Himeaimichu

3 minutes ago, Kerin said:

I think it started when The Gazette were roadies for Dir En Grey. DeG thought that The Gazette were too good to be roadies, so The Gazette was formed as an official band. I guess DeG fans used the word roadies against Heresy to serve as a reminder that without Dir En Grey, that The Gazette wouldn't even have existed.

Wait, the GazettE were Diru roadies? Because I remember the formation story mostly being Ruki, Uruha and Reita playing around with different musicians, most notably vocalists Tetora (who'd join Kamikaze Boyz) and Saki (who'd form Cuartet) until Ruki decided he wanted to do vocals instead of drums and so they left Saki and Kanna and joined with Aoi and Yune from Artia. Plus, I remember their early history being much more associated with Yayoi from La'Miss Fairy than anything to do with Diru. Could you perhaps elaborate more?

Just compare any bandman to Final Fantasy characters and you're bound to rustle a few jimmies

Hot take: The reason they abandoned Visual Kei was so that they could legally perform in Russia without being accused of spreading "Gay propaganda"

27 minutes ago, saiko said:

I've readen the name 'Devil Kitty'  a lot in this forum, and I started considering to go and look up for them. What songs do you recommend to try their style?

Their first album, Akuma Kicha, and their first EP, Kiai, are a must try. Their later stuff is ok but the guitars sound like shit and the music was kind of toned down

Pop and Metal are considered to be almost completely opposite genres of music. One is perceived as being major key, happy, upbeat, often repetitive and known for not being diverse, while the other is perceived as minor key, angry, and incredibly diverse (Of course, these are just stereotypes). Surprisingly or unsurprisingly, these genres are sometimes mixed. Whether it's the popular artist Poppy, or the infamous Babymetal, these genres were bound to cross one way or another, especially in Japan, and Visual Kei is no exception.

For one, the mixing of the two comes with the territory of Visual Kei. After all, the movement in the 90's was filled with songs that contrasted Thrash Metal riffs with Post-Punk choruses. It is also definitely not unusual for a band to play multiple genres of music on one album. Even to this day, Visual Kei songs will often have a chorus that sounds completely different from the rest of the song. It's basically given that there will be some bands here and there who mix elements of Pop and Metal.

While there are a lot of Visual Kei bands that mix pop and metal, for this, I will be focusing on bands that specifically mix elements of J-Pop, since those are the most distinct and so I can make the title relating to Babymetal lol.

A very infamous example of this was the cult classic band DEViL KiTTY. Mixing pop and metal was their bread and butter, whether it's primarily poppy songs with occasional metal riffing, such as DRIVE, or a very thrashy, angry metal song that goes pop in the chorus, such as Hello Katty. They also just had fully pop rock songs with no metal elements whatsoever, such as 束縛 (Sokubaku), or full on metal songs with no pop at all, such as アンチお洒落系 (Anti Oshare-Kei). Their early looks also mixed in some elements of Harajuku Fashion, but that changed after ESE IKARE Rockstar, where they just started wearing suits. Not only that, but their music contains a lot of Japanese pop culture references, whether it be Japan's early internet culture in songs like 奇形の２ちゃんネラア (Kikei no 2channeler) or even references to Visual Kei culture itself, such as バンザイお洒落系 (Banzai Oshare-Kei). Their lyrics, however, were far from radio-friendly, as Yuuga's love for sex songs is well known, and many songs are your typical vkei songs about not-so-savory stuff like murder. To summarize it, DEViL KiTTY's sound was an abrasive, lo-fi interpretation of Visual Kei's love for mixing genres, with a huge emphasis on the contrast between the heavy parts and the poppy parts.

