#coldrain

1. The GazettE - ART DRAWN BY VOMIT

I've always liked those short instrumental album openers. To me they're supposed to capture the "theme" or "feeling" of the album, they're like appetizers of a full course meal. There's a reason Japanese metal bands usually have a SE to get the show started before the proper first song performance! The hype those SEs give is real, believe me.

This particular opening from Stacked Rubbish gives me an image of going through the seedier parts of town, I love the little samples from each Stacked Rubbish song that plays.

2. DIV - Harakiri Melon Soda

I've already mentioned in a previous post how this song reminds me so much of Sol. It's melodic, dark and combined with the MV gives me strong yandere vibes. xD

3. Maximum the Hormone - Koi no Mega Lover

The mega energetic danceable metal ending song from Bu-ikkikaesu. It reminds me a lot of summer, beaches and it's so fun to listen to.

Heck I recommend listening to the entirety of Bu-ikkikaesu, it's such a bonkers amazing album.

Just don't do that when you're driving, listen to this instead. Drive safely people.

4. DIR EN GREY - MARMALADE CHAINSAW

I went to see DIR EN GREY live recently and if they played this song live I bet the crowd would have gone crazy too xD Similar to CHILD PREY and THE IIID EMPIRE, this song was made for lives. (I really recommend reading the lyric annotations in the video description, Kaya ちゃんねる did a great job.)

This song is Sol's thoughts toward Crowe xD The line "My strong point is living honestly and I don't have any weak points", it sounds like something Sol tricks himself into believing. It's perfect.

5. NOCTURNAL BLOODLUST - V.I.P

I don't really follow this band anymore ever since they stopped doing visual kei, as well as the fact that guitarists Cazqui and Daichi left. I do listen to their old songs from time to time though. And they're still bangers to me!! Especially V.I.P, it's Sol's inner thoughts towards MC hahaha 😂

Not counting DIR EN GREY, NOCTURNAL BLOODLUST is arguably the "heaviest" band I listen to xD If you like metalcore, I highly suggest giving them a try.

6. The GazettE - INSIDE BEAST

Hear me out, this song isn't about what you think it means and what I thought it meant, even if the MV says otherwise. xD

It's actually about the feelings that people keep to themselves and finally letting them out. Like how we unleash all these complicated emotions, which I think is the "beast" referred to in the title.

If you want to think of the song meaning this way that's also totally fine let's be depraved together

7. NEMOPHILA - BRAINWASH

I mentioned how underrated a band NEMOPHILA is, and was pleasantly surprised by this more recent song of theirs, damn is it heavy.

Mayu is arguably one of the best female metal vocalists on the Japanese metal scene and I wouldn't have it otherwise.

8. Linkin Park - Faint

I actually first heard this song through NEMOPHILA's cover and fell in love with it! I don't really listen to Linkin Park but you can't deny the massive influence they had on so many bands, even on the Japanese metal scene. I feel that the GazettE's Stacked Rubbish album is especially Linkin Park-influenced for instance.

This song also fits Sol to a T. Looking at the lyrics, it reads like his thoughts to me. It's perfect for "The Kid at the Back". :D

9. My Chemical Romance - Helena

This was the last song added to the playlist! I was stuck on 9 songs and wanted to add a song by a band not yet included on this list, I was initially looking for something from Survive Said the Prophet, then boom...it hit me. xD

There is no way this guy doesn't listen to MCR. xDDD

I myself don't really listen to MCR but I've heard that a lot of people grew up with them, just like with Linkin Park. I myself grew up with Evanescence. And I still love them very much. once an edgelord always an edgelord

And guys, Helena's just an amazing song, it's timeless.

10. coldrain- Boys And Girls

I knew I wanted to end this playlist with a ballad, and was mindlessly clicking on song recs on YouTube that I've already listened to, and then I landed on this one and thought the vibe was perfect. This is Track No.7 from the album Nonnegative.

coldrain, believe it or not, is Japanese. "NANI?!" you must think, "but they sing in perfect English!" The vocalist Masato is half-American and was heavily encouraged by his American mom to study English, so his English is better than most Japanese, and like Taka from ONE OK ROCK has a better pronunciation of English lyrics.

As for the song, I love the nostalgic feeling it gives, what with lyrics about teenage love and angst. To me, it's about how we should never stop having fun and not to be stubborn on "having to act like a grownup".

Also it's just a nice love song from Sol to MC. ♡( ◡‿◡ )

This playlist was super fun to make! Hopefully you found something that you like and if you did, that would mean the world to me.

DISCLAIMER: I have nothing against Crowe ( ╥ω╥ ) I love that guy too but it's unfortunate that he is in love with the same person as Sol.

Me waiting for Day 3: