Jpophelp's Visual Rock Attack

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Episode 5 Direct Download

Featured Groups:

The group Lareine is made up of Vocalist Kamijo, Guitarist Mayu and Emiru on Bass.
Lareine have been on the VK scene since 1995 when they released their 1st demo single in the 1st band incarnation Laliene.
They changed the band name from Laliene to the current name Lareine in 1996 and was picked up and put on the Applause Records Label in the same year.
Lareine has gone through many member changes since their inception however this has not impacted the way the band truly acts or sounds.
Lareine has always been coined as being a Romantic Visual Kei Group with many of the songs they perform deal with Romance and everything that goes along with that... Kamijo's melodic voice always brings much passion to the lyrics of love found and lost he sings.
Personally i found their 2000 release of Chantons L'amour ~ A Letter from Lillie probably one of the their best, coupled the Mini movie/MTV collection they released in conjunction with the album.
Lareine only recently disbanded with Kamijo & Emiru going on to do new projects. However Lareine has left a rich library of music that spans more than a decade for any new listener to discover.

Featured Album:

Lareine - Imperial Concerto HERE

Luna Sea was a Hard Rock band formed in 1989 and apparently discovered by X-Japan's Guitarist Hide and was signed by yoshiki also of X-Japan to the Indie Label Extasy records in 1991.
The group consisted of Lead Vocalist Ryuichi Kawamura, Guitarists Sugizo & Inoran, Jun on Bass & Shinya on Drums.
Luna Sea did start out as a Visual Kei band however as thier career progressed througout the 90's, they took on more of a casual rocker look. But their musical style has always remained consistant in the Hard/Progressive Rock genre.
Luna Sea gain such popularity by 1996 that they were able to fill Tokyo Dome for their concerts. Luna Sea's popularity in the J-Rock world at that time was only rivaled by X-Japan and remembered as being a premier rock band.
After a total of 7 Studio Albums and two concerts on Dec 26 & 27th of 2000,Luna Sea disbanded leaving a rich catalogue of music for fans to savor.

Featured Album:

Luna Sea - Mother HERE

Song Line-up

Charlotte- Bakamatsu Kokousei
Lareine- Stranger in New Days
Lareine- The Soul Love
Screw- Thirty Revolver
Screw- Nanairo
Phantasmgoria- Never Rebellion
Phantasmgoria- Fairy Time Memory
Luna Sea- Mother
Luna Sea- Loveless

We are giving away a Japanese Import Copy of Miyavi's Tari Rari Tarara CD Single (1st Press) which is long out of print now.

All you have to do is send a E-mail with your name, address & E-mail address to :
mataabunaideka@yahoo.ca and you will be entered into our draw.

The draw is open to anybody in the world and the only stipulation on entering is that you agree to be added to our Visual Rock Mailing list.

The winner will be announced on our Episode 7 broadcast

Direct Download for Episode 4 HERE
This week's Featured Visual Kei Band is Nightmare.

Formed in 2000, the lineup consists of Yomi on vocals, Sakito and Hitsugi on guitar, Ni~ya on bass/cello, and Ruka on drums.

Nightmare made it to the majors in 2003, which is rather quick in the VK world and was signed to Nippon Crown. Their first major single release was Believe. Nightmare's sound can be described as heavy rock with a strong bassline. Yomi's deep vocals really anchors the band's overall sound. Sometimes they do slower rock songs & ballads, but usually their songs are fast and upbeat.

Nightmare was seen by the fans as a lighter version of Dir En Grey in both sound and in look. Nightmare did give the appearance that they were trying to copy Dir's formula right down to Yomi pretty much duplicating Dir En Grey's Lead vocalist Kyo's trademark look.

But with Nightmare's sound being less intense & more mainstream as far as Visual Kei can be is probably the big reason that Nightmare went major far quicker than most other bands (even including DEG) and making them appealing to both Mainstream rock & Visual Kei fans.

Here is a excerpt from the February 2007 Issue of Shoxx featuring the "Nightmare 07' Concert Tour Report :

"Live at Tokyo Koseinenkin Hall 2006.11.11

A relaxed air flowed through Koseinenkin Hall, host of the starting point of “to the shining WORLD” and to their 2nd visit. That became changed to a moderate tension with the one drum beat from Ruka, signaling the start. That gave energy to both the stage and the spectator seating and quickly closed into a feeling of familiarity.

When I heard Yomi shout “Tokyo, Fuu!” from the furthest seat back in the 2nd story seating with a joyful look on his face I was able to predict that these people probably had a great tour. The inorganic atmosphere I had sensed at the opening of the tour had disappeared, and a Nightmare-specific feeling of warmth had even manifested.

A band-feeling that the five of them enjoy making music together, and feel comfortable with themselves. In the height of the intermezzo in “Tokyo Shounen” where both guitarists took center stage in unison, Hitsugi took a smiling peek at Sakito, and the slightest little movement and gaze would render the audience into a state of joy. You could gauge just how pumped up they were just from the silhouetted movement from the backlighting.

