[ORICON RANKINGS] Visual Kei Bands

Happy New Year! Oricon rankings have resumed for the new year! Here's how some visual kei bands are holding out on the charts this week.

CD SINGLE -Weekly Ranking- (January 14, 2019)
NO LISTINGS

CD Album -Weekly Ranking- (January 14, 2019)
#28 DOG inTheSUPER BEST/ DOG inThe PWO
#30 IM A SINGER/ ToshI

CD Indies Single -Weekly Ranking- (January 7, 2019)
#4   EROGRO/ R-Shitei
#11 Mirai/ rice

CD Indies Album -Weekly Ranking- (January 7, 2019)
#8   Shitsurakuen/ Shellmy
#14 14/ cali≠gari

ORICON STYLE Rankings here

Shellmy New Video on YouTube

Shellmy has added a new video to their official YouTube channel. The upload features a lyric video for the song titled "Uwasa." That song appears on the band's third mini album, "Uzumaki." Lryics are available in the video's description area.

Shellmy video on YouTube here

[ORICON RANKINGS] Visual Kei Bands

Here's how some visual kei bands are holding out on the charts this week.

CD SINGLE -Weekly Ranking- (August 6, 2018)
#9   Heading to Over/ OLDCODEX
#14 Kagomeuta/ the Raid.
#29 Inside Out/ Plastic Tree
#38 Akaku Chirabaru Hana/ RAZOR
          
CD Album -Weekly Ranking- (August 6, 2018)
#15 Jigen Bakudan/ MUCC
#18 Shikai Bunsho/ R-shitei
#31 Shin Sekai/ DaizyStripper
#41 Nijyu Kitan AHEAD/ Metronome
 
CD Indies Single -Weekly Ranking- (July 23, 2018)
#2   Unmei Kaika/ DIAURA
#3   Boku wa Android/ DADAROMA
#4   AQUA BLUE/ POIDOL
#9   Sang/ KAMIJO
#10 Muku/ Kiryu
#15 DOLL/ Royz
#16 Toge/ Codomo Dragon

 CD Indies Album -Weekly Ranking- (July 30, 2018)
#8   Uzumaki/ Shellmy
 
ORICON STYLE Rankings here

Shellmy New Mini Album Release 7/18

Shellmy will release their third mini album on July 18. The new release will be titled "Uzumaki," and it will include six song tracks. An audio sample video with complete track listings and a full-version MV for the song "Oreimairi" are available on the band's official YouTube channel.

Shellmy OHP here
Mini album trailer on YouTube here
"Oreimairi" MV on YouTube here

Shellmy New Mini Album Release 2/14

Shellmy has announced that they will release their second mini album on February 14. The new release will be titled "Shoujo Jigoku," and it will include six song tracks. An audio sample video with complete track listings is available on the band's official YouTube channel.

Shellmy YouTube trailer here

[Editorial] Visual Kei Bands to Watch, Part 2

Part one of this special year-end editorial gave you 10 visual kei band's who I think deserve a little more attention from overseas fans. Here are 10 more bands who are producing good music and promoting their own visual style. Each band name will link you to their OHP, and I have included artist images and links to recent music tracks. I hope you find someone new to enjoy! --SBEEC

11) Develop One's Faculties 

 

Develop One's Faculties started activities in Tokyo in 2014, and they released their first single in December of that year. They've been solidly booked for live shows ever since. The vocalist is the ex-vocalist for Minerva and cocklobin, and he has a unique vocal style that blends range and vibrato for a smooth, dreamy listening experience. The guitar tracks are amazing, and both members have the ability to play outstanding acoustic music on slower tracks. If you're looking for a band who can play both power ballads with emotional lyrics and upbeat guitar-driven feel-good songs, give this band a try. They are currently touring with other bands from this list, Belle and Chanty. DOF will release their second full album, "Bukakkou na Machi to Boku to Kimi," on February 7, 2018.

12) Dezert

 

 DEZERT formed in 2011 and released their first single in March 2012. They haven't really published that many releases compared to other bands who've been around as long, but the music they produce is deep. If you're looking for a band that puts internal pain and struggles to music, this is the band for you. Their most recent MV release sounds like a pop ballad, but the lyrics are still about internal struggles. The bass and drums in their music do a great job of propagating that atmosphere of dark undercurrent, even when the guitar is driving the melody home. The vocalist is the perfect match of music to vocal talent because his quiet, liquid voice can draw you in with smooth melody and then tear you apart with screams. Their videos are usually dark, both in monochrome colors and smoky tunnels and in tone, and they put human vices right out there for everyone to see. Their most recent single, "Bokusatsu Hero," was just released on October 25, 2017.

