7 posts tagged “kagrra”
So... hello there. I know it has been a while since my last post, but college has started and I had two really turbulent weeks so I didn't had so many chances for actually writing something. And there wasn't much to write, no releases to review (okay, maybe Nightmare's LOST IN BLUE but I've left that single back here in my house and I was to lazy to download it on my student flat computer...so...).
Well med college is really fiery, you have to be ready for action at all times and work, work and work. We have already written our first exam last Sunday (psychology, really twisted shit but I have passed the pretty confusing exam). This week we had social medicine which was less interesting but a bit relaxed since we managed to postpone the test to Monday (we were supposed to write it tomorrow). So with tomorrow cleared we got one day extra so I returned to my little town today. I've got a nice whole weekend to spend on learning 200 pages of social medicine which is half common knowledge and half facts and pretty much un-understandable text. Oh well, just two more weeks and we'll get anatomy.
And now to the Visual-kei part of the week. ...
My new computer in my flat has got internet and I even think we got 3 months of flat-rate because of some special action from our internet provider. But I'll see that when the bill comes. Still I had enough paid bandwidth to check out some neat Visual kei things and videos....
Most of the time that I've spent learning and driving in public traffic I've spent listening to Sugar's album SWEETEST. And may thunder strike me if this band isn't one of the best Visual kei has to offer. Seriously their music simply takes you to another place, it really makes up a great mood and all of the members are excellent musicians. I can't count the times I've gasped when I've heard a glimmering guitar riff from SIZNA, the brilliant bass lines by Shingo in Blossom (though back then they still had Koto on the bass but Shingo's not bad either, especially if you listen to antlion and ruddy afterglow singles), drummed with pencils on my legs while listening to the addictive drumming by Atsuto or got intoxicated by Loki's wonderful singing. I'm telling you I'll get real diabetes if I continue to listen to Sugar's music as much as I do know.
Dammit just thinking about their album SWEETEST and their wonderful music makes me want to listen to them. What can I say, I'm hopelessly addicted to their music I admit. I even rewarded myself by watching the high quality video of Yokusou. Why don't you watch it also? Though you should be warned of Loki flashing his well built abs in front of us
Okay enough of Sugar before I go crazy!!!!
Oh and I have also watched some other PV's like....
Kagrra's Uzu which is nice and decent and proves my theory that Isshi is in fact an evil japanese Oni demon who uses it's god-given beautiful voice to seduce young girls and later devour them. Soo true....
I also watched the UNCENSORED version of Dir en grey's OBSCURE which counts as my favorite Dir en grey PV. The uncensored version is really extreme and gross. I mean the censored version was horrid enough, but put even more gruesome and morbid stuff inside and you get total disturbing madness of a PV. I love it.
Date released: 10.9.2008.
Track list
1.渦 (Uzu) [PV]
2.鬼灯 (Hoozuki)
3.向日葵 (Himawari)
4.四月一日 (Shigatsu Tsuitachi)
Uzu (Spiral) is like the first single by Kagrra, since... well... Utakata?!!! My god! Well the guys have recently settled to release albums without any announcing singles, but Uzu is special since almost all of the songs from the single are being used as tunes for some J-dramas.
And I must say that Uzu is almost a perfect single with each of the tracks having their strong points. Uzu is marvelous, very dramatically sounding track with excellent guitar work (oh the epic solo would have been perfect if it wasn't for a very strange vibrato thing) and beautiful mood. Isshi's voice is as always fascinating and pretty much well covered up by the instruments. This is probably the most dramatic and in a way epic track since Unmei no ito from Shizuku. Fantastic!
While Uzu beats Hoozuki in guitar terms, Hoozuki has definitely got a better, more beautiful refrain whose lightness and beauty simply forces you to sing along Isshi's feather-light and fragile voice. Hoozuki is really relaxing and beautifully composed and it showes the band's ability to deliver very delicate and artistic tunes.
And now we come to the almost in the perfect part... Well if it stayed only on Uzu and Hoozuki it would be probably the top single this band has released. But unfortunately something simply just doesn't sound right at Himawari. It's like Shigatsu Tsuitachi crashed with the GazettE's GENTLE LIE (in terms of summery, semi funk guitars and upbeat chorus). Isshi's voice is very exposed in this song, revealing his singing flaws. Don't get me wrong, I truly love him as a vocalist, but he's better in middle registers rather than his signature high ones where his singing get's a slightly squealy and nasal sound (even on 1:22~1:24 part of the song you can hear his voice break). Himawari isn't their worst piece, just it isn't as good as Uzu or Hoozuki. As a bonus you get Shigatsu Tsuitachi, a happy and light, pop-rock spring piece from the album Core.
