Onmyouza

Onmyouza (陰陽座)

If you like Kurosawa-Movie,You should check this Japanese heavy band called Onmyouza.(ON-MYOU-ZA)

The Lead vocal of Onmyouza is woman "KURONEKO". It's rare in this genre,you know. And it's rare to wearing the traditional Japanese cloth too.

Their music is based on 80's Heavy Metal and Japanese traditional folk.
This folk is older than Samurai Age's.There are lots of folk music in Japan, ex,using 3 strings guitar which called Shamisen ,using things like flute, singing music with the traditional Japanese scale.

And the lyric is unique too. Main theme of Onmyouza is from folk lore. Especially,from horror story about Yo-Kai(like Japanese monster or ghost). If you don't know Yo-Kai, Please check J-horror movies,The Juon or The Ring. It is easy to imagine it. And the lyric is used by old Japanese language. We are Japanese,but can't understand all, because of it's too old for present Japanese people.

Their lyric style is conceptual like Dream Theater and some album of Savatage.
Onmyouza is like storryteller of old old mysterias Japanese story. We want that you understand Onmyouza world, sorry it's not easy to translate thier lyric world. Anyone Help??

Onmyouza take part and shooter live video in No-Gakudo first-ever excluding "No"
( "No" is traditional Play. It is told first Japanese Play style. No-Gakudo is the place "No" play only)
Check this link.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WWTdeGgpX58

Onmyouza 9th album "KONGOKYUBI" (Sep.2009)

http://www.onmyo-za.net/eng/index.html

for fans of : NIGHTWISH, DREAM THEATER, EVANESSENCE

for fans of JP band : kagra

MIYAVI

Before starting music,Miyavi wanted to be a Pro Succor player. But, unfortunately he was injured his leg, must have give up the dream. and he drop from high school, started play guitar.teached by friend. Then the friend was suddenly pass away, Miyavi went away from the very sad situation. when he noticed,he was in Tokyo.and met bad member in front of a live house,he decided to become musician.
At first his music carrier, he acted as guitarist in the band.After broke up the band,he stared as solo-musician.

He make up,and wear the unique fashion and hair style, and have deep lyric songs (not all songs).Oh yes,these are typical things that usual Visual-Kei musician has.
But,he has another style, because of it, he is very understanding in the Visual-Kei.

What is it?

It is his guitar playing style. it's very unique. The typical Visual-Kei's guitarist play based on Heavy Metal and Hard Rock style.but Miyavi has more music effect,played with Japanese traditional music or Human-Beat-Box or Tap-Dancer.
So, Miyavi can plays guitar percussive.Even acoustic guitar,he can play very aggressively.Because of his unique and originated style, he gets respect and over the genre of Visual-Kei.
Understand his play style?? NO?? Sorry my vocabulary is poor. So,Check this song " Are You Ready To Rock?"on YouTube.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mkjSDDH2nog

He have been touring to oversea many times.And He gets lots of audience in Europe,UK,South America.

MIYAVI majar 1st album "MIYAVIZM" (June.2005)
http://myv382tokyo.com/

http://www.myspace.com/miyavi
for fans of : Red Hod Chili Peppers,HOOBASTANK
for fans of JP band : HIDE,GACKT

DIR EN GREY

DIR EN GREY is 5 member band that formed at 1997 in Osaka(2nd biggest city in Japan)

Their debut singles was produced by Yoshiki from X-Japan.

At first music career,DIR EN GREY have make-up like other Visual-Kei musician.but they stooped their make-up.Why? The reason is they don't want to be decided what looking the band is ,we think.So now their looking is not typical style of Visual-Kei.

Sound style is affected by mixture rock ,modern heaviness and industrial.Vocal can sing growling,falsetto.Sound is deep,lyric is deep too.A theme of their world is about pain of life,like suicide,decadence,death.And vocal was doing self-injury and blooding on the stage.Now he is not doing it,but his staging is still stimulated very well.

After that they succeed in Japan and Asia,they went to go US,UK,and Euro.DIR EN GREY played at Budokan on 2 days(Budokan is the place the Beatles played in1966).And played many world Heavy Music Fes, at Download Festival in UK ,Wachen Open Air in German,Family Valued Tour in US.Vocal got the cover of Kerrang! magazine. In this year. they are playing at Sonisphere festival,yes all over the world.they are the most popular Japanese band in the world.In Japan, they got No2 on the national single chart.Unlike other Visual-Kei band,they get many men audience.(the fans of Visual-Kei is girls).

DIR EN GREY was born from Visual-Kei,

was growing up with Mixture,Metal,Hardcore and Industrial,
Now is one of best Heavy Music band in Japan.

DIR EN GREY
latest album "UROBOROS" (Nov.2008)

http://www.direngrey.co.jp/top.html
www.myspace.com/direngrey

for fans of : KORN,SLIPKNOT

for fans of JP band : the GazettE,MUCC

Do you konw what Visual-Kei is?

Do you know What Visial-kei is?

From old day,interesting things generate appear in Japanese culture.

Ukiyo-e

Samurai hair(called Chonmage)

Nintendo

Aibo

In the music culture,interesting genre get applier in 80's.

It is Visual-Kei.It was new music movement.

