Blog Music IV

Good afternoon everyone, happy weekend~. It seems that this has become the regular instead; I will take what I can, so that when other things come up I can add to the frequency of posts. A short post today, but I'm hoping to get to some cosmetic reviews next. And I think I'm going to just count the music changes in the roman numerals unless it's a very special interlude. Hopefully I'll remember how to keep track of them like that, ahaha.

Alas~ I didn't end up changing the music for February, but perhaps it's better to give it a month or two. March is here, so I thought, oh yes, I'll definitely do it at some point. Thus, the selection process began. I don't think I have a method to this madness either, yet right now there is still a video game theme [this might be a subconscious leaning due to the increased amount of GSO related things happening this year]. I hope this does not deter anyone, rather, on the contrary, is a means to broaden the range of musics you might enjoy. 

This game in particular, is also a highly lauded game for it's style as surpassing regular game expectations, and becoming a work of art.

In Japanese: 'Wander's Journey'. The OST is titled 'Roar of the Earth.'

Shadow of the Colossus is now one of my favorite games, and this soundtrack does play a part in my love for it. The story is straightforward, but at the same time ambiguous, the graphics are good for the time [already a game 7 years old, though recently re-released in HD], and as a game, it is still rewarding as far as gameplay. The track I selected is 'To The Ancient Land', the prologue/intro piece. I'll admit, I wouldn't be able to relate this much to the fashion roots or content of this blog, so perhaps it really is just my gamer subconscious being channeled into it, ahaha. Nonetheless, I hope you all will enjoy it. 

Do you have a few favorite songs outside of your usual listening zone? What's a genre that you don't generally listen to, but still found an exception? What are your thoughts on video game music as a separate genre?

Into the new week, everyone~ take care. ^_^

Eternally yours,

Il Ruinante Isaak

Blog Music III

Good evening, everyone~ and here's to the brand new 2012~! Whether you had a big party, went out to see your big city's ball drop, or toasted with champagne at home with a few loved ones, I hope things have begun to start off right for you all. I know I'm looking forward to some changes myself, big and small; I can only hope I keep my motivation up for it after all is said and done.

To start things off, on a list of a bunch of smaller changes, hooray, new musics~. The new feature song is entitled 'Baljhet Mountains', borrowed from Castlevania: Curse of Darkness [hmmm... I somehow managed to keep the same series without even thinking about it...].

Hector, our protagonist, is noble and gentlemanly, even with his former alignment with Dracula.

It is a field theme, so it does have it's loop properties common for such, but it's got such cool exoticism to it not so often used by the composer, Michiru Yamane, until then [and beyond]. I find myself wandering around even after I've gone through every place on the map because I enjoy this theme so much [I envision Isaac, Hector's counterpart and primary antagonist, tapping his foot impatiently at the castle wondering what's taking Hector so long to get there...].

As part of my changes in the new year, I hope to keep up with a music roulette for the blog every month, or every two months. Here's to hoping the HTML won't die on me soon and leave me wondering why nothing is happening...

I hope you all will enjoy it~!

Eternally yours,

Il Ruinante Isaak

Blog Music II

Good morning, minna-sama~ I still seem to be low on sleep [ah, if only I had more mana...! say what?], but that's alright, because things are finally coming to a close, and the summer is looking good. I'll be very busy, but I know it will be much more enjoyable. I hope you all are looking forward to nicer summer days too~

As for this, you may or may not have noticed [again, it depends on if you turn your speakers on or the volume up or if your Adobe reader is working, etc.] that I have changed the music for this Aristokei Core. In light of our spectacular concert, I had planned to change it for a day or two from 'No Turning Back' to 'Objection!' from Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney, since we were playing an extended version of this piece. In the future, I may change it to this for a stretch anyway, because it's quite catchy and enjoyable. However, with all that happened leading up to, and over the weekend, it escaped me. However, to mark the end of the semester, I decided for a change anyway.

Thus, I moved on to a theme that I've had up on a tab for probably two months now, and when Yoshimaru decides to break again, I will probably go back and put it up on it's own tab once more. I'm talking about a track from the Castlevania: Lament of Innocence OST.