So in short, Uzu is a Neo Japanesque little masterpiece with B-sides you could live without (unless you're a hardcore fan).
Baku hits second issue! Yeah!
So again I've had fun and haste in making this issue but I believe it has come out quite well (though a bit compressed in article space and similar). I had to hasten up with this issue, but the next issue will probably be widen up to 3 pages or more. So look forward to it. Right now enjoy Baku!
The boys have not just released a new single this month but they have also toured the world going from Europe all the way up to America. I am certain that some of the Baku readers have been a part of this tour. To support Ayabie and to honor their achievements in this month Baku featured them as a cover artist.
But two more bands made it to the cover. The J-rock stars Kagrra,, who will certainly mark the summer both in Europe and Japan, and the jazz-rockers from Sugar. Sugar turned out to be the discovery of the month and as such they are this month's featured artist in Baku.
This time Baku had even more music reviews that really took the most space out of the mag. But in the next issue I'll make sure there is enough space for everything so the whole magazine won't look as a frontal crash of various articles.
Single: chariots - 独 ☆☆☆
Album: Nightmare - Killer Show ☆☆☆☆
Single: born - [-tHiNk-] ☆☆☆
Single: since1889 - DIABOLOS ☆☆☆
Single: 彩冷える - ミカヅキノキセキ ☆☆☆
RELEASE OF THE MONTH
Single: Sugar - antlion ☆☆☆☆
OHP: Sugar
Visunavi profile
Sugar on Rockerica
Founded: 2005.
Label: Graveyard Records
Status: Indie
Vocal: LOKI; Guitar: SIZNA; Bass: 真悟 (Shingo); Drums: 篤人 (Atsuto)
D'espairsRay - BRILLIANT
Even tough D'espairsRay have said that there won't be a new PV, it looks like they have changed their minds. Partially...
BRILLIANT PV is actually the live footage of this songs performance used as a PV. Though not even half as spectacular as the song itself the PV is still decent and shows how brilliantly D'espairsRay perform and put their heart and soul into it.
I have also reviewed this PV whose review and a few screencaps can be seen here.
Hopefully the guys will make a flashy, hardcore PV for their upcoming single KAMIKAZE. D'espairsRay rarely do have PV's but all of them (except this one) and mindblowing. So I'm wondering which is your favorite D'espairsRay PV? Mine is definitely Garnet :) because the PV perfectly fits the song and shows the disturbing, true side of Visual kei.
Listen to the Top 5 songs of the month
(okay momentary not, because I have got limited bandwidth and I can't upload them all but I will try to upload them on summer one day when I go to my dad's place where there is unlimited bandwidth internet. Sorry)
1. Sugar - Blossom
2. Sugar - Danshou to kuroneko
3. Nightmare - Djainism Batsu
4. Nightmare - TrickSTAR
5. Since1889 - celtic
Get the rest of the Baku here! Just click on the images and view them in original size. You may notice that the images are a bit bigger, I've made them like that so you can read Baku easier. And as always I look forward to your comments, suggestions, feedback, ideas and similar. Enjoy this issue of Baku.
As from today up to 12.7.2008. I won't post anything on Rockerica because I have to learn and I really don't have time to spend here. But after the short hiatus I will post reviews and everything else from this two week period. Thank you for your understanding and support.
And while I'm here please wish me luck in my entry exams for medicine college. If I pass I'll celebrate it, of course, here on Rockerica. I'll make a huge party on this site and you all are invited to party with me.
Till next time! ジャーネー!
Asari.
Hi everybody.
I have concluded that this month is literally "release-dead". Probably the only release I'm really looking forward is Ayabie's Mikadzuki no kiseki, but other than that there is not particular release I'd check. So that means if I don't stumble upon some good and obscure indie band, there will be just one review this month.
And the single is going to be released on 25.6.2008!
Not good.... (oh well July is going to be over-flooded with releases)
Other Visual news and similar...
D'espairsRay are releasing a new single in August *shock* called KAMIKAZE (apparently KAMIKAZE is this some kind of a legendary live performed song that everybody seems to like; I haven't heard it and I won't even bother until it is released). If KAMIKAZE is going to be the same anthemic XXXX like BRILLANT or everything else released before on MIRROR I'll be glad to rip it in my review apart. BRILLIANT got me due to long waiting, but KAMIKAZE will surely have to be fierce to get the same praise as BRILLIANT. Speaking of D'espairsRay I saw on HearJapan their so called new logo thingie.
They'll change the most coolest logo in Visual kei into THIS!!! I could do a better logo than that in 2 minutes in Photoshop. SERIOUSLY this logo fails compared to the fierce old one. God, no comparison comes to my mind to show how this logo fails compared to the old one...it' like choosing a dump-truck over a Ferrari.