13) Leetspeak monsters

 

Leetspeak monsters is the only high-concept band on my list, not because of their particular visual style, but because of their music. Their concept is that they are four monsters who came from a graveyard and formed a rock band, and they aim to produce theatrical music and videos to give fans wonderful nightmares. Though they've been a band for much longer, I believe they formed this concept in 2016; however, I can't find definitive proof of their exact formation date. The lyrics are about what you'd expect from a monster-themed band--think hyde's HALLOWEEN JUNKY ORCHESTRA--but it's the music quality that's noteworthy. The bass quality is awesome, and the members all gel into some good, solid rock rhythms. The vocalist's mix of English and Japanese is also incredible... some of the best I've heard in visual music. His pronunciation is spot-on. The music is fun, catchy, and does indeed promote the theatrical quality music they aim to produce. If they ever ditch the monster concept, I think they'd do equally well at basic rock. Their most recent release was a mini album titled "Storyteller in the Strange Night," released in September 2017.

14) REIGN

 

REIGN started activity in 2013 and released their first single in 2014. They started strong, releasing several singles in 2014 and 2015, before several members left and forced them to slow. A new member joined, and they picked up steam again in 2016. This band has an interesting style of frenzied lyrics and layered group vocals backed by theatrical visuals. They also use driving instrumentals to keep the energy going. I also like in particular that they add in slow breaks that include acoustic guitar tracks. They balance the fast and slow pace well. Their most recent release was a single titled "CRIMSON" that came out on September 20, 2017.

15) Rides In ReVellion

 

Rides In ReVellion is a band in Osaka that formed around 2015 and is working with V Star Promotion to get their music out there to a wider audience. They played overseas for the first time at Anime USA in 2016. They call their music style "HARMONIZED TIME PARADOX," where they mix elements of past visual kei with modern sounds. They mix strong melodies and digital effects to produce interesting songs that feel old and new at the same time. The vocalist has a soothing, mellow tone that matches the style perfectly. Their look is old-school vk, with big hair and leather. They haven't produced many single releases yet, but keep your eyes on them for future tracks. Their most recent release was a mini album titled "THE LIGHT" that came out on October 4.

16) Shellmy

Shellmy is a band that formed in 2013 and started strong with a single titled "Maverick.exe," but like REIGN, they lost some members and entered a hiatus period in 2016. They came back slowly, with a newly stylized name, darker concept, and a completely reset discography. Now their music is hard to come by, but it's worth hunting down for the quality. They tend to favor darker songs about troubled youth, and their videos features cutaways between actors and the band or special effects and the band that fit the pace and tone of the song. The vocalist has a deep voice, and the songs often feature rapid-fire lyrics and a kind of spoken-word cross between rap and monologue that makes you feel like he is personally confiding his thoughts to fans. The bass tracks in their songs are also fabulous and worth a close listen. Their most recent release was a single titled "Straw Doll" that came out on November 1, 2017.

17) umbrella

 

umbrella is a band from Osaka that is currently working with Danger Crue Records, and they've been around since 2010. They're not a new band, but they don't get nearly enough attention outside the Osaka scene. They have clean, emotional vocals, solid instrumentals, and they can do both ballad and upbeat tracks with equal skill. Their sixth single, "Kan," was just released on October 18, 2017. "Samidare" from 2012 is a particular favorite song of mine.

 

18) Villers la ville

 

Villers la ville is a band currently working the Osaka scene who opened their official website in 2016. Before that, they were playing live house venues in Osaka. They are gaining steam now with two official single releases and a variety of free-distribution live sound source tracks. This band has an old-school visual kei sound with guitar-heavy tracks and rapid-fire drums, but they mix in interesting digital sound effects and vocals that enhance the melody. They often create lyrics that talk about people in pain or people who have loved and lost reaching out in the dark to find light. Of particular note is the vocalist's use of a healthy mix of English-language lyrics. The band's next live show is at Kyoto MUSE HALL on December 26, 2017. Their most recent single release was titled "May cry out" that was released on September 21, 2017.

19) Xaa Xaa

 

XAA XAA is a band that started activities in 2014. This band's vocalist has a deep, impressive voice that is really well suited to emotional lyrics and ballad tracks. He has the ability to add almost whispered spoken tracks and plaintive choruses to any song they do and have it rip your heart out. Their guitar track are also particularly good a enhancing the emotional elements of the songs. Drums and bass are understated, but still impressive. Their most recent release was a single titled "Asagao ga Naiteru" that was released on November 22, 2017.

