Music: Visual Kei bands

[FalconC45]

Most of you know I'm a metalhead and like to expand my tastes like listen to gothic metal ie Nightwish and Within Temptation. About 2 months ago, I was watching Anime Networks "Bento Beatbox". It is a 30 min show about J-POP, J-ROCK AND J-Metal music with videos. One was all girl group named "Kalafina". They're a J-POP group and they sounded real good IMHO. But the video that caught my attention was a group named "Versailles". This was mind blowing stuff. The mind blowing stuff was the fact few guys were crossdressed as women and my god, I had to double take few times watching the video "ASCENDEAD MASTER". The lead guitarist named Hizaki was... wow. He got me fooled until I saw his hands. I was like "THAT'S A GUY!!!!" with my jaw on my wheelchair tray. Their sound is kind of poetic but sad, but with upbeat sound with monsterous riffs and drumming. Most of their songs is about death, saddness, immortality. Their costumes are based on early 1800's gothic. From I read, they designed their costumes. As I searched on YOUTUBE for more videos and search on Goggle for information about these guys, I learned the genre was called Visual Kei. Think of it being Extreme Glam Rock. You could say that for a example of American Visual Kei IMHO is Kiss. And I hate to say it but Versailles' songs are MUCH better than Kiss' new stuff (I only heard Kiss' new single and it was ehhhh, standard Kiss fare).

 

Below is few samples of their work.

 

Ascendead Master (Subbed, HD)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TRjhiArtpBg

 

Suzerain (Live, unsubbed, HQ)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4grgMaaRIkk

 

Continued on next post.

 

Falcon

[FalconC45]

History of the Other Side (Live, partily subbed, HQ)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FTxQcTccOww

 

Next video is Hizaki's solo project called Hizaki GRACE Project, its a solo from him called "Race Wish"

 

During my research of this band, I found out the bassist Jasmine You died very unexpectly this August. Still no official word from the band about the cause, they are still waiting for the permission of Jasmine's family.

 

Tomorrow I'll post another band I discovered called "Exist Trace" an awesome all girl metal/visual kei group.

 

Falcon

[FalconC45]

OK, I know that I supposed to do this awhile ago but I got sidetracked. Exist Trace is an all girl J-Metal/Visual Kei band which dresses Modern/Dark Gothic. Their sound is standard for metal but Jyou's (lead) vocals are spine chilling especially she growls. The group insists of: Jyou (lead), Miko (guitar), Omi (guitar), Naoto (bass), and Mally (drums). I will let the video's speak for their selves. BTW, some of the videos were taped live so you might hear some feedback but IMHO that adds flavor to the music.

 

Resonance (Latest single, unsubbed, HQ)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-pVpcuepgQY

 

Vanguard (unsubbed)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JiUB9y2I2s4

 

 

Continued Next post

[FalconC45]

I think you guys would like this next video...

 

Judea (unsubbed)

 

Liquid (unsubbed, live with backstage footage, lil feedback)

 

Last 2 videos next post

[FalconC45]

Last 2 videos...

 

Lilin (Ririmu Live is the DVD, Live, mic volume probs, unsubbed)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZfRlIsJT_0A

 

You are probably asking why the back crowd is just standing. The front crowd is the fans of the group, the back crowd isn't hating, they're not fans thats all.

 

 

The last video is kinda cool. Its the studio version set to the live performance. Great editing imho.

 

Mabushii Hodo no Kurayami no Naka de (Studio set to live, unsubbed)

Check out the headbanging at beginning and the end!

 

Thats it guys, hope you enjoyed the videos!

 

Falcon