Although this primarily applies to their 2002-2004 era. When they returned in 2015, they still mixed pop with metal, but focused way less on the contrast. However, there was one song, バンギャル最終兵器 (Bangya Saishukeiki) sort of channeled old Devil Kitty with a modern take, but that was their last ever release. (Note: While making this, I just realised the only good quality upload of the PV for バンギャル最終兵器 was taken down. RIP)

Selected listening:

Deaitai (出愛隊) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e9suBOucP7I

Hello Katty (note: I plan to upload the PV for this soon, but for now, please bear with this video) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aj7qwpfdwtM

Another infamous example of this is legendary Oshare-Kei band An Cafe. Specifically, their early years. Whereas DEViL KiTTY mainly focused on harshness and aggression, An Cafe was more focused on contrasting heavy with happy (or should I say, Nyappy?). Of course, in the beginning, their lyrics weren't always happy, as songs like My Favorite Beat actually have sorta dark lyrics. However, especially unlike DEViL KiTTY, these guys' music was definitely something that would probably be played on a pop radio station if those songs were ever popular enough to do so. Like DEViL KiTTY, they make references to Japanese pop culture, and implement elements of Harajuku fashion into their looks. (I mean, the whole Oshare-Kei shtick kinda grew out of Harajuku fashion). Sadly, they kinda dropped the whole thing sometime after 2005 (I'm not sure when because I honestly do not listen to much of An Cafe after their first album) and went on to just being pop rock, and then Bou left.

Selected listening:
My Favorite Beat - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WOjcc6B_C04

Touhikairo (頭皮回廊) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BIeV3a174o8

So what are your thoughts on these type of bands? What are your favourite examples?

I'll have to keep an eye on these guys. Seems like a promising project

I would ban the trope of completely toning down your sound and visuals once you go major. Like... you actually got money now, why not go all out with the visuals and the music? Why the hell do you just start wearing less makeup and host-boy hair and playing generic pop rock the second you make more than 10 dollars?

So many great bands have been lost to this trope

For any newbies wanting to do Kote Kei looks, lace leggings can easily be turned into a lace top, which is something Goths have been doing for years (so this is obviously common knowledge to some people here). While this link does not use lace leggings, the process basically the same. Just wear something over it that is short sleeved or sleeveless, and you got an instant Kote Kei look. https://www.handimania.com/diy/one-cut-leggings-crop-top.html

As well, platform shoes, creepers, and anything with studs or spikes will certainly add a nice edge to your look.

Also, don't be afraid to mix elements from other forms of J-Fashion. Decora, Lolita, and Gyaru can all mix with Visual Kei in their own ways.

I wish Disreign itself was a hoax

*gets shot*

Send gaymer bandmen feet

Just now, WhirlingBlack said:

Seeing Isuke do something is really cool though, he wrote most of their music and didn't do anything of note after the band.

Oh true. As well, I've heard Kon has a chronic illness and that's the reason why NightingeiL is going on hiatus, so I guess in the end, it's better for his health if he sits out.

One can hope whoever does the vocals and guitars gives it their best.

2 hours ago, platy said:

what the hell is XING?🙄

It's obviously pronounced "crossing" (jk)

So just a La'mule session band? That's sad... gladly the rest of the lineup is good

I am living for this aesthetic

22 minutes ago, Zeus said:

You can't make something popular again if it wasn't popular in the first place.  Everyone looks back at 2007-2010 as the heyday of the scene, but I think we know more about the scene now than we did back then. A lot of it was people trend riding Dir en grey, the GazettE, and a whole host of other popular bands until they jumped ship for K-Pop. Even when I go to shows abroad, people in line hardly know as much about the band or the scene as people here on MH do. We are in our own bubble and we have to learn to look beyond that bubble to see the scene as a whole.

 

It's a sad fact that the scene is small and will stay small, but I rather like it that way. Visual kei is the definition of anti-mainstream. Think of how many bands are subjected to the stigma of "going major" and losing their identity. Now, imagine that happening to the entire scene at once! That's basically what it would be like to "get popular" again. Not a good look. I don't know what it is that makes visual kei tick, but I'm fine with leaving things the way they are.

I'm aware this reads like a gigantic gatekeeping post but that is not my intention. Let people find visual kei naturally is what I say! The site continues to find and support both new members and old, so the hooks to get drawn into the scene are still out there.