Oh and when I finally thought that when I have my summer holidays no band on purpose will play in Europe, a glimpse of hope sparkled before me: Kagrra, is going on a Europe tour!!! Hooray!
The concerts will take part as scheduled in:
8/17(sun) Sweden/Sweden [Klubben]
8/18(mon) Finland/Helsinki [Tavastia]
8/20(wed) Holland/Utrecht [Tivili de Helling]
8/21(thu) UK/London [Scala]
8/23(sat) Germany/Cologne [Kantine]
8/24(sun) France/Paris [La Loco]
8/25(mon) Spain/Barcelona [Sala Salamandra 1]
The best part of it all is that the closest to me (Germany) isn't on some obscure date so there might even be a slight chance that I would go on Kagrra's live. Kagrra, is one of my favorite bands and it would certainly be cool for me to be on their live (plus none of my folks/sister can jerk around that they are violent/that I'll get moshed to death/etc...). So If I'm REALLY lucky I'll go on a Kagrra, concert!
Oh and the guys from Kagrra, are releasing a new single on 9.10.2008. so I'm looking forward to it.
I have to mention that yesterday I received my DSD diploma. It is a diploma that shows that you have managed to reach the level C1 (C2 is the highest level of language knowledge; native speakers have C2) in German. So there is only a level of difference (and that is not such a big difference) between mine and a German native speaker's German. Heh...
The recieving ceremony was kinda cool and yesterday was really awesome (I even took some sushi from Zagreb back at my place). At the ceremony (which was in the German ambassadory) came Mile Kekin the singer of Croatia's most popular punk band Hladno Pivo (Cold Beer). He studied German on college, but he never actually had the chance to teach German as a teacher because he became a punk star. It was really cool seing him and his German is unbelievable.
So with the impression I've checked out some of Hladno Pivo's PVs and I have pick the interesting ones.
(Warning: these guys are nuts XD)
Hladno Pivo - Zimmerfrei
The song is the summer anthem of me, my sister and our half-cousin and we sing it every summer when we meet. The song is a very addicting ska-punk hybrid with a fun and catchy chorus and hilarious lyrics (just as all their songs). The lyrics are about how a day will come when tourist from all over will come to Croatia making it's economy bloom and what will Croatia do to attract them (like turn Slavonia (the largest valley region in Croatia) into a golf court).
The PV is fucking hilarious and you simply can't help but to laugh at the nutbags of Hladno Pivo.
Chorus:
To će biti TAJ DAN (It will be THAT DAY).
To će biti TAJ DAN (It will be THAT DAY).
Objesi ZIMMERFREI, lezii pod palmu i uživaj (Hang out ZIMMERFREI (German for vacant rooms), lie under a palm and enjoy)
Hladno Pivo - Šamar
Šamar (Slap) is a bit of a mid-tempo balladesque song. The video is cool and the lyrics are about jealousy and violence.
Chorus:
Kako te slijede pogledi (How the eyes follow you)
Kako se lijepe po tebi (How they crawl all over you)
Cijelim tijelom uživaš (You enjoy it with your whole body)
Misliš da ne vidim (You think that I can't see - not sure about this line, could be missheard)
Hladno Pivo - Biološki sat
Biološki sat (Biological clock) is said to be one of the strongest tracks of their recent album Knjiga Žalbe (Book of complaints). The PV was just released a while ago but it hasn't been uploaded on youtube yet, so I just found the slideshow version of the song (though the PV is awesome). The lyrics are fierce and it all has got a somehow rough and agressive sound to it. Like you wan't to beat someone up.
Chorus:
I sam ti rekao da (And I've told you that)
Al' ću ti reći sad (But I'll tell you now)
Jebem i tebe i tvoj biološki sat (Fuck you and your biological clock)
I really must take once some time and check them out. They sound really fun. Apparently we all who got our DSD diploma will have the chance to go on a free Hladno Pivo concert that will be held at the 10th year anniversary of DSD in Croatia :).
So anyway enjoy your J-rock news and Cro-punk craziness.
Date released: 9.1.2008.
Track list
1. 彩の讃歌 (Irodori no sanka) [PV]
2. 雨情 (Ujou)
3. 四月一日(Shigatsu tsuitachi)
4. 斬帝 (Guilty)
5. 忘却の果ての凍えた孤独 (Boukyaku no kogoeta kodoku)
6. 賽 (Sai)
7. 風の記憶 (Kaze no kioku)
8. 神風 (Kamikaze)
9. 雪恋詩 (Yuki koi uta)
10. 新・百鬼夜行 (Shin Hyakkiyakou)
Kagrra,'s fifth album did surprise already in the announcement because of the English title and everybody knows that Kagrra, are hardcore Japan freaks in whose songs you won't find a single foreign word other than Japanese. So the eye stinging title really surprises.
