Ever since I developed my capacity to be neurotically fixated on something with those 5 posts dedicated to that Jrock phenomenon, The Perm, I have been highly sensitive to the hair trends among Visual rockers. I was checking out some of the “new looks” for this season, and I noticed something of a disturbing new trend.

This particular hair color was first introduced into the Jrock fashion scene when Nishikawa Takanori started wearing it about, what, 20 years ago?  The difference here is that Nishikawa actually has a cool haircut.

Tetsuya

Tetsuya no longer feels confident in his physical appearance. He has, for the past year or two, had his secret twin sister take his place for photo-shoots and album covers. Pink skulls, pink boots, and fashion-denim? I mean really? Gone are the good ol’ days when Tetsuya still looked like a man, wore rubber-soles, and was never to be seen without at least ten different plaid garments on at once. Only in Japan do all famous men become Californian women when they turn 40.

SCREW

Who’s the hot chick on the far left? And more importantly, why is Kazuki wearing traditional pajamas and a smoking jacket? Middle man Byou there is rocking a pretty much picture-perfect rip-off (just parting it on the right won’t fool me) of the look Ruki started wearing earlier this year.

The GazettE

Aoi and Uruha aside, I have so many issues with this new look for The GazettE– don’t even get me started. Between Ruki’s metallic layers and Kai looking like he’s about to strangle the chef who made the Chicken Cordon Bleu late for table 7, I just don’t know what to think anymore. At least their music is still— oh, wait…

Video: audio track Umbrella off of Memento Mori (’09). These guys have a timelessly funky, evil style that shows, no matter what they choose to do.

Anyway, wipe away those nostalgic tears. They released an album last year, Memento Mori, and did a nationwide tour to promote it. They’ll make another micro-come-back with a brand-new single, Dokudanjou Beauty. They have also updated their personal style for a slightly more modern look.

Image credit: SR Jrock UK

Gone are the streamlined and strict black suits of last year, and in…the fluffed perm that Gatsby agents are probably paying millions to have these rock-stars wear… I mean really. I thought at least Atsushi Sakurai, god of wearing styles nobody would ever touch with a twenty-foot pole, wouldn’t succumb to the fluffed perm favored recently by GACKT, Ruki (GazettE), Satoshi (girugamesh), and (unfortunately) others. Oh wait, this is a style nobody else would touch with a twenty-foot pole. Except they did.

ANYWAY, wow, I’m really digressing like a mad person here. Well, new single Dokudanjou Beauty is being used as the GALACTICA Season 2 ending theme song. The single will be released in 3 editions, a regular and limited, as well as a super-ultra-limited version for 18000 JPY (around 180.00 USD) that comes with a special selection of figurines– one of each band member. Creepy. Oh, also, the super edition is already sold-out at CDJ. The single comes out March 24th.

Dokudanjo Beauty [w/ DVD, Limited Edition]

BUCK-TICK

On a further note, BT will appear in the March ’10 special edition of the publication Arena 37 C.

Here’s a preview of the brand new PV for Dokudanjou Beauty at Sony Music. (It looks like a bunch of gibberish, I know. Just click the play button, everything is already set for you.)…and the ending for GALACTICA