Its that time of the year again and Ikechukwu has dropped another string of hits. Since joining Mohits records, he has been quiet. Alot thought it was a weird move, but as far as 2009 goes, Mohits really dominated the Nigerian Urban music scene. We’re pretty sure Ikechukwu’s skills would be fine-tuned under the watch of Don Jazzy. If you are ready for 2010, you should be ready for Ikechukwu. One thing we at GiDiLIVE know, HE IS BACK!!

Listen to his singles below.

Critical Feat. D’Banj

Now Is The Time Feat. Don Jazzy

Its All On Me

What do you think?

Lloyd Banks – Microphone

Method Man & Raekwon – Meth Vs. Chef Pt. 2 (CDQ)

Drake Feat. Colin Munroe – Runaway Girl (CDQ)

Raekwon – Crime Wave Freestyle

Alicia Keys Feat. Drake – Unthinkable

Eminem – Elevator

Eminem – Buffalo Bill

Eminem – Music Box

Eminem – Hell Breaks Loose

Eminem – Drop The Bomb On ‘Em

Young Jeezy Feat. Lil Wayne – Scared Money (CDQ)

Snoop Dogg Feat. Fat Joe – I Wanna Rock (Remix)

Lil Scrappy – Too Much

Mickey Factz – The Lost Exhibit

Rick Ross – Exclusive

Rick Ross – Video Phone (Remix)

Rock City Feat. Busta Rhymes – Bang It (Remix)

Snoop Dogg – On My Level

Xzibit – Hurt Locker

Trey Songz Feat. Young Jeezy – Say Ahh (Remix)

Freekey Zekey Feat. Jim Jones – Live It, Luv It (Remix) (CDQ)

Gucci Mane Feat. Ace Hood & Usher – Spotlight (Remix)

Lupe Fiasco Feat. Trey Songz – Blackout (Alternate Version)

Plies Feat. Keri Hilson – Medicine (Alternate Version)

Ransom Feat. Yo Gotti – Pacman

Trey Songz Feat. Ace Hood, Juelz Santana, & Fabolous – Say Ahh (Remix)

Wale – Say Something Freestyle

Willy Northpole, Stat Quo, Royce Da 5′9″, & Marquess Elliot – Soldier

Game Feat. Fabolous – Never Stop Hustlin

Game – Turn Off The Lights

Joell Ortiz & Novel Feat. Cri$tyle aka The Ink – Stressful

Lloyd Feat. Rich Boy – Everyday

Obie Trice – On and On

Sade Feat. Maino – Soldier Of Love (Remix)

SparkDawg Feat. Gudda Gudda & Ya Boy – Drank N’ Dank

Young Jeezy Feat. Lil Boosie – Miss Me

Vinnie Paz Feat. Clipse – Street Wars

Wyclef Jean Feat. Game – Nou La

Akon Feat. Filapine – Rock

Gucci Mane Feat. Nicki Minaj & Rocko – Easy

Gucci Mane – Yelp

Joell Ortiz – Make It Without You

Kardinal Offishall – We Gon’ Go

One Chance Feat. T-Pain – Turnt Up (Remix)

Robin Thicke Feat. Game – Diamonds

Robin Thicke Feat. Kid Cudi – Elevatas

Robin Thicke Feat. Snoop Dogg – It’s In The Mornin

Styles P – I Wanna Rock Freestyle

Styles P – Try Sleeping With A Broken Heart Freestyle

The Outlawz Feat. Young Buck – Fuck You

Trey Songz Feat. Keri Hilson & Usher – I Invented Sex (Remix)

The Circus may of not of been as successful as “Beautiful World” in terms of singles and it didn’t sell as well as it, but does this mean that they’ve lost their shine (did you see what i did there….you know including a title of their song title in … oh god i surprise myself sometimes!) … No but their novelty, the comeback was probably the biggest until the seemingly convenient resurrection  of Michael Jackson (wrong choice of words there). Hold up a light confirms that theory as its hook is weak the vocals are shabby about the best bit of the song is when Mark Owen squeals in the chorus to give the song the “Empire of the sun feeling”, never the less its listenable, unlike some of the pop drivel that’s bashing our eyes recently.

