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Crossfaith: US EP Release and Warped Tour 2013

March 12, 2013

When The End announced they’d be releasing Crossfaith’s Zion EP in America last year, I was disappointed to find out it was a digital only release. They’re making up for it now with a CD version on March 19. The physical release was made in conjunction with Crossfaith’s current US tour with Enter Shikari and will only be available at their merch table or online. You can check out their tour dates here and preorder the EP at The Omega Order alone or as a t-shirt bundle.

In all addition to the current tour, Crossfaith have also announced that they will be playing all dates of the Vans Warped Tour this summer! Buy tickets here.

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J-Rock Fridays Vol. 92

March 8, 2013

New video Friday with some of your favorite J-Rock bands and quite a few new ones!

Nile Long- “Rush To the Groove”

Last year The Brixton Academy reformed themselves as Nile Long. Their first EP was a solid collection of 80s inspired synthpop, not a huge departure from TBA but a little bit more dance oriented. “Rush To the Groove” is the first single off their first album and although it’s certainly dance worthy it manages to be melancholic at the same time.

One OK Rock- “Clock Strikes”

One OK Rock switches from English to Japanese vocals seamlessly in yet another single that will dominate the J-Rock airwaves. You can find it along with the theme song to the Rurouni Kenshin movie on their new album Jinsei x Boku released this week

Bigmama- “Kimi Omou, Yue ni Ware Ari”

A serious song calls for a serious video and this is the most emo we’ve ever seen Bigmama. Tons of sad staring off into the distance closeups and the singer finally breaking down in front of a bouquet of roses. Dramatic, much?

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Posted in BIGMAMA, Brian the Sun, Gacharic Spin, J-Rock Fridays, Kameleo, NILE LONG, Ogre You Asshole, ONE OK ROCK, Silhouette from the Skylit, T.C.L, T.S.R.T.S, yojikとwanda | Leave a Comment »

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Jake stone garage

March 6, 2013

myspace band of the week

jakestonegarage

Jake stone garage is an alternative rock band from Sapporo that formed in 2002. Satoshi Watanabe (vocals, guitar) is the only original member with Tsukasa Nishi (bass) joining in 2004 and Hideaki Iwanaka (drums) in 2011. They have released three mini-albums under A-CUE Records and a full album Rocks in 2011. Their latest mini-album Feels and their full length is available at CD Japan. Go see them live in America at SXSW and this year’s Japan Nite tour.

http://www.myspace.com/jakestonegarage

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mori wa ikiteiru

February 27, 2013

myspace band of the week

moriwaikiteiru

Mori wa ikiteiru is a folk band from Tokyo that formed in April 2012. Okada Takuro (guitar, pedal steel, mandolin, banjo) started the band as an ambient project, as evidenced by the solo track on their myspace page. Eventually, mori wa ikiteiru became a full band that was more influenced by classic rock and folk music. The full lineup includes Takekawa Satoshi (vocal, guitar, bass, synth, percussion), Taniguchi Yu (piano, wurlitzer, organ, accordion), Kuyama Naomichi (bass, guitar, piano), Ookubo Junya (sax, flute, trumpet) and Masumura Kazuhiko (drums).

Their first CD-R Foam of the Daze was released in December and is available at Jet Set Records. You can listen to the first two tracks on SoundCloud.

http://www.myspace.com/1005038197 Read the rest of this entry »

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Stuff To Look Forward To, February 2013

February 27, 2013

Happy 6th anniversary, J-Rock Explosion!

2/06 Back Drop Bomb- 59days Preface (CD Japan/Video)

2/06 The Calendar of Happy Days- Feelback View (CD Japan/Video)

2/06 The Cro-Magnon- Yeti vs. Crogmagnon (CD Japan)

2/06 Dad Mom God- Broken Noses (CD Japan/Video)

2/06 Fujifabric- Small World (CD Japan)

2/06 Hotel Mexico- Her Decorated Post Love (CD Japan/Video)

2/06 indigo la End- Yoru ni Maho wo Kakerarete (CD Japan/Video)

2/06 Ito Shohei- We Are Young (CD Japan/Video)

2/06 Kinoko Teikoku- Eureka (CD Japan/Video)

2/06 My First Story- The Story Is My Life (CD Japan/Video)

2/06 My Hair Is Bad- Kino ni Naritake (CD Japan/Video)

2/06 Negoto- 5 (CD Japan)

2/06 Sekaiichi- and10 2003-2013 (CD Japan/Video)

2/06 sleepy.ab- Neuron (CD Japan/Video)

2/06 Tommy february6- Be My Valentine (CD Japan)

2/06 Unison Square Garden- Cider Road (CD Japan)

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J-Rock Fridays Vol. 91

February 22, 2013

Hello all! I had a wisdom tooth pulled last Friday and am still on a lot of pain killers so forgive me if I’m more incoherent than usual. I was thinking it’s time to start doing individual video posts. Let me know what you think!

