...the reverse side of beauty..//..Mantified

Wow, wow, wow! Am at Tokyo and it's less than 24 hours since I watched the GazettE's live at Tokyo Dome. It's the best Boxing Day I've ever spent!

Once again, I really want to thank rawkstarr23 for getting tickets for me (I had a blast!) and I saw many interesting sights, even a girl who went alone was flailing her head without much help. Oh, and I saw someone in a Pikachu suit. Only in Japan!

There was plenty of fan service going on, and it dawned on me as I wrote the live report last night that I was merely metres away from Uruha, Ruki, Reita, Aoi and Kai, some of my favourite Japanese boys. They looked absolutely wonderful and once the live DVD will be up for pre-order, I'll be the first in line to get it and scream like a fan girl again like I did on the day. Hopefully the bling on my hands made it onto the screen since it's so ridiculously shiny!

The live report is now available on JRR. Enjoy!

It really has been absolutely crazy busy with all that packing to be done in order to cart back home after my studies (and adventures) overseas on the the island of Singapore. Ah...

But, right now, the one thing I'm extremely proud to announce: I went to the LUNA SEA live in Hong Kong on December 11th! It was an absolute blast as I twittered everything I saw and heard (which I felt of great significance) onto my swanky iTouch 4. Am really glad to have attained some followers who followed the gig all the way until the end.

Additionally, another something worth mentioning is my live report. I offered to write one for JRR as part of my contribution due to my love for the group. So, imagine my state of ecstatic-ness when it's up on the site!

Live report found here.

I'll be headed for Tokyo this Friday to catch the GazettE's live on Sunday. I will be doing a live report for the Tokyo Dome show, as well as do some twittering (maybe some on JRR's official twitter when over there, but I'll definitely be tweeting out of my personal username). So, if you're interested, follow me @taintedmantis and @jrockrevolution for updates!

It's out! FINALLY! So, take this chance to watch it!

Now to wait for the official release so that I can watch it on HD at home! As I always say, buy the artists' stuff if you want to support them.

This video is making me wish Christmas will come sooner. =)

If you're not already on Twitter, SUGIZO's already ahead of you! He has also set up his Official Facebook Page. It's really exciting to see all these JRockers on Twitter, which include the likes of Miyavi, Aoi and Ruki of the GazettE. Squee!

And of course, I'm now officially on Twitter too! I made it a while ago, but as opening up a web page on my lappy just to read tweets isn't really my style, I haven't used it much...that's until I got myself a swanky new iTouch 4! So yes, if you're interested in following, my Twitter is TaintedMantis. I've also linked this blog to Twitter, so updates will come to you straight away!

Welcome to my daily randomness!

It's been a long, long, long time. Sorry folks! Been busy crazy with the retake - makes me want to cry just thinking about it...

Anyway, an overdue update! If you haven't joined the Heresy fan club for a PSC band, good news! PS Company has announced that they've launched a global PSC fan club! And the best thing about it is that it doesn't matter how many bands PSC has, because the registration fee is the same! Might think about finally joining as an official fan - but need to save my money for now.

Details here!

And speaking of the GazettE, ever since I've got a swanky new iTouch 4, I've been following Aoi and Ruki's Twitter (along with a couple of other artists. So yes, they've announced that the preview for PLEDGE is now available for listening to on the OHP. I'm excited!

So far, no PV yet, but from the sounds of the latest single, it's set to be an amazing ballad. The sounds remind me of the chorus Without a Trace (even though I'm somewhat hoping for another Distress and Coma), so maybe we'll be getting something similar? I don't like the cover artwork as much, but their new look it's beautiful.

The official release date is out! December 15th! Instead of simply releasing the single in the form of Auditory Impression (CD only with 2 B-sides) and Optical Impression (CD with 1 B-side and the DVD video), they're releasing Type A Limited Edition (which has DVD), Type B Limited Edition (also has a DVD) and the regular edition (no DVD). The art work and contents haven't been released yet, but I'm totally excited that it will be a "winter ballad".

