#see it more as a tour of all the beautiful visuals and it becomes a million times more enjoyable to play

[akimojo]

Something I never see people mention about ffxiii is just how different the entire experience becomes if you just appreciate the scenery in all the locations you run around in

The "hallway simulator" maps are actually pretty damn enjoyable when you spend the time taking in how absolutely stunning the game is, and the incredible ost on top of that makes it even better

[aois-amaterasu-painting]

DOGMA book: member interview translations

Interviewer: The keywords associated with "PROJECT: DARK AGE" and "THE OMINOUS YEAR," leading up to the release of "DOGMA," have all been gloomy, exuding a sense of despair rather than hope. Does this mean that the GazettE has been dwelling in darkness for a while?

Ruki: Rather than darkness...how should I put it? By the time the flow of time associated with our previous work "BEAUTIFUL DEFORMITY" had ended, we became aware of our standing and began thinking about what to do next. We weren't in the mood to create happy music (laughs), but we also weren't feeling gloomy. It was more like a sense of anger—a bundle of frustration. We are genuinely rebellious at heart, yet there were circumstances where we couldn't rebel, living as cogs in society.

Interviewer: You mean the absurdity of knowing that something is wrong but still having to comply with it?

Ruki: Exactly. As we continued our band activities, we encountered various people's thoughts—those of other bands and people from record companies. This made us reflect on how we should live. For instance, to achieve various successes, I had countless responsibilities and no time for leisure. My focus shifted more towards cramming in various tasks rather than having fun. But then, I'd wonder, "How does everyone else manage?" and consider if others might be neglecting such details. This made me realize that our meticulousness might actually be one of our strengths.

Interviewer: Even at the cost of sacrificing your own time?

Ruki: Instead of living a wealthy life with lots of money, it's more important for us to see how much we can dedicate to the band. Of course, this applies to when we are performing live as well, but it's crucial to show that we are betting everything on this lifestyle. I hate doing things half-heartedly. Even if we were a popular band performing in large stadiums, I'd still want to maintain an aggressive stance. Although I can't speak for the feelings of bands in that situation.

Interviewer: The opposite of aggressive is defensive. Do you have a sense of crisis about becoming complacent in your activities as your career progresses?

Ruki: There's a part of me that thinks we might eventually become more relaxed about these aspects. In that sense, I try not to think of myself as absolute. However, I do everything to feel that "we're the best!" and I don't want to spare any effort to achieve that. I don't know how others perceive it, but the image of the GazettE has grown significantly in my mind, and I have been thinking a lot about how to shape it in the future. Having time to think about it was very significant.

Interviewer: Indeed. In 2014, you were busy with a tour themed "redefinition," without releasing any new material.

Ruki: Having a whole year without a release was unusual. We were always moving forward and didn't have much time to look back. But during that tour, we could think about many things. There was a sense that when we released our next work, we had to come back changed. Therefore, we needed to think carefully about what we wanted to do and how we should be. Eventually, I realized that our core lies in live performances. The essence of our live shows is built upon something unique to us. While searching for that answer, I felt like we were seeking something akin to religiosity—not resembling any specific religion but perhaps related to the fervor of our fan unity.

Interviewer: Do you mean the degree of empathy and collective feeling beyond normal bounds?

Ruki: There might be some of that, but I also want to delve deeper into it. I wanted to redefine and present it anew. Even the sight of the audience during "Kantou Dogeza Kumiai" was extraordinary and special. So, instead of expanding into a gray zone or appealing to a broader general audience, we wanted to be unbeatable within our niche. But we don't intend to remain confined within the existing visual kei boundaries; we aim to elevate everything beyond that. That's one of our conclusions. We don't want to be lax about anything and strive to do everything thoroughly.

Interviewer: In other words, you want to be absolute and definitive.

Ruki: Yes. Rather than creating a religious-like world, we want an absolute feeling that also resonates with religious undertones. We have an absolute worldview that we believe in, and it involves attitudes and ideologies rather than just songs. We then present and share everything with our fans. That overlaps significantly with the word "dogma."

Interviewer: In the dictionary, it means doctrine or creed.

Ruki: I don't particularly love the word "dogma" itself. It's been used in many places before. But instead of being the first band to use the term, we wanted to be the band that expressed "dogma" most profoundly.

Interviewer: Using words like religion and doctrine requires a certain determination, doesn't it? If it were a real religion, the proponents would need to be gods or prophets, presenting something absolute for followers to believe in.

Ruki: We actually tried to create that. So, we're very confident in ourselves. Of course, we've always been confident, but this is more about a comprehensive confidence. The title "DOGMA" is very symbolic. And the pursuit of what we think "DOGMA" should be is not limited to just one CD. We planned to take our time to carry out various things associated with this album. At the same time, regarding the album's composition, we used to aim for a balanced inclusion of various elements, like "let's include this type of song" or "we need a song like this," but we decided to stop that. Previously, each album had at least one "good song," but for an album named "DOGMA," we decided not to include anything that didn't fit. Of course, it's not that there are no melodic or catchy elements at all...

Ruki: We have included songs with depth, but it's more like we deliberately set a 'rigidness' to it.

Interviewer: So, instead of maintaining balance within the work, you focused on thoroughly expressing the core element?

Ruki: Yes. There's always a balance in our live performances, like having a song come in at a certain point, or placing a specific type of song before another. We started by breaking away from that.

Interviewer: And when it came to embodying "this is what the GazettE is," anger and darkness were indeed essential elements?

Ruki: In reality, part of the reason we started doing this was because we were drawn to emotions like anger. Somehow, I don't have the option in myself to turn happy things or enjoyable things into songs. Of course, if something makes me happy, my heart moves, but it's not a deep emotional movement, you know? You don't stay joyful for days over one thing. Instead, anger, fear of the current world, and anxiety tend to root themselves deeply and linger. As these emotions amplify, they naturally emerge in the music, not because I consciously decided to push them to the forefront, but because it just naturally turned out that way.

Interviewer: There are tragic incidents and accidents occurring daily. Some of your lyrics seem inspired by such realities.

Ruki: Yes. For example, juvenile crime. Apparently, juvenile crime itself is relatively declining. However, regardless of that, there's a part of me that can't help but be concerned about things like the relationship between victims and perpetrators, or the incidents where family members are affected afterwards... Even though such aspects aren't often highlighted on TV, they catch my attention. Even in cases where there should absolutely be severe punishment, there are perpetrators who manage to evade responsibility, or there are systems in society that allow such things to happen... Such contradictions and hidden aspects move me emotionally because there are likely feelings involved that I can't even imagine.

Interviewer: Because you can't imagine them, you want to understand them?

Ruki: Yes. I want to express that depth of emotion through sound and words. It's not about the incident or the emotion itself, but the depth of it. Therefore, I'm not singing about specific incidents directly. While I can't understand the sadness faced by those affected, imagining it happening to me makes me want to express that depth of emotion and translate it into music.

Interviewer: And the fact that such incidents don't stop means it could happen to anyone, including yourself.

Ruki: Exactly. It can happen to anyone. Everyone must think, "It would be great if these things didn't happen, but they don't stop."

Interviewer: Indeed, those lingering feelings are easier to use as a starting point for expression compared to joy or pleasure.

Ruki: We rarely feel joy so intense it's hard to imagine in our lives. Such feelings are often momentarily released and don't go beyond that. On the opposite, anger and sadness that can't be directed anywhere are feelings everyone tries to hide. You can't burst into tears on the spot, and crying doesn't necessarily make you feel better.

Interviewer: Similarly, even if you harbor feelings of intense anger, you can't go around breaking things or shouting loudly.

Ruki: That's right. The anger towards the perpetrator or the criminal is not something trivial. For example, if my son were killed by a juvenile, I can't even imagine what kind of feelings I'd have.

I think there would be a feeling of needing to kill the perpetrator myself to feel satisfied. Even if that meant breaking the law, the feeling of needing to take matters into my own hands. However, while I might desperately want to kill the criminal in my heart, that's not something allowed for a human. Therefore, these dark feelings have to be hidden and can't be shared with anyone. Unless they're expressed through a song.

In short, that's what it is. For example, I don't think it's appropriate to write about such feelings on Twitter. I'm not trying to share those feelings with others; instead, from my position, I wanted to express those dark feelings through lyrics and sound. And by doing so, I can also expel the murkiness within myself. It's similar to how someone who writes novels might feel. For instance, I have my own thoughts on politics, but I'm not deeply knowledgeable about it, so I don't think it would be right to write about it half-heartedly on Twitter or a blog. Rather, I have a lot of things I want to say that wouldn't fit in such places.

Interviewer: RUKI-san's lyrics aren't explicitly advocating any particular ideology; sometimes it's about the world of imagery. However, that's where those emotions are being expelled, right?

Ruki: That's right. However, it depends on the theme as well. For example, if the theme of a song's lyrics is love. But love isn't tangible. When you try to write about it, it inevitably becomes abstract. If it's limited to the feeling of liking someone, it might become a bit more concrete, but I feel like there's nothing for me to write about such intangible things. As for anger, it's better not to have such feelings. I don't want to evoke a chain of negative events, and I don't wish for such things to happen around me. But anger doesn't go away, and I find myself feeling it more and more each year.

Interviewer: As a result, fans who listen to your music might find some form of healing through those expressions.

Ruki: I wonder about that. Many of our fans are quite enthusiastic. At our live shows, some don't even look at the stage and just headbang (laughs). That's fine. I'm not the type to shout, "Look at us!" during live performances. Rather, I prefer for the atmosphere to be filled with our worldview. For example, if someone releases their stress by going wild at our concerts, that's fine with me. Of course, I have things I want to convey too. But each fan has their own story. We don't know what emotions they bring with them to our concerts. But I think there's something in my emotions that resonates with each of them. I've only recently started thinking this way. Until a while ago, I thought it was enough to just keep the anger and such feelings within myself. As long as I felt my thinking wasn't wrong, that was enough.

Interviewer: It's not about being right by societal standards, but understanding that they are not wrong as your own feelings, right?

Ruki: Exactly. It might not be correct if you take a majority vote, but these are my feelings. So putting those feelings into lyrics is actually quite a forceful imposition.

Interviewer: It's not a question of "Isn't it like this?" It's more of a definitive statement, like words in a sacred text.

Ruki: That's right. It's because it's absolute. So it's not about "There are various ways of thinking." For me, this is the definitive answer. I'm not saying, "You should feel the same," but rather, "This is how it is for me."

Interviewer: So it's a one-way expression. But if it gathers enough empathy, it could even form a kind of religion.

Ruki: Yes, that's right.

Interviewer: So I'd like to ask again, in the end, what is the most important thing for the GazettE to be the GazettE?

Ruki: That's... it's really difficult to answer clearly... For example, right now, I don't find many bands that I think are cool. I don't mean that in a bad way. Of course, there are many people I respect. But the ideal band I envision, which includes not just the music but also things like the quality of the visuals and the way they dress, those elements combined, that's what I wanted to pursue, which led to the "PROJECT: DARK AGE" approach.

Interviewer: You don't want to idealize someone from the past, you have to create your own ideal form.

Ruki: That's right. I don't want to seek ideals in the past, and I want to focus on what visual kei really means. Visual kei isn't just about looks; it's about the mindset. When I first discovered LUNA SEA, I was drawn to those aspects and felt the "now" of that era in their band style. Moreover, they definitely expressed darkness. That impression was vivid for me, and that's what visual kei means to me. But I don't think we should cling to those past ideals in 2015. Honestly, until recently, I was probably trapped by that. I was trying to preserve the old-school visual kei within myself.

Interviewer: To inherit, deepen, and pass it on to the next generation?

Ruki: Yes. But I felt that I had to devour the visual kei of the past in order to be satisfied within myself. Therefore, I had a strong feeling of embodying the world view and pursuing quality that I hadn't been able to fully realize before. As a result, if you ask whether what we created falls within the bounds of visual kei, it might not. But by embodying those ideals and becoming such a presence ourselves, I felt we might find a unique position. Thinking about why so many people come to see us, I felt the answer was there. There's a traditional idea of what visual kei is supposed to be. For me, that's also the standard. When you think of visual kei, there's an image. But we can't remain kids chasing that image forever. This realization hit me while we were on the "Redefinition" tour.

Interviewer: So the pursuit of ideals so far was based on the classic model of the past. But now, you have to create your own ideal path and present yourselves to the generations who don't know your past. You can't stay in an old, balanced, or vague state.

Ruki: That's right. And it's not about wanting to be popular with younger audiences. We want to emphasize "now" in our own way and proceed with everything based on that. I think that's what we should be doing. We don't want to stop evolving. We're not trying to revitalize the visual kei industry. It's not about that; we want to be individuals. We want to maintain a stance of not blending in. We want to continue evolving without forgetting the respect we have for those who influenced us. Only by being like that can we be a truly current band. The goal is not to uplift this genre of music for the world. Instead, we want to become an indispensable and absolute presence for those who need us.

Interviewer: The GazettE might still be visual kei, but the motivation for being visual kei has changed.

Ruki: For me, it has. My feelings have changed. We're not focusing on continuing as visual kei. Ultimately, it started from wanting to be cool. Looking around, I don't see any bands that I think are cool, so it would be strange to try to blend in. So, we decided to seek our ideals as individuals. Also, when our fans show someone our music and say they like visual kei, I don't want the reaction to be "Wow." Are they still doing this in this era?" For example, and it's an extreme example, but if you compare us to Taylor Swift, I don't want there to be an obvious gap.

Our English lyrics are done by someone in London, and they say that over there, bands need to be unique to be recognized. If the quality and message of a band aren't apparent, there's no place for them. If it's clearly felt that our level is lower, everything will be dismissed as inferior. So we decided to go all out with "PROJECT: DARK AGE," creating something we could be confident in.

Interviewer: So you wanted to present a team that could compete with the world?

Ruki: Yes. Over there, each individual stands out. In Japan, mastering engineers are seen as behind-the-scenes, but in America, names like Ted Jensen are well-known. We work surrounded by people who are on par with them, and we want to show that. Whether we're the best intermediary for that is uncertain, but that's what we wanted to convey.

Interviewer: On the other hand, even if you have a reliable team, if the work itself is mediocre or vague, it means nothing. So, creating something absolute and pushing yourselves to the limit was crucial.

Ruki: Yes. As a result, it became our strength. When a band tries to move forward, obstacles sometimes come from unrelated places. But each time that happened, our rebellious spirit grew, making us want to speed up even more. We need to reach a place where those obstacles are no longer a concern.

Interviewer: The title of your work "DOGMA" is quite striking. How did you feel when you first heard it?

Uruha: I simply thought it was cool. First of all, the sound of the word is good. Simple and impactful words have mostly already been used, right? Although the word "dogma" itself has already been used in many places, we hadn't used it before. The sound of this word links well with musical expression. If we use this title, the work inevitably has a darker tone. That aligns with our strengths. So, from the start, I thought it was a great idea.

Interviewer: It's a word that means creed, doctrine, or principle. Having it as a title implies that the work embodies your essence or what you've always had, rather than exploring unknown music.

Uruha: Yes. The darkness typical of visual kei that we've always pursued is part of it, but expressing the creation of a new religion is something we hadn't tackled before. So, it seemed interesting. Combining religious elements with visual kei. For example, there are quite a few visual kei bands that use Christian imagery as a motif. Instead of an existing religion, creating a brand-new one ourselves has a certain freedom. There are no constraints. If we were to be conscious of an existing religion, there would be limitations and difficulties, but if we create it ourselves, nothing gets in the way.

Interviewer: Indeed. When you describe a work as having a "religious feel," people might think of pipe organ sounds or hymn-like elements. But that's not the case here. Rather, it's an album that redefines what the GazettE is all about.

Uruha: Yes. It's like looking at ourselves from a bird's eye view. It's like, "Yeah, this is who we are." Even at our live shows, there are elements that seem religious. All the fans moving in unison with the music. Sometimes we feel, "You don't have to move like that," or "You could be more free." We feel a bit conflicted about it, but ultimately, we have to accept that this is our way. We think, "Let's present it in a cool way." So, choosing a "religious" presentation was one of the options to make it really cool.

Interviewer: Do you personally follow any religion?

Uruha: No, I don't.

Interviewer: For people who are overly devoted to religion, it can sometimes seem dangerous. We all remember incidents related to new religious movements. For the followers, it's sacred and worship-worthy, but for others, it can appear strange or dirty. Didn't you feel any danger in presenting things in a religious manner?

Uruha: Rather than those real aspects, it’s more about my own perspective since I don't really know much about religion. For example, "Why do so many people gather for this?" It's the pulling power of the sect or the leader. That power to attract people is something we want to have and show during our live performances. Without it, any band would be hopeless.

Interviewer: So, the idea was to create your own religion to strengthen that attraction?

Uruha: Yes. No matter how seriously you pursue music, it's essentially the same thing. It's establishing a religious group and seeing how many people follow it. Even starting a fan club is similar. Recruiting members is like a religion. The only difference is whether music is at the core.

Interviewer: So, there's no need to overreact to the word "religion"?

Uruha: Exactly. We're not trying to present any doctrines or teachings (laughs). If there's anything close to that, it would be something like, "You should vent your daily life stress at our live performances!" (laughs). That's really all there is to it. So, the interpretation of the album is up to the listeners. How they perceive each song is up to them. What's more important is the tour. We’ll be touring with this concept, and the key is how many people we can attract and how much we can entertain them. That's everything.

Interviewer: It also means drawing people in more deeply, right?

Uruha: Yes. Just like followers of a religion go through what they call training, producing adrenaline in the process. In a different form, but fundamentally similar. So, when people are going wild at our shows, it might look like training from an outsider's perspective.

Interviewer: I see. It feels like this work and concept will be crucial for the band to aim higher and continue for a long time. What do you think is the most important thing the band must not lose?

Uruha: The things we mustn't lose... there are many. Too many to count. The most important would be the parts that drive us. If we lose our passion, it would be like having our engine taken out of a car. Trust and relationships with those around us are also crucial. If our connection with the fans breaks, that would be really bad. So, there are many things we must not lose.

Interviewer: What do you think is necessary for the GazettE to continue being the GazettE?

Uruha: What could it be? Probably freedom. The freedom to come up with ideas and pursue different concepts is because of the environment we have. Without that environment, we wouldn’t be able to do anything. So, the most important thing might be freedom.

Interviewer: It's interesting that having an environment where you can think freely allowed you to create something very focused.

Uruha: Yes. Because we have that freedom, we could create this. Trying to do everything at once wouldn't work. Freedom allowed us to create a tightly focused world.

Uruha: But this way of thinking has only recently come about. During the previous album, the freedom we had was more in the ordinary sense. Our use of freedom was different. Realizing that change is part of the flow from the last work to this one.

Interviewer: "DOGMA" isn't a balanced album in the usual sense. It's not a collection of diverse songs with a good balance. Instead, you could say that every song is intense and dark from start to finish. Why were you able to create something like this without hesitation?

Uruha: That's probably because our ideals have changed. When we made the previous album, our ideal was to create a well-balanced work with various elements. But after doing that, we realized that it left an empty space. Noticing that gap led to the next ideal. Ideals aren't singular. If you only have one ideal, you'll end up doing the same thing repeatedly.

