The October 2010 issue of Otaku USA Magazine is out an I've got a butt-load of new album reviews in it. Lillies and Remains' Meru, D'espairsRay's IMMORTAL, Dazzle Vision's to the next, Aural Vampire's Zoltank and Boom Boom Satellites' 19972007. Pfew!
And of course there are the usual anime, manga, cosplay and video game goods and much much more. Sorry for the delay in letting you know. Run and and see if you can still find a copy before it's too late!
What a way to start a new month! Here's a new video from OMODAKA for "Plumb Song." As usual, it's pretty incredible. Also, it might be very slightly not safe for work, but you shouldn't be wasting time watching videos at work in the first place! Anyway, this video is pure neon eye-candy. Make sure to watch it in HD if you can. So, when is OMODAKA going to release a DVD? Hmmm?!
Hit the jump for more of this week's video picks!
Moja "High Speed"
Here's a great, moody, DIY video from the two piece rock band Moja. The very dark, black and white treatment perfectly fits the music, and the chaotic camera work matches the chaos of the band.
Electric Eel Shock "Metal Man"
After you watch this video, there's no doubting the thrill of a live Electric Eel Shock show. Not only will they rock your face off, but check out the drummer! Not every has the courage to wear nothing but a really, really, really long sock.
Usotsuki Barbie "Konai Insects"
Here's a somewhat random pick from Usotsuki Barbie. There's no much going on here, but when you're band is already pretty weird, you don;t need to worry about adding much. And hey, dancing girl. What more do you need?
Dazzle Vision "Metsu"
If you're unfamiliar with Dazzle Vision before going into this one, then you're in for a treat. Oh look, the singer looks like your standard J-pop idol. OK, so this is going to be a cute pop some about cake. Guess what? You're wrong.
J-Pop and J-Rock are only the beginning. The modern Japanese music scene is just as vibrant and varied as any other music scene in the world. I'm Zac Bentz, writer, musician, designer and all around Japanese music fanatic. Here I hope to share with you a comprehensive (!!) list of Japanese artists and bands (with a strong focus on underground and indie acts) that you may or may not have heard of, in the hopes of expanding our mutual awareness of Japanese music.
I don't mean to suggest that everything I listen to is great. Quite the contrary, I hope that you will take the time to recommend your own favorite artists in the comments so that we can all learn a bit more about the huge range of Japanese music that's out there.
"The best Japanese music blog in the world." - Door Slam "Definitely a must-visit for J-pop and J-rock fans!" -The Otaku "Zac Bentz loves music. A lot." -Japanator "Very cool!" -J-ENT "...one of the foremost blogs and information centers on all J-pop and J-rock...the top source for tour information on Japanese bands in the US..." -YankeeOtaku "Wer mehr darüber wissen will, der sollte sich mal hier umschauen, ein sehr gutes J-Music Blog übrigens." -CommandSheep "...very well-written, and there’s an excellent range of artists...a useful resource." -International Wota "не плохая энциклопедия японских исполнителей/групп" -Diary.ru "Great resource for Japanese music fans who want to explore today's J-rhythms beyond Johnny's Entertainment bishonen music and anime music. XD" -Kaishi "If you are a J-Rock fan, [ZB's A-Z] is a must see." -Crunchyroll community "Otaku USA magazine finally got wise and hired Zac Bentz as a J-music contributing editor."-Radicalpatriot "Reviews practically every Asian band that has ever created a recording."- Zallie "Gewährt spannende Einblicke in die japanische Musikszene." -Laut.de