Leon Belmont ranks up there as one of the sexiest of his clan. [unfortunately, he is Lawfully Stupid, and has the worst Good Job Breaking It, Hero moment, in that he aided in the ascension of Dracula. But he's blond~ look at him~]

Currently, 'House of Sacred Remains' is what I have up now. It has quickly become one of my favorites out of the whole two disc soundtrack, along with two or three others that I might circulate directly after this. The into might seem a little dull, or grainy even, but when you listen to the rest of it, there is undeniably a gorgeous meld of choral, organ, and synth. I find that when I listen to it again in a loop, the begnning actually does very nice job of setting the tone for the rest of the theme. It never returns to it, but now that you know how the rest sounds, it draws the ear deeper. Speculation and opinion, of course.

Thumbs up? Thumbs down? Want to know where to find it? I've been looking myself, and I think my good old friend Blue Laguna may have the entire two disc collection. If you prefer, you can always find it on Youtube, as I did to get it to play on here in the first place.

"You have become a cursed being and I will never forgive you. This whip and my kinsmen will destroy you someday. From this day on, the Belmont clan will hunt the night!"

That's all for now~ I hope you'll all enjoy it for the while. [heh, classic...!]

Eternally yours,
Il Ruinante Isaak

Music Revisted

Good evening minna-sama, ahhh this feels better, doesn't it? A nice, relaxing--...a gently breezy cool evening, with tea and dinner. Oh, I haven't done a meal post in a while, either have I? More things to look forward to. ^_^ Things are still keeping busy, but I have a feeling it's all for the better. Once May rolls around, things will be good. In the meantime, here's to touch on something new.


As you may or may not have noticed, depending on where you read this blog and if you choose to keep your speakers off, etc. etc., I have added music to thy blog. Music, herr marquis, how can that be? There's no music player to be seen anywhere. Now, now, no need for formalities, we're all friends here, and I'll let you in on my secret~


The non-existent music player is actually a Youtube video, the embed code of which I copied, and shrunk down to invisible. You can't force it that small if you try to custom size it before you copy and paste it, so just copy it as is, and stick it in any place on your blog where HTML coding works. Then, change BOTH width and heights [one in the beginning and another towards the end of the code string] to 1 pixel wide. Now your music is out of sight, out of mind. In order to make it play, add the code '& autoplay = 1' DIRECTLY before the "greater than-less than-param-greater than [you may find you have a res=0 or similar in front of it; it goes there, with no spaces or other characters]. With careful scanning, and a good reliable video, you've now discreetly added music to your blog. The only downside--your mileage my very if this is a downside--is that this does not loop, nor give the option to pause the music as you go. Unless I haven't figured it out how to do so. But~! Do give it a whirl if you'd like, I am happy to hear your blogs as well~


The current selection is 'No Turning Back' from the Soul Calibur 2 OST [yes, the video game]. Previously, when I first started fiddling with Blogger's trippy HTML coding screws, I had 'The Love from a Dead Orchestra' playing as the first song, followed by 'ASCENDEAD MASTER', both by Versailles Philharmonic Quintet. My love for Versailles--the ideal combination of what this blog is about really, Japanese Street styles focusing on Aristocrat and Visual Kei--continues onward and onward~ and I hope they can continue to bring us beautiful music.


The reason I couldn't keep it to their songs however, was because the videos I was using seemed to be deleted or moved--thus messing up the HTML code--not long after I would add them. While I am by no means compromising by using 'No Turning Back' [I LOVE this track], I would like to use something more readily related to thy blog's purpose. While troping, by some way or another I got onto Castlevania, which led to looking up some of the OST from various games on Youtube. I've been listening to Castlevania Lament of Innocence tracks as of late, and I already know at some point or another at least three of them are going to have to go here. [For those unfamiliar with Castlevania, it is a Konami video game series, that is well regarded for it's Crowning Music of Awesome across all of its 25+ games. Lament of Innocence features some of the best music of the series, which is saying something.] I am thinking I might change the music once a month, just for the sake of variety [this is hoping I will remember, among other things].