Interviewer: Continuously refining the same thing can be beautiful...

Uruha: Yes, if that's truly their ideal. But for the GazettE, I don't think that's the case. We're always looking for gaps, something missing. So, after finishing one thing, we always come up with the next thing we want to do. This momentum and constant change is what drives the band.

Interviewer: So, if people were to say, "How was the new album?" and the answer is, "It's the same as before," that would be a crisis.

Uruha: That would be quite bad. However, it's fine for other bands to stay the same. I don't demand change from bands I like. I want them to stay the same. But we don’t want to keep doing the same thing ourselves (laughs).

Interviewer: That’s quite contrary (laughs). As a listener, you listen to what you want to hear. But as a creator, it’s different.

Uruha: Yes. There's definitely a difference between my creator self and listener self. It may seem contradictory, but both coexist within me. Just creating what my listener self wants to hear doesn’t satisfy my creator self.

Interviewer: You mentioned changing ideals. It makes sense that reactions and reflections on the previous work lead to changes. So, after "DOGMA," will you find another gap?

Uruha: Probably. With "PROJECT: DARK AGE," we’ve put in an unprecedented amount of effort, so the reaction might be significant (laughs). I'm sure there will be moments when we think, "I don't want to do intense songs anymore." I can already see that reaction coming. And since we will continue with this concept for a while, we’ll likely feel fed up with it and be thorough to the point of exhaustion (laughs).

Interviewer: I don’t completely understand your future plans yet, but it seems like it won’t just be one album and a tour. You’re planning to take more time and be thorough.

Interviewer: What led you to this idea?

Uruha: As I said earlier, we’re seeking an attraction. We felt that we needed to have the momentum to turn everyone into believers. Looking back, we thought our previous works had a weak pull. We realized that if the work itself didn’t draw people in, it was pointless. We needed to attract our core audience more deeply. And even though we call them the core audience, we wondered if they all truly felt as passionately as we thought. That’s why we felt the need to draw them in thoroughly, at least once. To do that, we needed a concept that could captivate even ourselves. The word “dogma” had the power to do that. It had something that stirred the heart, which was crucial.

Interviewer: So, the word "dogma" didn't just pop up suddenly, but it came about naturally because you wanted to increase your attraction and become a definitive presence?

Uruha: Exactly. It’s a word with a sound we like and we thought the fans would like it too. We were searching for a word that could reach those sensitive spots, and we came across this word. It wasn’t just a word we liked; it also pointed to something we needed at the time. Everyone who likes visual kei gathered because of that. The band members, the fans, there’s a commonality among us. With “DOGMA,” we want to pull those who gather around the GazettE even deeper. We want to draw them in even more intensely than just within the circle of the GazettE. We want them to get to the core.

Interviewer: Does that mean that music alone isn’t enough to achieve this?

Uruha: Of course, music is the foundation. It must be compelling enough to draw people in on its own. Even before the artwork and accompanying elements were decided, the idea of releasing an album called "DOGMA," which seemed intense, already excited me. At that point, I had already cleared my own hurdle. So, I had high expectations. If it’s something I can look forward to, I’m sure the fans will follow. We have to believe in that. If it’s not accepted, then our tastes must be different...

Interviewer: Yes. it would be disappointing, wouldn't it?

Uruha: Yes. But I think it’s good to clarify any ambiguity. By reaffirming what our music is about, the fans will understand the band better. I believe that will be the result.

Interviewer: You want to deepen the relationship with the fans to the point where it could almost be called religious.

Uruha: Yes. To put it simply, I want to make them unable to escape. Not just strengthening the bond.

Interviewer: And as you mentioned earlier, this is definitely at the core of the GazettE in 2015, however, this doesn't mean it will continue like this musically forever.

Uruha: I think so. It depends on the reaction we get after this album is released and after the tour. It will depend on the reaction within ourselves during that time too. It will determine where we go next. Right now, it's still too early to say.

Uruha: I don't really want to think about it. Right now, I’m focusing completely on this, and when I’m entirely focused, the next reaction should naturally emerge. In the past, I thought I had to see several years into the future. But that can make the present feel insubstantial. While the future is important, I want to focus on the amazing concept in front of us now. We can't go back to who we were at that time. For example, a work is like a child; if I had a child, their early years would never come again. That’s why I want to be fully present at that moment. I think it’s the same thing.

Interviewer: Thinking about the future doesn’t necessarily open the path ahead.

Uruha: I think there's a way to move forward like that, of course. However, I've come to think that focusing on the present will connect to the future better.

Interviewer: Even if you try to think about the future...

Uruha: It doesn’t go as planned (laughs).

Interviewer: Even if you make a plan, it doesn’t go accordingly. But the reason you tried to plan was because of anxiety, right?

Uruha: That might be part of it. I was thinking about how to keep going. Like, since we came this far, what’s next, or considering the state of the world. But looking back, those events don’t end up being that meaningful. Taking that stance can make time pass by unremarkably. I think it’s more important to create something big and focus on it. To tackle each moment as it comes.

Interviewer: And by focusing on the present, some kind of reaction is always born, revealing the next step. It seems that now you can focus on the present because you've gained a solid sense of identity and the anxiety has disappeared.

Uruha: Yes. Simply put, it’s because “I’m interested in this now.” The flow of time up to this point has been important. The “redefinition” tour had a huge impact. That year was significant. From the outside, people might have wondered about it.

Interviewer: Like, “Are you on hiatus?”

Uruha: That was one reaction. People also probably said, “Release a CD!” But having a year without releases was important. At that time, we were convinced that we needed a break.

Interviewer: If you’re stuck in the routine of releasing an album and touring every year, the band might burn out. Taking time off can reveal things you hadn’t seen before. Through the “redefinition” process, you re-experienced your past chronologically and confirmed that your history was a series of reactions.

Uruha: Yes. We needed to review what the GazettE is and take time to think. Everyone has times when they need a break. Continuing in the same cycle indefinitely isn't normal. It was important for people to understand that we’re human.

Interviewer: This ties into whether music alone is enough. Will the band continue to be visual kei in the future?

Uruha: I think so (laughs). Not because we’re bound by it, but because we like it. We don’t see ourselves as fitting into a category; we just like visual kei and it’s ingrained in us. We use visual kei methods and nuances to realize our ideals. After being in visual kei for so long, we don’t even think of ourselves as playing visual kei music anymore. It doesn’t matter. We do things that don’t seem visual kei naturally. We initially sought that when we started the band, but over time, we’ve experimented with different genres. How people categorize us doesn’t matter anymore.

Interviewer: The ideal stance is that categories don’t matter and aren’t necessary. The band isn’t trying to be visual kei; rather, when the GazettE does what it does best, visual elements and methods are indispensable, right?

Uruha: Yes. So, when people say, “You have visual kei elements,” I don’t deny it. “Oh, really? That shows?” (laughs). But we’re not doing visual kei. There’s no resistance to it, but that’s not the point. I want people to understand that we’re not trying to compete within that framework.

Interviewer: That sentiment must be reflected in this work, too.

Uruha: Yes. What we should create and wanted to create is exactly this. But it doesn’t mean we’ll stay the same forever. While we may not have infinite time, we’ll decide together on the next direction and run towards it. And it feels really freeing.

Interviewer: It’s because of that freedom that you can go deeper. It’s not that this was the only thing you could create, but you chose this among infinite possibilities. That’s important.

Uruha: That’s crucial. No doubt.

Interviewer: The birth of the title “DOGMA” was inevitable, and without it, this work wouldn’t exist.

Uruha: Yes. In reality, it’s about fitting the word and concept to what we wanted to do. It’s not that we had a theme first and created around it, but rather what we wanted to do came first. Then we thought, “What word expresses this?” and that’s how we arrived at the title.

Interviewer: Even if you had thought of the word “dogma” between the previous albums, you were in a period of wanting to create new music and try unknown methods. So, it wouldn’t have been the title then.

Uruha: Yes. If we had finished the previous album and come up with this word, we might have chosen it. But if it had come up before making the previous album, it would’ve been rejected. It really appeared at the right time. I think everything had that kind of inevitability.

Interviewer: It’s often said that a name represents its essence, and I think the same can be said about the album "DOGMA." What kind of image did you have of this title, Aoi-san?

Aoi: You mean as a word, right? At first, I wondered, “What is 'dogma'?” The word itself didn’t feel very real to me. It wasn’t completely disconnected from the band’s image, but it also wasn’t straightforward. It didn’t quite fit comfortably anywhere. Also, while the word was new to us, it had been used in many contexts before.

Interviewer: It's been quite commonly used in the visual kei scene, hasn't it?

Aoi: Yes, exactly. So, initially, I didn’t have a great impression of it. I wondered, “Why use this word now?” There was that feeling. In our past works, we've often embraced somewhat impersonal or coined terms, and this word "dogma" appeared suddenly, with a worldview that seemed too fixed. At first, it was difficult to grasp how to approach it.

Interviewer: The previous two albums had a clear concept in terms of how the music was made, right? But with the word “dogma,” it’s hard to see a specific method or theme.

Aoi: It’s paradoxical. It’s both too clear and too elusive at the same time.

Interviewer: The word has a grandiose feel. Did it feel strange to use such a religious-sounding word now?

Aoi: Yes, but in our discussions, it became clear that it represented an absolute thing for us, something fundamental to the GazettE. Once we understood that, it started to feel doable. Simply creating songs that respond to the word “dogma” wouldn’t have worked. But if it’s about our absolute essence, then we could work with that.

Interviewer: Your own absolute essence. That wouldn’t mean creating completely different music, but rather, focusing on what you’re best at, right?

Aoi: Yes. When we thought of it that way, we started to see the final form of the album. It felt more intense, like there weren’t many sweet elements. We’re not sure how it will affect listeners, but if we believe in it absolutely, then that result is fine. In the past, we might have thought we needed a ballad or a more familiar song. But for this, we didn’t worry about that.

Interviewer: Usually, when striving for an ideal album, you tend to think about the balance of the songs.

Aoi: If we had focused on that balance, it wouldn’t have turned out this way. In that sense, it’s not a balanced album. But making it as “DOGMA” naturally led to this. We couldn’t imagine it any other way. We created many songs and carefully selected from them, which led to this result. This is what we wanted to showcase, with absolute confidence.

Interviewer: That’s an interesting point. Normally, when selecting from many songs, you avoid ones that overlap in impression. But in this case, all the songs feel dark, like they’re all black in color. It’s hard to describe each track individually because many are expressed in similar terms.

Aoi: Exactly. There were times when it felt a bit scary. But if you don’t believe in yourselves, it can’t become something absolute. Making an album without worrying about balance is inherently scary. We want to be liked rather than disliked, naturally. There was a fear that it wouldn’t be accepted, but as a work, it’s better not to have regrets. If we had added pop songs or ballads for balance, we might have regretted it.

Interviewer: So, if you had aimed to write universally good or heart-touching songs, it wouldn’t have turned out this way. But perhaps that’s why it’s good.

Aoi: Yes, the starting point wasn’t to write universally acclaimed songs. It was simply about what we wanted people to hear. Even if it’s not accepted, we have no regrets. Otherwise, we couldn’t have titled it “DOGMA.” It’s a risky title because it asserts our doctrine. If something isn’t included here, it’s not part of the GazettE’s core path.

Interviewer: It’s true. This title indicates that what’s included here is essential to the band. If it’s not included, it suggests it’s not part of the GazettE’s core.

Aoi: Exactly. But right now, this is what we wanted to release. We don’t have more to show for “DOGMA” at this moment. There’s more to come in the future, but for the first release in this series, this form is the only one we could think of.

Interviewer: What led you to the decision to focus on your core essence so thoroughly here?

Aoi: It’s hard to say. It’s a flow from the previous two works. There’s a part of us testing ourselves within that flow. It felt like a challenge to see how far we could go with the GazettE. If we were going to go that far, it made sense to establish our absolutes. That’s my interpretation. Others in the band might have different thoughts, maybe they just thought “dogma” sounded cool (laughs). But that’s how I took it.

Interviewer: In the past, you’ve deliberately tried different approaches, even in the last two albums. You’ll probably continue exploring new areas in the future. But it seems you needed to reaffirm and shape your core essence now.

Aoi: I think so too. The band has been around for over ten years, and to continue working together in the future, this was a necessary step.

Aoi: If it’s not intense, I can’t feel a reason to do it. But, I think that after we create something like “DOGMA,” then when we think about creating something in the future, our vision will become clearer.

Interviewer: So to put it bluntly, it’s like creating a noun again, it becomes a work that says "this is the kind of band we are," right?

Aoi: Yeah. Ultimately, over these 13 years, there were times when I didn’t quite understand RUKI's symbolic part of the band, but reaching this point now feels significant. For example, in past interviews, I’ve said things like, “I don’t really understand this music.” During that time, I tried to understand the songs more deeply. That’s probably why we were able to create this album.

Interviewer: Even if a song didn’t align with your own tastes, you believed it would add value to the whole, or it was necessary for where you were heading in the future, right?

Aoi: Yes, that's right. So... RUKI doesn't really explain everything, so we have to find answers ourselves... Whether those answers are correct or not is uncertain, but we need to show a proactive stance. If we don’t, we might not really be a band anymore. We do get asked, “What do you want to do?” and we have to maintain a sense of being a band.

Interviewer: What it means to be a band can differ. It’s not necessarily about everyone always having intense communication and unified intentions. In the case of this band, there are a lot of elements like the band’s worldview and aesthetics that RUKI transmits, right? And the chemistry that happens around that defines your band’s essence.

Aoi: I want to believe that too. Honestly, there were times when I felt like it was just about his opinions. That was just my perspective. At such times, the members don’t talk more than necessary to each other, but if you try to understand, the other person responds. It's that kind of feeling. Such a flow comes around, and that’s how we got here.

Interviewer: I also feel that "DOGMA" will become a standard to measure various things against in the future.

Aoi: Indeed. Saying that might be interpreted as a return to roots, but it’s completely different. It’s not about going back to our roots. It’s still about the present and, probably the future too. RUKI remains the core of the GazettE. But no one really understands what’s in RUKI's head (laughs), and I honestly don’t know how we’ll progress from here. However, if we can branch out from that core, that’s the essence of the GazettE. Our way of creating works might change. But no matter what happens, it will still be the GazettE. That’s what I believe now. In a good sense, of course.

Interviewer: When you say “it will still be the GazettE,” it could be taken as meaning that you can’t become anything else, but that’s not the case. It means that no matter how things turn, it will still be the GazettE, right?

Aoi: Yes. That’s how I feel about it.

Interviewer: So, what do you think are the essential elements for the GazettE to continue being the GazettE? I’m sure it’s not just one or two things.

Aoi: Hmm. There was a time when I was quite self-deprecating (laughs), but that period is essential to my current self. Ultimately, it’s about these five members, no matter what. Even if one person seems outstanding and I feel envious of that, or if there used to be such feelings. Even though there were times when I saw someone standing out who wasn’t very visible from the outside, there must have been a part that was always sought after, and yet at that time, I didn't try to see that reality. So, after all, it’s important to keep in mind that "this person doesn't really want to do it solo, do they?" and that it's really the GazettE with these five people, and it’s important for mutual trust to exist, or it just won’t work. Otherwise, I don’t think we can make anything decent. Even now, in this situation, when we were making "DOGMA," we talked a lot. Yes, it's no good if there’s someone who's a bit self-deprecating (laughs). But I think if there hadn’t been such a time, I wouldn’t have been able to think the way I do now.

Interviewer: Everyone experiences different degrees of self-deprecation, and whether it’s visible or not, it’s something that’s always there. After more than 10 years as a band, it’s natural to have such phases. Those “valleys” allow you to climb the next “mountains,” so to speak.

Aoi: You’re absolutely right (laughs). That’s something we shouldn’t lose. It’s about not giving up. Even if it doesn’t feel right for you personally, you push through until the final moment of fixing it. Without that mindset, it’s disrespectful to the other members. That’s what we’re working on now. It’s important not to give up.

Interviewer: Not giving up. Essentially believing in yourselves but being wary of overconfidence?

Aoi: Yes, exactly.

Interviewer: Moreover, while believing in yourselves, your band is not completely closed off to outside influences. The existence of “PROJECT: DARK AGE” symbolizes that.

Aoi: Exactly. While we take the initiative in creating our works, especially regarding sound, it’s not something we do alone. It becomes a project for everyone involved. We need people who can resonate with that. That’s what makes a work complete. Only with people who can elevate each other can we create something meaningful. However, with “PROJECT: DARK AGE,” I did feel like we gathered a bunch of strong personalities (laughs).

Interviewer: Another essential element for the band’s existence and continuity is the fans. What do you want from them? Just your current thoughts.

Aoi: What is it? I don’t want them to take everything we present as absolute. Even though we’re putting out something we consider absolute, I don’t want them to have a one-track interpretation.

Aoi: Even if they don’t take everything we put out as absolute, that might actually be a good thing. I think it’s fine if our fans also check out other bands, and view us with a flexible mindset. For example, even if they think, “What are these guys doing now?” I just want them to enjoy it. It’s not like we’re saying, “We’re presenting this, so you must accept it in a certain way.”

Interviewer: "DOGMA" is a sacred text, an absolute thing. It has a somewhat religious aspect. In that sense, it could be seen as the band being the leaders and the fans being followers. However, you want to leave the interpretation of that sacred text up to the fans, right?

Aoi: Exactly. Personally, I see it as a set of principles for me to continue being part of the GazettE. That’s how I interpret it, and it feels right to me. I think it’s great if everyone listens, watches, and engages with it in their own way and develops their own interpretation of the GazettE. So, it’s not like we’re saying, “This is the answer from the five of us to you.”

Interviewer: It’s more like a set of conditions, rather than an answer.

Aoi: Yes, and it’s not like if you don’t meet these conditions, you can’t be a fan of the GazettE. At least, that’s not my perspective.

Interviewer: But, like a devoted follower memorizing a sacred text, it would be ideal if fans get deeply engrossed in this album and try to fully understand it.

Aoi: Of course. Personally, I consider it my absolute truth. It’s very gratifying if there are people who feel the same way. In that sense, it is somewhat religious. Even though I am not religious at all.

Interviewer: What is your image of religion?

Aoi: There are those who show something, and there are those who accept it... It's that kind of thing, isn't it? Certainly, I think there are similarities to the relationship between this band and its fans. However, what one believes in is up to the individual. I don’t see anything wrong with people finding solace in something religious. What we’re doing isn’t much different. There are people who pay to take in what we put out. However, we probably can’t really save anyone.

Interviewer: You don’t think so? I believe you do.

Aoi: Well, I'm not sure. There might be people out there who feel like they've been saved in some way (laughs). But, we’re not doing this with the grand purpose of saving someone. There are creators who send out something, and there are people who receive it or resonate with it. The more people resonate with it, the bigger it becomes. That feels very natural for a band.

Interviewer: Yes. Each person’s interpretation doesn’t need to be exactly the same, but it is like asking, “How will you receive the absolute aspect of the GazettE?”

