While reviewing the not-entirely-successful results of yesterday’s poor attempt to glom on to Super Bowl Twitter (way to change hashtags mid-stream when I was too busy to change much, everybody!), I noticed: Huh. Kind of a quiet Monday morning in the idolverse. Pure Idol Heart, however, saved the day.

This is 黒猫の憂鬱, Kuronekonoyuutsu, or Melancholy of the Black Cat, which is like the most high school goth name I can imagine. They’ve been floating around the fringes for a little while now, kind of on the radar but without anything really official out, at least that I could find (I might also be bad at Googling).

Anyway, this is a good song! And a lot going on with it — you have a very idol-like vocal melody, but detuned a la our good friends in Bellheart*, working with a piano (be still, my heart!) playing a traditional-sounding Japanese melody, with some great guitar riffage on that border line between old-school thrash and old-school “hardcore” punk. Pretty cool.

For what it’s worth, Kuronekono is on Trash-up!! Records, who are starting to put together a nice little alt-idol roster on top of their promotional work and magazine, all featuring everything from Necronomidol to You’ll Melt More!. Keep an eye out.

*According to this tweet, the video was directed by a person who worked on Bellheart’s movie? Or something. I’m sure a more knowledgeable person than me will know and correct this point in the comments.