That being said, I am open to suggestions or requests for music to be featured~. During the summer, I feel I have time to even do day-to-day/week-to-week things for super special occasions. I'm into anything that sounds good, and happy to recommend things as well. If you're just tuning in, that's alright by me, too. Music is a wonderful thing, let's be sure to have fun with it.


This weekend I am actually formulating a mini-schedule to get the Altelier Boz jabot done, and perhaps the Nudy Boy mod. We'll see how that works out when Friday evening rolls around~


Holy Cross Obsessed by the Moon~
Eternally yours,
Il Ruinante Isaak

The Week in Review

Good afternoon, minna-sama. While my morning was less than pleasant, it seems one of my reliable skills is to be able to tolerate things I don't like with surprising ease and grace. And so I am back in a place I have come to feel rather comfortable in, though it is damn chilly as always, and decided to get to this before something else undesireable reared it's ugly head once I returned back home. Imagine that, feeling better at work then I do at home. Tsk, what is my little world coming to?

Well, per my less than optomistic prediction, I was unable to come and post during the week at all. Le sigh. I hope this doesn't become a trend, or before I know it, I'll drop off the face of this blog too, despite my best interests. So though it is a bit of a stray from the motis operandi of being an Aristo, I'm going to do a bit of a recap of the week.

The first day started with me going to the building I hoped I had my first class in--which it turned out I did--going into a computer lab, and quickly transcribing my schedule down onto an index card. Luckily, it didn't take much since it's the same for ges-sui-kin, and I have free days on ka-moku. In addition, I also memorized the rooms after the day was over [hell my physics class is in the same lecture hall as last semester. I sit in practically the same seat]. I seem to have a knack for taking sociology related classes with a dolldrum teacher, thus not setting me up for a pleasant experience. My physics teacher reminds me of a cross between my high school Japanese teacher, and my highschool AP physics teacher. It is interesting combination, to be sure, however he teaches--to an extent--and arranges grading/syllabus like Alan, previous PHYS106 teacher. And so paperwork was handed out and assignments were to be had.

The first picnic of the semester with Toriberry didn't quite go as planned, but that's alright, we'll get there. Also, I went in early to work, and boy did they need it. Poor bossman wasn't running around like a chicken with his head cut off, but he sure was in a bit of a frenzy. However, it was really only those first fifteen minutes that things appear to be crazy, because once I got there, not only did I feel so much better, but it immediately calmed down. Maybe this is me. I am a sedate being after all. And mid afternoon I caught up with Kahori and visited Professor Liley again. Still wants donuts.

Wednesday was like Monday, only I was already falling behind. A LITTLE. ONLY A LITTLE. I ran into a few more people, waved in passing, chatted for a few, natter natter. Had to hurry my butt back to CBCB to drop off my bike to take the shuttle home. Oh yay.

Thursday was like Tuesday only less chaotic and better. I had Gamer Symphony Orchestra meeting--first of the semester--that evening. I worked in the morning, picniced with Chiii--which turned into picnic with Chiii, George, Martini, and Bill--and had my splendidly made bento, all before heading back the chapel for our meeting. Tis exciting, we've a lot lined up. I wore my Castlevania: Symphony of the Night shirt [subconciously again, as I did for the past two first GSO meetings] and my Castlevania: Judgement Aeon pants. Seems I am video-gamed out when I want to be, whether I know it or not. We've got about thirthy new members it seems, but we'll see who decide to stick around with us. The music line-up is phenomenal. Come visit out GSO store and support our orchestra outside of concert attendances [which are free~!].

Friday was like Wednesday, only it was Friday and thus the weekend. After physics, I hung out with Chiii again and played LoZ:Wind Waker for a bit. Cute miniature Link is a cute miniature Link. And we rode the tornado over, oh yay~. Having a bike made running a bit late completely managable, to which I am entirely grateful. *whew.* Speaking of said bike--which I believe I have at last named Fang of the Church Petros Orcini--I seem to be getting better at getting around in the mornings and in general on campus. I still thinks DOTS is one damn conspiracy, and I'm going to ream them a new one since I didn't get my free bike-lock yet. It is still a kenshin damn pain trying to go up the campus drive hill, but the victory is sweet going back down. Haaa, I'll get there.