Aoi: Yes, I think that’s a good place to leave it. I don’t want to go as far as limiting interpretations.

Interviewer: I also wanted to ask a bit about the visual kei approach. Previously, you all mentioned not wanting to go down the predictable path of becoming more natural as you gain experience. Has that mindset changed?

Aoi: Not really. I think, “If we’re not like this, who would want it?” It’s not something I can just stop or continue on my own will. The GazettE needs to be this way to be necessary. Honestly, continuing this way is a hassle, time-consuming, and tough. But if it’s what’s desired… I can’t just say, “I don’t want to do makeup anymore, I’ll go natural.” Aoi from the GazettE is undeniably me, but it’s not just about me anymore. The same goes for RUKI and the other members. It’s not something I can change based on my own feelings, stopping it forcefully would just be selfish and unnecessary ego.

Interviewer: I see. Indeed, music alone doesn’t define a band or a work. There are many surrounding elements like artwork, videos, and costumes. Some may say, “We are purely about the music, everything else doesn’t matter,” and that might seem like the correct stance for musicians. However, for your band, while music is fundamental, all visual elements are essential too. Without them, it wouldn’t be complete.

Aoi: Exactly. It's hard to put into words, but while music is absolutely central, it’s also just the starting point. What we create isn’t just simple music; it’s a comprehensive form. Our genre and the way we make music are about completing this holistic form. Sound is crucial, but it’s not just about sound. We want everything the audience interacts with to be perfect. That includes the visuals and makeup, if it’s necessary for what’s desired. We’re not just about one aspect.

Interviewer: Of course, hearing someone say, “I like the photos but not the music” would be disappointing. But you believe all these elements are essential for the work to be complete, right? Ideally, the aesthetic and sensibility behind the music should resonate as well.

Aoi: Absolutely. We’re definitely not ordinary, from our looks to everything else. But if you see us as a whole, you’ll realize how all the elements match perfectly. That’s enough for me. Sure, it’s tricky for summer outdoor festivals and it’s hard to maintain (laughs).

Interviewer: Your costumes have become more elaborate too.

Aoi: It does make it harder to move like a typical rock band, heavier in a way. But we still go to festivals like this (laughs). Even if it’s physically demanding, I want to keep moving lightly in spirit. This kind of intense worldview is something you can’t achieve otherwise. As long as it feels justified, it’s meaningful for us. For us, it’s all natural. Everything naturally accompanies the music.

Interviewer: Yes, I understand. For people who initially pick up your work because of the music, noticing these elements is valuable.

Aoi: Indeed. If it leads to new discoveries for them, that’s wonderful and exactly what we hope for.

Interviewer: When you put out a title like "DOGMA", it’s inevitable that people will wonder, "What is the GazettE?" It makes you imagine that this work delves deeply into that question. Is that the correct way to perceive it?

Reita: Yes, I think that's right.

Interviewer: What led you to the idea of creating such an album?

Reita: Up until now, we've made albums that embody a certain worldview, but it's never been this clear. We've tried to shape things based on themes like the colors of the five of us or the essence of the GazettE. However, this time, with the theme of "DOGMA," the very sound of the word stimulates imagination and suggests a specific concept. We've never created an album with such a defined theme before. As we delved into it, it became more interesting and we didn’t want to do anything halfway. That’s how it progressed.

Interviewer: Even without knowing the meaning of the word, I think everyone will get a sense of a creepy, heavy atmosphere. And in reality, it means doctrine or scripture. So, if this band were a religion, would this album be its scripture?

Reita: The relationship between this band and its fans is quite similar to that, isn’t it? We wanted to clearly present that quasi-religious atmosphere. At the same time, we also feel like, "Are we the only ones left in visual kei?" If that’s the case, then it’s only natural for us to create our own religion.

Interviewer: Are you saying, "We are the only gods"?

Reita: I wouldn’t go that far, but yes, something like that (laughs).

Interviewer: There are various bands within the visual kei scene with different musical directions. Instead of asserting that "we're different from others," you’re saying it’s more like, "It's okay with just us"?

Reita: Yes, we feel that if we do this, we won't lose to anyone, and other bands aren’t necessary. That's how we feel.

Interviewer: Now, you've turned everyone into your enemies (laughs).

Reita: Hahaha! Given the diversity in visual kei today, there aren't many others we resonate with... To be honest, death metal seems more visual kei to me these days. It made me reconsider what visual kei really is.

Interviewer: That interpretation can differ by generation. Nowadays, the mainstream in that category might be characterized by a cute, sparkling look with an anything-goes musical approach.

Reita: Yeah. But for us, this is what visual kei is, and it's kind of our origin. It's how we felt when we first learned about visual kei... That might be close to what's packed into "DOGMA."

Interviewer: Death metal often accompanies an aesthetic sense, religious sublimity, and strictness.

Reita: Exactly. The clarity of that worldview, the fact that it's not just anything goes, is close to our idea of visual kei. Nowadays, there are many who do anything goes, but to me, that feels a bit off.

Interviewer: So, you were fed up with the mainstream trend of doing anything goes?

Reita: Yeah. Well, we started the band with a close-to-no-concept approach, but as we continued, the feeling of "this is who we are" emerged. That answer is what we have now. We are different from others, and we’re doing things that others can’t or wouldn’t want to do in this era. Moreover, it's not something that has a hint of the underground but rather something that has gained a certain level of acceptance. The scale and scope are important. By presenting such a worldview, I honestly believe we can’t be beaten.

Interviewer: When people aim to expand and grow, they mostly try to throw something that anyone can easily like, right? But you’re doing the exact opposite. By throwing something extremely pinpointed and extreme, you’re trying to highlight your own existence.

Reita: Exactly. So, people who like it will love it, and it’s meant to keep those who like us from ever leaving. This album isn’t something that everyone will like. I myself understand that.

Interviewer: You say that so definitively.

Reita: Yes. (laughs)

Interviewer: You want to ensure that those who like you will never leave. So, it’s not enough if someone listens to this album and thinks, "the GazettE is my third favorite band"?

Reita: "What's that?" That's the feeling (laughs). We don’t need such words. I know not everyone will like it, and if they hate it, that’s fine, as long as they come to their own conclusion. If someone dislikes it, that’s unavoidable. What’s most frightening is "not being known." Seeing but not liking, listening but hating, is not a problem for me.

Interviewer: Although, if too many people felt that way, it would be a problem.

Reita: True (laughs). But it helps to have people come to their own conclusions. They often say the opposite of love is not hate, but indifference. That’s exactly what I think. We started this band and have been doing our best... if people are indifferent, that’s unfulfilling. It means our existence doesn’t matter to them.

Interviewer: So even if the response is negative, being recognized is more important than being unknown?

Reita: Yes, I have no problem with it. That’s why I want to perform at festivals. Because there, a diverse crowd will judge if they like us or not. Of course, it’s risky. The scariest thing is people going to eat during our set. (laughs) If they listen to one song and then leave because they felt nothing, there's nothing you can do.

Interviewer: Didn't you consider the risk that pursuing this path might result in losing something?

Reita: No. If what we think is cool makes people think "that's.. different" then the GazettE doesn’t need to be in their world. That’s the answer. I don’t think we lose anything there.

Interviewer: But what if the majority ends up thinking "that's different"?

Reita: Yes, that might happen. But it won’t lead to despair. Because we believe what we’re doing is cool. To those who say they hate it, I’d just think, "If you hate it, that’s fine, but you don’t get it."

Reita: There aren't many bands like us, right? That's what I think. It might sound conceited (laughs), but that's how I feel.

Interviewer: And at the same time, you're confident that those who have liked the GazettE up until now will like you even more with this release, right?

Reita: Yes. Because I myself like bands like this. So, in the end, it's just my assumption. But it's hard to do something based on the idea, "I don't like it, but maybe everyone else will?" That just feels a bit forced. In the end, you have to run with the belief that what you like, everyone else will like too.

Interviewer: In other words, you're aiming at people out there who share the same sensibilities and values as you do.

Reita: Yes. I believe there are definitely people who will resonate with us. Through our 13 years of activity, I've come to understand that there are quite a few of those people out there.

Interviewer: Do you think that this confidence, backed by your past achievements, has pushed you to take bold actions, like making this album?

Reita: Yes. Above all, the fans who have supported us all along have given us the confidence. So even if that leads to us going a bit overboard, it’s the fans' fault for encouraging us. (laughs)

Interviewer: "It's your fault for getting us all fired up," right?

Reita: Exactly. (laughs) But, whether you call it overboard or not, we have a sense of "this is what you’re expecting from us, right?" So even if people think, "No, this isn’t it," we can say, "Too bad, but this is what the GazettE is now." We're not going to change just because of that.

Interviewer: You mentioned "the current GazettE." While it's clear that "DOGMA" represents the core of the band, you’re not saying you'll always do the same thing.

Reita: Of course. You never know what’s ahead. After we release this album, tour with it, and finish the final show, then maybe we'll understand what this album means to us. So, I can only say it's the current GazettE.

Interviewer: This time, it seems like the period you'll spend on this theme will be longer than usual.

Reita: We wanted to delay finding the answer a bit longer. Usually, after releasing an album, we start touring about a week later, finish it in two months, and reach the tour final. In such a typical flow, you end up having to find the answer within about three months from the album release. But making an album takes way longer than three months. If we have to find the answer in that short time, we have to move quickly. I feel that this is one reason why bands don't last long. We need to enjoy one album for a longer time. Otherwise, I feel like we might come to a stop.

Interviewer: For instance, the previous two albums were made in a relatively short span and were battles against time. Trying to keep up such a cycle might wear you down, right?

Reita: Definitely. You get worn out, and the band’s lifespan gets shorter. That's not desirable for us at all. We want to keep doing the band, that's why we work hard. So, we need to think more about the way we spend time on each album. Japan is small, so even a national tour ends quickly. But in other countries, the tours for one album last much longer. They keep searching for answers during that time. Compared to that, I feel like we’re rushing too much.

Interviewer: Your evolution and growth might be fast, but aging might progress quickly too.

Reita: Exactly. That’s scary, and not what we want at all.

Interviewer: Do you feel like you want to do a tour for "DOGMA" for 2-3 years, like bands in the West do?

Reita: Yes. I want to spend more time and enjoy it more. I want to do it until I feel like I can't do it anymore. I want to get to the point where I can play the songs in my sleep. (laughs) Until it sticks with me that much.

Interviewer: Maybe you won't see what you want to do next until you go all out like that.

Reita: I think so too.

Interviewer: When thinking about keeping the band going for a long time, what do you think is important aside from how you use your time?

Reita: When I say I want to keep the band going for a long time, I don’t just mean continuing the band's activities. The position we’re in is very important. I want to continue for a long time while being at the top.

Interviewer: You don’t just want to be a long-lived band?

Reita: Right. Like I said before, "there’s no one else in visual kei but us," and I don’t want those words to become embarrassing. If we say something like that and then disappear quickly, it would be like, "Oh? There's no one left." So, to continue for a long time means we want to stay at the forefront.

Interviewer: To always be at the forefront and continue until you really can't anymore. What do you think is necessary for that?

Reita: This might sound contradictory, but I think it’s living in the present. If you only want to continue for a long time, you could take it easy. Musically too. If we keep doing only intense songs, it's like, "What is there left to do in the future?" (laughs). But I think by living in the present, we can continue for a long time. That’s what keeps us at the forefront. If we start thinking about making songs that we can play even as old men, it’s like we’re already preparing to step back. So, always being cool in the present is important. That accumulation is the answer, I think. It might sound contradictory though.

Interviewer: If you don't give it your all each time, you can't keep going, right? Considering your age, physical strength, and preferences five years from now while facing the present is impossible. If you think like that, you might just become the person you imagine. Assuming you’ll decline and then changing things because of that. It’s important not to decline.

Reita: Exactly. The GazettE has been around for over 13 years now, and there are many bands that have been around for more than 10 years. But...

Reita: Honestly, I think there are some bands out there that are just continuing because they had no other choice..

Celebrating anniversaries and such can sometimes feel like an insider thing. Sure, there are those who have been supporting us since the beginning and might find it deeply moving, but there are also fans who just started liking us a month ago. For them, it might not matter if we say it’s our anniversary. For instance, having an anniversary concert is fine. But what’s important is to make people think, “Wow, they are at their best right now!” If we just play a lot of nostalgic songs, it might feel like an anniversary concert, but I wonder if it really shows who we are now. As a service, it might not be bad, but if that’s all there is, it might be better to just watch a DVD. An anniversary concert should be about showing who we are now, not just celebrating the past.

Interviewer: I see. Indeed, if you think you’re going to decline in the future, you might subconsciously start preparing for it, and thinking that way means you’re aware you’ve passed your peak. If you thought the last album was the peak, you might try to repeat the same thing. But for the GazettE, you always want now to be the peak, and you want to keep updating it, right?

Reita: Exactly. I think it’s about momentum. When you start liking a band, it’s not a settled band, but a band with a lot of momentum. If you only go for that, you’ll always be interested in the younger ones. But I think it’s possible to keep that momentum even after many years. It’s about how you present yourselves and your mindset. Instead of thinking, “We’ve been doing this for 13 years, maybe it’s time to…” we should have the same or even more energy than in the first year.

Interviewer: Continuing as a visual kei band is particularly difficult. There’s the risk of getting stuck trying to maintain the fans’ image of you, which could result in becoming a deteriorated copy of your past selves. You want to keep your momentum and not fall into that trap, right?

Reita: Of course. I think bands like us should transcend borders, religions, and even age. From the fact that we’ve been together for 13 years, people can guess our ages, but if we don’t mention it, they wouldn’t know. We shouldn’t be bound by the idea of acting our age.

Interviewer: So the concept of acting your age doesn’t apply to this band?

Reita: Exactly. I don’t even know what acting our age means. We don’t want to just get younger, but we want more momentum. More than before. We always want to be seen as having the most momentum right now.

Interviewer: To some people, seasoned bands trying to seek momentum might look like older folks desperately flailing.

Reita: I understand, but it’s different. It’s like our eyes aren’t dead. We want people to think, “These guys are still going to do amazing things.” I personally like bands that give you that feeling. I want the GazettE to be that kind of band. In the past, our momentum might have just been reckless, but being reckless alone reveals a lack of depth. Even now, we might still be a bit reckless, but we’ve gained a lot of experience that serves as a stronger base now. Before, we just jumped with leg strength, but now we use that base to jump even higher. We want to be the ones who always jump higher than anyone else, using both our heads and our experience.

Interviewer: When the band strives to be like that, how do you want the fans to be?

Reita: I think fans will often feel like they’re being dragged along by us, but I believe that’s natural. Fans don’t create the band. We want to keep swinging them around, and we want to cherish those who hold on. On the other hand, if the band gets swung around by the fans, it’s no good. We create something first, and people empathize with that and enjoy it fully.

Interviewer: In that sense, “DOGMA” is like a set of rules for the GazettE, but it’s the band that presents them, not the audience.

Reita: It’s like religion. Believers don’t change the rules. We should present them clearly, and if we do, it will be clear who likes and dislikes it, and those who like it will like it even more. It’s okay if people start liking us halfway through. Even if they don’t like it now, they might listen to “DOGMA” again next year and really like it. I want them to clearly decide if it’s a hit or miss for them.

Interviewer: That’s like religion too. You either believe everything or nothing. No one deeply believes in multiple religions equally.

Reita: Right. Religion has general laws and then additional laws for a limited group. It means you lose more freedom, but the people in it feel happy. It’s fascinating. I often wonder what religion really is. It’s about enjoying a restricted world in your own way. The GazettE also has things we shouldn’t do or can’t do as the GazettE. That might limit our freedom, but it also keeps us sharp. So if fans like this band, they should understand what the GazettE is and come to our concerts with that understanding.

Interviewer: “DOGMA” is a guide for the fans to understand what this band is all about.

Reita: I think so. I’ve been saying some pretty bold things, but we need strong words like this to match the album.

Interviewer: Looking back at the recording process, how does it compare to the completion of previous albums?

Kai: The sense of accomplishment is entirely different. It's not that this time is particularly significant, but rather that it feels like it's not quite finished yet. Honestly, it doesn't feel like a definitive "Ah, it's done!" moment at all. It feels like only a part of the process has been completed. To use a human body as a metaphor, it's like we've only just completed the torso. So, it's like we're finished, yet not finished. I was aware that I would feel this way from the start, and that’s how we’ve been progressing.

Interviewer: What do you mean by that? This time, there are many additional elements like the book, photo album, and DVD. The artwork is also very elaborate. Does this mean it won't feel complete until everything is released?

Kai: That's part of it, but even when everything is ready, I don’t think it will feel like a complete closure. The album "DOGMA" itself will be complete, but the "PROJECT: DARK AGE," is still just starting. The flow of time is different this time. It's not like before, where we released an album, toured, and then it was done.

Interviewer: The tour seems far from over, as it’s not just confined to Japan. It looks like the "OMINOUS YEAR" will continue.

Kai: Yes, and we still don’t know what our mindset will be after the album and tour. I feel like we won't have fully processed everything by then. Sometimes, right after finishing an album, you want to start creating the next one. But I can't see what we’ll create after digesting this one. I predict that we'll be running for a long time from now. This feeling will probably grow stronger as we move forward, which is a wonderful thing.

Interviewer: Did you aim to create this album as a starting point for a slow and thorough process leading to the next phase?

Kai: Yes, we intended to create something like that. This work was being done while we pondered deeply about what "the GazettE" means. This reflection has been especially strong this time. The process of questioning myself about the band's essence will continue as long as the GazettE exists. This time, we’ve delved into our true essence. Regardless of what we do in the future, I think this core part will remain unshaken.

Interviewer: Fans, used to interpreting your words deeply, might have expected this album to define the GazettE's doctrine, given its title "DOGMA."

Kai: That might be true. One of the reasons we reached this point is due to our history. Timing also plays a part.

Interviewer: Was there a sense of resetting involved?

Kai: Maybe. We toured under the theme of "redefinition" in 2014, performing mostly live shows and not releasing much. Live shows are where we feel the most like ourselves and gain various insights. I felt that it was a necessary time to thoroughly reflect on our journey, something we hadn’t done before.

Interviewer: The tour followed the release order of your albums, allowing you to relive your history in chronological order.

Kai: Exactly. It was a year of constantly facing our past. We were able to look at the GazettE and ourselves more closely than ever before. This is why we’ve reached the point we are in now.

Interviewer: This might sound rude, but didn’t you discover anything you’d rather not admit, like thinking you hadn’t progressed as much as you’d hoped or that your earlier work was better?

Kai: (Laughs) Fortunately, not at all.

Interviewer: That’s good to hear (laughs).

Kai: As we performed more tours following the order of our albums, we realized we had consistently improved and climbed our own ladder. Now, we're here, and naturally, we start thinking about what ladder to climb next. But to move forward, we need a solid foundation. This led us to question, "What is the GazettE?" and create an album around that concept.

Interviewer: I see. Did you discuss this among the five of you?

Kai: Yes, we frequently discussed it. Initially, everyone was cautious, but we talked things over each time. The word "dogma" had already come up, so we naturally envisioned an album that reaffirms the essence of the GazettE. Through discussions, we gradually identified the elements we wanted to highlight. One of the most significant keywords for me was "dogma." It resonated with me and seemed to define the album's character.

