Stolen from sin_of_pride

Rules:
1. Visit the master list, select your favourite 100
2. Post your favourite 100 behind a cut in your LJ (or if you can’t pick 100, as many as you can without going over)
3. Your f-list’s job is to write you “comment pr0n” for your favourites. (Or, in my case cause I am feeling overly violent and annoyed, “comment battle” though pr0n will also be accepted)

Ok, so I only made it to 60… but still. They are in reverse alphabetical order as I like reading from the bottom up and most aren’t overly slashy. Apparently I have a thing for weapons, bad situations, hero complexes and the military. *big grins* who would have thought…

If you want to slash, pairings that I won’t accept: Reita/Ruki, Reita/anyone and hell no to Aoi/Uruha. HUGE cookies to anyone who will write about Hazuki and lynch.; pairing not necessary and slighter smaller cookies for some Wataru fun.


So, how does it work? Pick a few themes from the list below and write a comment sized fic based around them. For instance: You pick worry, warriors and vulnerability; you pick a muse (Aoi, Ruki, Hazuki etc) and you write a drabble-ish fic featuring those three themes. Make sense?

( So, here is my list… )

Well, the last thing that I shared was Redeemer by D’espairsRay and I was actually overly disappointed. Beyond disappointed, even. Lynch.’s new offering, Shadows, however, is a work of pure genius.

Right from the start, the album is perfect; the reworked version of Adore is refreshing and a nice touch (though it does pale in comparison to the original) and the seamless jumping from softer songs like Maze into the heavier sounds of Evilly has been executed in a way that only the lynch. boys could do.

Unlike a lot of bands these days, lynch. are careful in their self-exploration. The thing that so many artists mess up is how much to evolve and change and how much to stay the same. I think lynch. have nailed it.

The entire album has a new feel to it and tells of a new chapter in their music and dare I say lives, but unlike a lot of musicians these days, they are still staying true to their roots and beginnings. It will be hard for any old fans to be disappointed while Hazuki and the boys subtly guide listeners towards the newer them.

The Blasted Back Bone has the same sort of fast paced, cheering feel to it that made songs like The Universe an instant hit yet still manages to sound unique and fit with the rest of the albums composition. Shadowz was set to be a winner from the moment they released the small PV clip. Maze, for me, is pure love and it highlights the fact that not only can Hazuki scream with the best of them, he can actually sing; and well. It has a fantastic repetitive beat that sucks you right in from the get go. Pair that off with Hazuki’s voice and it somehow manages to subtly become one of the strongest songs on the album.

The only song that I am not overly set on is I Don’t Know Where I am. It is still good, but somehow it doesn’t suck me in like most of the other tracks. Maybe it is the abundance of English, or the almost sing-song rhythm to it mixed with some very Ambivalent Ideal backing vocals, but something just doesn’t quite stick.

After that though, the album marches all the way to an excellent finish, starting with songs like the title track, Cultic my Execution and Marrow which won instant points for the soft acoustic guitar moments.

I think lynch. played that hand very well in choosing not to release any samplers of those songs before the CD hit the shelves. I am sure that a lot of excited fans played those samplers over and over again until they knew the 27 seconds almost off by heart, so it was like an unexpected prize in a cereal box to find those songs nestled among the ones I already somewhat knew. Unlike releases like D’espairsRay, Redeemer and even Roach’s Mind of the Sun, lynch. have managed to save the best for last and kept them hidden away, allowing for an almighty wallop when the album is finally played all the way through.

In truth, I don’t think I have ever been so happy to go and spend AUD$60 on a single preordered CD before.

Maybe I am just a sucker for Hazuki and the lynch. guys and I am not deluding myself about the thoughts of others, but this is set to be one of the most prominent releases of the VK scene this year. Sure, most people don’t know them or if they do they pass lynch. off as a struggling indies band, but this album has the power behind it to claim new fans while not selling out the older ones. It can stand up for itself and has the ability to proudly and loudly announce that Nagoya-kei isn’t dead while almost completely redefining the genre to suit them.

A history changing album? Let’s hope so!

Title: The Hard Goodbye (8/??)
Author: Minka
Rating: Hard R
Warnings: You should all know the drill by now… AU; set in the mid 80’s in a slightly bastardized Kabukichō district. Very graphic violence, strong course language, character death, drug use and prostitution references, adult themes and sex scenes… oh, and Ruki is a badass!
Band: The Gazette with lots of co-stars; 12012, lynch., Merry, Girugamesh, Buck-Tick, Dir en Grey and some small cameos thrown in for good measure (Vidoll, Hyde, Screw, D’espairsRay etc)
Pairings: Aoi/Ruki, Yuusuke/Wataru, mentioned Miyavi/Aoi
Disclaimers: As the ideas hijack my brain, I only wish that I owned Ruki and Aoi. However the story and characterizations are mine and I will bring fire and brimstone down upon anyone who tries to steal them again.
Authors notes: Continuation to A Dirty Carnival
Chapter notes: Meh. Somewhat unbetaed at the moment so sorry for any silly typos…

Summary: Before any rise in an economy there is a slump, a low point of destitution and need. The mid 80’s marked the point where Japan’s primary industries plummeted before the technology boom that sent both Japan and the world into a new age.

