It was an important year for Visual-Kei
- international Visual-Kei, hiatuses, disbandments, and an array of great
albums. But, which ones were the best? Which albums will have effects on the
Visual-Kei scene? Join James as he looks back on the past year, and picks the
best albums of 2013, in three installments.
First off, I want to reiterate what I
said last year – I have excluded some albums from this list, even though they
are great. Visual-Kei is a largely indie genre, and as such, many bands get
little publicity and releases are overlooked. Of course we all know about
releases from storied artists like miyavi and the GazettE – and we also know
those releases are good. Here, I want to give a space to lesser-known artists
who also did a great job. In this list, I may include some well known artists’
albums, but because I see those releases as having an impact beyond simply
being a well-known artist’s new release. I hope you enjoy reading this list as
much as I enjoyed putting it together.
30. Ru:natic – Memory
For
a first mini-album, you can’t get much more solid than this – which is to say
that this mini-album showcases some serious potential displayed on rough
footing. The album succeeds in an area where many other indie bands fail –
building a constant atmosphere, and managing a flow.
The
album features a unique mixture of growls, screams, and other assorted vocal
noises, set to a backdrop of what could be considered “Old-School” Visual-Kei.
The sounds are reminiscent of 1990s-early 2000s Visual-Kei, but not in a bad
way. Ru:natic pulls off an album laden with nostalgia without it becoming
obnoxious or too much of a gimmick, as the songs are varied far more than many
other Visual-Kei albums’ tracks.
This
album is a phenomenal start for Ru:natic, showing that they have talent, even
if they might not a bit more time to perfect some techniques. The album has a
flow and atmosphere many more storied Visual-Kei bands should be envious of,
and combined with the Old-School style Ru:natic has, the album has a unique
feel. Ru:natic should be on everyone’s watch list, as they pull off an
Old-School sound with impressive skill, and some interesting songs.
KEY TRACKS: “Blue&Sky”, “White
Merry Chiristmas”
29. 2nd Dyz – Strange New World
In a year
where REALies released no albums (after releasing two last year), it is a good
thing 2nd Dyz did to satiate everyone’s need for REALies (granted, REALies
released a compiliation album of B-Sides, but most of us hardcore fans of their
material or Visual-Kei had already heard them). 2nd Dyz resumed activities this
year, and they certainly haven’t grown worse for the wear during hiatus – this
mini-album is solid all around, and varied enough that it doesn’t wear on the
listener.
The album
is surprisingly varied based on glimpses of 2nd Dyz we have been given so far.
The album ranges from the club/dance number “Galaxxxy” to the slower ballad “紫苑”.
The album also showcases the heavier side of the band on “絆COLOR”
and the final track, “Brave WORLD”, could have been a single with how catchy
and well done it is.
All you need to enjoy this album is
a love for Visual-Kei, music that sounds a lot like REALies or early Royz – and
tolerance for keyboards, programming, synths and a bit of tolerance for an
indie band still growing. This music isn’t for everyone, as the programming can
certainly turn some away, and 2nd Dyz still has some room for growth, but this
is a promising EP, and sets them up to be one of next year’s star indie bands.
KEY TRACKS: “404”, “Galaxxxy”, “Brave WORLD”
28. GYZE – FASCINATING VIOLENCE
If you
watch the Visual Kei Heaven Weekly Video Countdown, you have probably been
treated to my jokes about Nagoya-Kei bands using caps-lock to appropriately
indicate intensity, so I will spare you. But rest assured, the album’s title of
“fascinating violence” is rather appropriate as this album is like 12012’s
self-titled album meets DEATHGAZE meets EAT YOU ALIVE at their most intense
moments. So, if you want some serious metal with your Visual-Kei, look no
farther.
The album
gets off to a bang with “Desire” and is rather relentless throughout. Aside
from the long intros to the title track, “Fascinating Violence”, and “Day of
the Funeral” and the outro track, “ The Black Era”, the album never lets up –
which is both positive and negative. On one hand, it certainly cements GYZE’s
style, but on the other, it neglects to show us more sides to this obviously
talented band. The albums demonstrates that GYZE is no doubt talented and can
do some very heavy tracks, but I felt left wanting more in several aspects.
One thing I wanted was less formula
– many tracks adhered to a similar structure, with a neat intro, screaming
during verses, and soaring guitar. The other most significant thing I wish I
would have heard from this album was variety. The tracks begin to blend
together towards the end, which isn’t fair to the individual tracks, as they
are all very good. In my opinion, the album would have benefitted from some
slower tracks, or just more complex, varied ones, as it would have made the
tracks stand out more. GYZE has flown undetected from many peoples’ radars this
year, which is a shame, as they are one of the best pure metal bands in
Visual-Kei, and everyone should be checking them out.
KEY TRACKS: “Trash My Enemy”, “Day of the Funeral”
27. メガマソ (Megamasso) - 動かなくなるまで、好きでいて。(Ugokanaku
Naru Made, Suki de Ite.)