“I’ll take all of you to a brilliant world again today!” I suppose Yomi’s words sounded somewhat more true. “Allumina” was definitely maturing. I could feel the saturation level of “Death Note”, and the place was full of quiet energy with a positive feel to it. The charged-up power flowing from “Scion” was released in “Gianism Go”, making the floor of Kyouseinenkin Hall shake with the sheer power. "

Opening:

Uuchu Sentai Noiz- From Skywalker Maxi Single HERE

Featured Set 1

Nightmare- Libido Album (Songs: Varuna & Rememberance) HERE

Up N Coming

Merry- Peep Show Album (Songs: Retro Future & Moso Rendez Vouz) HERE

Dali- Antithesis Album (Song: Jam) HERE

Flashback:

Due'le Quartz- Best Album (Songs: Jisatsu Ganbou & Replica) HERE

Episode 3 Direct Download HERE
To celebrate the launch of the new Jpophelp website
& our 9th anniversary we welcome you to use the special
15% off discount coupon on your next Visual Rock purchase.

Just enter in the code "vattack" in the promo code box
in the checkout form.

This week our featured Band are the Neo-Japaneque rockers
know as Kagrra.

This Week's Podcast tracklist:

X Japan- Dahlia
Kagrra-Ouka Ranma
Kagrra-Jajauma Kiden
Kagrra- Himitsu
Kagrra- Arishi hi No Bishou
Alice Nine- Corona
Alice Nine- Fantasy
Onmyousha-Kami No Furumeki
Onmyousha-Gekka
X- Scars
X- Forever Love

Featured Albums:

Kagrra: Ouka Ranma Mini Album (Songs:Ouka Ranma & Jajauma Kiden)

Kagrra-SAN Album (Songs: Himitsu & Arishi Hi No Bishou)

Alice Nine-Zekkeishoku Album (Songs: Corona & Fantasy)

Onmyousha-Garyoutensei Album (Songs: Gekka & Kami No Furumeki)

X Japan- The Last Live Album (Songs: Scars & Forever Love)

Episode 2.

Direct Download Link for this Episode:HERE

Vidoll released their first full length on Nov 22 titled VID "Very important Doll"

This 12 track album really spotlights Vidoll's pinancle of their evolution as a band to date and is quite fantastic to listen to. One of Vidoll's weaknesses in the past was a lack of coheasion between vocals and the instrumental work. VID has none of this and is quite polished and a fine synthsis of exceptional vocal,lyrical & instrumental work.
From all the tracks i have listened off this album it is quite apparent that this is going to be the vehicle which will propel Vidoll from their graduation from Under Code to the majors.

This week the Podcast Track List is following:

Phantasmagoria-Cruel Crucible
Vidoll-Nectar
Vidoll-Olivia
Duel Jewel-Chinmoku
Duel Jewel-Promise
Lolita 23q-Sanzen suika suishou
Lolita 23q-Tenjyou Aquarium
Despairs Ray-Dears
Despairs Ray-Tsuki no Kioku

Featured Albums

Phantasmagoria-Synthesis Songs Mini-Album:HERE

Vidoll- V.I.D Album Featured Songs ~ Nectar & Olivia HERE

Despairs Ray-Coll Set Album. Featured Songs ~ Dears & Tsuki no Kioku HERE

My Podcast Alley feed! {pca-e333ab8f97d4eb3c82bf91831f13d31e}
My Odeo Channel (odeo/fe93cb187b0dd208)

Welcome to the Premier Broadcast of Jpophelp's Visual Rock Attack.

In this podcast we feature the Up n' Coming Visual/Oshare Kei Group "Antique Cafe"
DOWNLOAD EPISODE ONE HERE
Profile:
Antique Cafe, also called AnCafe by the fans and sometimes referred to as Antic Cafe, is a 4 person visual kei band signed under the Indie Record label Loop Ash.
Formed in 2003, AnCafe is led by Vocalist Miku, Bou on Guitar, Kanon on Bass and Teruki as drummer. Listening to Antique Cafe, being more Oshare Kei than mainstream Visual Kei reminds me on some tracks more of Jonny's groups like SMAP & Arashi with a touch of Hard Rock.
Miku's vocals although does not have a great range does have a very unique, jazzy voice really gives life to his lyrics. He's able to be rather melodic one minute and quite whimsical & irreverent the next.
What's good with Miku is that he doesn’t try to overextend his musical range and ruin the song he's performing which a lot of Visual Kei acts tend to do.
Both Bou's Guitar work & Kanon on Bass demonstrate great skill & balance on the majority of the tracks I’ve listened to now.
It's always a treat to come across a band that is quite versatile in blending both strong melodic vocals with talented instrumental work.

Translation of the Antique Cafe Interview in the November 2006 issue of Shoxx. HERE
Songs "Nyappy to the World" & "Tekesuta Kosen" off the "Shikisai Moment" Album

Antique Cafe-Shikisai Moment Album HERE
Songs "Candy Holic" & "Hatsukoi" off the "Amedama Rock" Album

Antique Cafe-Amedama Rock Album HERE

"D"

The "Vampire" inspired Visual Rock group "D" has been on the scene since 2003 led by Asagi, formerly most noteably from Syndrome enchants the fans with his sultry & melodic voice.

Songs "Fanfare" & "Calling Me" off the "Tafel Anatomie" Album HERE

"Girugamesh"

Songs "Shadan" & "Moujya No Koushin" off the "13's Reborn HERE