Take That – Hold up a Light — Score – 5/10

HERE’S IT LIVE

Rural Rhythm Records announces the release of “Fresh Cuts & Key Tracks No. 6” to radio. This special promotional radio CD includes six new singles from upcoming and current Rural Rhythm CDs by: Bill Emerson and Sweet Dixie, Brand New Strings, Randy Kohrs, Gold Heart, Michael Martin Murphey and Carrie Hassler, Michael Martin Murphey and Audie Blaylock, plus a special Thank You message from Russell Moore. This impressive collection is available now via Airplay Direct and will also be arriving at radio stations this week. More information regarding these artists can be found at RuralRhythm.com  Read more here.

Beyonce Music Video Phone

So Just recently here in the UK we have had many Scandinavian featured bands such as my personal favourite “Mike Snow” and the pointless candy pop of  Alphabeat. This band really stand out for me though. Their humorously titled track “Underwear” has really got my feet moving and as for my ears their having an eargasm. As for them gracing the UK chart, don’t bank on it any time soon (We just have to put up with the likes of La Roux and N-Dubz) so enjoy this triple sub of Icelandic pop.

FM Belfast – Underwear — Score 8/10

Listen Here

Ahora si!!! La noticia es antiiiigua… pero recién la coloco =P.
Kanjani después de traernos el Kyu Jo Show!!, nos viene -no con uno, ni dos- con 3 singles!!! Y lo más bonito es que las 3 versiones tienen un nombre muuuuy navideño xD! Además que saldrán antes y durante la navidad >_<! Nomás faltaria que ellos lo lleven a casan con su traje de Papa Noel xDD!

Gift -Shiro (White)-
Fecha de lanzamiento: 23/12/09
Tracklist:
- Fuyu Koi
- Kimi no Uta wo Utau

Gift -Aka (Red)-
Fecha de lanzamiento: 24/12/09
Tracklist:
- I wish
- Minus 100-do no Koi

Gift -Midori (Green)-
Fecha de lanzamiento: 25/12/09
Tracklist:
- Yuki wo Kudasai
- One day in winter
- Snow White

Hasta parte de los nombres son los colores típicos de la Navidad! Ya quiero que sea Navidad y que Santa Maru o Santa Ohkura me los traigan… se lo imaginan ¿? xDD

Fuente: CDJapan

3Oh!3 for a short while my favorite New band. Their massive hit “Dont Trust Me”  outsold Kings of  Leon by a massive amount and..their only on their second single. Their album however is very, very messy. Theres around five decent songs, then two luke warm tunes and then…dog shit tracks you wouldnt force anyone to listen to even if they were some kind of fascist. Now back to this song, they originally through out this song with a video of one massive looking gangbang but as a result of Katy Perry being a huge fan of this twosome, she thought she would appear 0n this kinda…. anti feminist track… and Rapidly improved it.

3Oh!3 ft Katy Perry – Starstrukk — Score 8.5/10

The original track and video

The new and improved Bloody awesome video and tune

‘Happy’ is far from a breath-taking triumph like ‘Bleeding Love’, but it’s a strong song with adequate vocal warbling from everyone’s “favourite” X Factor winner Leona Lewis… but what the bloody hell is going on with this performance?

Vocally weak. Flat notes. Sharp notes. All big screeches missed out completely. Choreography awful. Too much make-up. Hideously scary face (but not in a melodramatic “I’m so upset it’s killing me from my soul outwards” kinda way which would be amazing but just generally *SCREAM* “WHAT’S HAPPENING TO YOUR FACE?!!! ARE YOU POSSESSED?!!”). Generally dreadful performance all round.

I think I’ll stick to Alexandra next time thanks.

Mini Viva have already scored a top ten hit with “I left my heart in Tokyo” and are set to repeat their success with their new release “I wish”. Frankee Connolly and Britt Love make up the two peice which was formed in 2008 and are storming the UK in the same way “The Saturdays” did.

Left my heart in Tokyo —- Score 8/10

I Wish — Score 8/10

These Two girls are also quite sexy too, which is an added bonus, but the quality of a band always shows within their second album so lets see what will happen!

Sheesh, I tell ya. The only thing scary about this Halloween is what my sentient-being of a computer might be doing come said hallowed eve… If I’d known Toshibas were so vengeful, I’d have considered my options further…

So, I’m not dead.  The local anime-fans who read my rant on DJ Thunderstrom from the con here at home-base did come with torches and pitch-forks, frothing at the mouth, but I escaped them, and in an effort to find refuge, I tripped and fell into a hole. That hole appears to be a full-time job for the purpose of paying for my irresponsible design to see a.b.s. live in London next month. Ironically, I’ve become musically deprived.  There’s been excesses of great music coming out this autumn– on that note, I hope everyone got their copy of a.b.s.‘ Kimi no Uta. And girugamesh’s Crying Rain. I didn’t get mine, just, y’know, in case you were wondering. Next up is D’s Day by Day (title subject to change). Due out on December 2nd. The featured song is the theme to a dating sim for cell-phones, called Love Summit. Your guess is as good as mine.

