Earlier this week I got the new Aural Vampire CD, Kerguelen Vortex in the mail. Thought I would write something about this wonderful darkwave act from Tokyo, Japan.
I fould out about this band by chance a few years back when I was browsing on Myspace (you could acctually find things on Myspace then). I heard cool and electronic music and started to dig deeper to find out more about the band.
Aural Vampire is a duo consisting of Exo-Chika (a vampire) and Raveman (The butcher). As it often is with japanese bands they put alot of energy on looks and image. In this case it is cool and goofy at the same time. It's also the dualism between sugary sweeet and erotic darkness, wich also seems to be a Japanese trade mark.
I fould out about this band by chance a few years back when I was browsing on Myspace (you could acctually find things on Myspace then). I heard cool and electronic music and started to dig deeper to find out more about the band.
Aural Vampire is a duo consisting of Exo-Chika (a vampire) and Raveman (The butcher). As it often is with japanese bands they put alot of energy on looks and image. In this case it is cool and goofy at the same time. It's also the dualism between sugary sweeet and erotic darkness, wich also seems to be a Japanese trade mark.
I found the music very interesting, and though it's labeled under darkwave, it's mostly very up-beat and danceable tunes with pop melodies. But I'm a big sucker for contrasts and get alot of that from this band.
Their first album was Vampire Ecstasy, wich was self-released in 2004. I had a hard time tracking down this album, but finally managed to order it from HMW in Japan.
Vampire Ecstasy is my favorite release of the band and contains great songs like Freeze!, The repoman and Preservative woman. Some of the songs from Vampire Ecsasy will re-appear on later releases with new mixes. I tend to like the original versions the best and I really recomend this release from the band if you are able to get hold of it.
Their first album was Vampire Ecstasy, wich was self-released in 2004. I had a hard time tracking down this album, but finally managed to order it from HMW in Japan.
Vampire Ecstasy is my favorite release of the band and contains great songs like Freeze!, The repoman and Preservative woman. Some of the songs from Vampire Ecsasy will re-appear on later releases with new mixes. I tend to like the original versions the best and I really recomend this release from the band if you are able to get hold of it.
It was a long wait until the next release from the band. In 2010 the band relesed Zoltank, now on a major record label. For me the record was a little disapointing since they re-used alot of material from Vampire Ecstasy. But the album contains a couple of new songs that are really great, and if you can't find their debut, you get the best songs from that one as well on this release (though I don't think that the new mixes improve the songs.)
The new cool stuff is mainly the songs Cannibal Coast, Border of the dead and 69 Balloons. The sound is a little more dense and it has more guitars thrown in the mix. Not bad at all but I just wish that they would have written alot more new material during the 6 year wait.
The new cool stuff is mainly the songs Cannibal Coast, Border of the dead and 69 Balloons. The sound is a little more dense and it has more guitars thrown in the mix. Not bad at all but I just wish that they would have written alot more new material during the 6 year wait.
In November, 2011, came the latest realese from Aural Vampire. The Kerguelen Vortex is a EP or mini-album with seven tracks. Once again they re-use a song from earlier releases. This time it's the song The Repoman that get's a new mix.
The other songs are brand new, and three of them are really good. I like the title track Kerguelen Vortex and the track Makki no Body Checkmate. My personal favorite is the last track Genom.
Now I just wish that the band would tour somewhere close to Göteborg, cause they are somewhere in the top on my wish to see live list.
Aural Vampire official website
Aural Vampire on Discogs
The other songs are brand new, and three of them are really good. I like the title track Kerguelen Vortex and the track Makki no Body Checkmate. My personal favorite is the last track Genom.
Now I just wish that the band would tour somewhere close to Göteborg, cause they are somewhere in the top on my wish to see live list.
Aural Vampire official website
Aural Vampire on Discogs
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