Interviewer: That makes sense. However, when it comes to embodying that in music, wasn't it challenging to figure out what to do?

Kai: Not really. Ultimately, it's about fully expressing ourselves and presenting the GazettE as we are. We’ve always done that, so it felt natural to us.

Interviewer: True, but the word “dogma” also has a somewhat religious connotation, doesn’t it?

Kai: Maybe, but I don’t feel that much. Perhaps because I didn’t know the word well. (laughs) Sure, the relationship between a band and its fans can seem a bit like a religion. But for me, it wasn’t about doing something religious; it was more about “dogma of the GazettE.” That strong link in interpretation led me naturally to this project.

Interviewer: I see. What does “the GazettE” mean to you?

Kai: Well... It might not be a direct answer, but I feel that we are not suited to “throwing things out there.” We need to “smash it down” instead. That’s who we are.

Interviewer: Indeed, that’s how it should be.

Kai: Right? (laughs). Instead of asking, “How do you feel?” it’s about showing it blatantly. That’s the spirit, the stance that defines the GazettE. It links strongly with the concept of “dogma.” It’s not about asking fans to follow us; it’s about demanding they come along. That’s the type the GazettE is. So, we must lead with that strength. Sure, it might link with the religious aspect, but every band has its way. That’s ours.

Interviewer: Rather than “throwing it out,” you “smash down.” And what you smash down must be overwhelming or absolute, right?

Kai: Yes, it must be something we have absolute confidence and conviction in.

Interviewer: In today’s world, there seem to be more bands and artists that “throw things out there.” Don’t you think that makes you want to perfect the “smashing down” approach even more?

Kai: Yes, there’s that contrarian streak in our band. We don’t try to follow the trends or do the same as others. If it’s our truth, it doesn’t matter if it’s mainstream or not. Even if criticized, it’s like, “So what?”

Interviewer: I suppose the GazettE’s “doctrine” includes the phrase, “Rock is not about throwing out; it’s about smashing down.” What’s the one thing you most want to smash down to your listeners?

Kai: That It’s not just us. It’s about the feeling that “You, the fans, are also part of the band!” It’s about smashing down the sense that “It’s not just us.” The band must be absolute, but...

Interviewer: You mean it’s up to the fans to take it in, right?

Kai: Yes, everything depends on you. What spreads and deepens also relies on you. Speaking practically, if we throw down something confident, but no one follows, we can’t do anything. Our activities will falter, and the band might cease to exist. But if we have supporters, what we can do grows and deepens, making the band unique.

Interviewer: So the band’s value is decided by the fans too.

Kai: Yes, in part. It’s not just “thanks to you all.”

Interviewer: Like, “That band is amazing, and so are their fans,” right? Ultimately, you want fans to evolve with the band, which makes you want to smash down this “doctrine.”

Kai: Exactly. I want core fans to become even more core. So dedicated that they don't even have room in their profile to mention other bands (laughs). Just the GazettE. Saying they can’t live without us. We need to be that kind of band. That’s the ultimate relationship with fans.

Interviewer: Right. Having fans that deeply dedicated depends on the band’s charm, right?

Kai: Yes, we need to be a band so compelling that fans have no interest in others. Only then can we be truly unique. It’s not about doing something different from others but being compelling in our way.

Interviewer: Otherwise, it’s just a narrow niche.

Kai: Haha! Exactly. Instead of a narrow niche, we should aim to blow everything away. It’s very rock n roll to not follow others, but if we can do it, why hesitate?

Interviewer: The ones who do it best get recognized, not necessarily the first one to do it.

Kai: Right. In the big picture, we are niche, but we’re making our mark there.

Interviewer: Fans are surely attracted to that aspect. But it’s not just about prioritizing the demands of what you could call the "core of the core" fans. You must also aim to make an impact on those outside that core.

Kai: Yeah. But it’s not about trying to make those on the outside listen to us; it’s preferable if it resonates with them naturally. That’s the ideal, and I believe we need to achieve that. We strike hard at our core fans, but just throwing it out to everyone else would be strange (laughs). We don't want our stance to have a gradient based on the audience. We always want to be either black or white.

Interviewer: In the song commentary included in this book, you mentioned that the title track "DOGMA" felt like "opening a heavy and large door." When I heard that, I thought you must have felt that at some point, you had to reach out to that door. In other words, you thought you had to make an album like this eventually, right?

Kai: I think we were waiting for the right timing ourselves. Now that we’ve made it, I feel that way. It’s a kind of return to our roots. We’re not going back to the starting point, but we approached something we always wanted to create with full readiness. As a result, a heavy door that we couldn’t open no matter how hard we pushed before has now opened. Maybe it’s because we’ve gained strength, or maybe it was just the right time to make this.

Interviewer: It was probably a bit of both. And after opening that door, the current the GazettE isn’t necessarily trying to head to a completely different place than before.

Kai: Not at all. It’s more about making the dark parts even darker, so to speak. It’s about eliminating ambiguous parts and striving for something more definitive as the GazettE, while still being the GazettE.

Interviewer: Of course, that’s what you aimed for this time as well. But I think there must have been a lot of pressure to create a truly definitive piece that surpasses your previous ideals.

Kai: Yes... there was. Honestly, it was quite a long period of struggle. We worked on it while thinking about various things since the time of the "redefinition" tour. This was the first time for our band to continuously work toward something over such a long period. Well, I’m confident that the result is something good. We’ve definitely made a piece that we can proudly say, "This is the GazettE!" I believe this will be a great strength for us moving forward. Even in the stage of selecting songs, we had quite a bit of inner conflict. For instance, thinking, "In this flow, it would be nice to have at least one melodic song here." According to our previous standards or way of thinking, we would tend to include something like that, but we deliberately didn’t, deciding instead to push more on the aggressive side. This approach was something we originally had within us, but we had never gone this far in that direction before, so in that sense, it was also a challenge. We’ve never made something with this kind of balance. This is both a challenge and a way to firmly showcase our strengths.

Interviewer: The term "perfect balance" is often used in everyday life, but in the end, it’s just a balance that suits the preferences of the receiver. The way balance is sought depends on the nature of the work itself.

Kai: That’s right. So, to put it bluntly, this might not be a well-balanced album. If you consider it from the ideal of a certain period of ourselves. But the album "DOGMA" couldn’t have been balanced in any other way... it had to be like this.

Interviewer: In other words, it wouldn’t have been "DOGMA" if it wasn’t for this kind of balance?

Kai: Exactly. Also, we don’t create albums by comparing them to our past works. We don’t think, "We made this kind of album before, so let’s try making this kind now." As I mentioned earlier, there were times when we felt the need to add a melodic song after a series of intense tracks, thinking it might be necessary. That’s due to past habits or ingrained sense of balance. But this time, we completely ignored that. We focused most on making "DOGMA" as "DOGMA" as possible.

Interviewer: And as a result, you’ve completed an album that truly fits its title.

Kai: Yes. Even I feel that we really pushed the limits. But we’ve truly created something that lives up to the title, and I’m glad we had the word “dogma” from the beginning.

Interviewer: Of course, there may be parts within this work that you might want to revise in the future. But a “canon” isn’t something that can be repeatedly revised, and it’s meant to last forever in its current form.

Kai: Yes, I think so too. That’s why I’m really satisfied right now. For fans, this album is "an album they’ve been waiting for for two years." We’re confident that it’s something that won’t betray their high expectations, something that even surpasses them. Moreover, as I mentioned at the beginning, it’s an album with plenty of room for further exploration on our part. That’s why releasing a work doesn’t mean it’s complete.

Interviewer: Ofcourse. This flow of time will continue for quite a while.

Kai: The full scope will become clear moving forward, but this "ominous year" will involve various developments with "DOGMA" at its core. So, just like everyone will be breaking down "DOGMA," we’ll also spend a long time digesting this album and communicating about it. "DOGMA" is an album that reflects our essence more than anything, and I believe that part will remain unshaken. Of course, our music will continue to evolve, but no matter how much its form changes, the essence won’t change, and we won’t lose this part. If at some point, we decide that we need to change fundamentally, then we’ll have to present a new "doctrine" again.

Interviewer: But surely, if that ever happens, it will be far in the future.

Kai: Yes. Right now, the most important thing is to keep this mindset we have, continue creating works with the same passion and energy, and give our all. Otherwise, there is no future for the GazettE. We don’t want to release anything half-baked.

...

.......

...

Part 1 of the Dogma Book translations (members comments about each song)

Once again, all the scans are from the archive (rad-is-more) All translations are ChatGPT, edited by me. I added the book text pages themselves because I often read interviews and want to look more deeply into a certain passage but people never provide the source of the translation so it's impossible to do. This might not be the most aesthetic way to do an interview post but it's the most convenient for me personally. Also, I've noticed all the pieces like photos, art and interviews are very scattered on this site. Fragmentation only leads to misunderstanding and I am trying to piece everything together as much as possible, even though it leads to very long posts.

[farm-witches-fic-recs]

Farm witch friends, you have done the coven proud.

We've got so many good recs it's going to take a few weeks to share them all!

Starting with these that were recommended more than once, if you haven't spend some time with these fan favorites, you should check them out now! And leave the authors some love, of course.

========

Everyday Magic (houdini74/@mostlyinthemorning)

Each magic story is so unique, so sweet, so... D&P! 

I couldn’t pick just one of these wonderfully variable scenarios that all include just a little (or maybe a lot of) magic added to the perfect scene setting and banter. 

Favored Nations (@blueink3)

ALL OF IT! It’s my go-to when I’m feeling down, when I need to revise our boys. The characters, writing, and plot are all amazing. 

Amazing world building, very in character slow burn.

The ultimate slow burn, the perfect love story set amongst the wonders of Broadway and NYC.

It’s just so, so good!  I am a sucker for secret romance fics, and this one has that and so much more.  Add in some Shakespearean theater with a twist and just the right amount of angst and sexiness, it’s just perfect! I love it so much.  

This author knows David, Patrick, and the NY theater world inside and out. The volume and level of specificity, volume, tenderness, anxiety, and love of these characters and worlds is astounding. The characterization is so vivid, it's the easiest fic to forget isn't canon.

Fifteen hundred miles (morehuman)

I go back to this fic a lot! I just love the idea of them both challenging themselves and finding out what they are capable of.

The most incredible journey, a gift to go along with them in it.

I carry these heart-shapes only for you (@ladyflowdi and @ships-to-sail)

I love this transportative, visual feast of historic fiction. Luscious WW2 Paris is so vividly portayed and David’s wild, wealthy, LGBTIQ+out flamboyance juxtaposed to the farm-boy turned military-man Patrick is sexy and sweet. It undoes me every time. I actually first came to the piece via FairManor’s outstanding podfic. Both the text and the podfic are high art. It’s not just one of my favorite fan-fics. It’s one of my favorite stories of ALL time in any genre. I read/listen and I am at the Gaston, riding on the back of Patrick’s motorcycle, kissing in windmills, eating crepes, touring junk shops & dancing naked to 40’s blues. I’d give anything to see this as a film with Dan & Noah & cast. I want a leather bound print copy of it. Also - The epilogue is progressive, heartbreaking thoughtful genius. I’ve just finished rereading & listening to it again. Each time there are new Easter eggs to be found. Joyous. 

It's just the most beautiful piece of writing ever written. Descriptive, lyrical, hot, stunning, heartbreaking. It has everything. 

I’d swing with you for the fences (@nontoxic-writes)

Achingly sweet and fluffy all set in the perfect baseball/famous AU with secret relationship AND musician Patrick. I come back to reread this one a lot!

What isn't there to love?  Baseball, long distance relationship, sex, songs, coming out to the parents, coming out to the team, coming out to the world, excellent use of side characters....I could go on and on.  There are so many amazing fics out there, but I've read this one at least a dozen times! 

Incorrect (@lisamc-21)

You can hear David saying it, but now picture the Maldives.

A beautifully written story of our boys meeting on vacation. Their trip is so sweet and so hot, and when they say goodbye, it's heartbreaking. The twist- they are both famous in their own worlds but don’t recognize each other so don’t realize who the other has hooked up with. When their week ends, they try to maintain a long-distance friendship as they learn who the other is. What was a hot hookup becomes a slow burn, and it’s amazing!!

The Last Rose Video (@distractivate)

Gorgeous writing, the perfect mix of canon and AU, clever plot, great dialogue.  The fic I read over and over.  It’s as comforting as a warm blanket. 

Swoon. SWOON.

Strike Anywhere (@madlori)

Hot firefighters. Hot sex. Hot romance. But like in a Sandra loves Keanu sliding out of a speeding bus kind of way.

Hot hot hot!  That’s the first work. Then- the author developed a prequel that is also hot but is also funny, loving, sweet. Love fireman Patrick!

This enemies-to-lovers-to-secret-husbands story featuring Patrick Brewer as a firefighter, is deliciously tropey and blazing hot, but also it’s written with such authentic emotion and perfect banter that it keeps me coming back to read it whenever I need a mood lift. 

Such great heights (@likerealpeopledo-on-ao3)

Great story, the very best jokes, and the wedding date chapter is so good it would work as a stand alone fic. 

It's got the mother of all fake dating scenarios, and Stevie in this in among the best I've ever read her. It's also very very funny. All the times when they say Feel The Air crack me up every time!

Sustineo (@rockinhamburger)

This is a perfectly paced one-shot AU that builds a world in which David is a brilliant, stormy, reclusive artist whose whose treatment by the press (and one Sebastien Raine) has made him unwilling to engage with the world…. Until he meets an intuitive and kind art writer who sees him for everything that he is (and can be). All of characters here are perfect and I love the descriptions of David’s art. 

Incredibly hot art fic.

You can fall (sweetsirius/@wordthieve)

It takes the David and Patrick rescue each other theme of the show and makes the stakes even higher. Plus it's just a genuinely beautiful piece of writing.

The story arc and pacing are fantastic. I love how David and Patrick's relationship develops and how Patrick learns to open himself up again after grief. It's incredibly well written. I've read it so many times, from full read thrus to dipping in and out of my favorite moments and chapters.

Patrick is so heartbroken, but then he meets David. So romantic, and feels lived in.

[that-fangirl]

Toshiya and Fashion

As someone who studied fashion, I wonder if the "revival" or "renewal" of certain iconic looks over the years is a conscious decision made by Toshiya or just a pattern from his tastes.

Naturally his taste has become more mature, refined and elegant. But some materials have remained something he reaches for constantly and the overall feeling too.

When it comes to accessories hats, gloves and pearls have been a part of his wardrobe and image over the years. In different styles and different formats but they make appearances in the late 90's, in the 2000's and until now.

Ties and chokers too.

In the fabric department, lace and leather make a comeback every now and then. And when you consider that lace has always been more heavily associated with women's fashion, I find it so remarkable, bold and refreshing to see Toshiya wearing it. To me it shows that Toshiya is a man in touch with his emotions and his divine feminine. It requires a certain touch of sensibility to reach for something like lace.

The same with velvet. Who doesn't remember the iconic blue velvet dress from the Studio Coast live?

There is something so royal and regal about the velvet dress. And the jewellery pieces? Chef's kiss. He is bold through and through.

Also keep in mind, this man doesn't mind skirts. When you study fashion and history of costume, you learn that all these things (skirts, lace and velvet were used in men's fashion for centuries.)

Fashion details like ruffles, bows, balloon sleeves and pleats also come around every know and then.

When I think of a lot of Toshiya's wardrobe pieces I get the feeling he must be a big McQueen fan. In fact I have seen him wearing the famous McQueen skull scarf during a photoshoot mid tour and he actually owns the Savage Beauty book.

There is a gothic romance, dark but sensual feeling that radiates from him sometimes.

And then... we have the more masculine tone of his fashion. The suits... my goodness I could ramble about this one none stop. The man has great build and a good suit, makes him look sharp, clean and elegant.

I do wish however that the tailoring around his back neck width, the neck drop, shoulder to shoulder length and height of the collar were made by a good tailor (not that the costume designer in charge of his fits is bad). I have only noticed that the fitting around this area often leaves creasing around his neck.

The same can be said about the fringe blazer. The concept and the visual is unrivalled. But I do have beef with it... the poor construction and sewing on that lapel gives me tailoring nightmares.

Mind you this is all the on-stage, artistic fashion surrounding Toshiya. It has been sharpened over the years so beautifully and I quite admire that about him.

[beautifulpersonpeach]

Suga has to be the best gatekept secret in BTS. He is so beautiful, cute, caring, charming, and funny!!! After months of questioning your taste ranking him second after Jimin in visuals when tkk is right there!, I'm sorry to say I was wrong. Yoongi is THE visual. I'm not going to the concerts but every photo I see on Twitter makes me wish I was going BPP. Does it sound like I'm getting wrecked? It's because I am. I relate to your other anon so bad haahaha. Before this tour, only Jimin and Jung Kook turned my head, but Suga now owns my soul. Is this how people become true OT7? Through BTS concerts?

*

Ask 2: Anyhow, did you notice how obsessed (maybe too heavy a word) Yoongi is with BS&T Jimin?? I just noticed after Suchwita. I think he really likes & remembers bst Jimin fondly & fervently. Please correct my delusion, if you think it's farfetched. (While reading your blogs and army detective twts, I'm realizing more and more how clueless and unobservant I am. I've given up being astute in noticing these matters and just gonna outsource these insightful findings to others. haha) +

But I think, Yoongi really LOVES bst Jimin. I mean who wouldn't?!? I just watched the MV & performances, and WOW JIMIN!!!! My words don't do bst jimin justice. That head tilt?! the fluttering of his eyelids?! his hand motion? his jaw line? the way he glides?! I see a ballroom behind him! GAH. the song is a BOP. I'm absolutely mesmerized, and let's be real, who can blame Yoongi for forgetting how to close his mouth in front of jimin! I want members reacting to mvs back!! T T

***

Hi Anon(s),

I started reading your asks giggling, by the time I got to the end I was full on howling lmaooo. Anon in ask 2, I too want the guys reacting to their MVs back, just cause we'll see them all going "Ahh, Jimin!"

Anon in ask 1, sigh, you have no idea what you’re in for with Yoongi.

Maybe all Yoongi biases are the same, because I truly feel like gatekeeping everything about him and I see that impulse in other Yoongi biases too. I’m very selfish with Yoongi.

You mentioned his visuals and him being caring etc, so let me try something here. It’s easy for me to talk about Jimin, but near impossible for me to talk about Yoongi, so I’m going to try talking about Yoongi through some of his actions with Jimin. And I’ll sprinkle in some okay pictures of him I don’t mind sharing, since you’ve acquired a taste for his visuals as well. :)

First, a preamble of his delectable visuals:

(ASDHJKJLSHKSADLK)

*

When people typically talk about Yoonmin, they stick to a rotation of Yoongi’s mouth hanging open watching Jimin, Jimin’s teasing of Yoongi, their bickering, etc. This is a jikook space so we hear all the time about how Jungkook looks out for Jimin, cares for him, encourages him and protects him. JK is introverted so when he becomes very assertive, usually on account of Jimin, it stands out. Yoongi too is introverted, but when he deals with Jimin he doesn't really break character, and so, oftentimes his quiet encouragement of Jimin, the significance of his actions, typically goes under the radar for a lot of people.

