'DIM'.  We've already seen quite a bit of that already in 'Distress and Coma' from the cd cover, the music, and their outfits.
 

Speaking of outfits and such, I noticed in this pv preview that Uruha's style this time around looks rather similar to Aoi's recent look.  His hair is longish and straight, left loose without too much hairspray to keep it in place (which makes for some gorgeous hair flips, btw XD), plus he's wearing fully in-tact pants and a dark, about mid-thigh length jacket.  It's a lot like what Aoi wore for 'Distress and Coma' and is currently wearing now.  It's a nice change and suits him though...especially the hair, I like it better than some of his previous haircuts.  As for the others, Ruki's sticking with suits, which according to him he's had a thing for lately, Reita's got the same sleeveless look as usual, and Kai's outfit looks a bit like something he's worn a couple times before, all black with an accent around his neck/chest and half-length sleeves.
 
You know, of all the members I think Aoi and Uruha have actually had the most drastic clothing style shifts over the past few years (though hair is a whole other matter, and Ruki certainly wins at that).  I mean, the garters and thigh-showing look that used to be Uruha's standard has slowly been faded out, and Aoi got more and more into wearing flowy, hangy things and wearing progressively longer drapery at his waist until he stopped suddenly not too long ago (though I wonder if that had anything to do with the comments that radio host made about him "wearing a skirt" during the 'Guren' era? >_> hmm..,the only time he's done it since was for 'LEECH').

Two new single releases that came out June 10th were Plastic Tree's 'Fukuro' and Kra's 'LOVE LAB'.  First off, I was eager to hear Plastic Tree's new release to see where their sound has gone since 'Utsusemi', because although it had its share of great songs, it's probably my least favourite Plastic Tree album in recent years.  At first listen I wasn't all that taken with 'Fukuro', but repeat listenings have slowly made me like it more and more.  But still, it's one of those songs that has parts I really really like, but others that I just find kinda meh.  I don't particularly like the when Ryuutarou's singing overlaps, or the roughness of the chorus.  For example, the part just before the 2:50 mark is ok, but the following section is really beautiful...it might just be that they clash too much for me.  But overall I think there's some interesting things going on here, though the theme of it is similar to many other Pura songs.  It's seems some of the elements they used in 'Utsusemi' are being brought to the fore here, like in Ryuutarou's delivery and the structure of the lyrics.  The instrumentation is wonderful, from the echoing, gentle guitar picking to the ticking, varied beat of the drums. 

The pv is nice, not as moving or perfect as 'Replay' or 'Kuchuu Buranko', but it has some very pretty imagery in it...the jellyfish were a bit unexpected but fit in well with the sound.  (And after all, their fanclub is called Jellyfish Breed, so maybe they're just fond of them. :D)  However, I happened to notice at parts like around 3:34, when they're shown, that the song sounded rather similar to the end of alice nine.'s song 'jelly fish'...but I think that's probably merely a coincidence because jellyfish tend to inspire that kind of floaty sound.  Right now I'm in the process of translating 'Fukurou''s lyrics, but it's pretty damn long and complicated...Ryuutarou uses a lot of language that's hard to put into English here.

The b-sides to the single, 'Consent' and 'Bermuda Triangle' are probably the most surprising and different songs Plastic Tree has ever come out with.  Plastic Tree has their own unique sound, and tend to stick to it, whether it's slow sentimental ballads or something a bit on the harder side...but this is ENTIRELY new for Plastic Tree.  They've totally gone electronic here, sounding more like an industrial or techno group than a rock band...but it's really good!  At first I was like WOAH...0_0 in shock, but then I realized how perfect Ryuutarou's voice is for this kind of music, and that they amazingly managed to keep their sound while experimenting in a whole new direction.  I think it's great, and look forward to seeing where they'll take this.

Kra's 'LOVE LAB' is a good song, but a bit forgettable in the sense that it doesn't have anything particular to it that makes you think, wow, that was really cool or want to listen to it again right away.  It's a nice song, but certainly not their most interesting.  Yet one thing that makes 'LOVE LAB' stand out is the pv....I'm convinced that it's the weirdest, creepiest, most disturbing pv Kra's ever made.  For some reason that giant floating heart with humongous red, grinning lips and waving cartoony arms seriously freaks me out more than anything I've seen in a pv in a long time. o_0  The pv has its cute moments, and the members as always look insanely adorable and handsome (especially when they smile ^_^), but I'm still not a big fan of this video...>_>;

I'm busy showing my parents around Japan at the moment, but I just have to post about this quickly.  Today DELUHI's new dvd single release, FLASH:B[L]ACK comes out, and they've made a new pv for the song 's[k]ape:goat'!  The song is really good, though I still prefer some of their previous releases over it.  The pv is well-shot though a bit different from their first one for 'HYBRID TRUTH', since it alternates between the band playing and scenes that're like a mini-movie of sorts.  The break in the song towards the middle was unexpected but nice touch, and something DELUHI haven't done much before.

Another pv that came out recently is heidi.'s 'Tsubasa'.  It's pretty good, though when I first heard it I thought it sounded like something I'd heard before.  The melody isn't their most original, but it's a nice song overall.
Also, some interesting news just came out!  Since Sasabuchi left Plastic Tree, he's been doing things like session bands and support for other groups on his own, but now it seems he'll be doing support drums for the studs, since their drummer Hibiki left not too long ago.  From his farewell messages and reasons for leaving Plastic Tree, it sounded he said he didn't want to do drums as a career anymore, but maybe he's changed his mind or just didn't want to be an official member of a band or something.