Day by Day (Title subject to change) [Regular Edition]

D

To prep your palette for gloomy gothic group D’s love summit this winter, I recommend checking out their already-released, Tightrope.

I admit, I’m not always in the mood for D. I think they’re a great band, but sometimes the gothica can be a bit overbearing for my taste. Tightrope, then, came as a stupendous surprise. Their sound has become a lot more polished since going major, which is apparent in their earlier major-label singles, BIRTH and Snow White. Both singles took a major (no pun– okay, fine, pun intended…) swing in a new direction, the former being brighter and rockier, and the latter a veritable ballad. Tightrope swings the other way now, back into dark and heavy…but far from typical D fare. This time you can’t hear the corsets and platform boots, if you know what I mean.

Tightrope plays ASAGI’s distinctive, throaty vocals to different advantages. The way the vocals work with the melody is seamless, relentless, and by the end of the song, you’re left breathless (along with ASAGI, no doubt)– result of a thrashing pace, kinky guitar riffs, and just enough bondage to ensure we’re not going anywhere. It’s a refreshing rock track, catchy in a very indie way, and glossed over with the perfect dash of goth.

If the gloomy weather, falling crimson leaves, and first signs of leering pumpkins doesn’t get you in the mood for some serious gothica… just leave it to D.

Pick up Tightrope~ and get Day by Day on your X-mas list, because this Love Summit thing sounds like something that can’t be missed.

Michael Martin Murphey Signs Multi-Album Recording Contract
Two New Singles Now Released: “Wildfire” and “Running Gun“

Sam Passamano (Rural Rhythm) and Michael Martin Murphey

Rural Rhythm Records is proud to announce Michael Martin Murphey has a signed a multi-album recording contract with the label.  Due to the success of Murphey’s  Rural Rhythm albums, “Buckaroo Blue Grass” (released Feb 09) and “Cowboy Classics – Old West Cowboy Collection” (released June 2009), the label will release “BUCKAROO BLUE GRASS 2” on February 9, 2010.  The project will feature two singles that were released last week during the International Bluegrass Music Association’s (IBMA) World of Bluegrass held in Nashville, Tennessee.

Michael Martin Murphey and Carrie Hassler recording Wildfire

On Wednesday, September 30 during the IBMA convention, Rural Rhythm Records hosted a Private Showcase that included music industry VIPs who were treated to incredible performances and surprise announcements.  This special event included an extremely moving performance by Michael Martin Murphey and Bluegrass #1 hit artist, Carrie Hassler singing “Wildfire.”  Murphey and Hassler recorded the new version of this mega hit song just two weeks prior to the IBMA convention.  Last Thursday, Murphey appeared on WSM Radio with Bill Cody where the song was played during the show.  Due to the overwhelming listener response after “Wildfire’s” airplay on the show, and in anticipation of Murphey and Hassler performing the song October 17th at SMU vs. Navy game during the half-time show, the song will be available for digital download in the next few weeks.

Michael Martin Murphey and Audie Blaylock

Also during the VIP Showcase, Murphey performed another new single, “Running Gun” with bluegrass veteran, Audie Blaylock & Redline much to the delight of the audience.  The song will also be available on “BUCKAROO BLUE GRASS 2.”

“BUCKAROO BLUE GRASS 2” includes a host of other outstanding talent including: Sam Bush, Charlie Cushman, Troy Engle, Pat Flynn, Andy Hall, Rob Ickes, Andy Leftwich, Ryan Murphey, Craig Nelson,  and Matt Pierson.  The album was produced by Ryan Murphey and Engineered by Keith Compton.

 
Rural Rhythm Records
Radio Request, please contact: Sammy Passamano, III
Email

MEDIA REQUEST for the artists and label:
Hope River Entertainment
678.377.3298 Email

At this rate, after all, Dim Sum or Dim Scene is a choice some of us will inevitably have to make. Yes, Visualists, time to crack open your piggy-banks yet again. It is something of a exquisite purgatory that really will never end…But they sure haven’t been going easy on us this summer/fall! Winter is proving to be just as monetarily fatal– or perhaps even more so, given the release of several must-have live DVDs. This time, we tremble in our boots anticipating the December 16th 2009 release of Tour 09- Dim Scene- Final at Saitama Super Arena.

