GALNERYUS on itunes!!

Galneryus' 1st album "The Flag of Punishment" is currently available at iTunes.
Albums 2, 3, & 4 "Advance to the Fall,"" Beyond the End of Despair" and "One for All - All for One" are also expected to become available for foreign customers to purchase in the future!! As you can see your favorite J-ROCK is already hitting itunes today! This is just the beginning of something great for J-ROCK in the USA!!

MUCC USA ALBUM in 2008!!!

MUCC's website states that a brand new "untitled" album is coming in March 2008, but the BIGGER news is that the album will not ONLY get Japan & Europe releases... but ALSO a USA RELEASE!!! @_@ ^_^
This news is from their offical site: http://www.55-69.com/
They will also be on tour in the US, with fellow visual rockers D'espairsRay as part of the "Taste of Chaos Tour 2008" spanning from 2.2008~5.2008...
More info as it becomes available!!

JAPAN NITE DATE Announced!!

Looks like our friends at the KNITTING FACTORY NYC will be hosting "JAPAN NITE" again in 2008!!
2007 was a great event featuring a live-wire roster full of J-Rock fun with fan favorites GO!GO!7188, & HY...classic "Japan Nite" acts like The Emeralds, plus brand new original break-through talent like ASAKUSA JINTA & PISTOL VALVE!
Here's hoping for another fantastic lineup in 2008!! We should start making plans to be there!!
DATE @ KNITTING FACTORY NYC:
Sunday, Mar 16, 2008 // DOORS 7:00 PM // ADV $10// DOS $12
***2008 J-ROCK BANDS HAVE YET TO BE ANNOUNCED***

Samples from Japan Nite 2007 Live @ The Knitting Factory in NYC:

GO!GO!7188
"Jet Ninjin"
professional audio: http://cultureshockjapan.googlegroups.com/web/JET%20NINJIN%20PRO%20VER%20Knitting%20Factory%20NYC%2031107%20(audio).mp3

"Ukifune"
bootleg audio: http://cultureshockjapan.googlegroups.com/web/Ukifune%20NYC%2031107%20(audio).mp3

bootleg video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tGTxRlVelBI

HY
"Street Story" feat Doug E. Fresh
bootleg video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cg4c5gBb-ao

TOP to BOTTOM: Asakusa Jinta/Pistol Valve/The Emeralds/HY/GO!GO!7188

photos by Jeff Katin

DIR EN GREY ~DECADE (official best)

On 12.19.07 in Japan DIR EN GREY will release their 1st official "best of" collections chronicling their decade in the mainstream. The 1st release is a 2-CD set spanning 1998~2007, the 2nd is 1 CD from 2003~2007. On a personal note, I don't think I could put a better 3 CD compilation together myself of their music as this is an amazingly strong tracklist of Dir en Grey's best single & album tracks & a must for any Diru-fan!! @_@ Check it out!!

DECADE 1998~2002:
CD1:
1. akuro no oka
2. cage
3. schwein no isu
4. yokan
5. 304 goushitsu, hakushi no sakura
6. deity
7. rasetsukoku
8. audrey
9. myaku
10. wake
11. jealous reverse

CD2:
1. ain't afraid to die
2. filth
3. bottom of the death valley
4. gyakujoi tannnou keloid milk
5. kigan
6. embryo (single ver)
7. mushi
8. mr. newsman
9. umbrella
10. child prey

DECADE 2003~2007:
1. obscure
2. kasumi
3. the 3D empire
4. drain away
5. sajou no uta
6. audience killer loop
7. saku
8. dead tree
9. merciless cult
10. kodou
11. C
12. the final
13. clever sleazoid
14. grief
15. agitated screams of maggots
16. ryoujoku no ame
17. repetition of hatred
18. conceived sorrow

Here's hoping for a release with "FREE WILL AMERICA" who also released "Withering to Death" & "Marrow of a Bone" here in the US.
site:
http://www.free-will-america.com/portal/
online store:
http://www.free-will-america.com/store/

YOSHIKI 2006~2007

YOSHIKI made good on his promises in 2006 for 2007... Not only did his new super-band S.K.I.N. (feat Gackt, Sugizo, & Miyavi) perform live in the US @ Anime Expo for their Debut, he also hosted the biggest Visual event ever in the US with his JROCK REVOLUTION (featuring bands like Mucc, Merry, Duel Jewel, & D'espairs Ray) & he also gave us a new VIOLET UK release & reunited X JAPAN both for US movie soundtracks... with the promise of a X JAPAN Reuninon Tour & possible new album... 2008 looks prosperous as well!! The gang was VERY lucky to meet one of the founders of the Visual-kei movement last year, & this year he just continues to impress... check out some of YOSHIKI'S madness in 2007!!