I agree. Visual Kei has an interesting sound and aesthetic that mainstream J-Rock and western Rock/Metal just doesn't have. No offense to mainstream J-Rock or western Rock/Metal, but it doesn't stand out like Visual Kei does. Try as you like, but you won't find many bands like Mist of Rouge in western Thrash Metal and Punk, Kuroyuri to Kage in Western Nu Metal, etc. You'll find bands with some similarities, but not the full package. As Visual Kei fans, we've come to love and accept this uniqueness and for Visual Kei to get popular, it would have to adapt very closely to mainstream trends, making it lose it's identity, and possibly taking away what we love about the scene.

Just now, Axius said:

I wasn't referring to the 90s in that aspect rather i was being general. I never stated that the disbandment rate was longer in the 90's. Just that it has been unchanged as in a lot of disbanding.  Just a clarification. 

 

Also i have to agree it is a bit of a "Its own thing " of genera and does things out of the norm when it comes to releases sometimes.  

Oh I know, I just know some people who act like somehow bands lasted longer in the past, and that the disbandment rate is somehow a new thing, and I was agreeing with you that it's been pretty stable.

1 minute ago, Axius said:

Side note: The V-kei disbandment rate has been unchanged for the past 20 years so i honestly dont think visual kei will die anytime soon but it will remain a float as that one underground scene that not many people pay attention to. As long as there are still fans of the genera that support bands to make music there will always be new member awaiting in the back stage you have never seen before. But visual kei is at a all time low as of recent... 😕  Hopefully 2020 changes that.

THIS. I hate it when people act like bands somehow lasted longer in the 90's. Like, Pierrot, La'mule and Shazna were some of the most popular bands of the 90's, and they still met their fate where it was due. Indie Scenes all around the world have similar disbandment rates as well. It's pretty much the nature of a niche music scene

5 minutes ago, Cereal Killer 13 said:

Unless vkei bands start mumble rapping I don't see it. (That would be hilarious tho). 

I hope that NEVER happens lmao. No offense to those who like trap, but I hate the sound (at least the current sound. There is some "proto-trap" that I find tolerable, like UGK), the aesthetic, the whole attitude.

But sadly, that may actually become a reality. Falling in Reverse's "Popular Monster" mixed edgy white boy trap™ with metalcore, and while I do see there is an audience for it, I'm way too much of a Hip Hop boomer to really vibe with it.

3 minutes ago, saiko said:

Curious to see where is post punk and gothic reviving.

There are a few bands recently that have seen some minor popularity, like Drab Majesty and She Passed Away. It's not on the same level of popularity as in the 80s, but it's more than we had in say 2010.

Also, there are a ton of people, regardless of their political affiliation, who wear colored hair. Dyed hair is arguable more popular and accepted than it ever was, and so are piercings and makeup on men. 

The current social climate is arguably the best for Visual Kei, because alternative fashion is becoming more normalized as people just stop giving a fuck. I mean, Scene fashion is seeing a revival in 2020, and in recent years, Gothic Rock and Post Punk made a mini comeback. People are finally starting to no longer giving a fuck what you look like, or what you wear. 

Visual Kei was, and pretty much always will be a counterculture movement with a cult following. Things come and go in popularity. That's been the case with Nu Metal, Eurodance, etc.

Part of it is the fact that Harajuku culture is dead and J-Fashion is so toned down, and a proper J-Fashion revival is possible, but no matter what, Visual Kei isn't going to be the mainstream phenomenon it barely even was at one point. Its always gonna be a niche movement with niche music tastes. Japanese people and Americans always have, and always will be mainstream taste-wise. Thats the nature of things. No use getting mad about it, because there really is nothing you can really do about it. Just enjoy Visual Kei while it's still a thing. 

My ears are ready

1 minute ago, avaritonista said:

PANIC☆ch reunion and releases 

 

I wish!! Panic Channel was awesome!

Nightmare officially revives,

AINS will sign another band, but soon flop as a whole as Yukika will have been taking out too many loans. 

Gulu Gulu will release a full length and it will be awesome

Mitsuki Sakai starts a solo career, covers Kurara Zeroshiki, Kiryu and Mizelia songs

Mamo will sell his pee to fangirls

Still no god damn X Japan album

What are the full details? Did he get ganged up on?