Wow, Saitama Super Arena has really been the place to be. And now, thanks to the graces of technology, you can witness the things that go on there for a “mere fraction” of the price it would cost you to fly to Tokyo on a whim and bribe a Japanese friend to get you a ticket. Here it is, GazettE fans rejoice–

The DVD is 3 discs (region 2 encoded: Japan, Middle East, Europe, So. Africa–N. Americans, I suffer with you.), no subtitles, limited edition available now for pre-order, comes with poster extra. JPY9300 (USD$104.45–again, I suffer with you). Regular edition also available for any who have a cadaverous malnourished piggy-bank like Gacktpause: Regular ed. JPY5800 (USD$64.52)– 2 discs, all the aforementioned handcuff-like vice of encoding and limiting, includes poster extra.

If you simply can’t wait until the snowy days, October delivers a feed for the fix with new single Before I Decay. Available 10/7, JPY1000 (USD$11.12-we now have a wussy currency), limited edition available, B2 sized poster extra.

Before I Decay [Regular Edition]

the GazettE

I don’t know about any of you– but it’s been made very clear to me by now that I have a fairy-godmother. What she does, see, is she makes it so that all of the greatest bands alive keep making incredible music, on and on and on…Where she goes wrong, if I understand this correctly, is she never actually delivers the goods unto me, as it were.

No problem. Follow the “Gacktpause” page link, and click on the big golden button that says Give a Gift. And just follow the prompts…

Yes. It’s true. Cinderella, get ready to have a ball, because on November 18th, 2009, rock duo wizards B’z will release an all-new full-length album. The album, titled appropriately MAGIC, follows up the releases of singles DIVE/イチブトゼンブ and My Lonely Town– and anyone who missed those will be in for a treat with the release of MAGIC. Featuring 10 yet-unheard new tracks, the album will also host their hit newest singles, Dive, Ichibu to Zenbu, and My Lonely Town.

A limited edition with a DVD is available for JPY3600 (USD$40.04), regular edition CD only available for JPY 2800 (USD$ 31.15). Pre-order now before you turn into a pumpkin.

Kimi no Uta, abingdon boys school’s latest single, hit shelves 8/26/09– an aural bite of candy not only for longstanding abs fans, but also for fans of the new anime series Tokyo Magnitude 8.0, which began airing in Japan in July, host to Kimi no Uta as OP.  This is always a good sign, because in Japan, anime is advertising.

Only a band like abs could trust such a petite single to be audacious enough to cause this kind of tremor in the music scene. This summer was a minefield of incredible releases, many of which upped the expected song-count for the now oxymoronic ’single’s. Although 2 tracks can hardly be considered skimpy, the B-side to Kimi no Uta isn’t an original song– the follow up track is an English version of the recent hit JAP. While this may please on a fan-service level, independently (and in Japanese) JAP was such an unbelievable song, listening to it debauched by English lyrics seems potentially like a meander down a dark path. It could be, but honestly it’s difficult enough to understand the Engrish lyrics that you hardly notice them anyway. As much as I believe in the sheer force of abs‘ power, IMPO Kimi no Uta would have suffered going solo.

The B-side, well, on the side where it belongs, Kimi no Uta itself is deserving of taking the single’s title slot. It opens abruptly, without any kind of intro to ease us into it– by now, however, our nerves are strong enough to take this level of awesomeness on the fly. Nishikawa starts singing the second the music begins, and the melody (both vocal and instrumental) is…a bit odd? Not sure how to articulate my first impression of Kimi no Uta, but when I first heard it, I wasn’t that impressed. The melody seemed somehow slightly flat, and Nishikawa’s vocals were oddly reminiscent of his Revolution gig.

However, about 30 seconds in, my opinion erupted from its moody cocoon and beat new wings. Contrary to my initial response as Kimi no Uta, all OP charm and no meat, this new realization was that Kimi no Uta was a revelation. A revolution! Where a lot of abs fare has been heavy and heavier, Kimi no Uta takes a break from that swing, taking it easy on the turn-table mixing and hardcore guitars to deal us a hand of a mellower mix. They utilize the duo-guitar super-team of SUNAO and Shibasaki Hiroshi by playing one heavy guitar-lick and one tinkly, wiry, finger-picking strain on the other, to create a double-layer of sound, giving the whole thing a ton of subtle but powerful oomph in all the right places.