I'm hoping for more productiveness, and more focus in these weeks. Next weekend is the meet-up, ne? It's on a Sunday, not a Saturday. I'll have to remember to get directions and bring small bills... I wonder if I can get food... hmmm, it wouldn't be enough to prepare just my own bento... I went grocery shopping, let's see...

Ah, what a perfect lead into my projects and food! I've completed my cane, minna-sama! Next post is definitely that, and progress on the jabot and other projects. I am so pleased; please tell me what you think when you see it.

I'll be tending to some work while I can, and so on that note I depart. Until the next time, hopefully sooner, minna-sama.

Of hand to kenshin... is what I thought.
Eternally yours,
Il Ruinante Isaak

A Non-Existant Ringing in My Ears...

Good evening, mina-sama. It's the night before classes resume, and although I've been saying all summer I've been looking forward to fall, I am a little unsettled, and a whole lot more lazy. I don't abhor schoolwork, but I sure as hell don't enjoy the amount I recieve. I had a bit of a difficult time last semester, and I made my mother upset, so to get her off my case make up for it, I'm going all ahead full in classwork. It hopefully won't be made harder by having difficult classes. I don't want to detract from my Aristo-V-kei path horribly, such that it will be months between posts. Freedom is what I desire more than anything in this world, but I suppose if all I can do is work towards a path with that opportunity, I will have to do so.

For one of my last tastes of summer "freedom", I ventured out to the Ram's Head Live in Baltimore last evening for a Dir en Grey and Apocalyptica concert with Grimmjow, Gamble, and Hisoka. I V-keied out, as although Diru has toned down a bit in their newer workings, they did start in Visual Kei; Demonia shoes, black grommited pants with wallet chain and suspenders, 'You Guys Are Making Me SEXY!' YGOTAS shirt, Tripp arm warmers, and a touch of black eyeliner. Just for atmosphere. And warding off hobos in Baltimore as we walked from the garage to the venue. The sight for eyes was on the stage after all.

A sight for eyes, a sound for ears, a touch for body. My body throbbed with each pound of the bass and drums right from the start of Dir En Grey's set, opened with their song 'Sa Bir'.

Kyo on his "cage" screaming, crooning, wailing, SINGING... Kaoru ever stoic but relentless riffing... Toshiya in a sexxxy skirt and pumping the crowd with just a wave... Die with the only fan to toss his beautiful hair... Shinya never letting up once as he set the beat for each song... One of their banners streamed across the back, lights strobing and color-wheeling every which way... This made Dir En Grey... and this made my night.

I'm glad I cleared out some pictures and videos on my camera ahead of time, because I would have definitely run out, judging by how much I used up for DiRu alone. Gamble was crowd-surfed, and Hisoka caught one of Shinya's thrown sticks. Grimmjow and I both got wet by Die throwing bottles of water. Lester [who we found in the venue after the show] got hit in the eye when Die threw a bottle cap [I'm sorry to laugh but I do]. I bought a poster of the boys, and had to move a fair amount of stuff around to make it fit [aside from the wallscrolls, it is the second largest paper poster on my walls now (the biggest is on the cieling)]. It's the giant inkblot in my room; I can look at it and always remember the pounding bass of 'Sa Bir' and the harrowing wails of Kyo.

About half the crows cleared out after the encore we got from DiRu, so we were able to get closer for Apocalyptica. Though I enjoyed it thoroughly, I have to say I almost wanted to cringe a little at the thought of sawing away at a cello as though it was a guitar. It's not a guitar after all, it is a cello. However, the epicness of their music speaks for itself, and they can still play melodic and symphonic music given they are celloists. Being closer alloted for better pictures overall, though fewer they were with the memory gobbled up for DiRu [eheh heh heh...]. Their newest album 7th Symphony is coming out soon.

Concert memories... they move me. Musicians that I am so lucky to be able to see perform live. Live, before my very eyes, though my outstretched hand may be missed. The experience of music becomes complete, when you can do more than just listen... you can see... and you can feel.