For example,

I'm not sure how many people realize how big a deal it was for Yoongi to recommend Jimin for A&R director when the boys were making BE. Jimin has said during that time, he felt lost - with their tour getting canceled, all their plans upended with no end in sight, the pandemic had taken away his core reason to live by his own admission i.e. performing for ARMYs. He was starting to drift and become unmoored (emotions we now see in Alone), and so Yoongi recognizing that, and recommending that Jimin take on the responsibility for determining the direction of their self-driven album, to get Jimin "closer to music again", is a small thing, but I see it as one of many ways Yoongi was pushing Jimin to better express and assert himself in that situation. Advice that Jimin finally took to heart during their Vegas concerts, when he began pursuing his solo music in force. The A&R role would’ve typically gone to RM since he drives most of their songwriting and oftentimes sets the tone of their music with BH, but Yoongi pushing for Jimin to be active, with Jimin eventually writing some songs for BE (though those were rejected), registered in my mind as yet another way Yoongi sees Jimin in ways many of the members don’t, and quietly advocates for him. Pushes him to go out of his comfort zone, because of how much he loves him. RM eventually took on a more active role during BE but Jimin being able to come on YouTube lives in Fall 2020 to talk about things he was doing for BE, those glimpses into him starting to find himself again, those details registered for me in ways I’m not sure I can properly express.

Yoongi sees Jimin, and loves him dearly. And it's mutual.

(I've never cared for animal prints but that leopard-print furry hat on Yoongi... he's a big cat)

*

Another moment I want to highlight is their 2016 Festa dinner. You know the one, where Taehyung talks about how Jimin grabs the spotlight/center. Yoongi was the first to come to Jimin's defense, saying how Jimin just naturally knows how to be a good performer, that a friend had told him that Jimin naturally knows how to act on stage to capture the audience. I'm not sure if it's obvious to many people, but that comment shifted the direction of the conversation, and soon other members were talking about how good and confident a performer Jimin is. J-hope would later say he's learned about performing by watching Jimin, and Jungkook would say this in later years too.

(… I have no words)

Yoongi saw Jimin's potential since way back in pre-debut, encouraging him and advocating for Jimin to be added to the final line-up in BTS, and has supported him in key periods of doubt since. Everyone saw how hard Jimin was working as one of the last trainees to join a nearly bankrupt agency with limited resources to train even just 7 people - I can't imagine the anxiety Jimin had to deal with but I imagine it was so much. And so when Jimin talks about that period and nearly always mentions how Yoongi supported him, I don't take it lightly.

(There's a reason Yoongi will always choose Jimin)

*

[Full disclosure here, but yoonmin's antics during the whole Shadow/Daechwita MVs shooting drives me to near madness. Because if you understand what Yoongi is, (which Jimin does btw), you'd see why this is borderline one of the most homoerotic unresolved cases we've ever had in Bangtan history.

If not for the fact that Jungkook exists, I'd be in a very different blog space right now honest to God. And I'll just leave it at that. ]

*

Whew! Okay, I need a break so enough about Yoonmin for now. I’ll try to focus more on Yoongi now.

Anon in ask 1, his pictures on Twitter is what’s fucking you up? Then welcome to my world lool. What got me initially though, was his music. Like, weeks later and I’m still struggling with myself not to loop D-DAY 40 hours a day 10 days a week. The fact he makes music like HUH?! while looking like this

(…and the fact this isn’t even in the top 30 hottest pictures I have of him. Just…)

I’ve written sonnets and poems about his voice and it still doesn’t feel enough to explain what it does to me.

(More Yoongi…)

(…just because…)

(…he’s that perfect.)

Good luck to you becoming a Yoongi bias because I have no idea how I’ve been surviving all these years. If we’re both still standing by the time this tour is over, please stop by my inbox again to tell me how you’re doing. I’d love to hear all about it. :)

[mileapo]

Mile & Apo from the hit Thai drama “KinnPorsche The Series” appear in the December issue of SPUR!

Interview conducted after the shooting. Apo changed into casual clothes and appeared in front of the screen first. He waved his hand and said, "Hi! How are you? Mile will be here soon, so please wait a little longer," he said with a refreshing smile that was as bright as his vitamin yellow T-shirt. Mile appeared right after that, took a quick look at Apo, and grabbed two nearby cushions. Mile placed one of them gently behind Apo and sat down with a cheerful smile and said, "Sorry to have kept you waiting." I witnessed the deep bond between the two of them, who care for each other on a daily basis.

──The two of you were active as models since you were teenagers before you started working as actors in earnest. Please tell us why you decided to become a model.

Apo: When I was looking for something to devote myself to, I realized that modeling work would be cool. Luckily, I got a chance to be invited by an acquaintance.

Mile: Similarly, I was invited by an acquaintance and signed a contract with a modeling agent. At that time, more than 10 years ago, there was not yet a culture of scouting through SNS. The way I got into this industry was either by chance or through someone I knew.

──At that time, it seems that model work and academic work were parallel, but each of them must have been quite noticeable on the university campus...!

Mile: Well, I was pretty popular (laughs). I was also active in music. Ever since I was a child, my hobby was playing the guitar.

Apo: I was not popular at all! At that time, I looked like a ``simple boy''. Because I was extremely thin, my face was elongated, and people around me often said I looked like Ultraman (laughs). (He makes a cross with his arms and imitates Ultraman's pose)

Mile: (Laughs). I thought that too when we first met! He resembles both the actor who plays Zhan Zhao (*the main character in the Chinese drama ``The Seven Heroes and Five Gallants'') and Ultraman.

──Mile and Apo have appeared in fashion magazines in various countries. I got a sense of the love these two have for fashion as I watched them talk about their particular style of dressing and their favorite items.

Mile: I really like fashion. I am particularly attracted to items that show the craftsmanship of items such as tailor-made items. What I like most are accessories such as watches and rings, and shoes.

──Apo seems to be particular about eyewear. I was surprised at how many items he carried, such as sunglasses and glasses.

Apo: (Laughs) This is a video introducing the contents of my bag. You did your homework! (= you have prepared well.) Even during the day, I change the design depending on the occasion or my mood, or I wear prescription glasses. I'm the type of person who carries a lot of luggage, especially glasses.

──As Apo mentioned earlier, the two of you were appointed as Dior ambassadors this year. In June, you participated in a men's collection in Paris and received cheers from many people there. How did you feel when you got the job as an ambassador?

Apo: [I] was very happy. In fact, we had many discussions before it was decided. It all started in the fall of 2022, when I first worked with Dior. We were on a concert tour around Southeast Asia with the members of KinnPorsche, the Dior team came to see our concert, and they appreciated our work ethic. After discussions, we came to the conclusion that ``I'm sure Dior and us could do a great job,'' and we decided to work with them.

Mile: This is the first time for us to do long-term fashion work. We are deeply grateful to the Dior family for welcoming us warmly and taking care of us.

──In August, the movie “Man Suang” that they both co-starred for the second time was released. Following on from ``KinnPorsche The Series,'' this work, produced by BE ON CLOUD, was also impressive with its gorgeous costumes and beautiful visuals. Mile is performing Thai traditional arts with Taphon (drum) and Apo will be performing Lam (Thai dance). How long did it take to prepare?

Apo: It took four to five months just to prepare for the shoot.

Mile: Including the shooting period, it took almost a year. Thanks to the long time it took, I feel that I was able to fully express the beauty of Thai traditional art.

Apo: Unfortunately, the screening in Japan has not been decided yet. If you are interested, please contact me!

Mile: (smiling and nodding) What Apo is trying to convey is, ``Please let us know if there is a company that will become a distributor of the work.''

Apo: Oh yeah, that's what it is (laughs). Maybe the broadcast will give me a chance to meet the Japanese fans. Thank you very much for your support!

──The fans must be looking forward to the day when they can meet the two of you in Japan.

Mile: We've always wanted to meet them too.

Apo: I will definitely make it happen. (While holding up his ring finger and making a finger-cutting pose) I promise!

[bullet-prooflove]

Prey!Series Part Four: Free - OA Zidan x Reader

Tagging: @trublu2u @mrspeacem1nusone @greenies-green @rosaliedepp @whateversomethingbruh @anime-weeb-4-life @daydreaming-belle @burningpeachpuppy @scarlettsakura @divergent146 @upsteadlogic @malindacath @skyesthebomb @yezzyyae @redpool

It’s another basement, but this time it’s a happier ending.

Omar sincerely believes that as he stands outside of a house that costs upwards of a million dollars and watches the girls who now stand in the garden, that overlooks the beach. There’s over twenty of them.

They’d been crowded into another damp basement, one that was barely bigger than his kitchen. The conditions were cramped, squalid. Each one is in a state of disarray, their clothing is brightly coloured, barely there. Most of them had still been turning tricks up until the moment you’d gotten your hands on Snake. Now they’re mostly huddled together in groups, thermal blankets wrapped around their shoulders as paramedics review their vitals, triaging the ones that need the most urgent care.

Seeing them all out here in the fresh air, the sun on their faces…

It settles something in his chest because for the first time since stepping into country they’re free.

As soon as the perps are taken into custody, you’re on the phone. The Human Trafficking Division has crisis teams in place to handle large scale operations like this. It won’t take them too long to scramble. He knows it’s going to be a long night for your team, there’s going to be interviews with the girls, strategy meetings, leads to chase down, connections to other networks.

It never ends. There’s always going to be another and then another.

He understands to most people it’s a game of whack amole but when he looks at these girls, the difference it makes on an individual level, he gets why you do it. He sees the reason you keep hammering away at the problem despite the fact you’re swimming against the tide.

It takes a special person to do what you do and not become jaded. He’s still thinking about that when he sits across from you in a coffeeshop later that evening. You’ve chosen somewhere lowkey, open late. There’s jazz playing in the background, something he recognises from a lifetime ago.

You’re wearing your hair down tonight; it falls across your features, hiding the bruise that’s now blossoming across the left side of your face. He resists the urge to reach out and brush it back behind your ear. He likes this version of you, the woman outside of the job. You smile a lot more, you’re more relaxed, carefree.

The music has him telling you about his teenage years, how he used to sneak out at the age of seventeen and visit jazz clubs in Harlem. He’s still a fan of the genre, he has a few friends who play in a band, they have a gig coming up in a couple of weeks. You make plans to attend, work permitting, and he realises in that moment that he’s not the only one looking towards the future.

He finds himself laughing when you tell him you used to be a ghost walk tour guide back in Delaware. You were good at it too; you show him a recording of one of your tours and he finds himself enamoured. You have such a talent with words, the way you tell the stories, it’s so visual, he gets chills up his spine.

“I have a podcast.” You reveal, a blush creeping up your cheeks. “It’s on Spotify, I tell ghost stories from around the city. I don’t usually tell people about it.”

“Show me.” He urges.

You end up on his side of the table, his arm resting on the back of the seat as you lean in close. The scent of your perfume floods his senses, nectarines, and something floral. Jasmine, he thinks. The two of you scroll through your episode list as you describe each of the stories to him. The way you light up when you talk about your passion, truly it’s beautiful.

You tilt your head up towards him and you have that look in your eyes, the one that makes his heartbeat just that little faster in his chest. His thumb chases over the line of your jaw, and you close your eyes, savouring the sensation. It’s been a long time since you’ve allowed yourself to be touched, he can tell from the way you respond to him.

“Hanna…” He says, tipping your chin up and you know what he’s asking.

If this is as far as you want to go tonight, he has no problem with that. He’s ready to take things at your pace, as slow as you need to go.

“Kiss me.” You whisper and he does.

His mouth is heated, soft. He kisses you with a tenderness you’ve never felt before, and you know in that moment that you’ve met the man that you’re supposed to spend the rest of your life with.

Your soulmate.

Omar Zidan.

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Like My Work? - Why Not Buy Me A Coffee

[therecordconnection]

Ranting and Raving: "Video!" by Jeff Lynne

There is no such thing as the “Cult Classic” anymore. Today, if a movie fails or a television series flops, it’s just removed and completely forgotten without a second thought. With physical releases no longer having the same cultural weight as before, it makes media preservation even harder. I hear if you complain long enough about this and get caught, Netlfix or Hulu or Pooblo or Tuubah or whatever else comes to your house and hits you with the Neuralyzer from Men in Black so you’ll shut up.

In the eighties, this wasn’t the case. Movies could brick at the box office, but they might get lucky and find their audiences later on through cable or video rentals or just really good word of mouth. Xanadu still exists today and has love because HBO kept showing it during its infancy and LGBTQ audiences eventually latched onto it (though that’s probably more due to the everlasting power of Olivia Newton-John’s gay fanbase). Phantom of the Paradise owes its continued love and existence to Guillermo Del Toro, the Daft Punk robots, and all of Winnipeg, Canada really loving that movie. I’m with them in that boat (Phantom is one of my favorite movies). Electric Dreams, a 1984 science fiction-tinged romantic comedy, exists today purely through video rentals and good word of mouth.

Electric Dreams is a wonderfully weird cult classic in every sense of the word. It has a very lovably goofy eighties rom-com setup and delivery: Miles Harding (Lenny Von Dohlen), a loser tech nerd geologist who gets no bitches, falls in love with his new apartment neighbor Madeline Robistat (Virginia Madsen), a quirky and beautiful cellist. They're an unlikely pair in every conceivable way, but they fall for each other. The only problem is that Miles' fancy new supercomputer (who becomes sentient and later identifies himself as “Edgar”) would like to see Miles destroyed so that he can be with her instead. Edgar then does everything in his power to ruin Miles’ life and his chances to be with Madeline. Eventually, Edgar comes to accept the love between Miles and Madeline and they get their happily-ever-after. 

On paper, the whole thing probably sounded silly to a 1984 audience, which might be why nobody bothered to see it at the time, but Electric Dreams fucking rules. Von Dohlen and Madsen are great and have such an odd yet instantly lovable chemistry with each other that you can’t help but root for them (it helps that they were good friends instantly and remained that way until Van Dohlen passed away in 2022). Steve Barron, one of the great music video directors of the early MTV era (he’s responsible for Michael Jackson’s “Billie Jean,” Toto’s “Africa” and “Rosanna,” and many more), brings that same music video storytelling style to this movie’s visuals. If this movie had done better upon release, it would’ve gotten everything Miami Vice’s directing style often gets credited for. The soundtrack is also really great! Giorgio Moroder did the movie’s theme with Human League frontman Phil Oakey as well as a killer score for it (only Moroder could find a way to expertly turn Bach’s “Minuet” into a duel between a cello and a computer. He couldn't get more eighties than that if he tried). There’s also a really neat Heaven 17 cut that sounds like a Crash Bandicoot level theme (“Chase Runner”), Culture Club right at the end of their relevance (“Love is Love” and “The Dream”), and Jeff Lynne from Electric Light Orchestra with arguably the two best songs in the movie. One of them, “Let It Run,” is awesome as hell, but “Video!” is the one we’re gonna talk about.

“Video!” appears at a pretty pivotal point in the movie. It soundtracks the montage of one of Miles and Madeline’s first proper dates, which involves sneaking away from a tour group to run around and play in Alcatraz (I’m serious). They’re also seen together at a carnival. Before this date, Miles tasks Edgar with finding a way to write music for Madeline. He intends to pass off whatever Edgar comes up with as his own work, hoping to impress her and make her fall in love with him. This is one of the main reasons Edgar wants Miles out of the picture. He knows he can make music with Madeline (he did it previously in “The Duel” scene, though Madeline thinks Miles is providing the music, not the computer) and fell in love with her by doing that. He is fully aware that Miles is trying to win her love with a lie. Once Edgar figures out how rhythm works, he figures out how melody is made by reviewing and absorbing the music playing in television commercials. “Video!” then starts playing proper once he’s got the basics down. For a computer with no previous songwriting experience, writing a Jeff Lynne composition is a pretty impressive feat!

Electric Dreams is not the first movie Lynne has contributed music to. There are two others. The first one was 1976’s All This and World War II, which is a movie which pairs all-star covers of Beatles songs and World War II footage. I’ve never seen it and I don’t think I need to. But you can hear Lynne, the most famous Beatles fanboy to ever live, do a fully symphonic version of “With a Little Help From My Friends” and “Nowhere Man.” It’s pretty cool. The other one was Xanadu, which is much more well known. Lynne provided five songs: “I’m Alive,” “The Fall,” “Don’t Walk Away,” “All Over the World,” and the title track with Olivia Newton-John. I think they’re all great. Xanadu totally works on its own as a great ELO EP if you want to forget there’s a movie attached.

This is all to say that Lynne was no stranger to giving songs to strange movies, even if he harbored regrets later on about doing that. He regretted Xanadu for a while, but made peace with it decades later (he re-recorded “Xanadu” in 2000 for the ELO compilation Flashback and he’s revived “All Over the World” for every ELO tour since 2017). I don’t know how he feels about Electric Dreams and at this point, he’s done so much in his career that I doubt he even remembers it. I think he should! I think “Video!” is a great song and I think he was a perfect fit for Electric Dreams. The entire soundtrack is dated as hell, but in a fun time-capsule kind of way. It represents the sound of what people in 1984 thought the future was going to sound like. Lynne had already spent time imagining the sounds of the future.

At the dawn of the eighties, Jeff Lynne had gotten tired of dealing with the big orchestras you hear on that great ELO run from 1976-1980. Orchestras started becoming a pain in the ass for him around the time when synthesizers and keyboards were getting some big technological boosts. New wave artists like Gary Numan, Kraftwerk, and the Human League were pushing synths and keyboard sounds into the mainstream and proving that the new technology could be used to make some wildly futuristic sounds. Lynne quickly learned that with a few fancy keyboards, you could start simulating strings and classical sounds, but in a new and exciting way. Suddenly, Lynne and ELO keyboardist Richard Tandy could keep the symphonic pop sounds the band had been making, but update the sound and take it into the future. Suddenly, the “Orchestra” part of the ELO name suddenly found itself obsolete and out of a job.

Dick Clark asked him about this choice on an American Bandstand appearance in 1986. Lynne responded, “Well, you know, I got fed up with using a big orchestra because they used to always be in a union and stuff like that and they used to put their equipment away while we were still recording. So I thought what we'll do is we'll use just ourselves and then we can work as long as we'd like and nobody would complain.”

So Lynne took advantage of all this new technology that was floating around and used it to craft the 1981 masterpiece, Time. That album is the best example of retrofuturism in music I can give. In Time, Lynne imagines a loose concept album about a guy who gets yoinked out of 1981 and flung into the year 2095. The entire album is full of songs where Lynne imagines a future that he would never live to see (I won’t either, unless I somehow make it to a full century of life). Hover cars, rides to the moon, robotic girlfriends (built by IBM) who can also serve as telephones, prison satellites, ivory towers, plastic flowers, and meteor showers as a common weather condition are all present in Lynne’s visions of the distant future. Most of his predictions feel like they’re coming out of science fiction magazines from when he was a child, but the album is more concerned with just letting his imagination run wild and wonder about how one would feel if they were flung far into the future where everyone they’ve ever loved is gone. The future presented in Time feels like daydreaming rather than any kind of cautionary tale or warning. I’ve never gotten the sense that Lynne thinks any of what’s in the album will actually come true. 