The founder isn't clear.But it is clear,X-Japan(below pic) is biggest act impact to Japanese music scene.

Anyway,Visual-Kei's "Kei" means the group or the general term which similar thing/person get together. Music style is based on Heavy Metal,Hardcore,Industrial.Hard Rock.

Visual-Kei has 3 definitions.

1. Make-up

2. Unique fashion

3. Lyric

Totally,Men play making up,wear unique fashion,looking unisex.

1,make up

No.1 poplar make-up musician is KISS.Their make-up concept is circus.Gram rock star's make-up means distance or gorgeousness.In the case of Visual-Kei,make-up means cool.In Japan,attractive man's looking is slim and beauty, (if you have bread and chest hair,you should shave it soon). it is like Prince in Japanese cartoon for girls.so,most of Visual-Kei bands fan is a girl.

2,Unique fashion

Probably you know the word "Harajuku-Girl" who likes the unique fashion of Gothic and Lolita effective.Most of Harajuku-girl loves Visual-Kei Music.
If you want to be Visual-Kei band member,you should nake your jeans and T-Shirt and buy unique cloth.
The idea of this cloth gave some affect to over sea's band like Murderdolls,Deathstar,Marilin Manson,My chemical romance.

3,lyric

Their lyric is sometimes deep emotive,aestheticism and very poetic.No party song,No one night sex song,No usual life song. Their lyric has many theme of Death,Fantasy,Dream,Vampire,Suicide,Alice in wonderland,,,, the list goes on.This world graves teenage girls mind.

Of coures,like other music genre,it is very difficult to explain music genre by some words.And there are genres of genre, ex. Thrash Metal of Heavy Metal,Death Metal of Heavy Metal.Visual-Kei is very important position in Heavy Music in Japan,and oversea's,so we need to explain it.
This is our idea,if you don't agree us, please comment your opinion.

next post is Musician,over the typical Visual-Kei.

Do you think heavy music is very popularin japan?

(this pic is LoudPark 08)

Do you think heavy music is very popular in japan?
Our opinion is NO! too bad.

For example,in the last year's top 100 album sales chart,heavy music band is.

#13 B'Z "MAGIC" 435843 copies (Japaneses hard rock duo)
#34 GREEN DAY' "21 CENTURY BREAKDOWN" 219113 copies
#41 GLAY "GREAT VACATION VOL.2 SUPER BEST OF GLAY" 179639 copies (Japanese Visual-Kei band)
#51 THE HIATUS "TRASH WE'D LOVE" 161960 copies (Japanese Punk band)
#74 ACID BLACH CHERRY "Q.E.D." 110722 copies (Japanese Visual-Kei band)
#76 SID "hikari" 109501 copies (Japanese Visual-Kei band)
#97 VAMPS "VAMPS" 88927 copies (Japanese Visual-Kei band)
#100 HYDE "HYDE" 87160 copies (Japanese Visual-Kei band)

In Japanese sale chart,there are almost domestic pops ,r&b,rock(softrock,commercial band).
Heavy Music?? yes,,, only 8 bands in top 100 chart.
2 punk,1 hard rock,5 Visual-kei,No metal,No hardcore,No Emo.......
So it is difficult to find a friend who loves metal or hardcore.

Heavy music is not very popular in the sales chart,yes it's true.
But,but,but,but,but,
Annual music festival LoudPark gets 18000 audience every time.
Dir En Grey got 18000 audience in 2days lives at Budokan on this year early(Budokan is the place The Beatles played at 1966)
X-Japan played at Tokyo-Dome(cap.50000)3 days 2years ago.

It is like that there is a very huge underground scene of Heavy Music in Japan.
Heavy Music is still alive well in Japan,We think.

Crossfaith

If you ask me,"Who is the brightest hope band in Japanes Heavy Music scene??",it is very easy to do it,the answer is CROSSFAITH.

CROSSFAUTH is post hardcore band,sometimes they are told "TRIVIUM meets ENTER SHIKARI"
The mebmer are Vocal,Guitar,Bass,Drum and progrum.And all member is young,the ages are around 20 years old and live in Osaka(2nd biggest city in Japan).

Crossfaith was formed in 2006.They played songs of STORY OF THE YEAR in High School festtival.
In 2008,They made EP(only 1000 limited copies).In 2009,they realesed 1st original album that called "The Artificial Theory for The Dramatic Beauty" from indies lebel.
This 1st album got very good reaction of young heavy music fan.and they played in LOUD PARK 2009(biggest loud music fes in JaPan).
The vocal was featured by Canadian mixture man MANAFEST,the song "No Plan B" in MANAFEST's laterst album.He show up music video in this song.

CROSSFAITH'S live performance is massive great!! They can beat other country's aoudienc!!
They have plaed as openning act of many great band,ex. HATEBREED,MACHINEHEAD,IN THIS MOMENT,BLEEDING THROUGH,THE USED,MEMPHIS MAY FIRE ect.

2nd album will be released in this summer.

CROSSFAITH

1st album "The Artificial theory for the Dramatic Beauty" (April,2009)
http://www.crossfaith.jp/main.html
http://www.myspace.com/thecrossfaith

for fans of : ENTER SHIKARI, THE DILLINGER EACAPE PLAN

for fans of JP band : FACT, MAXIMUM THE HORMONE