#kenshi yonezu

Kenshi Yonezu - Stray Sheep (05.08.2020)[★★★★★]*REVIEW*

In the vastity of Japanese pop scene, Kenshi Yonezu is a incredible exception, thanks to a fascinating commistion between music and arts. With his fifth album, he confirmed to deserve his growing popularity, bringing up a nice genre variety on the plate, going from upbeat themes to more melancholic and nostalgical ones, helped by his compelling singing style. Thanks to this recent work, Kenshi’s music will definitely see a bigger audience, for a which exceeds the imposed limits of pop music.

ARTIST REVIEW

REVIEWS:Diorama (16.05.2012),Yankee (23.04.2014),Peace Sign (analysis)

TRACKLIST

1. Campanella

2. Flamingo

3. Kanden (Electroshock)

4. Placebo (ft. Yojiro Noda)

5. Paprika

6. Uma to shika (Horse and deer)

7. Yasashii hito (Kind person)

8. Lemon

9. Machigai sagashi (Look for a mistake)

10. Himawari (Sunflower)

11. Mayoeru hitsuji (Stray sheep)

12. Décolleté
    

13. Teenage Riot

14. Umi no yuurei (Spirits of the sea)

15. Canary
    

Mary’s Blood - Re>Animator (26.08.2020) [★★★★★]

Already appeared with: Revenant (2018),Confessions (2019)

Like many other metal bands in Japan, even Mary’s Blood decided to take a turn from their musical path, releasing a cover album which quite reflects their own skills. The band chose to bring famous anime themes into a new life, filling them with energetic notes, strong rhythms and charismatic vocals, where the tones change according to the song’s style. These four girls could definitely make an anime opening of their own and this album is a strong confirmation of this.

TRACKLIST

1. PegasusFantasy(Make-upcover)
   
2. Kouga ninpouchou (Ninja scroll of Kouga) (Onmyo-zacover)
   
3. Magia (Kalafinacover)
   
4. Syuukyoku Battler -Kouryoutaru shinsekai- (Final song battler -Desolate new world-)
5. Unravel (Tk from Ling Tosite Sigurecover)
   
6. Forever Love (X Japan cover)
7. Zankoku na tenshi no teeze (Cruel angel’s thesis) (Yoko Takahashicover)
8. Invoke (TM Revolutioncover)
9. Driver’s High (L'Arc~en~Cielcover)
10. Exterminate (Nana Mizukicover)
11. We Are! (Hiroshi Kitadanicover)
    

Nothing’s Carved in Stone - Futures (26.08.2020) [★★★★]

Already appeared with: Maze (2015),Existence (2016)

Nothing’s Carved in Stone has built a solid image in their eleven years of career, bringing on a paced and refreshing rock sound. For their latest work the band decided to cover some of their most famous themes, in an album made of two discs, where their sound is the result of their maturity, including catchy themes and great rhythmic touches. This band has grown so much since their debut and there’s a lot of interest of what the future has in store for them.

REVIEWS:Parallel Lives (06.05.2009)

TRACKLIST

DISC 1

1. New Horizon
2. Isolation
3. Spirit Inspiration
4. November 15th
5. Red Light
6. Rendaman
7. Hakutyuu (Day)
8. Out of Control
9. Like a Shooting Star
10. Kirameki no hana (Shining flower)
    

DISC 2

1. Dream in the Dark
2. Youth City
3. In Future
4. Brotherhood
5. Midnight Train
6. Around the Clock
7. Milestone
8. Pride
9. Tsubame Crimson (Swallow crimson)
   
10. Blue Shadow

Crystal Lake - The Voyages (05.08.2020) [★★★★]

Staying on the subject of self-cover albums, the metal band Crystal Lake has repurposed some of their old songs, precisely the ones made with Kentaro Nishimura as singer, this time empowered and modernized by Ryo’s harsher tone, along with a more refined sound and an improved technique. Despite being a brand-new release, Crystal Lake managed to make it fresh and addicting, and we can’t wait to hear more of their music.

