あさり’s Neighborhood

2005 seemed like the year of in betweens.  That is, bands who normally would release every year, didn't this year, but would the next.  And it was the year of last albums from bands on their way out.  It was also the last year I stopped paying any attention to Gackt.  IN other news...L'arc released another snoozefest, Apulanta returned from a three year break, D'espairs Ray finally released an album, Phantasmagoria released what would be their only album, Merry and MUCC continued to be awesome and Penicillin released their best album to date.  Despite the short list, 2005 was about quality, not quantity.

• Apocalyptica - Apocalyptica
• Withering to Death - Dir en grey
• Bleed Like Me - Garbage
• Supernature - Goldfrapp
• Kiila - Apulanta
• Mein Rasend Herz - In Extremo
• Punk Drunker - ACID
• Conflict - Aki
• Headphone Children - The Back Horn
• 十三階は月光 - BUCK-TICK
• Heretical God - Calmando Qual
• Coll:Set - D'espairs Ray
• In the direction of sunrise and nightlight - deadman
• Need Your Love - Do As Infinity
• 激情抄録 - Doremidan
• Diabolos - Gackt
• Glaring Sun - J
• 愚弄色 - Kagerou
• San - Kagrra,
• Secret - Koda Kumi
• Awake - L'arc en Ciel
• バラ色の人生 - La Vie En Rose
• Greedy Dead Souls - Lynch
  
• Nu Chemical Rhetoric - Merry
• Music - Mika Nakashima
• 鵬翼 - MUCC
• Hell Bound Heart - Penicillin
• Splendor of Sanctuary - Phantasmagoria
• 星の都 - SID
• Tommy Heavenly 6 - TH6
• Unlimited - F.I.R.
• Exclusive Code - Huang Yida
• One Inch Closer - Nicholas Tse
• Special - Shin

in the direction of sunrise and nightlight

Honestly one of my favorite albums of all time and full of so many good songs.  It was grungy and melancholic, brilliant and dark, and unfortunately the last album they released before disbanding the next year.  Ok, supposedly a hiatus, but I don't believe they'll ever make another album together again.

D'espairs Ray

Coll:Set

They took their sweet time in finally releasing an actual album, but it was a doozy.  Also the album that got me into them.  Again, so many good songs on this, and it was a good thing too, since it took them awhile to get something else out.

nuケミカルレトリック

Merry
Nu Chemical Rhetoric

Continuing their streak of awesome releases, this album turns on the jazz even harder than before.  The jazz direction seems to be a point of contestation among their fans, with many saying Modern Garde was their last good album.  But I'm the opposite.  The fact that they made an attempt to go back to that more unrefined sound now reminds me of Korn's attempts to do that.  It doesn't suit them.  They were good at the jazz, and better yet, it was unique.

I'm finding this hard to whittle down to only three because there were so many good releases this year, in spite of the small amount of them.  So....a bonus two.

MUCC

鵬翼

Did people actually find this album boring?  The only thing odd about it to me was the lack of the intro that seems to guide their albums into a non-shuffleable structure.  However, there are some great songs on this album.  Their sound took a turn for the more soulful and even bluesy and had a minimum of screaming from Tatsurou.  Monster, Tonbi, Saishuu Ressha and Kokoro no nai machi to name a few of the classics.

Kiila

Apulanta
Kiila

They sound better than ever after three years.  Pretty much every song on here rocks.  It's a good album to start with too, if you're not familiar with their sound.  Which has gotten more accessible through the years.  They're basically just good hard rock with fantastic bass presence.

I love my girls.

L-r: Kuramochi Asuka, Oku Manami, Watanabe Mayu, and Oshima Yuko

Just for those of you not in the know. Anyway, MAACHAN AND MAYUYU SLDKFJGHKDJFGH.

Mayu is really working it in this shoot.

See?

Moving on.

L-r: Komori Mika, Kikuchi Ayaka, Satou Sumire, and Maeda Ami

Aamin is SO GODDAMN PRETTY. I'm swooning over this girl's pictures a little. Also, hi there Ayarin baby! And Suuchan of former Happy 8 Auditions wotafame is looking pretty nice here, too, but this post isn't about her. Sorry.

This post is about CHIMATA DE UWASA NO SEXY AAMIN. FUCK. <3

And some bonus Ayarin! <3

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