I am happy to have ended the summer on such a powerful note, although I hope shifting mindsets to the mundane of college life [or specifially schoolwork] won't be difficult. I don't want to live in that moment, but I certainly don't want to become so involved and overwhelemed that I look up and realize it was three months ago that I saw Dir En Grey and Apocalyptica live. It will seem like a fantasy rather than a memory.

But whatever may be--though hopefully I can shape it better--heres to our future. My continued path down the road of Aristocrat and Visual Kei, with all the sort of things that make life interesting to go in between. A healthy, a prosperous [maybe a wealthy~?] future, to you, yours, and us all.

Kanjiru ka~...? Hebi no odoru... Heh ha.
Eternally yours,
Il Ruinante Isaak

An Arisocrat's Health

Good evening, mina-sama. Not to give spoilers--ahaha--of the upcoming topic [doubtful that you haven't picked up on it from the title], but this weather is doing nothing for how I feel. We've mercifully come unto rain, but that can't last forever [...I hope] and the awful tendency is to burst into sunshine with a heavy dose of disgusting humidity thereafter. I have been having a change of heart towards rain; I used to despise it because it was cold out there, and hot in classrooms. But now it hasn't been raining enough and this summer has been too hot. Just too hot. Aaaaugh. Rain is slowly redeeming itself.

Standing out in the rain hasn't ever proved to be adverse to my health, one of many peculiarities concering it. As with a lot of things in my life, my health comes with duality. I generally now just like to say it's the Gemini sign in me that does it. I am of fair overall health. I don't play a sport, but I do use Wii Fit Plus [and so should every single person who owns a Wii, and friends of those people who don't own a Wii should play on theirs. More is actually merrier for the Wii]. I refuse to run anywhere for any reason, but I will gladly walk--at my own pace--rather than take public transportation, or even ride my bicycle [i.e. walking around campus]. There's a fair point to note on that last statement, for it seems, despite all the walking I've done wherever I go for the past five years, my legs are apparently very weak, as proved when I run out of stamina riding my bicycle about three blocks.


I have shoddy legs though, I will admit, in that my knee-jerk reflex fires at will. For those who don't want to look at the link, it's the reflex that makes you crumble when you're kicked in the back of your leg. So without warning and at very random intervals, I will stagger as though I've been kicked in the back of the leg, but since there is no instigation, it looks like I'm drunk and about to fall over. As many times as this has happened before my mother, she seems to not realize what is happening and thinks I'm tripping. I want to slap her not for her logic, which is viable after all and better then asking if I'm drunk, but for not caring enough to ask why it keeps happening. Does she really think I trip that much? And in that way? I don't, damnit.

On the flip side though, returning to walking, I do have good endurance. I'd walk anywhere if you'd give me the time to do it. So my slow twitch muscles are definitely doing alright. It doesn't raise my heart rate all that much, even for extended periods. I lack a decent heart beat though; I can tell when doctors are this close to asking if I'm doing something somehow when they ask me to take a deep breath ten to twelve times and still can't hear anything. It's because I'm a youkai, but that's just our little secret. However, my hardly there heart beat is reflected in my abnormally low blood pressure. As touched on in the very first post, I have hypotension. I haven't been diagnosed with it, and I don't take any medication for it, but I am familiar with it's clinical definition from a research practicum I did a year ago. I don't suffer any severe symptoms from it, but it is part of the reason I am deadpan sedate 9 times out of 10, and explains my perpetual fatigue while I'm doing any sort of physical labor.

I'm not against physical labor. Hell, with this realization that I can't bike for long distances since my legs are weaker than I thought, I'm trying to get on our elliptical at home more often. But I don't usually allot myself a good amount of time to just go and do it, and I'm more of a Tai-Chi person anyway. Sometimes I look in the mirror and I'm surprised at what relatively good shape I'm in. When I was younger, I think I was more health conscious, ignoring the fact that I was a kid and have youth on my side. Now, I'm older--not old, old--and I'm setting into the mindset of 'oh yeah, I'll be okay, I've got youth'. Really, I'm lucky I have a good a metabolism as I do, but I'm glad healthy leanings for food and some activity have been prominent in my life [even now, as I work at the Art and Architecture libraries on campus, hauling books hither and yon can really give you a work out if you're at it for hours at a time].