What really steals you, though, is the guitar solo/instrumental break. This is the point where you expect everything to get bumped up a notch– but they tease you, and satisfy perfectly at the same time– a delicate and beautiful thing. The break is perfectly jazzy, downplayed, and then pouring us right on into hard-rock the way we like it– but how we’ve never heard it before. Not lately, anyway. These guys are killing it, playing on their skills and beefing up their originality and creativity.

In short, the song is an excellent peak of talent, subtlety, and playing on strengths. They’ve downplayed the hard-rock thing to work with some different mediums, bringing in that OP feel, a little of Nishikawa’s T.M. poppiness, and yet dishing out core abs.

Kimi no Uta is an excellent addition to abingdon boys schools‘ repertoire, and I highly recommend that any and all snag a copy to add to their shelves–listen and let the coolness astound you.

B’z new single released in August presented an interesting level of depth to support the dive its name suggests. The single, which boasts a decent serving of 3 songs: theme song to the TV drama starring heartthrob Yamashita Tomohisa, Buzzerbeat – Gakeppuchi no Hero: イチブトゼンブ[Ichibu to Zenbu], TV spot insert song Dive, and National Holiday. This is generous fare here, giving ’singularity’ as it were not to the quantity, but rather to the quality.

Ichibu to Zenbu/ DIVE, released August 5th 2009 is an interesting combination of going where we have not gone before, while keeping one foot on familiar land.

First of all, the PV quality for both title songs is perfect. Both Tak and Inaba are at their finest, musically and stylistically. Even the most determined nitpicker could not contest their classic, casual style– and come on, nobody ever sang like him, and nobody ever will. The PVs are smooth, grungy, and moody, with plenty of thick coloring, creating a very rich, real texture. They’ve veered from shots of Tak vested in ’90s glory tearing up Tokyo with his sickening riffs atop breezy buildings and Inaba knee-deep in water (ねがい　｛Negai]) which are, uh, ’90s, and abstract, to down-to-earth, flowing footage of them simply rocking out in as casual and disgusting awesomeness as only B’z can.

Secondly, the guitar on this single is so incredible it’s disgusting. Like, really. When one listens to a lot of bands these days, one feels, oh, you know, inspired. Motivated. Like, hey, cool, I want to be like him, and with enough practice, I can be! And then you happily devote yourself to callus-splitting hours of guitar practice. But, when you listen to Tak play– we hearken back to ‘92 comedy glory Waynes World prostrations before Alice Cooper and wails of We’re not worthy~! Any emotional damage you may suffer at the hands of Ichibu to Zenbu/DIVE is unfortunate– but in some states therapy is included in health-insurance. Let’s hope that if you’re taking the plunge and picking up this single, that you live in one of those states.

What I mean by ‘going where none have gone before’ and yet ‘keeping one foot on familiar ground’, is that the single opens with Ichibu to Zenbu. Ichibu to Zenbu, already noted as the theme song for the basketball-themed drama starring Yamashita Tomohisa of NEWS fame, Buzzerbeat, is a slick combination of classic B’z sound and a  new feel. The opening, electronicky loops, for example, have a hip, totally fresh feel that promises to wrap up our summer fun nicely. Those loops lead into some interesting, killer guitar riffs  that sustain themselves through the entire song, new and striking. The vocal melody, however, sounds somehow familiar. Not that it is in any way a copy or ’shortcut’ of a song, but IMPO Inaba hasn’t challenged himself in the composition of this piece. The melody is classic B’z fare– unpredictable, a little hard to follow at first, and yet bursting with their standard appeal and typical Inaba vocals.

If you’re looking for a whole new cup of tea, however, drift neatly into Dive– which is really, honestly, all you need. The PV is incredible– bizarre, but stylish and super-produced (I won’t give any spoilers). The opening sound is an instant hook, muffled lalalalalas that skip right on into the meat. The volume picks up, the muffle-effect zaps, and we’re ker-splash right into Dive– the true heart of the single.

Not only is Dive super catchy– it seems to be charting new waters for B’z. Where Ichibu to Zenbu was, shall we say again, classic, Dive is all nouveau. The melody is straightforward by B’z standards, and its repeat value seems nearly inexhaustible– try as I might, I can’t seem to get sick of it. It picks up with the same strangely polished yet grunge-appeal as its predecessor, but loses the “OP charm” and we’ve got a one-way ticket back to hardcore rock town.  Somehow the chorus route of lalalas into lyricsville is aloof, challenging, packed with attitude, and yet totally on the map with catchy accessibility.

