The Winking Owl
The Winking Owl is a Japanese pop/alternative rock band signed to Warner Music Japan. Influenced by American emo and post hardcore bands, they add their own acoustic elements to create their original sound.
The Winking Owl was formed in Takasaki, Gunma in 2010 by guitarist Yoma when he returned to Japan after studying music in the US. That same year they had their first live at Band Contest "Rockers 2010", where they made it to the finals. Afterwards, the band worked on and released their very first demo, and distributed 1,000 free copies. Since then they have played lives and particpated in many events.
The band released their first single "Deep River" in December 2011 and released a split single with SECONDWALL in July 2012. Three months later, bassist Ranmalu officially became a member the band. The song "Precious" was chosen as their first PV which was released in March 2013.
In September 2013 the band released their first mini-album Voyage and held a release celebration live titled "We Owl Rock Along 2013" beforehand on July 18, 2013. Their second mini-album Supernova was released a year later.
The Winking Owl was chosen as a supporting act for the band ONE OK ROCK's "35xxxv" Japan Tour that was held on June 6, 2015 in Osaka. Later that year they released their second single "Open Up My Heart".
Discography
The Winking Owl (2016)
The Winking Owl promoting "Try" (2018)
Studio Albums
[2016.05.11] BLOOMING
[2019.06.05] Thanks Love Letter (Thanksラブレター)
Mini-Albums
[2013.09.04] Voyage
[2014.09.24] Supernova
[2017.05.10] Into Another World
Singles
[2011.12.27] Deep River
[2015.11.25] Open Up My Heart
[2018.11.07] Try
Split Singles
[2012.07.22] Split (The Winking Owl & SECONDWALL)
Demos
[2010.11.01] Through The Glass
MEMAI SIREN includes: Vo. Kyoji / Gt. Osawa Ray / Ba. Morita Yasuke / Piano & Vo. Wenaka / Dr. NARA
They are five-person rock band formed in Fukuoka.The world view of the misery represented in their lyrics, which are drawn by Vo. Kyoji and the intuitive and intense truck of the band. They expresses daily sense of obstruction and breathing, a feeling of helplessness. "I have no dreams or hopes, and I can not help it where I knew it"
The band has gained popularity from many young people who feel "loneliness", they are like a spokesman for those who lament to reality.
In 2015 their first album "Waiting for some yesterday" hits nationwide!
Mini album "Rokka" was released on March 8, 2017.
Single "Jenga" is delivered in advance in August 2017.
March 21, 2018 NEW EP "From the depths" was released.
Winnie is a Japanese rock band from Tokyo, formed in 2002. Their musical style typically employs a combination of emotional rock and alternative rock, armed with an irresistible combo of male and female vocals. The band uses polka dots as their trademark.
The band consists of vocalists Iori and Okuji, bassist Pabo and drummer Jin.
Beginning with "The Darkest Eternal Lights," released 2008 2nd EP, they were instantly noted as a band to keep a watchful eye -and ear- on. The EP spawned hit single "Starlike Stereo." This song received modest airplay and the band found themselves playing at larger venues as the year progressed.
In 2008, the band released it's single, "Sweep," 3rd EP "Headquarter" arrived in the winter of 2009, the success of which led to their first time Japanese chart in. The debut album "Dye Myself Black" followed in 2009, full of overwhelming single like "Winner," the self-produced collection scored major Japanese Radio and TV rotation,
instantly placing Winnie at the forefront of modern Japanese rock.
Mahousyoujo-ni-naritai was formed in 2014 by producer/developer, ADULT YUkun, as a five-piece commercial and creative team. The band members are a mix of different ages and genders, and are consisted of:
Vocalist: KAJI BASIL (magical girl-in-training)
VJ & Vocalist: gari (videographer-in-training)
Guitar: MEIJIsan (model-in-training)
Guitar: UI VITON (band dude)
Bass: ADULT YUkun (producer/developer)
Members also regularly collaborate with illustrators, photographers and other young, up-coming creators in both studio recordings and live performances.
The band sounds part metal, punk and EDM, while infusing elements of role-playing games, not only in their songs and lyrics, but also their videos and live performances, creating an all-new “Japanese alternative” genre. Their unique approach to music and performing has caught the attention of fans and the industry, having won a prestigious contest for up-and-coming artists hosted by a major rock magazine merely four months since forming the band. This led to them being invited to perform at one of Japan’s leading rock events, ROCK IN JAPAN FESTIVAL 2014, and in 2015 they’ve also been tapped to write a song for Shiritsu Ebisu Chugaku, one of Japan’s most in-demand idol groups.
As a side note, vocalist and magical girl-in-training, KAJI BASIL, was put under a spell by an evil witch, and now travels the world to find a cure for her predicament. In order to preserve her magical powers, she does not speak anytime other than singing, so please keep in mind that she will be unable to answer when spoken to.
LOCAL CONNECT (previously H”palty) is a 5 member band hailing from Kyoto, Japan and are signed to vap since February 2015.