TRACKLIST

1. Fabricated Refuge
2. Twisted Fate
3. Open Water (ft. Daniel McWhorterandTakashi Uesugi)
4. The Passage (ft. Kentaro Nishimura)
5. The Burden
6. Freewill
7. Innocence
8. Daylight (ft. Go Nakaharada)
9. Voyages
10. Into the Great Beyond (ft. Kentaro Nishimura)
    

Arlequin - The laughing man (19.08.2020) [★★★★]

Already appeared with: Utopia (2016)

After four years made of a bunch of singles and a mini-album in the middle, the visual kei band Arlequin delivers a full album, disproving whoever thought that their sound had become boring. The album is made of distinct songs, ranging from energetic ones, which see a reinforcement of the rhythmical component which characterized them since their debut, to passionate ones, mixing cheerful and aggressive notes without any effort. If you think that visual kei has nothing to offer, maybe Arlequin’s latest work will surprise you.

REVIEWS:Near Equal (12.11.2014),Dilemma (25.02.2015),Utopia (08.06.2016),Puzzle (analysis),Exist (15.03.2018)

TRACKLIST

1. In the Mirror
2. Veludo
3. Ikasama (Trickery)
4. Sora ni ochiru (Falling into the sky)
   
5. Kasabuta (Scab)
6. Todome wo sashite (Stop it)
   
7. Fireworks
8. Himawari (Sunflower)
9. Kimi to no Aida ni (Between you)
   
10. The laughing man

-HONORABLE MENTIONS-

Seventeen Years Old and Berlin Wall - Abstract (05.08.2020)

The first mention of the month is for the not-so-known shoegaze band Seventeen Years Old and Berlin Wall, active since 2015 and become quite notable thanks to the indie music platform BandCamp. Their latest EP sees a really enigmatic sound, with shaded notes, electronic vibes and a cohesive rhythm, creating an unique atmosphere, driven by an awesome vocal work by the singers Yusei Tsuruta and Eriko Takano. Literally made for shoegaze lovers and not only.

TRACKLIST

1. Rakuen wanai (There’s no paradise)
2. Paraglide
3. Machi no tobira (Doors of the town)
4. Touketsu-chi (Frozen land)
5. Darekaga ita umi (Someone by the sea)
6. Tounen (Ten years)

Tatsuya Kitani - Demagog (26.08.2020)

Tatsuya Kitani might not be a familiar name for you, but maybe you know the Vocaloid band Sajou no hana, whose he is the bassist. Between a single and the other, he has found time to shape up a solo project of his own and releasing also some album. The latest one offers a catchy pop-rock sound, well driven by his good vocals, along with electronic, dance beats and funky vibes. Tatsuya Kitani may be another name which can rise within the Japanese pop scene and this album is definitely worth checking.

TRACKLIST

1. Hide and Seek
2. Panopticon
3. Dead Weight
4. Humanlike
5. Bad Dream
6. Demagog
7. Lotuses

Spoilman - Body (05.08.2020)

The final mention is for a pretty indie rock band, Spoilman, active since 2019 but came out only last year with an album. Their sound is quite adrenalinic, with roots into noise and punk rock, empowered by quite heavy vocals, energetic riffs and bass lashes, making each track more pumping of the previous. Spoilman can definitely shake the ground of Japanese rock and they deserve more recognition.

TRACKLIST

1. Amaryllis
2. Declaration
3. Ghost
4. Inner Haze
5. Sunday
6. Drunken Man
7. Cloudy Eyes
8. Monotonous
9. Comfortable
10. Life is REM
11. Body
12. Pail and Ladder
13. Rampage
14. Woodcutter
15. Utonagan
    

TO BE CONTINUED…

米津玄師さんお誕生日おめでとう！！ happy birthday beautiful boy

I’m in the mood for angst so here’s a 1827 animatics

Yeah i know Hibari knows about the plan. That doesn’t mean knowing that his baby got shot hurt less. Plus, the plan is risky.

           Here in ʙ ᴏ ᴅ ʏ

                                         but not in ᴍ ɪ ɴ ᴅ

                                                                         ɪᴛ’s ᴀʟʀɪɢʜᴛ ᴀʟʀɪɢʜᴛ! – ☆

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                                  I’m so much more spineless than you seem to think of me.

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