As some of you know, I’m a big music fan, and have an obscene collection of music, especially Japanese music. So now, I’m going to share with you what I think are the top 10 best albums of J-rock and pop of the last decade. I hope you enjoy it.
10. Album: Planet of the Dope
Artist: Dope Headz
Year: 2002
The band formed by former X Japan members Heath (Bass) and Pata (Guitar) and ex hide with Spread beaver member I.N.A (Computer & Percussion) makes a comeback with a new singer (Shame) for their second outing and the result is much better than their mediocre first album. Yes there are a couple of songs of debatable quality (namely the title track) but the end result is good enough to grant it a spot on the list.
Best songs: Plastic Smile, Reincarnation, With.
9. Album: Ruined Kingdom
Artist: Hizaki Grace Project.
Year: 2007
Guitarrist Hizaki is now best known as the lead guitarist for the band Versailles, but before that he had his own solo project with a few other musicians who came from other popular bands such as Moi Dix Mois. This album, composed of a few new tracks and live renditions of songs from his previous albums is hard and features amazing guitar solos that only Hizaki can make.
Best songs: Hover Mind (Live), Ruined Kingdom, Distorted Thought.
8. Album: Singles –Junk Story-
Artist: hide/hide with Spread Beaver
Year: 2002
I gave this a little thought before including it on the list, since the late great hide died in 1998 and most of the songs in this compilation came out in the 90s. However it includes two new previously unreleased songs and several songs that only came out in single format before, such as the single versions of Eyes Love You and 50% & 50%. And what can I say? It’s hide, every single one of his songs is amazing, and a compilation of his best should not be excluded from this list. If you don’t know hide, then this is the best place to start.
Best songs: Pink Spider, Rocket Dive, In Motion, Junk Story, Eyes Love You, Goodbye.
7. Album: Vampire Ecstasy
Artist: Aural Vampire
Year: 2004
Vampire Ecstasy is one of the few dance albums I actually like. The tunes are catchy as hell and the voice of Exo-chika, however computer-manipulated is awesome.
Best Songs: Freeeze!!, Terror Vixen, Crimson Tyrant.
6. Album: Desert Rain
Artist: Heath
Year: 2006
Yet another X JAPAN-related album (a hint to the first spot maybe?). Heath is the incredibly underrated bassist of X Japan (whom you might recognize for the song Meykiuu no lovers from Detective Conan) and he has made three albums that have been overlooked by almost everyone but hardcore fans. Desert Rain was the only one released the past decades and is every bit as good as the other two. Heath experiments as much as hide used to do with his music, and the end result is a great album that deserves to be heard by more people.
Best songs: Blueberry Murder, The Live, Eagle Sniper
5. Album: G∞VER
Artist: High and Mighty Color
Year: 2005
Well look at that, an artist people here might actually have heard about! HaMC is recognized for having performed the songs for the animes Gundam Seed Destiny and Bleach. And both of those songs (Pride and Ichirin no hana) are on this album for better or worse (worse in my case since both songs are incredibly average). Still, this album is awesome to listen to, and makes you wonder why in the hell their quality declined more and more after it.
Best Songs: Run Run Run, Naked, Over
4. Album: Magnya Carta
Artist: An Café
Year: 2006
Probably the most recognized artist on the list. An Café’s trademark bubblegum rock and oshare key looks have become popular among young people all over the world. But beyond that there’s actually some great music. Sure it’s not awe inspiring or epic as, say, X JAPAN, Zi:Kill or Luna Sea, but it’s a little piece of feel good-catchy tunes. And Magnya Carta is the best of their 4 albums with some of the band’s classics such as Maple Gunman and Smile Ichiban Ii Onna.
Best songs: Smile Ichiban Ii Onna, Jikoai Shugisha no Mijuku na Akuma, Pipopapo Telepathy
3. Album: Vulgar
Artist: Dir En Grey
Year: 2003
The album that saw the change of Dir en Grey’s style from the usual visual key stuff to metal is a success in every way, some songs I could do without (*cough* Audience Killer Loop*cough*). But overall is an impressive album and Dir en Grey’s best until Uroboroswas released in 08, the reason Uroboros is not on the list though, is because this is the one that introduced me to this great band and it has a special place in my heart because of that.
Best songs: The III D Empire, New Age Culture, Ashita Muki Koufuku Komaeminaki Myounichi
2. Album: Noble: The Vampire Chronicles
Artist: Versailles
Year: 2008
Even though I like the song Shout & Bites from their 2007 release Lyrical Sympathy more than all the songs in Noble, this is a much stronger album overall. The sense of connection between songs is what makes them great and there are not any weak songs. It could’ve been perfect if Shout & Bites was included in it.
Best songs: Second Fear -Another Descendant-, Zombie, The Revenant Choir
1. Album: The Last Live
Artist: X JAPAN
Year: 2001
Quite simply, the finest live album ever made. It’s also bittersweet because it’s the last performance of the band with hide. This amazing 3-disk package makes you feel like you’re actually in the concert and it’s probably the only live album I’ve listened to that is capable of recreating the experience of being there during X Japan’s final concert (at least until their 2007 reunion anyway). The only low point is the price, which can go over 100$ in some places, but it’s absolutely worth it.