If Lynne got anything right, he somehow nailed the still-lingering nostalgic yearning to return to the eighties. Lynne’s narrator constantly laments that he’s stuck in 2095 and 1981 is name dropped in “Ticket to the Moon” and “The Way Life’s Meant to Be.” “Ticket to the Moon” even begins with what is now a variation of the only kind of Youtube comment you’ll find on any old song from the decade: “Remember the good old 1980s / When things were so uncomplicated / I wish I could go back there again / And everything could be the same.” He might as well have called himself “Nostradamus” when writing that one, because that line is going to keep feeling accurate to people until every child of the eighties and every vintage style eighties cosplayer on instagram is dead and in the ground. Lynne using the current year the album was made in had a real danger of seriously dating it, but Time has never sounded dated to me. It doesn’t sound like anything else from 1981 and it still doesn’t. Lynne blended all the old sounds and genres he loved and infused them with the new sounds of the day on that one and imagined a future that still sounds just as magical then as it does now. It took pop music a few years to catch up with what Lynne was doing on that one. Time is still a retro futuristic dream and he carried all the tech and sound effects that he was using on that album with him when he made “Video!” for Electric Dreams. ELO’s future was up in the air by 1984 (Lynne would dissolve the original band for good two years later) so he tackled “Video!” as a solo artist (literally, as no other ELO members are on this) and released it under his own name.  

I don’t know if Lynne’s predictions for 2095 will come true. The verdict is still out on that. But what I do know is that everything Lynne is describing in “Video!” is a reality that I’ve lived to see, though perhaps differently from anything Lynne could’ve imagined in 1984. We’ll get there.

In the context of Electric Dreams, “Video!”’s lyrics are all about the many things Edgar the computer can find out about the world in pre-internet cyberspace. He can watch it all, from rock n’ roll to old time movie scenes, and learn. He has no other choice: he can’t move from Miles’ desk and see it himself. Nothing in Lynne’s lyrics are dated except for one thing. He mentions that satellites “send their love from up above / Down to [his] VTR.” VTRs, which I believe is meant to be a reference to “Video Tape Recorder,” is an obsolete machine in 2024. It’s long been replaced by digital video, such as DVDs, Blu-Rays, and 4K. That’s the only specific reference he makes besides working in both the movie’s title and  the title of the Phil Oakey/Giorgio Moroder collab. “They beam across the sky / Together in Electric Dreams.” I imagine Lynne was probably told he had to work in the title somewhere. To his credit, it’s a pretty smooth title drop. Clumsier movie songs have done it much worse. 

Lynne sneaks in a few lyrics in the song that become ominous and foreshadowing if you’ve seen the movie more than once. The first two verses end ominously with the lines “The world is at my fingers / Under control” and “I’ll just stay here on my end / I’ll have it all.” Those lines foreshadow Edgar eventually using his supercomputer intellect to control other computer systems and mess with Miles’ life, from cutting off access to his credit cards and funds, to manipulating phone lines so Madeline can’t call Miles later in the movie for comfort when her cello has been broken in an accident (it gets caught in an elevator door and gets crushed). His whole motivation in the movie is that he “wants it all,” especially Madeline. Lynne later captures that ominousness with the absolute beast of a song “Let It Run,” but “Video!” is reserved for Lynne soundtracking the moment where Edgar stays inside and excitedly discovers the world at large and how to write pop music, while Miles simultaneously goes out and discovers the world at large with his lovely lady. 

Musically, “Video!” strikes a balance and finds a perfect blend of the mechanical and the human elements of music making. Lynne seemed to understand that more than some of the art-school new wavers that were ruling the US and the UK in the early eighties. The entire song is mechanical, but that makes sense given the in-universe explanation that a literal computer is making it. The rhythm is provided by a drum machine and everything else is synthesized and sequenced to hell and back. Even the fun sound effects throughout the song and during the middle instrumental bit are canned and not original to the song. There’s something that kinda sounds like a twangy guitar at the end of the verses and on the chorus, but that could just as easily be a keyboard making that sound. Lynne has made records where he’s played all instruments organically, but keyboards, sequencers, and machines not only suit the assignment, they’re necessary for the assignment.

The human elements are Jeff Lynne’s vocals and his always sharp sense of melody. Lynne’s never been the most mind blowing singer, but his vocals and melodies capture a magic and a warmth here that few of the survivors from his generation still making music in 1984 were capable of. He sings the song with that same sense of wonder that he has on Time. I love the melody of the verses and that chorus is so upbeat and happy and infectious. I love the way he slides into the chorus by holding out the word “on” before saying “video.” Oooooooon! It’s pop music at its most delightfully fun.

I’ve been surrounded by video my entire life, but Lynne makes it feel like it’s a brand new concept to me when I hear this song. I said that everything Lynne is describing in “Video!” is a reality that I’ve lived to see. That reality is Youtube. “The world is at my fingers” because I can more-or-less search for whatever I want (whether I actually find it is another story). The entire second verse can be used to describe someone discovering Youtube for the first time:

I see that rock and roll And all those old-time movies scenes They beam across the sky Together in electric dreams I'll just sit here on my end I'll have it all

Youtube, for all its numerous (numerous) flaws, allows me to be my own MTV VJ and watch scenes from my favorite movies with only a few mouse clicks. I can sit at my computer and watch videos in comfort (and while eating my dinner). Like Edgar, I have it all. Lynne sings that verse with completely sincere jubilance. The song is entirely mechanized, but the feelings presented in the song are not and they help provide a warmth and joy to the whole song that makes it sound like a dream. Lynne makes the concept of watching video sound like it’s the most exciting technical marvel you’ll ever see. He sells it like he’s Grover Cleveland lighting up the 1893 World Fair. It’s fantastic. Lynne isn’t even just fascinated by video, he’s fascinated by the entire process that helps bring it to life. That first verse takes the song from the hugeness of outer space and leads it to the small and insular space of a computer in an apartment without ever losing a step.

The satellites that search the night They twinkle like a star They send their love from up above Down to my VTR

Lynne sounds absolutely amazed by the technological wonders of 1984. He sings it with a child-like fascination that’s so lovably dorky. He sounds like Miles Harding does in the movie when he gets to talk to Madeline about architecture and his dream project during dinner. I was only ten years old when Youtube first arrived in December of 2005, so I essentially grew up with the rise of the internet and internet video creation. I imagine it must have been mind blowing to older people who were there to witness that boom. Maybe some of them were as excited as Lynne sounds on this song.

Nowadays, we take a lot of the modern technology around us for granted, but for Lynne in 1984, this was all exciting and new. That might be where the excitement and exuberance in the song stems from. Betamax and VHS had only existed for about a decade when Electric Dreams first came out, so people were only just getting started in terms of building up home video libraries and having video readily available to them. Camcorders were only starting to become a common commodity when Electric Dreams arrived, so I imagine people were going nuts and losing their minds that they could make home movies and shoot video of their own. Nowadays, technology has reached the point where the little bricks in our pockets (which are Edgar-level supercomputers of their own) can do almost anything, even film video anytime, anywhere. Now more than ever, the world really is at our fingers due to the way technology and social media keeps us interconnected.

“Video!” sees a continuation of Jeff Lynne’s interests in technology and the future that he was exploring on the Time album. Once again, his music is featured in a movie that’s weird, strange, and ridiculous, but also incredibly fun. “Video!” and Electric Dreams as a whole, is a beautiful little time capsule. It arrived during a time when the wonders of the future and technology was full of optimism and we were once again evaluating our relationship to tech as the world was continuing to undergo constant change. After Electric Dreams, Lynne would examine his own relationship with technology with the 1986 song “Calling America,” one of the last ELO singles before he went off to enjoy a second life as an in-demand producer for a while. He doesn’t sound as excited when he sings “Yeah, we’re living in a modern world” on that one. He doesn’t sound as excited about satellites on that one either, though that might have more to do with him being fully sick of ELO by that point and having to wrap up one last album before he can move on to other things.

Electric Dreams, both the movie and the soundtrack, aren’t as well remembered as Xanadu and I think that’s a shame. Electric Dreams is such a strange, beautiful, and moving love story. It’s the thinking man’s version of Spike Jonze’s Her (it’s also better than Her). The movie only played in theaters for a few short weeks before resigning to its fate as a strange movie you take a chance on when you’re wandering around the video store on a Friday night and you and your partner are looking for something interesting to watch. In hindsight, maybe a movie like Electric Dreams was just too strange to ever capture mainstream attention. 

But don’t feel bad for it! It’s lived and has found its share of people who love it, despite its initial failure. I’m one of them. Lenny Von Dohlen and Virginia Madsen are also in that boat. They loved working on it and had nothing but positive things to say about it. Madsen still considers it one of the best things she’s ever made and I agree with her. Cult classics like Electric Dreams find their audience. Sometimes it just takes a while.

I can tell you that Tumblr absolutely fucking LOVES this movie. If you do a search for “#electric dreams” you will find SO. MUCH. FANART for this movie in that tag. It’s not even funny. Tumblrinas L O V E making art of Edgar the computer. They love making art of him so much, you’d think he’s the protagonist of the movie, not Miles and Madeline. You’d also think Miles, Madeline, and Edgar are in a polycule with each other (hot take: polyamory would not have saved them). The fanart in that tag isn’t even that old either. People love this movie and they love him. (A shocking number of fanart posts depict Edgar hanging out with GLaDOs from Portal, HAL 9000 from 2001: A Space Odyssey, and AM from the Harlan Ellison short story I Have No Mouth and I Must Scream. I have come to the conclusion that Tumblr really loves antagonistic machines).

Electric Dreams celebrates its fortieth anniversary this year (it came out on July 20th, 1984, so this post missed its birthday by eleven days). An unloved film in its time, but a lovably strange and beautifully sincere science fiction romance that remains a beloved cult classic to those who know about it. If you want to see the film for yourself, it’s on Youtube for free. I highly recommend it.

Jeff Lynne is also celebrating this year. At the time of this writing, he’s preparing to take his modern day version of Electric Light Orchestra on the road one more time before retiring for good (he’s calling it the Over and Out Tour, which I think is just a fantastic name). He’s definitely not going to play “Video!” but he’ll be playing every ELO banger in existence, of which there are many. If you’ve never seen the maestro present his music live, I highly recommend you catch him before it’s too late. I plan on going to one of the Philadelphia nights. It’s gonna be a lot of fun. 

“Video!” and Electric Dreams are snapshots of a simpler time that dared to get a little silly and dream about a possible future. Some of its ideas about where technology was headed and our relationship to that technology were hauntingly accurate, some of it is hilariously outdated. Lynne’s visions of video and where video technology ended up being incredibly accurate in all the best ways. Video madness came upon us like a trance in the dark and because of that madness and the internet that houses all that madness, a movie that went completely unnoticed forty years ago can still exist and float out there today, waiting to be found. It wants to share with you what the world looked like during an interesting crossroads in time and it wants to show you what people thought the future might look like. Electric Dreams wants you to know that the future is strange, but it’s also bright and love can be found in the strangest of places if you know where to look. Don’t worry. It’s all under control and it’s all on video.

Electric Dreams sends its love to you. Send some of yours back to it.

[ironicallyirwin]

Visual Learner - Yunho

There were only a few days left before the European leg of the tour and Yunho was struggling to get his things together. Between his schedule and wanting to spend as much time with you as possible, he hadn’t packed a single thing.

He laid with his head on your lap currently while you watched this new kdrama you had become hooked on. With your hands running through his hair, you glanced down and saw his eyelids fluttering, a sign that he was struggling to stay conscious.

“Yuyu,” you whispered. “Do you want to head to bed now?”

He grunted in your lap and then brought his hands to his eyes to rub the exhaustion away. You stopped running your hands through his hair and just stared at the soft boy in front of you. He gazed up at you with tired but gleaming eyes. He always loved looking at you. He told you how beautiful you were once a day at the bare minimum.

“Wanna go to bed?” You asked him again.

“I guess we could. I’m sorry you didn’t get to finish your episode because I fell asleep.” He said to you, a slight pout on his lips.

You squished his cheek as a way to get rid of his pout and smiled at him.

“It’s fine Yuyu. I’ll have plenty of time to finish the show while you’re away on tour.”

At the mention of the tour, Yunho’s eyes darkened and his head dropped down. He was avoiding your gaze for the time being. He always hated leaving you alone, partially due to the fact that he missed you whenever he wasn’t around you but also because he felt like it was his job to protect you and keep you safe. Something that he definitely couldn’t do while he was away in a different country.

You took his hand in yours and gave it a gentle squeeze.

“C’mon, let’s go.” You say to him.

The both of you rise up from the couch and head down the hallway to the bedroom you both shared. You both had been living together for a year now and you each loved every second of it. When Yunho had broke the news to the members about how he wasn’t going to be in the dorms anymore he couldn’t help but feel a little giddy that he wouldn’t have to sleep on the top bunk anymore. As much as he loved rooming with San, he enjoyed his privacy too. Sharing a bed with you though was better than anything he could have imagined.

Yunho settled into bed while you changed into your pj’s which consisted of just a silk sleep dress and your panties. This was your usual nighttime apparel which Yunho was used to but he couldn’t help but feel himself getting aroused by the way the silk clung to your curves.

You felt his gaze on you and when you looked at him, you could see him clutching a fistful of comforter in his hand. His eyes never left you as you walked over to his side of the bed, grazing your fingertips along the comforter and up along Yunho’s leg that was protruding from under the covers.

“Like what you see?” You asked in a sultry voice.

Even though both of you have had sex many times, you always loved how Yunho looked at you and treated you during your time of intimacy. It was like it was his first time all over again. His brown eyes turned to saucers every time he was given permission to worship your body in the most unholy ways. It was like a trance came over him. And that’s exactly how he looked in this moment.

Yunho swallowed nervously, never taking his eyes off you. He could feel himself getting more aroused by the second. It was almost becoming painful having his cock restrained in his sweatpants. You climbed on top of him then, sitting directly in his lap.

You could feel his hard cock pressing against your pussy through his sweatpants and the covers. A slight smirk spread across your lips at the sensation.

Yunho’s hands reflexively gripped your hips, riding the silk material of your dress up a bit giving more exposure to your thighs.

“Please let me have you tonight.” He begged, his breath shaky.

“You can, but not that easily.” You said to him, running your fingers along his covered chest. “I’m going to show you how I want to be pleased.”

You heard Yunho suck in a breath. That obviously excited him. Getting to see you play with yourself was very rare for him since he always liked to be the one to exclusively pleasure you.

Sitting up using your knees, you brought your hands under your dress and began slipping your panties off. Yunho went to go help but you swatted his hands away.

“You don’t get to touch me yet. I’m calling the shots tonight.” You scold him.

“Of course baby, I’m sorry.”

You felt your skin tingle when he called you baby. You didn’t really have pet names for one another unless it was in the bedroom. Each and every time you heard him call you something that wasn’t your name made you excited and more aroused for him.

As you got off of Yunho to take your panties fully off, you saw he was getting ready to do the same and remove the bottom half of his clothes. Now that both of you were half naked, you were ready to have him be a visual learner tonight.

You dipped your fingers between your folds and brought them up to your lips, placing them inside your mouth and licking up what wetness was on them. “Mmm, sweet.” You said with a smirk on your face.

Yunho muttered a low “fuck” after you said that, his features growing dark and his hand roaming down beneath the covers to stroke himself.

You hiked the hem of your dress up so you were exposed from the bottom up to your stomach. Holding your dress in one hand, you let your other hand roam the curves of your body until your fingers grazed against your already wet lips. You spread your legs a little further apart and slipped in a finger, starting to rub circles against your clit.

Soft moans escaped your mouth as Yunho watched you stand there and pleasure yourself in front of him. Stroking his cock, he couldn’t help but be mesmerized by the sight of you. You looked like a goddess, the moans coming from your mouth sounded like the greatest symphony he’s ever heard.

“Baby, you look so gorgeous.” He muttered, his breath hitching every time he slowly stroked his cock.

At his words you felt your core tightening as you kept rubbing circles on your clit. “Baby, please I want you so bad.”

That was more than enough for Yunho. He leapt up from the bed and was on you within seconds. His mouth crashed onto yours, his hands clung to the small of your back with his fingers digging into you. He was holding you as if this was the last night you both would spend together. In a way it was, he was going to be gone for a whole month and you were going to be alone. You could feel in his passion just how much he was going to miss you while he was away. You, of course, we’re going to miss him too.

Leading you back to the bed, Yunho turned you both around so your back was now facing the mattress. He unlatched his lips from yours and started leaving a trail of kisses down your neck. Your hands that rested on his back pulled him closer to you as if there was too much space between your bodies.

“Fuck me, now.”

Yunho looks up at you, a devilish smirk appearing on his lips. You definitely didn’t have to tell him twice. Within seconds you were laying on the bed, Yunho’s body on top of yours. He slips the straps of your dress down, pulling the rest of the fabric with it until your naked body laid before him. You gripped the hem of his t-shirt and helped him pull it off. Both of you stared at each other momentarily, your eyes giving the other a sign of approval. This is what you both wanted.

You spread your legs and Yunho trailed kisses down your body, fluttering them along every inch of your skin. He worshipped you like the goddess you were, his mind, body, and soul were fully committed to you. Gripping your thighs with his hands, he brought his mouth closer to your dripping wet pussy.

“Fuck Y/N, I haven’t even touched you yet and you’re already dripping.” Yunho says, his voice laced with desire.

“P-please…” you beg.

He scoffs. “I thought you were the one calling the shots tonight? It’s funny how quick the roles have reversed.”

He doesn’t waste any time in giving you what you want despite his remarks. He positions his head between your legs and lightly drags his tongue up your clit. Your body shivers in pleasure and your hips reflexively buck up. Yunho’s grip on them tightens, he’s not letting you go anywhere until he’s done with you for the night.

He begins lapping up your wetness, the sensation against your clit has you gripping the pillow above your head and moaning in pleasure. You bury one of your hands in Yunho’s hair, you know how much he likes it pulled while he’s eating you out. He moans softly into you, the vibrations making you moan louder while his tongue continues to tease your core.

You can feel the tightening sensation within your stomach signaling your fast approaching orgasm.

“ I-I’m gonna cum.” You breathe out, your grip on the pillow and Yunho’s hair tightening simultaneously.

Yunho’s tongue picks up speed and aids your orgasm in approaching even faster. His grip loosens on your thighs and they close around his head while he continues licking your clit as you ride out your high.

As your thighs relax, Yunho trails kisses up your body this time. Your faces meet and you kiss him, tasting yourself in the process.

“You were right, you do taste so sweet.” Yunho mutters to you.

You were still recovering from the pleasure you felt just moments ago but Yunho was already lining himself up with your entrance. He was eager to feel inside of you and although he’s fucked you multiple times, each one was better than the last. This time would be no different for him.

