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Western Visual Kei Bands!!!!!! -
11-30-2011, 12:03 AM
(Disclaimer) These are solely based on personal opinion and not fact. I am not here for any arguments so if you don't like whats being said, just move on ok? I don't have time for hate and neither should you!!!
So, I've decided to do some research on some western visual kei bands and make a list of those decent and those abysmal with a little bit of details about the bands. The first band being Seremedy only because I've been hearing more and more about them recently and their popularity is rising and I had to see for myself. Immediately, without listening to very much I can tell that the band would be better off without the lead singer. The band proves to have solid riffs as well as some catchy melodies but then the singer comes in and starts doing something that sounds more like a cat being put through a shredder more than actual music. I don't know why they insist on calling themselves 'visual' when indeed the only one in the band who is visually stimulating is the female guitarist who upon further research I found out was a 15 year old boy!!!! 0_o Meh. The second band I will be listing is an Italian Visual kei band called "DNR" I will keep this short. Putting on too much makeup and playing crappy new wave that better belonged in the 80's does not make you visual kei. Get over yourself and move over to let the real kei babies show you how its done. Epic Fail. And when I found that they were opening for some major Japanese acts my jaw dropped. Well, at least they make other bands look great!!! Thumbs down. The next band is not...Cinema Bizarre. HAHA. Everyone figured I would be reviewing them but they are more pop glam than visual. I don't really consider them to make this list. Next is a band from Russia, called "Akado". I must say that they certainly have a certain appeal about them that is really good compared to a lot of other western vk stuff. They are not too popular yet but deserve a little more recognition I think. With time and evolution they may prove to be quite a force to be reckoned with amongst the western visual scene. Their look is a little more neo-industrial-futuristic goth than typical visual kei, but they somehow make it work I suppose. Thumbs up. Next is a band called GothicDolls. They aren't so bad but the lead singers voice makes me laugh. I try not to be too critical but it is what it is. I can see their appeal and I can understand why other people would like them but as for me, they will never make my i-pod. They are a little to weak musically to hold their own I think. They may be good enough for the time being but you wont hear about them five years from now. Thumbs down. The next band is Kogure, from Germany. You know what, I actually like this band!! Their image isn't exactly what I expected but the music is decent and I can only assume that they will get better as time goes on. They have a female lead vocalist who sings perfect Japanese and this immediately adds ten points to the deal. They are definitely worth a listen and a thumbs up. The next band is an American Visual kei band called, Jet Set Gypsies. So far I would have to say this band is my favorite western visual kei simply because their music is different from anything I've ever heard. Its obvious they are inspired by visual kei but its nice to see that they aren't downright copying anyone's sound. The singers voices are incredible!!!There isn't much information about them so its difficult to do a review on anything other than the music but that alone makes them a great band and worth a listen and a thumbs up too!!! The next band is a visual kei band from America called [geist] ガイスト. I love them!! They aren't the best of course but their sound is strong and they are fun to watch live and I hope they can make it doing what they love. I think they do the genre some justice and I say they are worth a listen and a thumbs up. The next band is a vk band from America called ✞kairu✞ . I still don't quite understand why they call themselves visual. I think a lot of people forget that visual means that you are visually something to look at, but when you come out onstage in jeans and a tshirt and you're just some white guy singing white guy music, I don't think you should label yourself 'visual' because it makes you look like a fool for even trying. The music isn't too bad but its sort of muddy and leaves you with a funny taste in your mouth. Nothing I would diss but nothing I would buy. Neither thumbs up or thumbs down for me. Just meh. The next band is a band from France called Gaïdjinn. They blatantly try to do the whole neo-classical gothic thing but fall very short of making a decent impression. I think some qualities of the music are nice sounding but the vocals spoil it for me. I don't mean to be prejudice but most of the visual kei that comes from france fails. I can see how this band would get a bit of a following though so I'm not going to say too much about them and hurt anyones feelings. Another band from france is CLOSER . They currently have more notoriety than Gaïdjinn but aren't nearly as good. This is actually one of my least favorite western visual kei bands. To me, they are so bad that I can't even finish listening to one of their songs. The lead singers voice makes me feel bad for all those truly talented vocalists who try hard and get nowhere, because there is this guy who basically just records his verbal diarrhea and calls it music and is actually getting popular because of it!!! I can't even listen to their music long enough to give this review so in closing, blech. They fail. Thumbs down. Way down. One last visual kei band that I am aware of from France is Lyre. When I first heard of them all I had seen was a picture and I was like, "cool" they really look the part and then I heard their music and...well...thumbs down. Next... The next band is another 'visual kei' band from America called Altermalice. I first found out about them as they were spamming a visual kei music download site I moderate, with links. I'm not even sure why they call themselves visual or what exactly they are trying to do musically. Its nothing but blips and beeps and sounds and a guy singing horrifically off key the whole time. One of the very worst so far. I honestly think its probably just one guy in his basement with a keyboard and a computer who thinks thats how music is made. :::cough cough::: I dunno. Thumbs down. And lastly, is a band called Kayako Project. Um...this is what you get when you give a crazy person makeup and a synth. Thumbs down. But really, in all of this, I can't say that I hate western visual kei because what these artists are doing, even if the music isn't fantastic, is opening the western worlds minds to this wonderful genre. What they are doing is crossing all cultural and language barriers and doing what they enjoy. Even if I can't get behind their music, style, or message, all I can say to them is THUMBS UP for bringing Visual kei all over the world. Give all these bands a listen for yourself and tell me what you think!!! 
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Hello -
03-05-2012, 11:46 PM
I'm Nero the vocalist of Altermalice, i just wanted to stop by and say that i agree that our first release was perhaps a poor first impression and that we are working on new music and have gathered new members, new equipment, everything and am prepared to show you what altermalice is truly capable of so i hope in the near future you'll think of us in a different light goodbye.
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