Best Songs: Rusty Nail (Live), Weekend (Live), Scars (Live), Kurenai (Live), Endless Rain (Live).
Thanks for reading. If you notice any mistakes on the dates/names or anything else please lt me know.
Artist: Dope Headz
Year: 2002
The band formed by former X Japan members Heath (Bass) and Pata (Guitar) and ex hide with Spread beaver member I.N.A (Computer & Percussion) makes a comeback with a new singer (Shame) for their second outing and the result is much better than their mediocre first album. Yes there are a couple of songs of debatable quality (namely the title track) but the end result is good enough to grant it a spot on the list.
Best songs: Plastic Smile, Reincarnation, With.
Artist: Hizaki Grace Project.
Year: 2007
Guitarrist Hizaki is now best known as the lead guitarist for the band Versailles, but before that he had his own solo project with a few other musicians who came from other popular bands such as Moi Dix Mois. This album, composed of a few new tracks and live renditions of songs from his previous albums is hard and features amazing guitar solos that only Hizaki can make.
Best songs: Hover Mind (Live), Ruined Kingdom, Distorted Thought.
Artist: hide/hide with Spread Beaver
Year: 2002
I gave this a little thought before including it on the list, since the late great hide died in 1998 and most of the songs in this compilation came out in the 90s. However it includes two new previously unreleased songs and several songs that only came out in single format before, such as the single versions of Eyes Love You and 50% & 50%. And what can I say? It’s hide, every single one of his songs is amazing, and a compilation of his best should not be excluded from this list. If you don’t know hide, then this is the best place to start.
Best songs: Pink Spider, Rocket Dive, In Motion, Junk Story, Eyes Love You, Goodbye.
Artist: Aural Vampire
Year: 2004
Vampire Ecstasy is one of the few dance albums I actually like. The tunes are catchy as hell and the voice of Exo-chika, however computer-manipulated is awesome.
Best Songs: Freeeze!!, Terror Vixen, Crimson Tyrant.
Artist: Heath
Year: 2006
Yet another X JAPAN-related album (a hint to the first spot maybe?). Heath is the incredibly underrated bassist of X Japan (whom you might recognize for the song Meykiuu no lovers from Detective Conan) and he has made three albums that have been overlooked by almost everyone but hardcore fans. Desert Rain was the only one released the past decades and is every bit as good as the other two. Heath experiments as much as hide used to do with his music, and the end result is a great album that deserves to be heard by more people.
Best songs: Blueberry Murder, The Live, Eagle Sniper
Artist: High and Mighty Color
Year: 2005
Well look at that, an artist people here might actually have heard about! HaMC is recognized for having performed the songs for the animes Gundam Seed Destiny and Bleach. And both of those songs (Pride and Ichirin no hana) are on this album for better or worse (worse in my case since both songs are incredibly average). Still, this album is awesome to listen to, and makes you wonder why in the hell their quality declined more and more after it.
Best Songs: Run Run Run, Naked, Over
Artist: An Café
Year: 2006
Probably the most recognized artist on the list. An Café’s trademark bubblegum rock and oshare key looks have become popular among young people all over the world. But beyond that there’s actually some great music. Sure it’s not awe inspiring or epic as, say, X JAPAN, Zi:Kill or Luna Sea, but it’s a little piece of feel good-catchy tunes. And Magnya Carta is the best of their 4 albums with some of the band’s classics such as Maple Gunman and Smile Ichiban Ii Onna.
Best songs: Smile Ichiban Ii Onna, Jikoai Shugisha no Mijuku na Akuma, Pipopapo Telepathy
Artist: Dir En Grey
Year: 2003
The album that saw the change of Dir en Grey’s style from the usual visual key stuff to metal is a success in every way, some songs I could do without (*cough* Audience Killer Loop*cough*). But overall is an impressive album and Dir en Grey’s best until Uroboroswas released in 08, the reason Uroboros is not on the list though, is because this is the one that introduced me to this great band and it has a special place in my heart because of that.
Best songs: The III D Empire, New Age Culture, Ashita Muki Koufuku Komaeminaki Myounichi
Artist: Versailles
Year: 2008
Even though I like the song Shout & Bites from their 2007 release Lyrical Sympathy more than all the songs in Noble, this is a much stronger album overall. The sense of connection between songs is what makes them great and there are not any weak songs. It could’ve been perfect if Shout & Bites was included in it.
Best songs: Second Fear -Another Descendant-, Zombie, The Revenant Choir
Artist: X JAPAN
Year: 2001
Quite simply, the finest live album ever made. It’s also bittersweet because it’s the last performance of the band with hide. This amazing 3-disk package makes you feel like you’re actually in the concert and it’s probably the only live album I’ve listened to that is capable of recreating the experience of being there during X Japan’s final concert (at least until their 2007 reunion anyway). The only low point is the price, which can go over 100$ in some places, but it’s absolutely worth it.
Best Songs: Rusty Nail (Live), Weekend (Live), Scars (Live), Kurenai (Live), Endless Rain (Live).
Thanks for reading. If you notice any mistakes on the dates/names or anything else please lt me know.
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