#revival of the era
Angelo - [Evolve] (11.11.2020) [★★★★★]
Already appeared with: Factor (2015),Resonance (2018)
The visual kei band Angelo has been quite prolific in the last years, releasing at least an album per year. This thing hasn’t changed with the twelfth album, which features an energetic and various sound, including catchy melodies, aggressive notes and charismatic vocals. Angelo may appear to be formulaic, but if their style works and always delivers, why not give it a chance?
REVIEWS:Rebirth of a Newborn Baby (18.04.2007),The Freak Show (21.12.2007),Design (06.10.2010),Faith (analysis),Resonance (14.11.2018)
TRACKLIST
- Enter the NEOPHASE
- Swallow
- :evolve
- Cell Division
- Amon
- An Endless Multiverse
- Teardrop
- Haru no kaze (Spring breeze)
- Missing Link
- All for you
Revival of the Era - Nephthys (04.11.2020) [★★★★★]
On 2017 a new band, named Revival of the Era, has quietly formed, but nobody could expect that their sound may have been so powerful and fascinating at the same time. Their first mini-album is made of energetic and virtuous metal sound, with strong orchestral shades and chilling vocals, creating suggestive and powerful tracks, which always surprise the listener. This band surely represents a new phase of the visual kei scene and we will surely follow them.
TRACKLIST
- Nephthys (ft. Cazqui)
- Outbloom
- Prada
- Desert
- Division Point
- Ayame (Iris)
- Atom -Nephthys ver.-
Tears of Tragedy - Trinity (25.11.2020) [★★★★★]
Tears of Tragedy is one of the most appreciated metal bands in Japan and it’s always good to hear something new from them. After three years of absence, the band comes back with an album, made of compelling compositions, driven by an awesome guitar work, passionate vocals and a good keyboard work, which characterizes each track.
TRACKLIST
- Trinity
- Nonsite
- Yuugen (Mystery)
- Innocent gram
- Anonymous
- Outsider
- After song
- No.05
- Frost flower
- Toki ni kagami wa uso wo tsuku (Sometimes the mirror is lying)
- Chronometry
Blindman - Expansion (11.11.2020) [★★★★★]
In a time when old bands decide to get back into the stage with something new, Blindman definitely fits the current musical scene. Their first album in two years tries to introduce their sound to whoever doesn’t know them and the final result is definitely awesome, with strong rhythms and energetic vocals domaining over the rest, bringing an atmosphere remindful of 90′s heavy metal.
TRACKLIST
- Love Drifter
- Angel Smile
- Promise of Love
- Tonight
- Over There
- Never Say Never
- One Step Closer
- Your Melody
- In the Autumn Wind
- Solitude
- I’m Falling Down
Damian Hamada’s Creatures - Kyuyaku makai seisho dai I sho [The old testament of Hell -Chapter 1-] (25.11.2020) [★★★★]
Damian Hamada has been the main guitarist of the Japanese metal band Seikima-II for about three years, but afterwards he became quite popular as musician. Recently he came up with a brand-new project led by himself and composed by quite unknown musicians and released the first of two mini-albums for introducing their music to the audience. In this first work there are many promising elements, such as the refined instrumental work, an energetic guitar work, gothic shades and flowing vocals, making this project worth of interest.
TRACKLIST
- Seiei (Holy poem)
- Babel
- Heaven to Hell
- Running like a Tiger
- San-mai no shoumakyou (Three sacred mirrors)
- Lady into Devil
- Sacrifice of Love -Omo yo, hito no yokubou no kanashimi yo- (Sacrifice of love -Lord, the sadness of human desires-)
-HONORABLE MENTIONS-
Rename - Instinct (04.11.2020)
Only the die-hard visual kei fans can remember the indie band Masked Rider System, which lasted about five years. Akira, the band’s singer, started a new project in the following year, whose first album came out only on 2020. The sound can be associated to many visual bands, but at the same time there’s something refreshing behind each note, accompained by a deep voice and an unpredictable approach, alternating fast themes with more romantic and jazzy ones.
TRACKLIST
- erode
- Loose
- Gross
- Fula
- void
- Inu no uta (Dog song)
- elegy Elegy
- Stigma
- anemone
- miserable
a crowd of rebellion - Zealot City (11.11.2020)
Already appeared with: Ill (2018)
The alternative metal band a crowd of rebellion is slowly becoming one of the most riveting acts of the moment. Their latest album is a confirmation of their always growing style, but also a link with the past (there are three re-recorded tracks), incorporating shocking colors, distinct vocal performances and an awesome technique, giving to each track an unique identity, going from aggressive to catchy in a single blow. This band should be kept an eye on.
TRACKLIST
- Meteor
- Muzaisha (Innocent)
- Under the Split Tree
- °OD。
- SLANDER.
- QED
- Up to me
- Bless by Blue
- coelacanth
- Alone//Dite
- Keep the Day
- Mania
- Stick VS MADDOG
- hAngedmAn_A
- Interlude-(NOT FOUND)
- 〔←REDO.〕
- The Crow (Re-recorded)
- Rebellious Behavior (Re-recorded)
- A Malice of Rider (Re-recorded)
Hotei - Soul to Soul (25.11.2020)
It’s impossible to not have listened a song composed by Tomoyasu Hotei at least once and his style is pretty hard to forget. The seventeenth album is a set of collaborations with several artists from Japan but also from the West, each one bringing a different touch to Hotei’s majestical work, bringing on a mix of pop, rock, dance and ballad, worth of being experienced, especially if you love to listen to music without obligation.
TRACKLIST
- Soul to Soul (ft. Kobukuro)
- Dangerous (ft. Kazuya Yoshii)
- Find a Way (ft. Incognito All Stars)
- Lotus Flower (ft. Zucchero)
- Great Messenger
- BoomBoomBoom (ft. Yang Kun)
- I Don’t Wanna Lie (ft. Kiyoshi Hikawa)
- Battle Without Honor or Humanity -Solid Groove- (ft. Nate Smith)
- Live on (ft. Marc LavoineandCalogero)
- Savage Sun (ft. Glim Spanky)
- Battle Without Honor or Humanity -Battle Samba- (ft. Carlinhos Brown)
TO BE CONTINUED…