Elen Never Sleeps- “Shine On Me”

“If you love me, don’t fall asleep.” My favorite track off Elen’s new EP, “Shine On Me” again borrows footage from some old black and white film. A reflective video with plenty of dancing, kissing and bare breasts.

The fin.- “Glowing Red on the Shore”

The fin. takes us on a grainy chillout session at the beach as the sun’s going down. A very literal interpretation of the song title but a great second track from the band. Looking forward to more from these guys.

Hotel Mexico- “A.I. in Dreams”

Two videos in one month, Hotel Mexico is really making up for lost time! There has been a live studio version of this song kicking around since last year but this Richard Law directed video really cranks up the creepy.

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Posted in 99RadioService, Analog Fish, Back Drop Bomb, BALZAC, Elen Never Sleeps, Gesu no Kiwami Otome, Hotel Mexico, J-Rock Fridays, Keytalk, Kuso Iinkai, Lyu:Lyu, Man With A Mission, Neverlost, The fin. | Leave a Comment »

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You Said Something

February 20, 2013

myspace band of the week

yousaidsomething

You Said Something is a lo-fi indie pop band from Sapporo. The trio, Kousuke Sakurai (vocals, guitar), Saya Yamada (bass, metallophone) and Kouichiro Sawaya (drums), formed in March 2011. Their self-titled EP was released last October and is available at Jet Set Records. They recently contributed the track “Sunshine” to Ano(t)raks new compilation Upwards and Onwards.

http://www.myspace.com/you-said-something

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Tokyo Shoegazer

February 13, 2013

myspace band of the week

tokyoshoegazer

Tokyo Shoegazer (東京酒吐座) is exactly what it sounds like, a shoegaze band from Tokyo. Formed in 2010, the band was created for Plastic Tree’s former drummer’s Sasabuchi Hiroshi’s birthday event. The supergroup of sorts includes Presence of soul’s Yoshi (vocals, guitar), koldcake’s Kiyomi Watanabe (guitar), Zeppet Store’s Makoto Gomi (guitar), 101A’s “the k” (bass) and Sasabuchi (drums). Although they intended to disband after one performance, they decided to continue activities after many offers to perform again.

Their first album Crystallize was released in 2011 and is available at CD Japan. On January 23 they released a split EP with with former band of the week Lemon’s Chair and contributed two tracks to the Japanese My Bloody Valentine tribute album Yellow Loveless.

http://www.myspace.com/1004993954

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Posted in myspace band of the week, Plastic Tree, Tokyo Shoegazer | Leave a Comment »

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J-Rock Fridays Vol. 90

February 8, 2013

February, the month of love and snow storms!

Hotel Mexico- “Boy”

Hotel Mexico is back! It sounds like the singer decided to switch up his vocal style from high pitched to typical indie mumble for their first ever music video. See if you can make sense of the dolphins, fireworks and lesbians.

White Ash- “Would You Be My Valentine?”

It’s hard to call White Ash’s  “Would You Be My Valentine?” romantic when I can’t understand a word he’s swooning, but a timely Valentine’s single nonetheless! A cute video about a girl who somehow finds time to make her boy chocolate while walking backwards and waving at babies. Hopefully White Ash reciprocates on White Day!

0.8 Byo to Shogeki.- “10050 Cielo Drive”

Slow motion bounce balls! If you needed more proof that 0.8秒と衝撃。are insane, they named their new single after the address of one of the Charles Manson “family” murders (but also where Trent Reznor recorded platinum Nine Inch Nails album The Downward Spiral!)

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Posted in 0.8秒と衝撃。, Artema, come to my party, Hotel Mexico, Husking Bee, illion, J-Rock Fridays, Jackpot Bell, Leyline, SiMoN, White Ash, you you you all the same | Leave a Comment »

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Goodbye holiday

February 6, 2013

myspace band of the week

goodbyeholiday

Goodbye holiday is a four piece rock band that formed in Hiroshima in 2008. Kodama (vocals), Omori (guitar), Fukuyama (bass) and Yamasaki (drums) moved activities to Tokyo in 2011. They released a demo album that year that eventually became their first mini-album. Solaris was released in January from No Big Deal Records and is available at CD Japan.

http://www.myspace.com/1004976525

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