Bambino

http://i210.photobucket.com/albums/bb10/bam-bino/J-Rock/laruku.jpg

L'Arc~en~Ciel

"Say Yes" by Chage & Aska

http://i210.photobucket.com/albums/bb10/bam-bino/chage_aska.jpg

Led Zeppelin

Black Sabbath

Petra

Judas Priest

Nazareth

Styx

Deep Purple

Lynyrd Skynyrd

Yoroshiku!

Am a J-rock guitarist so I listen to J-rock music (gotta admit those japs have killer riffs). Great music IIMSSM (If I May Say So Myself). But I just can't deny that most of my early music influences were credited to Western metal music. Am a big fan of Progressive, Black, Power and Death metal. Most of 'em are old school metal but there are a few new bands that still have the edge in defining the true essence of Metal. Here are a few that I believe got me to where I am right now:

Iron Maiden, Manowar, Queensrÿche, Dio, Morbid Angel, Athiest, Illogicist (one the newbies), Dream Theater, Mortification, Sympathy, Slechtvalk, Horde (classic Unblack Metal album of all time), Cradle of Filth, Anthrax (Joey era), Slayer (early Lombardo era), and Danzig.