The third song and B-side, National Holiday, feels, well, admittedly like a B-side. But in the case of B-sides, I hold to the old tolerate and accept formula of when in doubt, exceed low expectations rather than fall short of high ones. In any case, National Holiday is a gentle conclusion to the gum-chewing name-taking title songs. Enjoy it as the charming pop song it is– but really, Ichibu to Zenbu and DIVE are quite something to follow up, and by the time you’ve listened through, you’d win hardcore-of-the-month if you could handle anymore sheer awesomeness.  

…has no Jrock performances in it yet! But that will matter little on October 14th when greatest-band-that-ever-was B’z releases new single My Lonely Town.

B'z

Note: unfortunately I had to remove the sample that was available when I published this post. In the case that an official sample is made available, access to it will appear on Secret Garden. Thanks for reading!

Although we’ve been making an awful lot of fuss about GACKT’s solo activities turning a whopping 10 this year– GACKT isn’t the only one who should be getting a clap on the back. Celebration should also rain upon the shoulders of popular Jrock group D’espairsRay.

Their anniversary will fall on September 9th, and to mark the occasion, D’espairsRay will hold a free live event at Shibuya- AX in Tokyo.

For anyone lucky enough to be in Tokyo to be able to celebrate with the band and other fans, the event will be (as mentioned) at SHIBUYA-AX in Tokyo, Japan, on Sept. 9th, 2009. Numbered tickets will be released after 12:00 PM on the day of the performance. Time: Opens at 18:09 (6:09)/ Performance begins at 19:09 (7:09) PM. Please arrive at the venue at 17:30 (5:30) to assemble and collect tickets. SHIBUYA-AX can accommodate 1500+ people, but get your tickets asap, because this will get filled up fast.

To commemorate their ten years of activity, D’espairsRay will also release a new single, FINAL CALL.

D'espairsRay

Started up September 9th, 1999 in Tokyo, D’espairsRay is: HIZUMI (vo), Karyu (gt), ZERO (ba), and TSUKASA (dr). D’espairsRay kicked off as an indie Visual Kei band that started with limited pressings of singles and EP releases– releasing batches in numbers as few as 1,000, it was inevitable that the industrial-rock /Visual band would sell out immediately. And so they did. Following the release of the EP Terrors, the band gained popularity, enabling them to move out of the local/indie scene and move onto the path of international success.

2002-2004 brought about the release of several more EPs, and several singles, including the extremely popular single Garnet (2003), which hit the top of the indies-charts. In 2004 they made their first international appearances with performances in Berlin and Paris– which was the beginning of a generous international career to complement their ever-growing Japanese fandom.

2005 brought the release of their first live dvd, Murder Day Live, which was quickly followed up by their first full-length album, Coll: set. In January, 2006, the album was released internationally– and the band held its hand, touring in Europe and North America, appearing in a total of 9 countries and astounding an accumulative 15,000 foreign fans. In August of 2006 they became the first Japanese band to perform at the Wacken Open Air– one of the largest metal fests in Europe. In 2007 D’espairsRay performed at the J-Rock Revolution event in Los Angeles, California, as well as the rock festivals TUSKA OPEN AIR and RUISROCK in Finland. They participated in the ROCKSTAR TASTE OF CHAOS TOUR (2008 was the first year to introduce Japanese artists), alongside Visual bands MUCC and The Underneath.

Along with 12 singles and 3 EPs, D’espairsRay’s discography includes 3 full-length albums: Coll:set (June 29th, 05), Mirror (April 11th, 07), and Redeemer (March 11, 09).

Although, as in the case of most Jrock bands, it would be a disservice to the band to slap them into one or another musical genre, one could say they fit most comfortably into the industrial/hard-rock, metal, and occassionally screamo facets of Jrock. Their image and style dances on the outer edge of Visual Kei, seemingly unwilling to commit. But that’s fine by us– you won’t find communist Visualists here!

Vocalist HIZUMI has that classic Jrocker voice that we just can’t get enough of– but his dedication to hardcore and desire to scream his bold vocal-chords seemingly to shreds keeps the sound up and out in the open. Their music is unique and bold, combining garage-y, grungy guitar riffs with eerie underlying melodies that come together in a conglomeration of wicked heavy Jrock….well, I dunno, Jrock.