Core is a classical wonderful Kagrra, album where all the songs are pure beauty and neo Japanesque at it's best. But just because it's beautiful it doesn't mean it's perfect. Interesting is the composition and order of the tracks on the album.
The uneven numbered tracks are typical Kagrra, wide and beautiful track with and overall Japanese sound to it, basically songs that will satisfy the most hardcore Kagrra, sound fans. Such tracks are the Utakata resembling Irodori no sanka, the catchy and yet overly "sweet" Shigatsu Tsuitachi, the potential sentimental and emotional classic Boukyaku no kogoeta kodoku and the quite forgettable yet nice Kaze no Kioku and Yuki koi uta. Those are all songs you would label as "pretty" but they are just something we hear from Kagrra, every time we play their albums. Not to mention you'll forget the half of them right after listening.
On the opposite, the evenly numbered tracks are real surprises, sound new, original, refreshing and just about more exciting than anything Kagrra, has released in like 2 years. Starting off with the most funky Kagrra, and maybe wider in Visual kei song ever Ujou you'll notice the new sound borders and great creativity while Isshi blasts with self-confident rock star singing. Even the English titled track (when you read the kanji you get actually guilty) Guilty shows great refreshing sound while combining the refrain that takes the best melodies from the ~San~ album. Excitement rises even more with the upbeat festival-like song Sai that would make everyone stand up, take a fan and dance around. Although a bit weak on the verses and passages, Kamikaze has got a great refrain and even ironically reminds on GazettE at some parts, just like other even Kagrra, songs.
The absolute highlight of the entire album is the last song Shin Hyakkiyakou and is somewhat as a sequel of the legendary song Hyakkiyakou. The sharp guitar sound in combined with a bit sinister melody, background growling and Isshi's fantastic voice this song beats most of the recent Kagrra, songs around.
So this album is about half conservative Kagrra, songs and another half are the excellent new and original songs, so this album will satisfy old as well new fans. More to say the album impresses with every further listening. Overall it is better than the last years Shizuku album, but still a weaker release than the legendary albums ~San~ and Miyako. But it's still a bit of an improvement.
I was reading my RSS feeds as usual and I came across an interesting news from PS Company.
Kagrra, is going to release and new album on 9.1.2008.
I was actually wondering when the new album/single/whatever by Kagrra, will be released and I'm glad they are releasing something...
But a thing did make me wonder.....
The new album is called Core. And as far as I know Core is an ENGLISH word. This may seem of no importance to those who haven't listened or have a biti listened to Kagrra, but to me this is really really strange.
Kagrra, is a band that is known (compared to modern J-rock and Visual kei fans) to have songs and song titles EXCLUSIVELY on JAPANESE. As hard as you try you will never hear not a word out of any other language but Japanese in their songs.
For a hardcore pure Japanese band like Kagrra, this is really, really surprising. Does that mean that there is a possiblity that we will hear Isshi say something or sing on English? Has the performance in America on J-rock Revolution influenced the band to widthen it's boarders to the whole world? Am I really being paranoid about a meaningless thing?
Well anyway it is for us to sit and wait. Till further news you can visit the redesigned official homepage of Kagrra, which presents the band in even more normal clothes.
As you all know the school will start soon and everybody needs to get prepared for school, right? Besides books, notebooks, pencils, pens etc... one of the essential school accessories is a pen case (or whatever it is called on English).
I present you.... My Visual kei pen case!!!
So the sewing went pretty well even if my sewing technique was awful. My mom laughed when she saw the way I saw the logos but was also fascinated by how good I made the logos (Even though she doesn't like Visual kei).
I did had some troubles with sewing but it went well. The strange thing was the fact that the simpler the logo the harder it was to sew it! Really!!!
This is the back of my pen case! I had the most work with it but I like it! Maybe more than the front side because the logos came out really well.
The back of the pen case had logos of bands Girugämesh, D'espairsRay, alice nine. and Kagrra,. These logos really looked cool and even when they were sketches they seemed really awesome! Now once they are sewn in they rock!
I can't decide which logo is the coolest on the behind because they all look pretty good, but I think the D'espairsRay logo came out the most authentic.
But all in all it came out really, reallly, goooooooood!! And it wasn't so hard to do it. If I , who have got extreme trembling hands and suck at any hand job imaginable, have done it then everybody can do it! All you need is a needle, some thread, free time and good ideas.
I bet you all could do it better than me!
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