Mononoke kaizokuban もののけ 海賊盤

The downside with listening to smaller bands is that they're usually featured in a  lot of stuff which isn't related to their own band, and as a collector, gotta catch 'em all. I would say that's also part of what makes it interesting, at least for me, that you really get to hunt down certain items. This was one of those items.

I had no idea this excisted until I saw it up for bidding on the facebook page of Rarezhut. For those who aren't familiar with them, it's a US based webshop for Jrock and Visual kei. Most stuff they have are easy to find items, but sometimes some rare stuff acctually show up, like this video. They're not super expensive, but many of their items can be found for the same price or cheaper if bought from Japan (if you know where to look). However I think for US based fans it might be cheaper in the long run because of the reduced shipping costs! Also, one great thing is that with all VHS or cassette you buy you'll get a rip sent in an e-mail. I no longer have a VHS player so this was highly appreciated.

Anyway, they put this up and to put it short, it's a VHS recording of cali≠gari's guitarist Ao's birthday and one of the guests is Dada from Velvet Eden! So I cashed up around 60$ not knowing how much he'd acctually be featured, but it was worth it.The VHS is 30minutes long, featuring different session bands. It was limited to 100 copies.

Dada had been sharing photos of him particiapting in cali≠gari's gigs, but I had no idea at least one had been recorded. Some might for example remember him sharing a photo in which he had this outfit

For which they perform a cover of Italian Gazebo's 80's song I like Chopin (Rainy Days).
Dada also contributes with a cover of the enka* (演歌) song Mago (孫) by Oizumi Itsuro (大泉逸郎). I have to say Dada's voice fit enka very well.

The VHS came with a n envelope in which a photo was included, and I think the photo differs from tape to tape, so there might be a photo of Dada included in another tape. Since I don't really listen to cali#gari I'm not sure who the person on my photo is (sorry).

Dada is only featured in three songs. The last minutes of the tape seems to be footage from a completely different event.

*Enka is a Japanese music genre, the lyrics often centering around Japan, love, nostalgia or everything at the same time. This song for example is of a grandparent remembering his grandchild while still a child. It has a certain nationalistic vibe, so most often the artist will perform in kimono. The music style can be seen as a sort of mixture of traditional Japanese and Western music. It follows the Western style (intro, chorus etc) and it uses Western instruments mainly, but the singing still has a style between traditional Japanese and Western.

Schwarz Stein The Best Dunkelheit / Licht liner notes

The Zeal Link bonus item which came with the Schwarz Stein cd's The Best -Licht- and -Dunkelheit- was a card of Kaya and Hora, and the back being their self liner notes to the featured songs. Below is a (rough) translation of those notes, I did get some help with some of their replies though. Enjoy~

DUNKELHEIT

Hora
Blazing Darkness- Longing/craving. Please try and listen and pay attention to the rythm track. Is the intro too long? (laugh)

Release me - The liberation of mind/heart.

Addictive epicuean - We've barely played this live, it's a rare song. The hook of the song has a good feeling.

Queen of decadence - A song with a gothic worldview. The chorus differs from the demo version.

Lilith - Depth and mystery put togheter nicely.

The alternation of generations -expire- -I made it with a feeling of resent that I had at the time...

Corroded cage - This is one of my songs which differs from my usual style.

Fester love - Kusutta kajitsu. The image of the song is agony/bitterness.

Cocoon -fallen- I really like the part with the strings. The feeling is "living at the dark bottom".

Creeper - This is also a song I quit like. An impulse which can't be held down is exploading.

Sleeping madness - The pulsation of sleeping madness.

Syphilis and disorder - Hunger

Succubus - Nightmare!!

Apocalypse -Eclipse Ring- * Hora wrote 輪廻 samsara (meaning endless cycle of death and rebirth; Buddhism transmigration of souls), not sure how we should interpret that...

Sirius - Lost pain. Longing for purification/ cleaning. compared to Közi's arrangement it is more transient. this is deeper.

Kaya

Blazing Darkness- A hint towards a reunion. I love the lyrics. The song is not re-recorded, but left as it was. Even the long intro is very Hora:ish and I think it's good. (Laugh)

Release me - At the time Hora told me "I want to you to use these kinds of words", I received some words and made the lyrics. I was challenged in a new way of writing lyrics and that's why it's one of the impressive songs.

Addictive epicurean - This is also lyrics which express Schwarz Stein's world well and therefore I like it. "Addict" and "Epicurean" became importants words even after in my solo.

Queen of decadence - Rudolf Steiner's first demo tape. When we became SS it changed. A song I love. I put in the melody in the verse. These lyrics are also kind of great...(laugh)

Lilith - Out of Schwarz Stein's 15years this is my most favorite song and lyrics. I like it so much that only by making this gave meaning to our reunion.

The alternation of generations -expire- - I don't remember ever playing this live so maybe I should try singing it once? I like it quite a bit. This is also lyrics from a bitter time.