I think I was at my peak of fitness the weeks before I went to Japan in summer 2007. I had a four pack abs, and my stamina was way up. Ironically, I lost the abs while in Japan, but damn if my legs didn't become toned. Have you ever had to walk not just down, but up Mt. Misen? Walk up and down the stairs of the Washington Monument a few times and you'll get the picture.

As far as my diet, I don't have much of a picky palate, and I try to eat during regular hours only when I'm hungry, and only as much as I need. Those tasty clementines which I polished off yesterday have been proof of their vitamin and mineral content in my burst of energy to make things, but conversely, that's all I've been eating for lunch. Clementines. Usually two or three. Dinner is usually the most filling meal of the day, only because sometimes I reduce breakfast to toast to take a prenatal vitamin since I'm running short on time. The breakfast thing can be fixed easily though, and as the semester jumpstarts I'll be getting more into the swing of an earlier rising. Lunch is usually decide by how fast I can throw something into a bento or how much cash I have on me [which trust me, is hardly ever enough]. But as it stands now and usually, it's a Cereal breakfast--snack food lunch--homecooked dinner type of eating for me. If I wolf down a burger every now and then, I sometimes think about my cholesterol, but then I fall back on my 'I'm still young' ploy.

Everything in moderation, that's the way to do it. ^_^

Mental health-wise, I couldn't tell you what the hell is up with me there. I like spontaneity, but I am methodical and think things through if it comes to me. I've been having doubts about how well my memory's been doing lately, but then, when one is doing two or more things at once, even though it is by less for fewer tasks, you concentration and focus splits, and memorizing everything becomes inevitably more difficult. However, I'm regaining confidence in my memory by just going about things as I used to; see something written down or say it back, have it stick in my head. I could do this at nauseum for notes in class once upon a time, but somewhere between 12th grade ending and freshman year college starting, I lost my knack. I'm bringing it back though, little at a time. Confidence is a mind game too, after all.

My mind and body don't connect well sometimes though, in that my thoughts are not reflected in my actions. This is usually a good thing, my perfect self restraint, because it's usually a violent thought I'm having that will only come out as a nice laugh and smile. I want to change this though, but as an alternative, let some of my poisonous brain juices leak out in the form of something completely off the wall and disturbing--not necessarily in a violent way--and see how well I can drive off hinderances around me.

Overall, this nobleman is of above-average health, and I'm hoping to keep it that way as I progress into getting even more fit. Never forget, everyone, it's not about getting skinny, it's about getting FIT. Sure, you can shed those pounds as you change your diet and excersise, but doing anything too hard, too fast can actually backfire on you. And just going full steam ahead to lose lbs is probably not as much fun as setting goals for your health.

So take those stairs, my Aristololikei brethren. We cant see your shoes on an escalator or in a crowded elevator anyway.
Eternally yours,
Il Ruinante Isaak

Aristo Otaku's Weekend Out.

Good afternoon, mina-sama. It's been almost a week since I posted last, it seems. Things have been very eventful, as has been mentioned prior to my leave. I don't want to bog you all down with a lot of unrelated convention adventures and happenings, so I mean to make this concise and elaborate on more interesting fare. Please join me in my recollections, at your leisure.

I had set down a schedule for Otakon of all the things I wanted to do on each day; in the end, I would say I only ended up following about five or six things out of perhaps 25-30 panels, workshops, and signing sessions planned. But when I think about the things I might have missed if I had I instead chosen to wait in lines and sit around in rooms for hours on end, I can come to appreciate spontaneity. Just doing whatever came to mind. Meeting up with people, and stopping cosplayers for pictures. And getting your picture taken. Yana Toboso's 'Kuroshitsuji' Undertaker was a big hit, and over Friday and Saturday when I was fully adorned, I was asked for a picture about 35-40 times [not including the two Kuroshitsuji photoshoots]. The weather was not as harsh as it had been, and I was mercifully inside a majority of the time, so I managed to pull through without passing out from heat stroke. For next year--the dates have already been officially set--I will go with something more climate friendly, for the central AC BCC, and for whatever Baltimore summer heat wants to throw at us.