Get your copy soon! Wow, and just a week and a half before the Tokyo Dome live too! I'll definitely be able to watch this song live!

musicJAPAN+ is doing a package for foreigners who are planning to go to the GazettE's 1st Tokyo Dome live! While I probably wouldn't do the package (since I'll be making other plans there), it's definitely recommended if it's your first time in Japan or if you don't have a travel/concert partner to go to the live with.

More details here!

Is it true? Is it a fact?! Is it an unbearable fact?!

While I cannot confirm for sure, it really does seem like they've really set up a page on Facebook: FB Page

Wow, first it's Miyavi, then Luna Sea, now the GazettE's joining the cyber trends. Nice!

You've been hearing it from me for the last few days already, RED is officially out! I'm starting to like the single a little more now that I've listened to it a few more times. Still not sure whether it'll end up being one of the most played on the GazettE playlist, but we'll see!

The B-sides though, are definitely worth a mention. VERMIN is the lesser of my favourite, but it's a fun song in its own respect. Very much similar to No.[666], and very beautifully made. The contrast in the musical interlude adds a mysterious touch to the piece before jumping back into the fast paced craziness. And of course, I cannot neglect to mention AN UNBEARABLE FACT. It's a gentler form of rock, geared more towards a ballad, it's slightly abrasive, but yet it's very beautifully done as a form of hard ballad.Lacing the piano within the hard rock is worth an arrangement of its own. I like the fact that there isn't any weird screaming that you sometimes hear from the likes of Dir En Grey (not that I hate them, they're just not my type of rock). Just for that song, I'm really glad that I bought the Auditory Impression CD. Am hoping it will make it into the next album!

It's here, it's here! The GazettE's official release for RED is due out tomorrow! Can't wait to hear the B-sides (as always...just a small reminder that I haven't been neglecting J-Rock).

In other news, even though I'm more focused on J-Rock, I still keep up with the likes of Koda Kumi (倖田來未). Her latest UNIVERSE Tour DVD is now available for pre-order from CD Japan - though priced at around HK$500 is a little pricey for my liking. We'll see though!

There are way too many reasons why I keep buying Koda Kumi's music and concert DVDs: main one is simply she has no problem making her work as fabulous as possible. For one thing, I love her dance music. Her electronica, hip-hop and RnB styling is meshed so well you can't help but want to dance to it (or at least pump it up in the car when going for a drive). Her costumes are always marvelous to look at - sometimes outrageously sexy, but never overdoing it to the point of tartiness...and sometimes really cute, even though I'm not a fan of super kawaii. And the stage settings are always something really fantastic to look at. They are always so beautifully adorned you can't help but say, "WOW!" And that happens every time I see a new concert DVD.

UNIVERSE is one of the songs from the UNIVERSE album. Even though I would have loved to see a PV to promote this song, I can't wait to see the stage version of it!

Wow! Didn't expect the PV to be available this soon! The single has the Regret feeling, which isn't my total cup of tea. I am awed by Aoi's new look though...he's got Uruha's old hair style! And Reita does have a near different look this time with his tribal head band thing going on. Overall, it's a dark glamour video. Maybe it'll grow on me a bit more? Can't wait until I can hear the B sides later this month!

It's very likely the Sony will remove this up, so enjoy it while you can!

It's official! We can now see the artwork for the single covers for Red. I must say that they turned from concept art to more fashion photos, particularly starting from the last release with SHIVER.

You can see it in their OHP.

And only 21 days left before their release! Soon soon! *SPAZZES*

As if there isn't already enough hype with the GazettE doing their finale on Boxing Day, there's a bus tour for fans going to Tokyo Dome for the show too! More details about it can be found on the musicJAPAN+ site.

Wow, if I wasn't actually going to the live with a couple of American guys, I'd probably have thought of maybe participating in the bus tour. Then again...it's already kind of crazy enough to drag some dudes around to watch other men. LOL.