Corroded cage - This I've also only sang once at our last live. The more real lyrics I really like. This was also written with the pain and agony I had at that time, it's really good. (laugh)

Fester love - This is in my top 3 of favorite Schwarz Stein songs. Is it passion or is it hatred? (laugh) This is one of my favorites (to perform). But the lyrics might be too scary! I wrote a lot like this... (laugh)

Cocoon -fallen- - This is originally a song from Hora's solo which was re-arranged and added lyrics to. A song I like from our post reunion. It's awesome. I really like it. I always want to listen to it. I alwats want to sing it.

Creeper - Hora wrote the English part of the lyrics. A song we always play at lives. The lyrics are real to how my emotions was at that time. It has a good feeling.

Sleeping madness - A single from our post reunion. We were gonna name it "Incubus" but Hora suggested this title. It's a song in opposite to "Succubus". I like the lyrics.

Syphilis and disorder - This title is also Hora's. It's a great title. (laugh) A song we always play at lives. It was the b-side of Current. This lyrics was also from my diary.

Succubus -  The remake of the song from our time with Midi:Nette time. B-side on our 2014 single Cocoon. Compare it with the previous version. This lyrics is also, maybe because I was young, pretty attacking, great. (laugh)

Apocalypse -Eclipse Ring- - New song. This song I surely haven't sang before. The eclipse of the day the world ends, I'll give you a ring. It's an oath of eternal love. It's a deep, deep despair.

Sirius - This is Közi's arrangement, it's deeper. It was my idea to put in the choire for the second half. Chase your desire on the dream train towards the star sky.

LICHT

Kaya

Testament - A song I love. The opening SE at our live gigs. Just by hearing it tension gets high. (laugh)

Rise to Heaven - I wrote this with the morning sun coming in from my curtains. This is calm.* Even so it's strong and facing forward. This is the first Kaya song to be positive.

Profane gene - This song shows the world of Schwarz Stein the best. We acctually made this during our time as Rudolf Steiner. A song I love.

Current - This is about a mermaid princess. A song from a tough period of time. The transience is expressed well. Sorrow, as well as suffering is all wraped up together. I sang it lightly and gentle. I really love this song.

lapis lazuli - I wonder why we didn't meet at that time. The regret is never ending. I continue to sing. I am still dreaming. Not waking up from the dream.

GENUINE -Recurrence- - A song in which our tastes crash. Love it! (laugh) This song shows Schwarz Stein's style well.

transient - This is the great song which made Mana discover us. The lyrics is from my diary when I was 17. Even now I haven't written a lyrics this complete. My best work.

Emergence of Silence - Until the beginning of my solo, this was my favorite out of all the lyrics I had written. Including singing it. This insecure beauty. I can't express that now. I also really like the piano melody.

Fleeting Beauty - This song is about the water nymph Undine. I took the concept from lovely Shiraishi Kayoko's** performance. The dynamics from GENUINE continues. (laugh)

HYPNOS - Songs we wanted to re-record was finally re-recorded. Very SS-like the lyrics is looking at the past. Közi's arrangement is so cool! I want everyone to listen to this.

PREDICT -Rosen Clarion- - This is also a song we re-recorded. A song hinting towards a reunion.

Perfect Garden - A song from our Rudolf Steiner times. It shows SS's catchy side. The lyrics is typical SS. Since it's our debute I still have a lot of emotional attachment to it. Comparing it with the　forward facing Rise to Heaven, it's pretty strong. (laugh)

New Vogue Children - This is also a typical SS. However, when I look at the lyrics now it's pretty awesome... (laugh)

Last Hallucination - A song from our disbanding. The image of snow falling like flower petals at our last live is, even now, a vivid memory. It's an important song.

Haven - This is a new song. A continuation of Perfect Garden. If I were to perform this as solo I would perform it on a higher note, but for SS I sing it gracefully.

*Suspected typo, originally it says 虚勢, but it doesn't make sense so it probaby is 虚静 meaning calm/carefree.

**She's a Japanese actress.

Hora

Testament - A song I really like.When I thought of this song I remember that the tenshon increased a lot. I think the balance between the main synth phrase, and the ringing metallic sound behind it is awesome.

Rise to Heaven - A song made by imagening the light inside me... maybe.

Profane gene - It has relatively few sounds/syllables, but the balance came out good I think. I like the bass line.

Current - I still like the sound of the synth, and it matches the world of the lyrics.

lapis lazuli - As the first single of our reunion I made this with catchy:ness in mind. It has a sound of koto* but not really an overall feel of "japanese:ness".

GENUINE -Recurrence- - Bound self.

transient - I made this when I was 17. I want to praise myself. (laugh)

Emergence of Silence - Pay attention to the contrast between the noise sound and the piano.

Fleeting Beauty - The atmosphere of my own favorite music from the latter half of the 1980s, presented in my own taste.

HYPNOS - Evolved with Közi's arrangement. The synth in the llast hook is even better.

PREDICT -Rosen Clarion- - This time it's re-recorded and I've brought forward the difference in sound balance, I want you to hear it.

Perfect Garden - Lightely. It really is a perfect garden. (laugh)

New Vogue Children - Sorry.

Last Hallucination - This song is made knowing we were gonna break up, this is one of my all time favorite from all of my songs. Eventhough it's me saying it, I think it's a wonderful song.

Haven - Wrapped up pain. That kind of feeling. It has a bit different approach, I didn't use to express positive emotions.

*Koto is a traditional Japanese string instrument.