20) Zon

Zon is currently working with Planet Child Music, and they've been around since 2015. Their style is fast, upbeat rock tunes with really good guitar and bass tracks. Their next release will be their first mini album, "anima," out on February 7, 2018.

Shellmy New Video on YouTube

Shellmy has added a new video to their official YouTube channel. The video features a full-version MV with lyrics for the song titled "Straw Doll."

Shellmy video on YouTube here

Shellmy New Single Release 10/18

Shellmy has announced that they will release their fourth single on October 18. The new single will be titled "Straw Doll," and it will include three song tracks. Song details are available on the band's OHP.

Shellmy OHP here

Shellmy Video on YouTube

Shellmy has made a new video available on their official YouTube channel. The new upload features a full-version MV for the song "Heisei Menhera Theory" which is included on the band's newly released first full album.

"Heisei Menhera Theory" MV on YouTube here

Shellmy Comment on YouTube

ViSULOG has added a new video featuring Shellmy to its official YouTube channel. The video features drummer Kou speaking for the band about their new album release and upcoming live show dates.

Shellmy comment on YouTube here

Shellmy 1st Album Release 7/19

Shellmy will release their first full album on July 19. The new album will be titled "Bokura no Zankoku Gekijou," and track details are available on the band's OHP. In addition, there is a PV spot for the song titled "Kanashii Hi wa Itsumo Ame" on the Danger Crue Records official YouTube channel.

Shellmy PV spot on YouTube here
Shellmy OHP here

Shellmy First Mini Album Release 11/2

ViSULOG announced that Shellmy would be releasing their first mini album on November 2. The album will be titled "Occult Full Course," but other details haven't been published yet.

ViSULOG article here

Shellmy New Single Release 5/15

Shellmy announced that they will release a new single on May 15. The new single is titled "Heisei Menhera Theory," and they are calling it their first single release. The single will also be launched at their Fanj twice event on June 21. Track details are available on the band's discography page.

Shellmy OHP here

Various Artists Featured on Omnibus Album Out 7/20

Various bands will be featured on the upcoming "Yogenkyo -West- Vol 3 Survive as an Innovator" omnibus album, gathering together musicians working in the Kansai area. The album will be released on July 20 and features bands like FEST VAINQUEUR, ASTARIA, KAVKA, Glamhaze, Xaa Xaa, Shellmy, SHIVA, Deviloof, DEVIZE, BLESSCODE, FoLLoW, Merry Bad End, and Rides in ReVellion.

"Yogenkyo -West- Vol. 3" announcement on FEST VAINQUEUR's OHP here

Shellmy Single Spot on YouTube

Shellmy have uploaded a new video spot to their official YouTube channel. The new video features over five minutes of audio samples and lyrics from the band's upcoming "Tanin" single. That single, the band's sixth, will be released on December 23.

"Tanin" video spot on YouTube here

Shellmy New Video on YouTube

Shellmy have added a new video to their official YouTube channel. The new video features music from their song "Katou Zakuro" played over live stage footage and lyrics. That song is included on the band's fifth single, "Subliminal Cultizm."

"Katou Zakuro" video on YouTube here

Visual Omnibus Album Release 8/25

A new visual omnibus album will be released on August 25 that features 12 tracks from a variety of visual bands from Osaka and Nagoya. The compilation will be titled "Yogenkyo -west- vol. 2 Osaka-Nagoya Rengou," and it will include tracks from Lin, Mekakushi, Xenon, Link, Shellmy, JILLED RAY, FoLLoW, ASTARIA, Cocoon feat. HAL (FEST VAINQUEUR), The 3rd Birthday, Rides In Revillion, and FEST VAINQUEUR. A sample video for Shellmy's track is available on YouTube.

Shellmy track on YouTube here

Shellmy New Video on YouTube

Shellmy have uploaded a new video to their official YouTube channel. The new video is an anniversary commemoration created for live distribution on July 29, 2014 at Osaka Muse, and it features the music for "Umbrella" along with live and backstage footage of the band.

"Umbrella" commemoration video on YouTube here

SHELLMY New Mini Album Release 5/27

SHELLMY have announced that they will be releasing a new mini album on May 27. The new release will be titled "Go-gatsu Byou," and it will include seven new song tracks.

SHELLMY OHP here

Shellmy New Single Release 12/24

Shellmy has announced that they will be releasing a new single on December 24. The new single will be titled "Subliminal Cultism," and it will include a total of three new songs. The band has uploaded a new 3:16 minute video to their official YouTube channel that includes sample audio tracks for all the songs on the single.

Shellmy video on YouTube here