I bought a lot of things; my most important--and expensive--purchase of the weekend was Demonia black chunk boots. I has looking for something maybe half the height of what I bought. But they are comfortable, easy to put on, minimal difficulty to get up from the floor in, and easy to move around in. There will be pictures to come, along with the jacket that just arrived in the mail [a more elaborated post will follow soon].

I think the highlight of the entire weekend was the X Japan halftime performance and Q&A during the masquerade. Yoshiki is as skilled and sexy as ever, and new bassist Sugizo was too cute for words in that older man type of way [he even stands in a cute way, if you can imagine that]. By popular choice as voted on the Otakon site, with Yoshiki at the piano and Sugizo playing a beautiful silver weathered-hollowed out violin for the vocals--since Toushi was not there--the first song played was 'Forever Love'. I mouthed the words along as I cried. I think after I saw 'Forever Love' on the Last Live performance was when the song first started to make me try--towards the end. But I believe it was the song, plus the experience of it being live, live, before my very own eyes, two members of the world renown X Japan playing, that made me cry almost from start to finish. I have heard few things in my life that are as beautiful as that rendition of 'Forever Love'.

After that, they answered a brief Q&A of the most popular questions submitted from the fans. Sugizo doesn't speak English as well as Yoshiki, so at one point, although Sugizo answered what his opinion was of US fans vs. Japanese fans in a way that made the audience go all 'Awwwww~', Yoshiki added, "So let me just translate that. You all are fucking awesome." Euphoria. They ended by playing 'Endless Rain', another beautiful ballad among their usual rock genre, and are off to Chicago to play in Lollapalooza. My night--my weekend--was completely made.

And while there were many other adventures and tales and pictures abound, there is another place for that, to go on in elaboration. But know that for the rabid otaku inside of me, I still want to turn back time to that Friday, and do it all over again.

But now I must look into the future, because the dates are set, and a hotel booked. I'll take you on my paths to recreate Kazuya Minekura's 'Saiyuki' Ukoku Sanzo, and Yuya Aoki's 'Get Backers' Akabane Kuro'udo. Yes. Somehow I've been coaxed into doing the latter one as well. ^_^

We are in the final weeks of summer, mina-sama, so for those of you fond of warm weather, enjoy these lovely temperatures while they linger. Those longing for the autumn weather, try to enjoy the remnants of summer too, if you can. Soft winds in warmer weather can soothe the soul just as well as a cool breeze in crisp air.

As I count my blessings, and dance in my heart...
Eternally yours,
Il "Undertaker" Ruinante Isaak

Marquis does Music

Good afternoon, mina-sama. There are many things brewing that are coming up just around the corner, and true to the ultimate purpose of this blog, I would like to get in at least one additional post in dedication to that which is Aristo. So today my thoughts turn to music.

Aforementioned in a previous post, I am mercifully gifted with the ability to play music, and a somewhat scarce insturement that is my beloved viola. I named it JKL. It doesn't stand for anything. It isn't a superior brand name, but it's nothing flimsy and third-rate. It does what it's made to do, and that is produce beautiful sound when played correctly. I don't think I would be half as interested as I am in as much a variety of music as I am if were not for JKL. I'm a late bloomer by string standards, but to this day I continue it, playing actively in the University of Maryland's Gamer Symphony Orchestra [henceforth GSO], and have been thinking about picking up this phenomenon of standing out with my case open and playing whatever comes to mind. This will probably happen--if it ever does--in the springtime, so JKL won't warp or have his strings pop in my face.

If I am feeling up to it--and when that Youtube thing comes around again--recordings, or maybe just pictures, will be posted. It would be fitting to play something like 'Gekkouka' in an Aristo outfit.

That being said, attentions turn now to one of my inspirations in creating the image and becoming an Aristo, Versailles Philharmonic Quintet. Not only is their music epic, but they bring to the stage two forms of interest in one: Visual Kei, as their genre of music is defined [along with Neo-classical, symponic, and power metal], and Aristocrat. The title of the first blog post is in fact borrowed from the introduction of the special single release version of 'The Revenant Choir'. They've only been together three years, but already they have made a stamp on Japanese and international charts, and they're debut album was released early this year [who knows how long it'll take to get over here though]. Nearing almost a year ago, their bassist, Jasmine You, passed away rather suddenly with reasons regarding his health. As I know the rest of Versailles does, I feel the loss still [bassist in question]. I am a little curious to know if there was a special event at his wake, letting him go on in passing in a true Aristocrat's manner as Versailles is renown for embracing in their music.