From what you can see watching the videos (yup, I’m making bristly remarks relating to my geographical disabilities), they deliver a strong, passionate performance and all the members have distinct, cool (in an angry, make-me-care sort of way) style and brooding charisma.

Yup– they’re hardcore (for a Jrock band), but even so– they know how to play the heavy and work the screamo so that they remain very accessible even to people who don’t prefer an ear-bleed every time they put their headphones on. If you haven’t checked out D’espairsRay yet, then I highly recommend you do so now. If you’re coming to this now as a long-standing fan, then pull out your collection and get listening! No better time to reconnect with a favorite band than at their ten-year mark. After all, for Jrockers, they’re just getting started.

I’ll leave you now with their spooky video for the latest album title song, Redeemer. Do not watch right before bed. This is Gacktpause, over and out.

D’espairsRay Official Website (Japanese, English)

D’espairsRay Official MySpace (Japanese, English)

WOWOW is right! Here is footage from Gackt’s Saitama final performance that concluded the long-awaited, nationwide Rebirth et Reminiscence II tour that went from December 2008 to July 2009. Gackt performed all of his anniversary-countdown singles during this tour, and today I present to you proudly, Koakuma Heaven, as aired on WOWOW.

I know I already mentioned this in the post on FLOWER [She loves me, she loves me not], but I just have to say it again– the tour looks absolutely incredible. I think it’s great how GACKT’s tours are never too BA for some fun– harking back to the early days and cat-suited romping in U+K–and even in the incredibly macho-sounding Rebirth et Reminiscence tour GACKT indulges us with some hand-style DDR-type game. Am I the only one wondering how they practiced for that?

In any case, enjoy the video. Gacktpause, over and out. +

Thanks to SqueeltsPara for re-posting the video.

ΖΗΤΟΥΝΤΑΙ ΦΙΛΟΙ

Απαραίτητα προσόντα

1) Aγάπη. Not the actual mushy feeling. Πραγματική αγάπη. Αυτή που μπορεί να μην εκφράζεται με λόγια – θα θεωρηθεί προταίρημα αν ΔΕΝ εκφράζεται με λόγια – αλλά με πράξεις.

2) Προθυμότητα να γράψεις τα πάντα και τους πάντες όταν θα νιώσεις πως πραγματικά σε έχω ανάγκη. Ακόμα πιο εύκολα, όταν δε στο ζητήσω, αλλά απλά το νιώσεις. Θα εκτιμηθεί αποφυγή εξηγήσεων του “γιατί δεν ήμουν” εκεί ιδιαίτερα όταν δεν υπάρχουν εξηγήσεις.

3) Απέχθεια στα ψέματα. Η ειλικρίνεια πονάει αλλά όταν σαπίζει το ψέμα, πονάει σαν σκουριασμένο καρφί στην καρδιά.

4) Αντιπάθεια στην επαφή μέσω SMS, MMS, βιντεο-κλήσεων, MSN, Facebook, Skype και λοιπών παραπροϊόντων επικοινωνίας.

5) Κακή γνώση εύρεσης ηλίθιων δικαιολογιών – ιδιαίτερα όταν δεν πείθουν καν εσένα.

6) Ανθεκτικότητα στις παραξενιές μου – και αυτές που καταπολεμώ και αυτές που δε θέλω να καταπολεμήσω.

7) Κοσμοθεωρία στην οποία οι φίλοι να μην είναι αξεσουάρ ή αντι-καταθλιπτικά χάπια μιας χρήσης.

8 )Επιθυμητή διάρκεια σύμβασης: Lifetime. Δεν τα πάω καλά με το “γνωστοί”, “παρείτσα”, “ήμασταν φίλοι για ένα φεγγάρι”.

Επιθυμητά Προσόντα

1)  Utterly messed (or even fucked) up ψυχολογικός κόσμος. Οι άνθρωποι που νιώθουν χαμένοι ειναι πάντα πιο πρόθυμοι να σε βοηθήσουν να βρείτε μαζί το δρόμο σας, από εκείνους που θεωρούν πως η ζωή τους είναι σαν δημόσιο έργο – τέλειο στη μακέτα.

2) Γερό στομάχι. Κυριολεκτικά και μεταφορικά. Late night drinking habits, over-analysing life syndrome και μανιοκατάθλιψη θα ληφθούν ως εξαιρετικά θετικά στοιχεία.