X JAPAN: "I.V." (first new song from X since 1997, featured in US horror film "SAW IV", this is a preview bootleg rip of the recording of their PV performance in Japan, featuring YOSHIKI, TOSHI, PATA, HEATH & a recorded segment from the deceased HIDE, making all 5 members part of this awesome new song!)
http://cultureshockjapan.googlegroups.com/web/X-JAPAN%20-%20IV%20.mp3

VIOLET UK: "Blue Butterfly" (new song *first studio commercial release* from the US horror film "Catacombs" ost)
http://cultureshockjapan.googlegroups.com/web/VIOLET%20UK%20-%20Blue%20Butterfly.mp3

S.K.I.N: "Geisha" (live bootleg from Anime Expo 2007)
http://cultureshockjapan.googlegroups.com/web/S.K.I.N.%20-%20GEISHA%20Live%20AX07.mp3

***THE BEST of the NEW NEOCLASSICAL VISUAL ROCK: with front-runners JUKA (ex-Moi Dix Mois) HIZAKI one of the hottest guitarist in Visual Rock scene (ex- Madeth Gray'll) & KAMIJO (ex-Lariene)

JUKA: "Saint Croix" (cool new single from ex-Moi Dix Mois singer)
http://cultureshockjapan.googlegroups.com/web/01%20SAINT%20CROIX.mp3

HIZAKI GRACE PROJECT: "Philosopher" (from their debut album "Dignity Of Crest" featurng Juka & Hizaki one of the best guitarists on the J-rock scene!)
http://cultureshockjapan.googlegroups.com/web/01%20Philosopher.mp3?

VERSALLIES: "Shout & Bites" (new project from Kamijo & Hizaki guitarist from their brand new hot debut EP "Lyrical Symphony!!")
http://cultureshockjapan.googlegroups.com/web/3%20Shout%20&%20Bites.mp3?

*** more VISUAL ROCK:

MUCC: "FUZZ" (new single from everybody's favorite band)
http://cultureshockjapan.googlegroups.com/web/01%20FUZZ.mp3

DIR EN GREY: "Dozing Green" (new single)
http://cultureshockjapan.googlegroups.com/web/DIR%20EN%20GREY%20-%20DOZING%20GREEN.mp3

ACID BLACK CHERRY: "Black Cherry" (YASU from Janne Da Arc's solo project featuring Pistol Valve!!)
http://cultureshockjapan.googlegroups.com/web/Acid%20Black%20Cherry%20-%20Black%20Cherry%20-%2001%20Black%20Cherry.mp3

KAYA (ex-Schwarz Stein): "Carmella" (new limited single)
http://cultureshockjapan.googlegroups.com/web/01%20Carmilla.mp3?

***J-SKA: New movement gaining steam, check out these bands!!

SKULL CANDY: "Kimi ga Kureta mono"
http://cultureshockjapan.googlegroups.com/web/SKULL%20CANDY%20-%20kimi%20ga%20kureta%20mono.mp3

WITCHERY SKANK: "snow magic"
http://cultureshockjapan.googlegroups.com/web/WITCHERY%20SKANK%20-%20snow%20magic.mp3

***JPOP:

MIYU NAGASE (ex-ZONE): "Key ~Yume Kara Samete" (new single, new sound!)
http://cultureshockjapan.googlegroups.com/web/MIYU%20NAGASE%20-%20Key%20~Yume%20kara%20Samete~.mp3
RINGO SHIINA (from Tokyo Jihen): "Creep" (live bootleg cover of RADIOHEAD)
http://cultureshockjapan.googlegroups.com/web/creep%20by%20Ringo%20Shiina.mp3

let me know what ya think!!...

GO!GO!7188 569 (GOROCK) Review

RATING: *****(CD) ***** (CD+DVD)
Fan favorite GO!GO!7188 strikes back with their brand new 2007 album "569" (in Japanese these numbers pronouced together sound like "GOROCK")...
Both MK & I recieved our CD/DVD copy 2 days after release...with "569 the sticker" from CD JAPAN. I wanted to give it a few spins before posting...I can positively say this album is stronger than their 2006 comeback effort "Parade"!! More like their old stuff with more SURF-tones to it which has always been my favorite material of theirs, that Grindhouse 60-70's flavored GOGO-goodness!! This album is solid & inspired... It was nice hearing songs like "Manhole" on CD for the 1st time as they played it before release in NYC & I was like WOW!! I really think the band is getting back to a really positive direction & doing what they do best... It sounds a lot more unified & not as experimental, even though the very polished songs of their latest efforts may not have the "down & dirty" feel of their early works, the songs are a well-crafted rock effort & radio ready with higher production values. With this recent US events, new album, & switch to BMG (bigger label), this all makes me think GOGO is here to stay for a long while & has given so much to their fanbase in 2007 & I can't thank them enough (as being one of their biggest US fans.) I never thought I would see them live... nevermind TWICE!! The EXTRA treat for me was the DVD in the limited edition... I couldn't live without seeing some of the "Japan Nite" NYC footage from March... & yes..."I CAN SEE MY HEAD!!" ^_^ What's funny is they had A LOT more cameras for the "US TOUR" in August, which still leads me to believe they will be doing a USA TOUR DVD soon or a WORLD TOUR DVD with Japan footage as well, since the footage here was from "Japan Nite." And trust me, I was completely ecstatic to get this jem. Also the packaging on this CD is great as that overall RED color really stands out on my shelves of 100's of Japanese CD's. GREAT WORK GOGO this CD ROX MY SOX!!

Check it out!

Ashinoke
http://cultureshockjapan.googlegroups.com/web/01%20Ashinoke.mp3

Nounai Traveler (album only single)
http://cultureshockjapan.googlegroups.com/web/02%20Nounai%20Traveler.mp3

Esoragoto

http://cultureshockjapan.googlegroups.com/web/13%20Esoragoto.mp3