His hands gripped the top of your thighs as he pushed himself inside you. You let out a sharp breath like you always did when you were first getting used to his size. His thrusts started out slow, letting you get used to the feeling of him inside of you. Once you were adjusted, his thrusts got faster and his breathing more labored. You wrapped your hands around Yunho’s back, fingers digging into his skin as the feeling of him inside you elicited a string of moans from your mouth.

“You sound so beautiful when you moan, baby.” Yunho whispers to you, kissing your neck.

“Y-Yunho, fuck…” you start, your walls clenching around his cock.

His thrusts start getting sloppy and you can tell he’s going to combust any second. He screws his eyes shut and focuses on the feeling of your pussy as he’s fucking you. Yunho’s only ever fucked you raw and you both liked it that way.

Yunho grips your thighs tighter, pulling you closer to him. You hear the sound of your skin making contact as he thrusts harder.

“Y/N….I’m gonna…” Yunho starts.

You felt his cock twitch as his load filled you. You both moaned simultaneously as Yunho’s climax reached its end. He pulled out of you and collapsed on the pillow next to you. Both of your breathing was labored as you stared at the ceiling, reveling in the moment you just shared with one another.

As your breathing slowed, Yunho pulled you into his chest. You both laid in silence for a few moments, just enjoying the contact of your skin on one another. Neither of you wanted to break the silence, because you knew what each of you were going to say.

“I’m going to miss you.” Yunho says, finally breaking the silence.

You look up at him and see he’s intently staring at you.

“I’m going to miss you even more.” You reply.

Yunho tilted his head down and you tilted yours up to meet each other’s lips in a soft but passionate kiss. You know he didn’t want to leave you but that he had no choice in the matter. And you knew how hard this lifestyle would be the moment you both had made your relationship official.

“We still have a couple days left together Yuyu.” You say to him in an attempt to make him feel better.

Yunho nods in silence and just keeps looking at you.

You smile at him and you can see the remnants of a small smile lingering on his face. You place a light kiss on his lips and stroke his cheek tenderly.

“Let’s get some sleep now, I don’t need Hongjoong on my ass about how you’re not properly rested.” You say, earning a chuckle from Yunho.

“I love you, Y/N.” Yunho mutters softly.

“I love you too.”

You turn around so your back is to Yunho and his arms are around your waist. He pulls you close to him and the both of you drift off to sleep.

[imaginesxthevamps]

OI OIII

can you do a smut about Brad getting a blowjob and him moaning and gasping???

Adventures on a boring party | Brad Simpson

Word count: +/- 2.1k

Date: 26/03/2023

Proofread: yes (language and grammar mistakes can still be present)

Warnings: smut (oral sex, m receiving), swearing

Tags: Brad Simpson, The Vamps, imagine, x reader, fanfiction, one shot, smut

A/N: Hello hello, I hope you like it :)) Thanks for your requests!!❤

______________________________

Brad gets out of his car, locking it up while walking away. The gravel rustles under his shoes as he is walking towards the building. In front of him there is an old but beautiful castle. A red carpet is rolled down the stairs which lead to the front door. He walks up the stairs which are also lit up by torches. A security man asks his identity to which Brad replies with his name. As he enters the building he can hear classical music echoing through the halls of the castle. With a sigh, he enters the ballroom where the event is taking place. He got an invitation from Jaguar, the car company, to this fancy party. Tomorrow there is a race not so far from the castle and they wanted to unite all the biggest car sports fans the evening before. It’s an exclusive party for sponsors, influencers, shareholders and the important people who work in the racing world. It has everything that an exclusive and fancy party should have: fancy food, classical music, and people in suits and fancy dresses. Despite all of it Brad is really not in the mood for such a fancy party although he has no choice. 

Brad takes a glass of champagne from a tray and takes a sip. His eyes are scanning the room to see if he recognises anyone. With another sigh, he tries to mingle with the other people. This is really not his scene so he doesn’t know what to do. Should he talk to people or not? 

‘You’re Brad Simpson right?’, someone taps him on the shoulder.

‘Yes, that’s me’

‘Nice to meet you, I’m Jason, one of the racers’, he introduces himself.

‘Nice to meet you Jason, so are you ready for tomorrow?’

‘Oh yeah I am, I’m also not staying long, I need a good night's sleep’

‘Wish I could say the same’

‘You don’t like these parties?’

‘No, it’s not really my thing but I don’t really have a choice since I’m sponsored’

‘Yeah I get that, just try to enjoy it a little bit, at least try the food, it’s the best part’, Jason laughs. 

‘Maybe I should do that then’

‘I have to go, good luck mate, it was great meeting you’

‘Yeah, you too’

As Jason leaves Brad takes another sip of his glass. Following the guy's advice he makes his way to the table where the food is stalled out. He takes a few things to eat and he needs to admit that the food is not bad. He drinks from his champagne before trying some other things. When his glass is empty he takes another one from a tray. 

Brad turns around and decides to leave the ballroom. He walks down one of the castle halls where it is quiet. A few people smile at him when they walk by. In the distance, he sees a girl who is staring at a painting that’s hanging on a wall. Her silhouette and her long hair look familiar. He steps closer and more of her features become visual. 

‘Y/N?’, he asks surprised.

You turn around and you can’t believe your eyes. You can’t believe that he is standing here in front of you. It’s been years since you’ve seen him. If you remember correctly it’s 5 years ago since you’ve seen each other. Both of you were 22 at the time. You had a fling with Brad, not something really serious. Your relationship back then was more focused on sex and pleasure but you were young. Neither of you had ended things back then, you just grew apart. Brad went on a world tour and you went to study on the other side of the world. The contact was lost. 

‘Brad? What are you doing here’, you ask surprised.

‘I got an invitation for this party, what are you doing here?’

‘My dad works in racing’

‘Yeah that’s right’

You can see that Brad is taking all of you in. His eyes are scanning over your body. He is looking at how your tight black dress is embracing your curves. He bites his lip slightly. You can’t also keep yourself from looking at him. You can see how his shoulders got broader just like his arms and chest. It’s only now that you realise how you’ve missed those chocolate brown curls. You swallow which Brad notices.

‘Maybe we should go back to the party’, you say. 

Brad follows you back to the ballroom. When you enter it you see your dad. He is smiling and coming your way. 

‘Hi Brad! It’s been a long time since I’ve seen you!’, He says and gives Brad a brotherly hug. 

Your father and Brad always got along well. When he was at your house they would laugh and joke the whole evening. If they didn’t talk about cars they would talk about golf as your dad is also a golf fan. Luckily someone starts talking to your dad which gives you the opportunity to pull Brad away from your dad. You’re not really in the mood to listen to a conversation all night that only involves cars and golf. 

‘What are we going to do now?’, Brad asks.

‘Dance?’

‘We’re surely not going to slow dance on this music’, Brad sighs.

‘Oh we are, you've got a better idea?’, you smile and you pull him to the place where a few other couples are slow dancing. 

Brad takes you by the waist to dance. It feels weird to be here with him but it’s more fun than staring at a few paintings. 

‘So, how have you been?’, Brad asks.

‘Good, I finished uni in California and now I’m working for a company in London. How have you been doing?’

‘We’re celebrating the band’s 10-year anniversary this year, it’s been going well

You smile at him not really knowing what to say. He is looking extremely hot and all you can think of his how much fun you two had back then. To be honest it was the best time of your life. Sometimes the two of you would do reckless things like driving around in the middle of the night or exploring places you weren’t really allowed to do that. 

‘I’m bored’, you say.

‘You were the one who wanted to dance’, Brad laughs.

‘What if we go discover this castle?’

‘Are we allowed to?’

‘I don’t know but do we care?’

Brad smiles and both of you leave the ballroom again through the same door. You’re wandering through the halls of the castle. The details of the interior are impressive. You open a door that makes a lot of noise. Brad looks at you with a scared face.

‘Y/N, do you really want people to hear us?’

‘Oh come on Brad, you weren’t so scared when we did this years ago’

Brad sighs as you walk into a big room. You guess it’s a big dining room as there is a long table with chairs. Brad follows you as you inspect the room. You touch a statue and you hear Brad sigh again behind you.

‘Please, you’re going to break something’

To provoke him you sit down on the table and Brad rolls his eyes. He stands before you and you take his hands in yours in an impulsive action. Brad looks surprised but he doesn’t let go of your hands. You pull him closer until he is standing between your legs. 

‘I’ve missed you Bradley’, you say. 

‘I’ve missed you too y/n’

Brad stares into your eyes and you bite your lip. Your fingers are playing with his and you can feel the contrast between his warm fingers and his cold rings. Brad’s eyes never leave yours and it feels like time stands still. It feels like you and Brad are the only people on this world. Brad can’t handle it anymore and pushes his lips onto yours. His warm lips are moving against yours and you can taste the champagne on them. His tongue slips into your mouth and you moan in the kiss. Unaware you pull Brad closer to you and you’re grinding against his crotch. The anticipation is building up as the kiss is getting more heated. You can feel Brad getting hard which turns you on.

‘We should take this to another place’, Brad says out of breath.

‘The guests are staying in the other wing, I have a room there to stay the night’, you say. 

You take Brad’s hand and make your way to the other wing. To go there you have to pass the ballroom again as it is on the other side. The halls on this side of the castle are more restored and the rooms are furnished as hotel rooms. You open the door of your room and walk in. You close the door when both of you are in. You turn around to Brad again and you start kissing him again. Your hand is going over his length which becomes even harder under your touch. 

Gently you push Brad onto the bed so he is sitting at the end of it. You walk towards him and sit on your knees. You unbutton his pants and Brad helps you to get out of his pants and boxers. His dick is hard and almost touches his belly. Slowly your hand moves over his length and you get wet only looking at his dick. Brad is looking at you with his eyes filled with lust and you look at him while you take his cock into your mouth. You start to suck on the tip and Brad closes his eyes. You take it further into your mouth while you go up and down. Brad moans and throws his head back. You try to take his whole dick into your mouth but it’s difficult because of how big he is. You take him out of your mouth again and you pump him with your hand. Pre-cum is coming out of the tip and as soon as you take him back into your mouth you can taste it. 

'Fuck y/n, your lips always feel so good around my dick', Brad moans. 

While you're sucking on Brad's cock, your hand is going up and down at the base of it, giving him extra pleasure. To add to that you start to gently play with his balls with your other hand. Brad gasps from all the pleasure you're giving him. 

Brad looks down on you to see how you're sucking his dick and he loves the view. He loves how your body looks in that tight dress. He loves the way you're being so desperate for him right now. Nobody could ever make him feel this good like you do. 

'How I've missed these lips, take it all in baby', Brad groans and throws his head back again. 

His moans are getting harder. You try to take him as deep as you can. His dick is hitting the back of your throat, almost making you gag. You can feel his dick twitching inside your mouth, indicating he is close. You're going up and down faster. Your tongue is playing with his tip, making him go crazy. One of Brad's hands is gripping your hair while the other is keeping him steady on the bed. 

'Fuck y/n baby, I'm-, fuck', Brad moans out.

Loud groans are leaving Brad's mouth while his hot load is filling your mouth. You get his cock out of your mouth. His cum tastes salty but you swallow it. Brad looks at you and he smiles.

'Babe, this was amazing', he says.

You love the way he calls you babe, he used to do it all the time when you were together. You stand up and sit on his lap while you throw your arms around his neck. 

'Only for you', you say smiling.

Brad kisses you softly this time. A meaningful kiss which tingles on your lips. His lips moving slowly against yours while his hands are on the small of your back. After the kiss you rest your forehead against Brad's. 

'What do we do now?', Brad asks.

'I don't know, I don't-', you can't get out of your words.

'Tell me y/n'

'I don't want to lose you again'

Brad takes your face between his hands and makes you look at him. His eyes aren't dark and filled with lust anymore, now they are the brightest brown looking soft. A small smile is playing on his lips.

'I promise you, you won't lose me again princess', Brad promises.

Gently Brad kisses you again and it feels like your life lights up again. It's only now you realize how much you've missed him all these years.

______________________________

The Vamps requests are open

[tomorrowxtogether]

Tomorrow X Together live in New York: magic and mayhem at boyband’s first US arena tour

As they enter the concert big leagues, TXT bring an ambitious show to the stage, but take a moment to warm up to the challenge ahead

Usually at K-pop concerts, the goofy chaos doesn’t kick in until the final section of the show, but at Tomorrow X Together‘s second night in New York as part of their ‘Act: Sweet Mirage’ US tour, it begins early. After their opening run concludes with a boisterous ‘Cat And Dog’, the five-piece take a break to whip up disarray. First, they encourage the audience to repeat the barking refrain from their last song, before the members share their own attempts at woofing. Canine impersonations over, TXT move on to playing around with lightsticks, each member taking turns to conduct a section of the crowd through silly moves.

All this is very cute and fun but, in terms of the bigger picture of the performance, it’s also stilling. It quickly disrupts any momentum that was being built and highlights the feeling from the preceding tracks that the group are still warming up, five songs in. That they don’t come bursting out of the gates instantly is perhaps understandable – this is only the third show of the US leg of the tour, which marks TXT are first time playing arenas in the country, graduating from their theatre-sized tour last summer.

If it takes a hot minute for the boyband to get fully revved up, the production is on point from the get-go, suiting the grand size of the venue and then some. At the end of early highlight ‘9 And Three Quarters (Run Away)’, Hueningkai delivers a solo dance break where he becomes a princely wizard, sparkles swirling around him on the screen as he elegantly twirls and spins. Seconds later, metallic confetti begins to fall from the ceiling and, as it catches the light, it looks like gold dust fluttering down around him.

Earlier, a shortened version of ‘Drama’ sees the group passing a brightly coloured basketball around the stage before launching it towards a CGI hoop on the back screen, while ‘Anti-Romantic’ is accompanied by visuals recalling Beauty And The Beast, with a red rose wilting under a domed glass jar. It’s the shape-shifting ‘Eternally’, though, that stuns the most, its gentle, melancholy verses visually scored by smooth white and blue light. When the song glitches into its darker moments, though, flames shoot towards the sky, everything turns red and lasers judder frenetically across the crowd. They’re effects that heighten the excitement of the music, making the lurching changes feel larger than life.

Once TXT hit their stride, their performance feels right at home too. ‘Can’t You See Me?’ is ferocious, the group blazing through the track before a part of the screen behind them lifts to reveal a glowing red light, as if calling them into their own personal inferno to match the raging emotions in the lyrics. The dubby Afrobeats of ‘Tinnitus (Wanna Be A Rock)’ finds them leaning into a more mature groove, with choreography (and scream-inducing abs flashing) to match.

There are moments of pure artistic beauty, too. ‘Opening Sequence’ begins with the group splitting into pairs (Hueningkai and Taehyun, Beomgyu and Soobin) plus a solo Yeonjun to deliver sophisticated dances set to classical refrains. The moves are poised and perfect, upping the drama in the room before launching into the anguished song while, just before the pain reaches its peak in the outro, four of the members fall to the floor, their bodies in a circle around Taehyun as he embarks on his own brief solo steps, surrounded by pillars of white light. It’s one of the pinnacles of the set, its dynamic, unpredictable choreography bringing a rush of goosebumps.

Afterwards, Hueningkai asks Yeonjun if he was lonely dancing by himself, to which the rapper replies that he’s never alone with MOA. That might be the kind of response you expect to that question, but there’s truth within the fan service. Throughout TXT’s concert, there’s a feeling of unity bonding the 19,000 fans – and the boyband – whether they’re barking as one, learning choreography under the guidance of the members, or screaming each lyric in harmony.

Nowhere is the latter more potent than during ‘LO$ER=LO♡ER’, where the whole venue yells “I’m a loser / I’m a loser” with emphatic joy, like a communal epiphany of self-acceptance and a celebratory reclamation of that uncool status. Togetherness is a sentiment that runs through the penultimate track of the night as well. ‘Blue Spring’ is a brand new song that TXT are debuting on this tour and it pays tribute to their relationship with their fans. “When we’re high, when we’re low, you’re always by my side / All my youth is filled up with your warmth,” they sing to the crowd in the sweet ballad.

“At last year’s concert in New York, I told you that I’m growing every day because of MOA,” Hueningkai recalls during the band’s final comments as the concert begins to wrap up. That continued growth is obvious tonight, not just for TXT’s maknae – whose all-round skills are brighter and tighter than ever – but the band as a whole, who have come on leaps and bounds since they were last in the US. Beomgyu’s cheeky, chaotic energy drives the between-song (and sometimes during) giddiness, Yeonjun has stepped fully into the confident, charmingly cocky showman role, and Soobin and Taehyun’s vocals have somehow become even more divine than before.

After the audience get a few more rounds of barking in for good measure, TXT bring the night to a close with ‘Our Summer’, a sun-kissed goodbye that bottles the sweet feelings shared between band and fans tonight one last time, and promises equally heartfelt reunions in the future. “No matter where you are, no matter what season,” the group sing happily. “If we’re together, feel like summer.”

[fakeuwus]

enhypen was literally the best concert i've ever been to and i am being so genuine when i say that. the way they interacted with the fans, their sincere words, and their energy was just so amazing 😣 in honor of seeing them for the first time ima make a list of everything that happend! (what i can rmr)

- sunghoon and jay noticing my "hot girls luv 02z" poster (jake WYA)

- heeseung's bday!! the members came out w a cake and we all sang him happy bday

- jungwon saying that we're amazing and thanking us bc no one pushed and ran when they sang polaroid love

- the boys saying they love dallas so much!!

- jake saying they'll be back in dallas sooner than we think?? like jake bae wdym??? 🤨 (im smelling us tour encore or sum...)

- the boys noticing two baby engenes and conversed w them 🫶🏼 (jay said he saw his younger self at the little boy who put on his sunglasses when enha told him to 😭)

- riki saying that jungwon reminded him they only have 10 days left in america and he's sad to leave so soon (riki 4 prez)

-heeseung kicking the tamed dashed ball into the crowd and telling everyone its signed 😭 (lucky af engene whoever caught it)

- them being just SO BEAUTIFUL IRL?? like they're THAT visual group wbk but seeing them in person hits DIFFERENT they're so pretty omg i was genuinely in shock

- FOREHEAD SUNOO. need i say more.

- jay's hairstyle was just so scrumdiliumptious it's like he knew i would be there and did his best hairstyle for the show?? (im not delusional) (totally real scenario)

- and lastly, cowboy jay. he loves tx fr he's so ready to become a texan and move here to be WITH ME . (cowboy jay changed my life for the better yall dont even know) (here's some pics to prove it)

- in conclusion just say fuck it and buy that enha ticket the next time ur able to go ITS SO WORTH IT .

going to sleep now but will post more pics tomo 🫶🏼

[black-arcana]

The top 20 best Nightwish songs ranked

By Catherine Morris

From Nemo and Élan to Greatest Show On Earth and Ghost Love Score, these are the best songs by symphonic metal icons Nightwish - as chosen by you

It’s simply not possible to talk about symphonic metal, or indeed Finland, without hearing the name Nightwish. From their humble beginnings playing acoustic songs around the campfire in their hometown of Kitee, Northern Karelia, to the stages of arenas and stadiums around the world, Nightwish have become the most successful Finnish band globally and one of their country’s best-selling acts. 