It was a time when the actions of a few could shape the lives of millions.

When a young yakuza lord emerges from a self-imposed exile to declare war, a fumbling computer hacker is drawn further into the struggle. With both fighting to stay afloat they unwittingly bring the frontlines out of the shadows and into the path of the authorities. Through this, one man stands alone on the sidelines, teetering on the edge of neutrality as he struggles to keep those closest to him out of the crossfire.

But when everyone has their own agenda, trust is hard won and having faith in the wrong person may prove deadly…

Title: The Hard Goodbye (7/??)
Author: Minka
Rating: Hard R
Warnings: You should all know the drill by now… AU; set in the mid 80’s in a slightly bastardized Kabukichō district. Very graphic violence, strong course language, character death, drug use and prostitution references, adult themes and sex scenes… oh, and Ruki is a badass!
Band: The Gazette with lots of co-stars; 12012, lynch., Merry, Girugamesh, Buck-Tick, Dir en Grey and some small cameos thrown in for good measure (Vidoll, Hyde, Screw, D’espairsRay etc)
Pairings: Aoi/Ruki, Yuusuke/Wataru, mentioned Miyavi/Aoi
Disclaimers: As the ideas hijack my brain, I only wish that I owned Ruki and Aoi. However the story and characterizations are mine and I will bring fire and brimstone down upon anyone who tries to steal them again.
Authors notes: Continuation to A Dirty Carnival
Chapter notes: A bit more of a light-hearted chapter for you all. Dedicated to ryuushinikaru for giggle-worthy reasons.

Summary: Before any rise in an economy there is a slump, a low point of destitution and need. The mid 80’s marked the point where Japan’s primary industries plummeted before the technology boom that sent both Japan and the world into a new age.

It was a time when the actions of a few could shape the lives of millions.

When a young yakuza lord emerges from a self-imposed exile to declare war, a fumbling computer hacker is drawn further into the struggle. With both fighting to stay afloat they unwittingly bring the frontlines out of the shadows and into the path of the authorities. Through this, one man stands alone on the sidelines, teetering on the edge of neutrality as he struggles to keep those closest to him out of the crossfire.

But when everyone has their own agenda, trust is hard won and having faith in the wrong person may prove deadly…

Title: The Hard Goodbye (6/??)
Author: Minka
Rating: Hard R
Warnings: You should all know the drill by now… AU; set in the mid 80’s in a slightly bastardized Kabukichō district. Very graphic violence, strong course language, character death, drug use and prostitution references, adult themes and sex scenes… oh, and Ruki is a badass!
Band: The Gazette with lots of co-stars; 12012, lynch., Merry, Girugamesh, Buck-Tick, Dir en Grey and some small cameos thrown in for good measure (Vidoll, Hyde, Screw, D’espairsRay etc)
Pairings: Aoi/Ruki, Yuusuke/Wataru, mentioned Miyavi/Aoi
Disclaimers: As the ideas hijack my brain, I only wish that I owned Ruki and Aoi. However the story and characterizations are mine and I will bring fire and brimstone down upon anyone who tries to steal them again.
Authors notes: Continuation to A Dirty Carnival
Chapter notes: Ick... late posting again... sorry guys.

Summary: Before any rise in an economy there is a slump, a low point of destitution and need. The mid 80’s marked the point where Japan’s primary industries plummeted before the technology boom that sent both Japan and the world into a new age.

It was a time when the actions of a few could shape the lives of millions.

When a young yakuza lord emerges from a self-imposed exile to declare war, a fumbling computer hacker is drawn further into the struggle. With both fighting to stay afloat they unwittingly bring the frontlines out of the shadows and into the path of the authorities. Through this, one man stands alone on the sidelines, teetering on the edge of neutrality as he struggles to keep those closest to him out of the crossfire.