Am I the
only one who has trouble believing that megamasso’s seventh anniversary is
coming up? The band hasn’t managed to get very major (in terms of record labels
and big venues at least) in seven years, but has made innovative sound and
quality their hallmark. The band enjoys a cult following a la kannivalism, and
for good reason – they put out consistently quality releases with some unique
sounds, and this album is no exception, although perhaps not on the same level
as some other releases.
The tracks
are all distinctly megamasso – from Ryohei’s guitar to Inzargi’s exquisite
vocals, the sounds that define megamasso are represented. The songs often have
a dreamy feel to them, and make use of some keyboards and programming in a very
major way this time around, and the band pulls it off. The theme of this album
also appears to be winter, which may not seem very important, but it drives
certain sounds of the album, and also seems to be a part of the lyrics. This in
turn gives the album a sort of unity that betters it.
“Would you
like some singles with your singles?” That isn’t entirely fair, but at times
that seems like the take-away from this album – especially since they are all
clumped together at a certain point, which seems to unfairly try to maintain
listeners’ attention, despite the fact the pretty good album already has it.
The singles on this album feel like the main attraction, and perhaps for good
reason – they are all awesome. However, they end up overpowering the rest of
the album, which isn’t necessarily as strong as last year’s “Loveless, more
Loveless”. Of course, that isn’t saying much, as “Loveless, more Loveless” was
a masterpiece, and this album is still very strong. It perhaps will be
overshadowed by better megamasso outings, but that is a shame, as there are
some gems hidden in here, amongst some remarkable singles. I would dare
listeners to forego listening to the single tracks on a second listen-through of the album, as it helps to make one
appreciate how good some other tracks are.
KEY TRACKS: “SurrenderPowerPlantの看守
(SurrenderPowerPlant no Kanshu)”, “fish tank”, “SWANSONG”, “ベゾアルステーン
(Bezoarstein)”, “WINTER HOLLOW”, “最後の夜にKissをして
(Saigo no Yoru ni Kiss wo Shite)”
26. LOCUS – UGLY CROW
Let's not
even talk about how many times I have headbanged alone to the single version of
“Kidnapping” and growled, screamed along. It would be embarrassing and make you
wonder if I get any work done. This being said, prior to this album I was
somewhat worried as to the state of affairs in LOCUS Land * (not an actual
place, just something I wish was an actual place) as production values
plummeted for their second music video (the one following “Kidnapping”), and it
honestly didn’t sound too hot. Luckily for me (and I suppose everyone else as I
have yet to be informed I am the sole person being targeted by LOCUS’s
releases), “UGLY CROW” is one of the best Nagoya-Kei albums of the year.
This album
is full of growls, screams, and opportunities to headbang alone than you can
shake a stick at (depending on how rigorously you shake a stick of varying
sizes for varying lengths of time, I suppose). The album starts off with the
hard “Delusion”, and then moves into tracks that showcase the different
members’ talents in a better way, much to the thanks of complex, layered compositions.
The album contains numbers which show us what LOCUS can accomplish if they slow
down their Nagoya-Kei attack on the ears for a bit, and it is rather good.
This album
is what comes to mind when one thinks of Nagoya-Kei – that is if you are thinking
of good Nagoya-Kei and not awkward, loud Visual-Kei bands from early last
decade. Pay attention to LOCUS, because a few releases down the road, they
might have enough polish to give Nagoya-Kei greats such as Awoi and DEATHGAZE a
run for their money.
KEY TRACKS: “色堕ち (Irochi)”, “Ugly
moth”, “明るさRegret (Akarusa Regret)”, and you can’t go wrong with
my personal favorite “Kidnapping”, which has a new and improved version on this
album.
25. …。【サイレンス】(…。【Silence】)
- …。 - 沈黙の音
(…。 - Chinmoku no Oto [The Sound of Silence])
For a band
that came out of nowhere, Silence is certainly impressive. This album is one of
the more ambitious Ero-Guro releases from this year, and throughout its course
develops a brilliant atmosphere, and serves as an excellent start for this
band.
The album
makes use of airy compositions with minimalist influence, and a host of other
techniques, all filtered through a robust Ero-Guro style. The vocals only add
to the great instrumentation by being varied across the tracks, ranging from a
beautiful staccato to harsh screams. This EP also showcases the insight of the
band to not be afraid to have very simple parts of songs that build on the
atmosphere, which is the center of this release.
This disc
may not be for everyone – it is very dark, and exemplifies the Ero-Guro style.
While Silence no doubt has more than a few things to improve on, this album is
a phenomenal start, and leaves the listener wanting more. If you are in the
mood for some innovative sounds, this may be the best release of the year for
you.
KEY TRACKS: “オレンジ色のobjet”, “波紋に歪む表情”
24. Mejibray – MESSIAH.bat
Mejibray
has risen to Visual-Kei stardom in an unbelievably short span of time – but for
good reason. They have a style that many veteran bands should be envious of,
and their lives are some of the best around. “MESSIAH.bat” is an EP that
showcases the standard Mejibray style we have come to embrace over the past two
years, and improves on it, with better vocals, an even more addictive bass,
perfect drums, and MiA’s signature guitar.