It’s been an eventful and at times, turbulent journey: in their nearly thirty year career, the band have endured less-than-cordial splits with two out of three singers, and all the backlash that went with the controversial decisions. More recently, they’ve undergone more lineup changes within the fold, but they’ve always come back, seemingly stronger than ever – and in their current incarnation, fronted by the insanely talented Floor Jansen, they continue to dominate.

With nine studio albums, a feature film and around 117 total recorded songs in their back catalogue (some of which have never been played live, we put it to you, the fans, to definitively rank the best musical offerings from the band’s varied and illustrious career. Three distinctive voices have all made their mark on the Nightwish sound during her ‘era’, and each one has had her moment of glory, as evidenced by the below list.

Which one came out as the definitive fan favourite? Keep scrolling, and you’ll see… 

And if you want to read more about Nighwish, be sure to pick up this month's issue of Metal Hammerwhere Finland's finest symphonic export are once again gracing our cover. From getting Tuomas Holopainen to talk us through every Nightwish album to date, to an in-depth chat with Floor Jansen about her upcoming solo record and recent breast cancer diagnosis, there's plenty to get into for Nightwish fanatics and newcomers alike. 

20. Wishmaster (2000)

From the album of the same name, the lyrics of this Lord of the Rings-inspired track might initially be hard to decipher for some (some pretty spectacularly misheard versions exist online), but the punchiness of the chorus and Tarja Turunen’s haunting siren-call in the verses make Wishmaster a firm fan favourite.

19. I Want My Tears Back (2011)

This sweet uptempo jig from the band’s conceptual Imaginaerum album takes listeners into the Disney esque dreamscape of Tuomas Holopainen’s lost childhood, with its charmingly nostalgic lyrics and Troy Donockley’s uilleann pipe riff as the song’s focal point. It quickly became a staple on tour setlists and has remained so ever since.

18. The Islander (2007)

One of the few occasions former bassist Marko Hietala provided lead vocals, with then-singer Anette only a ghostly echo in the chorus, was on this folky acoustic ditty from Dark Passion Play, which provides a soothing respite from the overall heaviness of the record and was the first Nightwish to feature Troy prominently.

17. Bless the Child (2002)

The second single from Century Child is a sparkling, operatic mid-tempo lament that’s 2000s- Nightwish through and through: spoken word, lyrics lifted from Walter Raleigh’s poetry and plenty of navel-gazing. Century Child is the band’s first album to feature an orchestra, and they certainly got their money’s worth on Bless The Child.

16. Amaranth (2007)

After Dark Passion Play ballad Eva leaked online, the world’s first visual introduction to Anette Olzon came in the form of the album’s first music video for the catchy and upbeat Amaranth. Showcasing a dramatically different singing style to Tarja, her impressively high belting won over many sceptical fans.

15. Élan (2015)

Similarly, the band’s first single that introduced singer Floor Jansen made a spectacular impression – a tribute to Tuomas’ hero Walt Whitman, the Endless Forms Most Beautiful track is a rousing ode to the beauty and mystery of life that gently introduces the listener to the album’s themes of evolution and natural history.

14. Dead Boy's Poem (2000)

One of Tuomas’ most personal compositions, the penultimate track on Wishmaster has a slow, hymnlike pace and deeply melancholic lyrics; introducing the ‘Dead Boy’ motif to represent the songwriter and employing a child narrator, the song climaxes in a stunning vocal delivery by Tarja that never fails to induce goosebumps.

13. 7 Days to the Wolves (2007)

“The wolves, my love, will come,” purrs Anette at the beginning of this Dark Passion Play track that sits firmly at the heavier end of the Nightwish oeuvre. Ostensibly inspired by Stephen King’s Dark Tower series, the build into its middle 8 section is one of the most thrilling moments on the album.

12. Song of Myself (2011)

The last proper song on Imaginaerum is a thirteen-minute-long epic in four parts. Taking direct inspiration from the Whitman poem of the same name, it’s a grandiose, sprawling track that ties together all the themes of the record and ends in a lengthy spoken-word section narrated with Troy’s soothing Northern lilt.

11. Shoemaker (2020)

Human. :||: Nature’s only entry on this list is Shoemaker, the band’s tribute to Dr Eugene Shoemaker, a planetary scientist who became the first man to be buried on the Moon per his wishes after dying in an accident. The song’s repeated outro of “Ad Astra!” sees Floor go fully operatic and it is simply, heartbreakingly beautiful.

10. Last Ride Of The Day (2011)

A rollercoaster of a song, this is the track from Imaginaerum that flips the power switch at the abandoned theme park that forms the album’s richly-imagined backdrop, turning all the rides back on for one last hurrah. The dynamics in Anette’s voice from the whisper-soft verse to the dizzyingly high final note make it a thrilling sonic journey.

9. Wish I Had an Angel (2004)

The second single from the Once album is a back-and-forth duet between Tarja and Marko, with an intoxicating dance beat and lyrics positively oozing with lust. Consistently one of their most-performed songs with each of their three singers, it’s a perennial favourite that never fails to get the crowd moving – what’s more, it charted in ten countries including the UK and went gold in their home country of Finland. Kaching!

8. Dark Chest of Wonders (2004)

It comes as no surprise that multiple Once tracks made it into the top ten, as arguably the band’s most successful album to date in terms of sales, and the one that put them on the global map. Dark Chest of Wonders is a perfect album opener in many ways: the hushed tones of Tarja’s “Once, I had a dream…” straight into a guitar riff punctuated by dramatic orchestra hits and culminating in a triumphant final cadence.

7. Storytime (2011)

The chart-topping lead single from the Imaginaerum record is a song that perhaps best encapsulates the band’s sound of that era. A testament to the imagination of Tuomas Holopainen and his love for children’s fantasy tales, his lyrics reference literary icons such as Alice and Peter Pan, as well as the beloved titular character from The Snowman, and the track opens the gates to the album’s tumultuous carnival ride in signature Nightwish style.

6. Sleeping Sun (1999)

Being the only ballad to make the top ten just goes to show the impact of Sleeping Sun, from a standalone maxi single named 4 Ballads Of The Eclipse that was released to coincide with the total solar eclipse of August ’99. Introspective and reverential, this gorgeous ode to the beauty in darkness is powerfully evocative in a way only someone who has experienced Arctic polar nights could know. So good, they recorded it twice.

5. Nemo (2004)

Undeniably a breakthrough track for the band, earning them their first entry into the UK charts and hitting the top ten in multiple countries, the lead single from Once remains their most-performed live song to date. Accompanied by a big-budget music video set against a fittingly wintry backdrop, the sparse piano hook and infectiously catchy chorus melody set it apart as one of their more accessible songs that still packs a punch.

4. Ever Dream (2002)

Famously the song that got Anette Olzon the job of Nightwish lead singer when she chose to audition for the band with it, the band’s fourth studio album Century Child saw the inclusion of Marko Hietala on vocal duties alongside Tarja for the first time, adding a brand new dimension to the band’s evolving symphonic metal sound with his powerful power-metal screams. 

Ever Dream earned the band their first platinum record, and with good reason: full of light and shade, the dynamic contrasts between the verse, chorus and middle eight, as well as between Tarja and Marko’s voices, all serve to heighten the drama of the song.

3. The Poet and the Pendulum (2007)

Starting a record with an opening track just shy of the fourteen-minute mark was certainly a bold choice, and a fitting way to set the stage for Dark Passion Play. 

From the youthful voice of a boy treble in the introduction to Marko’s furious, blasphemous snarls and an astonishingly beautiful performance by Anette in the final movement, it’s a multi-part epic that encompasses seemingly every emotion that can be expressed with music, albeit at the darker end of the spectrum; all of the turbulence and personal strife experienced by its composer shrouds the song in a stormy cloak of angst.

2. The Greatest Show on Earth (2015)

Enter Floor – with eight years in the band already under her belt, it’s only fitting that one of the Dutch singer’s stunning contributions to the Nightwish canon should make it into the top ten; even more so that it’s the closing track from Endless Forms Most Beautiful. 

Another one of their signature multi-part compositions which, at twenty-four minutes long, is their longest, most ambitious and arguably most progressive to date, The Greatest Show On Earth is a celebration of life on our blue rock that draws inspiration heavily from Darwin’s On The Origin Of Species. A live favourite (in an abridged form) ever since Endless Forms… came out, the climactic chant of “We were here!” is its crowning moment.

1. Ghost Love Score (2004)

Of course, the number one spot on the list could only go to one song: Ghost Love Score. The ninth track on the double-platinum-selling Once unofficially sort of marks the beginning of an arc of ten-minute-plus songs composed of multiple distinct movements that have been present on every Nightwish album since. 

The Poet and the Pendulum, The Greatest Show on Earth, and Song of Myself all continued this pattern, but Ghost Love Score is still, for many, the blueprint, having taken on a life beyond its original form thanks to many now-legendary performances of the song by Floor Jansen, everywhere from Buenos Aires to Wacken Open Air. 

Compositionally perhaps their most accomplished song, it’s always played in its entirety, unlike the aforementioned tracks; it flows beautifully from one movement into another, changing time signatures from 4/4 to a waltz seamlessly for its cinematic “seafaring” middle string section and returning to its original themes at the end to bring it home. 

Add to that the hopelessly romantic lyrics (“You were the one to cut me, so I’ll bleed forever!”) and the fantastic backing of the London Philharmonic Orchestra and there you have it: Nightwish’s best song, as chosen by the fans.

[nbenvs3000w24]

Life as an Environmental Interpreter

Hello friends,

Welcome back to another week of blogging!

To begin, when I first heard the term “nature interpreter,” I honestly didn’t really know what it meant, who it classified or why a nature interpreter would be an important role within the environmental world. I initially thought to myself, “nature doesn’t speak… so why would it need an interpreter?” However, as I sat here and pondered, I realized that nature does indeed speak to us in ways that are both subtle and direct and it’s up to us as receivers to cultivate awareness and choose to use our senses to listen. I’ve learned that nature interpreters are important because they allow us to understand the natural world and help us to use our senses to better connect and listen to the many forms of communication nature has to offer. 

In my ideal world, I would love to have a job as an environmental interpreter at a local park where I would lead immersive and captivating tours through various different trails. I would love to have this role as an interpreter because hiking through trails is where I fell in love with the outdoors and where I found the most personal connection to nature. My tours would allow adults and children to connect with the biological and cultural diversity within the trails and lead everyone on a path of self-discovery and personal connection. As someone who is also very interested in history, my tours would go beyond simply the nature that is present and teach the group about the history of the trails, how the various organisms and wildlife evolved and where things are expected to evolve to in the future to add my own personal touch. 

Here are some cool photos from a tour in the beautiful New Zealand!!!

In order to adapt to the needs of others in my role as an interpreter, I would need to implement a variety of different learning styles into my teaching approach while on the tours as well as pay attention to my specific audience at hand in order to adapt to their needs. For example, I can focus my attention more on sounds and noises such as bird species chirping on the tours for an audience who possess more auditory strengths. Oppositely, I can focus on elaborating more on the visual aspect of the tours such as the animal tracks on the ground, the variety of different insects or any other notable features to aid with my visual learners. In my advantage however, I am a tactile learner so I can use my tactile skills to use a more engaging and interactive approach to my tours by allowing the group to get their hands dirty and do more than simply walk and listen! I believe that no matter what style of learning works best for a person, the only way to truly experience the most out of nature is to use all senses to touch, smell, feel and see the beauty the world around us has to offer. 

To conclude, I believe my main goal as an environmental interpreter is to have the visitors who follow along my tour leave the tour feeling different than they were before. Whether they feel more connected to themselves, more connected to nature, a heightened sense of creativity or appreciation or overall simply happier, I want my tours to leave a lasting impression on people! To me, the ability to teach and share my knowledge with others about a topic I am passionate about would be the most rewarding job and maybe in the future this will become a reality!

Thanks for listening :)

Natalie

[danaraeblogs]

K-pop concerts are undoubtedly better than any other concert. As someone who has attended plenty of concerts, including over a dozen K-pop concerts in Los Angeles, I have the proper credentials to make such a bold statement. Any K-pop fan could tell you that attending a K-pop concert is a life experience like no other. With addictive melodies, electric fan energy, and high-quality production, it is no wonder why K-pop groups have stolen the hearts of many (including myself).

K-pop takes concert culture to another level. From the moment you arrive at the venue, you can feel the immense excitement from the fans. When attending a K-pop concert, fans express their dedication and love for the group by dressing up in style. Don't be surprised to see fans in costumes and outfits that correlate with the group's latest music video or concept. This is part of the fun! I recently attended Enhypen's Fate Tour in Los Angeles and saw a group of girls dressed up in corn suits because one of the member's favorite foods is corn. I hope they ended up catching his attention.

Instead of arriving at the venue later in the evening when the concert starts, K-pop concerts can become an entire day affair filled with K-pop fun. Fans arrive early to line up for merchandise, take photos of their elaborate outfits, exchange gifts, and participate in interactive activities. Fans often connect through social media apps to share meet-up spots for certain activities and connect prior to the concert. It is common for people to create "freebies" to pass out. These can include friendship bracelets, photos of the artists, and candy. It almost feels like everyone is already friends. I have attended many concerts alone and made a handful of friends by the night's end (Some I still talk to regularly). K-pop concerts create a safe and inclusive atmosphere for everyone. Since everyone is here for the same artist, we are all connected by our shared love of music, which I think is so special.

Of course, K-pop concerts are particularly special because of the overall concert energy and fantastic production value. First of all, K-pop concerts rarely have an opening act. Shows start promptly, and all the attention is on the K-pop group. When you enter the concert venue, you will see fans with hand-held light sticks unique to each K-pop group. These light sticks light up during the concert, creating an ocean of beautiful colors. When the show starts, it is more than just listening to the music. K-pop performances include elaborate choreography, eye-catching visuals, and even creative storylines. K-pop groups practice intensely to display flawless performances for their fans.

Another thing that stands out from regular concerts is the interaction between idols and fans. K-pop prioritizes fan engagement. Not only do fans love the music, but we love the idols as people. This is because they connect with their fans on a personal level. Between performances, artists will stop and talk to fans, show off their charms, and play interactive games. I recommend learning the group's key dance moves because you might be on the spot on the big screen. Fans will also memorize fan chants to scream during specific songs to show their love and dedication to their idols. When everyone is shouting the exact words in unison, it creates an environment of unity between fans and the artists, adding to the unforgettable experience of a K-pop concert.

K-pop raises the standards for concerts. I truly encourage everyone to experience a K-pop concert. You will witness outstanding performances and leave with a handful of friends, goodie bags, and unforgettable memories.

[fearsmagazine]

UNICORN WARS (animated) - Review

DISTRIBUTOR: GKids

SYNOPSIS:  “For ages, teddy bears have been locked in an ancestral war against their sworn enemy, the unicorns, with the promise that victory will complete the prophecy and usher in a new era. Aggressive, confident teddy bear Bluey and his sensitive, withdrawn brother Tubby could not be more different. As the rigors and humiliation of teddy bear boot camp turn to the psychedelic horrors of a combat tour in the Magic Forest, their complicated history and increasingly strained relationship will come to determine the fate of the entire war.”

REVIEW: Alberto Vázquez’s UNICORN WARS is a hypnotic and surreal film that is an adult fable in the tradition of Ralph Bakshi’s animated films, most notably his 1977 film “Wizards.”

Vázquez’s screenplay replaces all the religious symbolism with fantasy, unions and teddy bears. There is a teddy bear priest who quotes a sacred scripture about the rise of the bears and the struggle with the unicorns. However, there are no god-like characters or elements, boarding more on something like the legends of Beowulf or King Arthur. Plot points reflect the numerous military conflicts Spain has been a part of, and is still a part of,  and most notably their civil war. As the story unfolds, it becomes clear that there is no specific reason why the bears should hate the unicorns other than tones of species hatred standing in for racism and imperialism. One of the characters suffers trauma during a conflict and it fuels his fanaticism, driving him to destroy the last unicorn in order to take advantage of a legend he has put his faith in. That moment becomes an interesting transition point in the narrative as it is fueled by these insects containing a hallucinogenic drug that are consumed by the bears. It is this “Apocalypse Now” moment that goes full tilt horror.  In contrast, the wounded bear’s brother remains in the forest and comes to his own understanding of the true nature of the unicorns and the role they play in the world. In the background, there is an evil that is seeking form and trying to rise up that the unicorns have managed to keep at bay.

There are a variety of artistic styles employed in the film. These feral, warlike, teddy bears are designed after a fashion that reminded me of “The Care Bears.” The unicorns are not white, They are all black or dark brown, depending on the scene. They feel like these ethereal spirits of the forest. They feel more organic than regal, which is what we might expect from a unicorn. The design of the military base is sparse, utilitarian design that feels like a wasteland. In contrast, the forest has this flowing, magical environment that feels like a subdued version of the forest from the Disney animated feature “Sleeping Beauty.” All of this is enveloped in technicolor. It makes the bears stand out and the battle sequences pop. The graphic nature of the war scenes are more intense. Those scenes are even more impactful due to the epic nature of the sound design. They’re gritty and visceral sounds that transform the visuals. Joseba Beristain adds another layer to the visuals and creates the perfect movement for the hallucination sequence.

Distributed by GKids, this is clearly not their typical animated release. You might think that by dealing with teddy bears and unicorns it would eliminate genitalia, but all these teddy bears, of course males, have genitalia and we see it. In fact, the battle sequences are as gory as 2021’s animated epic “The Spine of Night.” But all that aside, UNICORN WARS is an adeptly constructed allegory that makes a bold statement as to what the loss of magic and innocence will give rise to. I appreciated the satire of an early scene where these ape-like creatures inhabit church-like ruins, upon which resides this unformed, alien evil. It’s indicative of the entire film where there scenes create these visual prophetic gestures, adding to the parable of the narrative. You can view this film as entertainment, and be in for one hell of a mind trip. You can view it as an intense thought-provoking piece. But it is a rare film that allows you to take due paths and come out totally blown away.

CAST (voice): Jon Goiri, Jaione Insausti, Gaizka Soria, Iker Diaz, Estívaliz Lizárraga, Pedro Arrieta, Alberto Vázquez, Txema Regalado, Manu Heras, and Ramón Barea. CREW: Director/Screenplay/Art Direction - Alberto Vázquez; Producers - Chelo Loureiro & Iván Miñambres; Score - Joseba Beristain; Editor - Estanis Bañuelos; Animation Director/Animation Supervisor/Character Designer - Khris Cembe. OFFICIAL: gkids.com/films/unicorn-wars/ FACEBOOK: www.facebook.com/GKIDSfilms TWITTER: twitter.com/GKIDSfilms TRAILER: https://youtu.be/31ee-Ma9NxM RELEASE DATE: Alamo DraftHouse March 6th, in theaters March 10th, 2023

**Until we can all head back into the theaters our “COVID Reel Value” will be similar to how you rate a film on digital platforms - 👍 (Like), 👌 (It’s just okay),  or 👎 (Dislike)

Reviewed by Joseph B Mauceri