But when everyone has their own agenda, trust is hard won and having faith in the wrong person may prove deadly…

Title: The Hard Goodbye (5/??)
Author: Minka
Rating: Hard R
Warnings: You should all know the drill by now… AU; set in the mid 80’s in a slightly bastardized Kabukichō district. Very graphic violence, strong course language, character death, drug use and prostitution references, adult themes and sex scenes… oh, and Ruki is a badass!
Band: The Gazette with lots of co-stars; 12012, lynch., Merry, Girugamesh, Buck-Tick, Dir en Grey and some small cameos thrown in for good measure (Vidoll, Hyde, Screw, etc)
Pairings: Aoi/Ruki, Yuusuke/Wataru, mentioned Miyavi/Aoi
Disclaimers: As the ideas hijack my brain, I only wish that I owned Ruki and Aoi. However the story and characterizations are mine and I will bring fire and brimstone down upon anyone who tries to steal them again.
Authors notes: Continuation to A Dirty Carnival
Chapter notes: Hopefully you shall all love the new narrative as much as I do.

Summary: Before any rise in an economy there is a slump, a low point of destitution and need. The mid 80’s marked the point where Japan’s primary industries plummeted before the technology boom that sent both Japan and the world into a new age.

It was a time when the actions of a few could shape the lives of millions.

When a young yakuza lord emerges from a self-imposed exile to declare war, a fumbling computer hacker is drawn further into the struggle. With both fighting to stay afloat they unwittingly bring the frontlines out of the shadows and into the path of the authorities. Through this, one man stands alone on the sidelines, teetering on the edge of neutrality as he struggles to keep those closest to him out of the crossfire.

But when everyone has their own agenda, trust is hard won and having faith in the wrong person may prove deadly…

Title: The Hard Goodbye (4/??)
Author: Minka
Rating: Hard R
Warnings: You should all know the drill by now… AU; set in the mid 80’s in a slightly bastardized Kabukichō district. Very graphic violence, strong course language, character death, drug use and prostitution references, adult themes and sex scenes… oh, and Ruki is a badass!
Band: The Gazette with lots of co-stars; 12012, lynch., Merry, Girugamesh, Buck-Tick, Dir en Grey and some small cameos thrown in for good measure (Vidoll, Hyde, Screw, etc)
Pairings: Aoi/Ruki, Yuusuke/Wataru, mentioned Miyavi/Aoi
Disclaimers: As the ideas hijack my brain, I only wish that I owned Ruki and Aoi. However the story and characterizations are mine and I will bring fire and brimstone down upon anyone who tries to steal them again.
Authors notes: Continuation to A Dirty Carnival
Chapter notes: And the mystery is revealed…

Summary: Before any rise in an economy there is a slump, a low point of destitution and need. The mid 80’s marked the point where Japan’s primary industries plummeted before the technology boom that sent both Japan and the world into a new age.

It was a time when the actions of a few could shape the lives of millions.

When a young yakuza lord emerges from a self-imposed exile to declare war, a fumbling computer hacker is drawn further into the struggle. With both fighting to stay afloat they unwittingly bring the frontlines out of the shadows and into the path of the authorities. Through this, one man stands alone on the sidelines, teetering on the edge of neutrality as he struggles to keep those closest to him out of the crossfire.

But when everyone has their own agenda, trust is hard won and having faith in the wrong person may prove deadly…

Title: The Hard Goodbye (3/??)
Author: Minka
Rating: Hard R
Warnings: You should all know the drill by now… AU; set in the mid 80’s in a slightly bastardized Kabukichō district. Very graphic violence, strong course language, character death, drug use and prostitution references, adult themes and sex scenes… oh, and Ruki is a badass!
Band: The Gazette with lots of co-stars; 12012, lynch., Merry, Girugamesh, Buck-Tick, Dir en Grey and some small cameos thrown in for good measure (Vidoll, Hyde, Screw, etc)
Pairings: Aoi/Ruki, Yuusuke/Wataru, mentioned Miyavi/Aoi
Disclaimers: As the ideas hijack my brain, I only wish that I owned Ruki and Aoi. However the story and characterizations are mine and I will bring fire and brimstone down upon anyone who tries to steal them again.
Authors notes: Continuation to A Dirty Carnival
Chapter notes: Woot! We are making progress!

Summary: Before any rise in an economy there is a slump, a low point of destitution and need. The mid 80’s marked the point where Japan’s primary industries plummeted before the technology boom that sent both Japan and the world into a new age.

It was a time when the actions of a few could shape the lives of millions.

When a young yakuza lord emerges from a self-imposed exile to declare war, a fumbling computer hacker is drawn further into the struggle. With both fighting to stay afloat they unwittingly bring the frontlines out of the shadows and into the path of the authorities. Through this, one man stands alone on the sidelines, teetering on the edge of neutrality as he struggles to keep those closest to him out of the crossfire.

But when everyone has their own agenda, trust is hard won and having faith in the wrong person may prove deadly…