The EP
starts off with the best track “Messiah”. The track is a hard and aggressive
song at times, then guitar-shredding, and of course makes you want to dance
along during the chorus – a track of varied sounds and brilliant composition we
have come to expect from Mejibray. The rest of the tracks on the album are not as
memorable, which is somewhat of a given in the shadow of such a phenomenal
track, but showcase similar qualities, which is painstakingly intricate
composition making individual tracks more varied than some other bands’ entire
albums. The key feature of this album is Mejibray’s improvement, though. The
band that seemed so rough when we first heard “Karma” has come a long way, and
the album sounds superb.
The AOL
keyword here is (does anyone remember when the internet was so new that
commercials had to tell you what to punch into search engines? James does.)
“potential”. While Mejibray has improved greatly, the real test for them will
be putting out a full-length LP of this quality. Mejibray is one of those bands
everyone is watching right now, and for darned good reason. This album should
have been longer, but it doesn’t change the fact that it is great.
KEY TRACKS: “Messiah”,
枷と知能-それってとても人間らしいって神様は笑ってるの- (Kase to
chinou-sorettetotemo ningen rashiitte kamisama wa waratteru no-) [I would
recommend avoiding the live version from the DVD of “Decadence” as they appear
to have some kinks to still work out performing this awesome track live]
23. cocklobin –
CHRONUS
I actually
detest when bands that are disbanding go out on their best albums – it makes me
cry more. In the case of cocklobin, I am going to be crying a lot, as this was
by far and away their best recording. This release showcases a more skilled
cocklobin and a more cohesive style than we have ever seen from them before,
and this album is so good that it hurts they will be leaving us.
The album
has tastes of BUCK-TICK and other Ero-Guro bands throughout, a lovely addition
to cocklobin’s style, which has been perfected on this album. The album also
contains piano integrated into a number of tracks, enriching the overall sound
of the album, which is superb even without. The members’ are all at the top of
their game, from deep and powerful bass to beautiful guitar solos – the album
has all the markings of a band at the top of their game.
I could sit
and discuss the individual tracks, but I don’t think I could do it in any sort
of concise manner, as there is so much to say about all of them. The tracks
have layer after layer to peel back, and my congratulations to cocklobin on
creating such stunning compositions. It is sad to see them go, especially with
how impressive this album is, but all the members will likely be in high demand
with how great this album is.
KEY TRACKS: “begotten”, “HERS”, “早贄”,
“out of …”
22. Blu-BiLLioN – SicKs
Blu-BiLLioN
was due for an album this year, having debuted multiple years ago, and only
releasing an EP until this point. Well, the wait was worth it, as one of the
better Oshare-Kei outfits around has delivered an excellent album that leaves
very little to be desired. The album improves on the sound that Blu-BiLLioN has
already ridden to success, and I am stretched thin to think of any solid
critique of this album.
The album
is a bit longer than some others, with fifteen tracks depending on the edition
you purchase. The tracks are all solid, with a number in particular standing
out. What the band improved for this album is the delivery of more complex
compositions. Various songs on the album have depth and layers to them that was
absent from previous tracks by Blu-BiLLioN.
This album
is single heavy – very much so – but it has a benefit that megamasso and many
others don’t which is that the singles were staggered across multiple years.
This album demonstrates that not all upbeat, lighthearted Visual-Kei is drivel,
and that there is at least one band that can pull off six members and not
disband within a heartbeat. The album serves to remind all of us why we love
Blu-BiLLioN and gives us a very generous helping of them.
KEY TRACKS: “WILL”, “ハートフラクタル (Heart Fractale)”,
“カルマ (Karma)”,
“colours”, “with me”, “MoSaic”, “Count Down”
21. yazzmad – picturesque
With the
disbandment of Homosapiens, the failure of urb shade black boots to release
anything, and the seeming inability of umbrella to release an LP, it seemed
like yazzmad was everyone’s best hope for some Shoegaze Visual-Kei this year
when they announced they would be releasing an album. Luckily for fans of such
bands/styles, this is some of the best Shoegaze released all year, not to
mention some of the best Visual-Kei.
This album
first and foremost serves as evidence that relatively hidden indie darlings
yazzmad have grown since their debut. The album is rife with more well-thought
out compositions, but that isn’t to say exclusively more complex and layered
tracks. This disc shows that yazzmad has released the potential of simpler
tracks to have just as much impact, and they do exactly that. Songs make use of
sounds we haven't heard from yazzmad before, and for the most part, they all
work. The album is beautiful from start to finish, and doesn’t abandon any of
the old yazzmad in pursuit of new sounds.
KEY TRACKS: “Arcturus to Spica “, “Sokkurisan
ni Naritai”, “Saiai no Hito”, “Mahou no Tokeru Koro”
Be sure to check back tomorrow for the next installment!
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