Then again, I think the GazettE has already eaten a lot of money from me, and will do so again when I buy some fan merchandise on the day itself. We'll see what happens when I actually land myself some tickets!

CD Japan's now accepting pre-orders for the GazettE's single RED. The CD information's also available!

RED [Auditory Impression], Regular Edition
Red
VERMIN
AN UNBEARABLE FACT

RED [Optical Impression], Limited Edition w/DVD
Red
VERMIN

So...what will it be? A ballad...? A head bang piece...? I'm still hankering for another rock ballad as a single just because Distress and Coma is so beautifully done (and is still my favourite song). They sure know how to compose ballads that let you immerse into the moment.

Oh. Boy. More money to be spent! Technically, I wanted to place this in the previous entry, but I feel that this one deserves an entirely new one of its own.

It's been announced that the GazettE will be releasing 2 new singles, RED and Pledge later this year, September 22 and some time in December respectively. Additionally, they announced at the end of their 1st live in the Nameless Liberty Six Bullets 01 tour that their tour finale on December 26th will be held in Tokyo Dome. More info in musicJAPANplus.

So that Boxing Day live definite! And at Tokyo Dome too! What news! And I'm really excited to hear what the new singles will be like. A ballad? Another hardcore? Not like they'll do any oshare, but in that interview with Uruha and Reita, they did mention that whatever they release after would always break their previous image. So nothing too remotely similar to SHIVER then.

What's next? A new album next year? Definitely really excited!

And I definitely need a new layout. Not that I don't like this one, but I hate it when the embedded videos always spills onto the columns on my screen, not to mention you can't even comment. I'm looking for something that's compatible with the Blogger in Draft (new layout template) though. *sigh*

If you haven't listened to them ever since Shiver came out, I suggest you do now. I feel that their B-sides are actually better than their actual release, maybe it's because it's more of their true essence?

First up, HESITATING MEANS DEATH. It's available on both [Optical Impression] and [Auditory Impression] releases. As I've said on the JRockRevolution Forums, the song kind of reminds me of a mesh of Toguro, Circle of Swindler, Leech and Discharge with slips of Ganges Ni Akai Bara and Before I Decay in Ruki's singing style. I can just imagine the way this song is played on stage as well as its imagery, starting out with flashes of light to give you a state of drunken dizziness, before belting "This bullet is all openings" and start doing random head bangs. It's probably one of those wild ecstasy song moments. I love his "whooooaaaaa!" it shows Ruki's gentler side. *fan girl talk* Hard and gentle in one song? I never thought it was possible without destroying the piece like 12012 did. (They did cute and hardcore, and it sounded a complete rip off of Leech, not to mention the song sounded like it had 2 styles that just did not go together, let alone a rather crappy video direction.) Then again, I've been waiting for a majorly Engrish song for a while - really exciting!



On the other hand, given the 2 B-sides, I would probably prefer listening to Naraku more. Easy listening purposes you know? Available only on the [Auditory Impression] release, it's definitely a worth listen to. I love that play-pause effect sort of like what Leech had in the electronica, but with a slower feel. I could certainly relate some of the bass style to 13STAIRS[-1]. I would definitely love to see how this song will be played out on stage. All in all, I love the arrangement for this song. It's almost a ballad in itself. Maybe a hard ballad?



Some Luna Sea news, yup, they've teased us again! So, what's happening on August 25? Announcement of a tour? New single? New DVD? Teasers!

It's here! I can't believe it's here! Fantastic song. I could imagine listening to this as a form of easy listening in the car. Now to wait for the real release on the 21st and the anime version.

What the shit what the shit what the shiiiit....I can't decide which wallpaper to use for my desktop! D: Either I'm going to use the new MySpace header (squee!), the Neo Genesis poster (!!), or Uru's portrait.

*brain dead*

Firstly...the latest edition of Neo Genesis is out! May I just scream...I LOVE THEIR NEW LOOK!