The band comprises of Shuma on bass, Natsuki on drums, ISATO on vocals, Daiki on vocals/guitar and ma-ki- on guitar. Natsuki is the only member who was not originally part of H”palty. He joined the band following the departure of their previous drummer at the end of 2014.
Their single, “Shiawase no ari ka”, was used as the ending theme for the anime ‘Ore Monogatari’, which was broadcast in Japan in April 2015. Later that year, they released their first mini album, “Kako Tsunagu Mirai” (Connecting Past and Future) in June. It featured previously released tracks such as “Cosmoloop”, “Fallmaker” and “Paradise Lost” alongside new tracks “Kimi no migi te” and “BLIND DAY”.
Their second mini album, “7 Rails”, was released on 6 April 2016 and contains 7 tracks, of which, “Oyasumi” is a previously unreleased track back from their H”palty days. The band is currently on tour promoting “7 Rails” nationwide.
AliA, written in Japanese as アリア, is a six piece band that made their debut in July of 2018 with the mini album 「AliVe」, which has the title track "limit". The members include vocalist AYAME, guitarist Okamura Eren, keyboardist TKT (Takuto), violinist RINA, bassist SEIYA, and drummer BOB. A few of the members were or are still are support members of other bands.
AliA are a recently formed Japanese six-piece rock band with a transparent affinity for all things extravagant and mainstream. Their roster includes a grandiose violinist, every familiar hook in a pop vocalist’s 101, and a combined wardrobe that many would die for. On their debut album, AliVe, the order of the day at any given moment consists largely of an aggressively catchy over-the-top tribute to all possible labels involving the words ‘power’ and ‘epic’. That is to say, this is absolutely music for the sweet-toothed; it’s neither tongue-in-cheek enough to indulge an ironic listening nor innovative enough to offer much appeal for those interested in the quirkier side of the Japanese scene. And so, unless you’re happy to discard the concept of an upper bound as far as all things cheese are concerned, you’d be well-inclined to stay the hell away.
With that significant caveat out of the way, it’s fair to say that AliVe represents a pretty worthwhile offering as far as shamelessly kitsch music goes. The band are all proficient musicians and while their songwriting and style reinvent the wheel, they do pull these tracks off with a sufficient level of energy and focus to indicate that their intentions behind their music’s clearly crafted mass appeal are mostly positive, and that they’re having a whale of a time performing it. The worst thing that can be said for music like this is that it comes across as like it was conceived purely as a means of exploiting the process of consumption. A good mainstream band sounds like its sound is accessible because the bandmembers genuinely care about the enjoyment a large audience stands to gain by hearing it. Gauging from the liveliness of their performances here, AliA seem to fit the brief soundly enough.
As such, the earnestness behind their sound occasionally comes across as ridiculous but does successfully drive most of the tracks with an intensity and excitement that’s hard to deny. The only song that mishandles this is the obligatory powerballad, Koe / Voice, which shoots for engaging dynamic variety but fails to gather steam until its final minute, but otherwise they more or less succeed in sustaining a level of pacing that sounds like it was conceived with little besides an endless stream of endorphins in mind.
This is accentuated by moments of instrumental boldness, most notably in Silhouette, which draws on prog sounds in its sporadic opening and the extremely busy keyboard sustained through its verses. Limit toys with some low-fret guitar crunch and off-kilter string accents in its second verse but sadly returns to a regular 4/4 feel before the moment has really sunk in. Other songs are prone to flashy lead work from both keys and guitar, but these are largely confined to central motifs or conventionally structured solos. On the other hand, the pop elements here are appropriately focal and never less than euphoric. This is showcased best by the album’s two catchiest numbers, Simple and かくれんぼ / Hide-And-Seek. These lean towards an established J-Pop mode, boasting ultra-huge choruses full of all the epic chords, harmonised vocals and obligatory woah-oh-ohs that have driven countless ultra-huge choruses of the same breed. It’s a familiar thrill, but AliA make it their own to an adequate degree.
There are limits to the heights reached on AliVe, however. The title track pushes the band’s climactic atmosphere as far as it can, with symphonic leanings and a climactic drive that is immediately invocative of all manner of hyperbolic music-is-life speeches and lighter-waving gestures that will doubtless occur live. It’s not exactly a flop, but given its placement as album closer I was a little underwhelmed at the way the band sought to round off a relentlessly upbeat maximalist album with even more upbeat maximalism. The song itself as worthwhile as song as any here but the point suggested by its placement at the end is more likely to incur an eye-rolling “okay, we get the picture” than anything else.
Faith are an indie rock band from Ina-City in Nagano prefecture formed in 2015 at Ina Gram House. The band’s music has an energetic American influenced indie rock sound. They won some local band awards locally and have increased their popularity with fans.
The band members are: Vocalist Akari Dritschler アカリ ドリチュラー Guitarist/Vocalist Ray Kastnar れい, Guitarist Vocalist Yaji Murray ヤジマレイ, Bassist Tohko 荒イ and Drummer Melanson Luca メランソンルカ. They are worth supporting and listening to.
Rock