Ανταγωνιστικές Παροχές

1) Μικρές, ηλίθιες και ανούσιες πράξεις. Surprise parties, συζητήσεις μέχρι αηδίας για όσα σε πονάνε, ξενύχτια για δικές σου υποχρεώσεις, ξαφνικές εφόδους για διαπίστωση μη-σαπίλας όταν δεν είσαι καλά, σπρώξιμο στον έξω κόσμο όταν έχεις αποφασίσει πως δεν αξίζει τελικά να ξαναβγείς από την ασφάλεια του σπιτιού σου

2) Δύο ώμοι και δύο αυτιά.

3) Ένα κινητό πάντα ανοιχτό

4) Αηδιαστική διακριτικοτητα

5) Αγάπη. Δεν ξέρω να το λέω, ξέρω μόνο να το δείχνω.

6) Δέσμευση. Δεν κάνω πράγματα και δε νιώθω πράγματα για ανθρώπους που μπαινοβγαίνουν στη ζωή μου – μονάχα για όσους στήνουν αντίσκηνο μέσα στην ψυχή μου.

7) Εθελούσιος θυσιασμός προσωπικής ευτυχίας για τη δική σου (απαραίτητη προϋπόθεση να το εκτιμάς και να νιώθω πως και εσύ θα το έκανες για μένα – χωρίς ποτέ να χρειαστεί ή να να θελήσω να σε βάλω σε αυτή τη θέση)

Οι ενδιαφερόμενοι μπορούν να αφήσουν comment ή να στείλουν mail. Οι θέσεις είναι πολύ λίγες και δεν πρόκειται να αυξηθούν ποτέ.

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Polly Jean Harvey & John Parish – Black Hearted Love (When/ you call out my/ name in rapture/I/ volunteer my/ soul for murder…)

…or so says GACKT in the third of his winter ‘09 singles, strikingly red GHOST. But here on Secret Garden I’m singing a different tune– because if one thing’s for certain, it’s that GHOST was guaranteed to be a major hit.

Since the release of Jesus last December, GACKT has been moving steadily in a new direction with his music. In the media world,  “new” means naturally that this is a vast declination in quality blah blah blah. Well, for anyone who’s been wondering if the great days of Gackt are over, let me kindly direct you otherwise.

It would seem that this past winter and spring have seen an influx of new anime and television shows for the Japanese market. And apparently whoever is in charge of getting the theme songs in order is on a wild battlefield at the moment– because just about all the great Jrockers are keeping busy getting this song for that person and another song for that other person.

If anyone thought GACKT was going to be an exception, they were wrong. Jesus, GHOST, and Journey were all feeding the need for Gackt’s creamy baritone to represent the title-credits somewhere or other. Gackt continues to indulge his dark side with January’s GHOST, which was used for the Japanese release of the Terminator: Sarah Connor Chronicles show.

Stylistically, GHOST is, well, unlike anything we’ve heard from Gackt so far. Although the dark heaviness of the piece is congruent with the sound of earlier release Jesus, the style is far from similar.

The single opens with title-song GHOST. It starts up neatly, with some electronic sounds that get layered into a steady, bassy beat and then ease into an even steadier, more layered selection of rhythms that then explode into metal-style guitar shredding– all textured within, over, and behind tasteful electronic effects.

GHOST is a dark dance track, heavy with synthesized bleeps and bloops and chirring sounds. Gackt uses a vocal changer for a technolized sound that turns the ultra-heavy guitars over-layered with an assortment of electronic sounds and synth from heavy metal to grimly loaded Euro trance. The bridge into the chorus is complete with hoarse screamo-style back-up vocals.

The chorus shoulders us on into the heavy metal-style guitar of the instrumental break, exploding with thick drums and a cool electronic, melodic overlay that pours us back into the chorus– thick layers of sound pulsating dancibly behind Gackt’s vocals– altered to robo-ffect.

The theme of the PV, the techno-effects, and the voice alteration all come together to fit perfectly along with the terminator image that hosted this new single as theme song. In the PV as well as on the cover of the single, Gackt is portrayed as a bionic sub-zombie type creature that finally creeps in on the third-party viewer, potentially to cannibalize.

Although the verses are mellow, with Gackt singing a straight, even vocal melody, the bridge and chorus are very heavy– it sounds like core-rock, but the electronica keeps everything rhythmically pumped-up enough that you could either dance to it or indulge in some serious head-banging.

The choice is yours– but either way one thing is for sure, and that’s that GHOST is a single not to be left out of your collection!