The outfits certainly look really exciting, particularly the way the zippers run on Ruki's jumpsuit. Kai, for sure, looks more like Reita's brother with his new hairdo. And Uruha's sporting Miyavi style eye make up (which doesn't seem to suit him though).

I don't like Neo Genesis' new cover page layout though, I liked that white block of text with that font.

Okay okay, I'll stop here for now. Or else I'm going to be procrastinating even further more at this point. :P

But for now! Dig into KAT-TUN's latest PV No More Pain. It's got the Rescue look to it, really sci-fi with all that black armor. Kame, as usual, looks hot in that diva style eye make up, though I preferred it back in his Lips look. Tatsuya really stood out in this PV - that...I like. Why? Because he's normally shying away in the background in the other videos! Maybe it's that butterfly on his face doing it? LOL. He could probably start pretending to be Reita and put random things on his face. XD

Okay, back to work!

Finally! A preview of the song!



If it gets removed from YouTube for copyright reasons, the preview can also be heard at the Kuroshitsuji official site in the back track or on their offical homepage (watch or skip the flash introduction then click on number "10" to find the preview).

I love it - it's old school GazettE that sounds like Regret and Zakurogata no Yuuutsu, which we haven't heard in ages. I was secretly hoping for a ballad like Distress and Coma or another Before I Decay, but they aren't going to release singles that are too similar to their previous ones in consecutive sections. As in the TV interview with Reita and Uruha a few years back (around the release of Hyena), Uruha stated that whatever next single they'll release, they'll use it to break the previous image. It keeps things exciting and me always anticipating whenever something new comes up. So fat chance of another hardcore for me!

Another news is that they've switched from King Records to Sony Music. Initially, I was almost freaking out because I thought they were going to be some commercialized band, but the last line in the entry by Music Japan+ states that they're still part of PSC. Which brings some relief as I do not want to see them being associated to the likes of...I don't know...Johnny's Entertainment (nothing against the Johnnies, but given it's pretty much a boy group manufacturing company...hahaha). I would very much like the GazettE to remain true to themselves by creating songs they want to do - not because they're forced to associate themselves in some marketing scheme to grab more money.

Having said that, I guess I don't need to worry so much. Alien Ducky has translated Ruki's blog, and boy is he mad at the fans for misunderstanding the GazettE's association with the anime!

"What I want everybody to not have any misunderstandings about is the fact that it is not a song made to match an anime.

I have said so a number of times even in interviews and such, I absolutely will not, and cannot make songs or write lyrics in this fashion."

Well, thank God! Not that I have anything against them having a theme song with anime, it's just the fear that they might have changed musical directions. Or some nutty anime fangirls who will jump up and down around them because of the anime rather than because of their music.

And about commercialization? He really did make a strong statement.

"Next, there are also people telling us not to turn into a commercial band, but this is a foolish question.

I’m not about to go and make amends to the GazettE from it’s beginnings.

I’m human too, so with age my thoughts change too, and there is a part of me that grows into an adult.

What doesn’t change, what cannot change, is that we will play the music we want to play."

Thank you very much! As long as they remain true to themselves and continue to do what they do because they want to, I'm happy. I truly believe this is what artists should do: do it because they want to rather than do it because they're forced to. *more rave points for the GazettE*

The rest of the blog entry can be found in Ducky's Translations Blog (which I instantly hit the "follow" button just because I need more information and am really interested in what they say in interviews. XD)

Having said all that I just realized how much I hate doing art that's imposed on me. Is it because of this that I'm starting to resent some of the things I do? Is it my pride is getting in the way of thinking? I honestly don't know. Right now, I'm just too flustered and panicked to think clearly.

GAH.

I definitely need a break. I just got K.O.ed last night. I need to do a few more fucking all-nighters this week to finish my work.

Enough of that.

And finally, had I gone to the V-Rock festival last year, this is what I would have seen:



GAZEROCK IS NOT DEAD. *continues drooling at Uruha's wavy hair*