Versailles' music is intense. Anything with 'power' and 'metal' in the genre description usually alludes to such, but adding V-Kei by the Japanese standard, and then 'symphonic' on top spells out something that goes one step about V-Kei and power metal alone. 'The Love From a Dead Orchestra' stole my heart. 'Zombie' reminds me of the roots of their style [v-kei]. And 'To the Chaos Inside' sums up how my life is going so far. If you listen to a few, or know them already, tell me, which is your favorite[s]?

Usually in bands, I like the bassist best. Vocalists and guitarists usually get too much attention, and drummers usually don't hold my interest [this is not in terms of their skill, this is just based on looks and likeability (my own random factors further defining such)]. But I am madly in love with drummer Yuki. Fangirls and boys can have Kamijo [...I don't deny the man is sexxx though]. Give me the other "man" of the group anyday. Ahh, to play like him. Ohhh~ but to have his wardrobe. I would be set for life.

Anyway, there lies true nobleman, everything shy of the knighting. There is my lofty aspiration, a looming inspiration, a fantasy I can almost touch, and strive to embody. Maybe in the future, completely out of the blue, I'll find myself up on stage with them, an amp attached to JKL, sawing away in interlude and bridge. What a pleasure and an honor.

Sigh, I think that's all for the time being. I needed something a bit more constructive to pass the time. Hopefully, over this weekened, and or on next Tuesday, there should be some pictures and workings of the infamous white Aeon pants [not hyperlinked for a reason]. Then, after that, Undertaker cosplay, as Otakon nears in less than two weeks...!

The weather is beautiful outside, mina-sama, albeit a little hot. Take care whilst under the summer sun, but do go out and enjoy yourselves [perhaps for brief periods of time]. I will most certainly be having Lady Grey tea with sixes and dinner this evening. [which reminds me, a food post may be in the works as well].

Adieu, mina-sama, and see you again soon.
Eternally yours,
Il Ruinante

On the flip side, a realm of Visual Kei aesthetics.

Well good morning, ma cherie. ^_^ I trust you slept well? The day is already in full swing for me, and after an extra few mintues to sit [read: sleep] still, I am ready to preoccupy myself [at work] thusly.

As the blog title indicates, in addition to my delving into the realm of Aristocrat, I am also putting myself on the path of Visual Kei [wikipedia is most helpful in making a straightforward example of things, in case you haven't noticed]. In fact, I daresay I was inspired by the glam-rock style possibly two years before I became motivated to become Aristocrat. I like the possibilities, the mixed genres of styles. At the moment, I have only modified pants to the Visual style--and have a few accesories--, but as I work on my Aristocrat wardrobe, V-Kei will be woven into the mix as well.

If I teach myself electric bass, then I'm all set for a band [heh, maybe].

At the heart and core of the inspiration behind both Visual Kei and Aristocrat, is my love for anime, manga, and video games [which has indeed branched to an all encompassing love of Japan]. Though this is not the main topic of this blog, there will be spots in between where I simply must interject, because damnit, something fuuching amazing is going down. Among the first few pictures sure to be posted here [when I get back home and modify posts] will be the complete outfit of Undertaker, from Yana Toboso's Kuroshitsuji. Once Otakon is said and done, I will post the process of making my next outfit--Ukoku Sanzo, from Minekura Kazuya's Saiyuki--alongside all the other news of my Aristo and V-Kei doings.

Thank you for spending time to come along my journey with me. Commentary, advice, tips, and general conversing is always welcome. ^_^

Now, go off and make today productive, the weather is splendid. I think I'll write haiku by the fountains today.

Eternally yours.
Il Ruinante Isaak
p.s. Also, because of my massive love of Japanese music, occasional mini-posts will have V-Kei band related news. After all, new albums and live concerts are a great way to steal designs begin brainstorming new ideas.