~~~Visual Kei Bands/Artists from Japan~~~

wendijane

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Visual kei emerged in the early 1980s, pioneered by bands such as X Japan, D'erlanger, Buck -Tick and Color .The term visual kei is believed to come from one of X Japan's slogans, "Psychedelic violence crime of visual shock".
There are two record labels, both founded in 1986, that were instrumental for helping the visual kei scene spread, they are Extasy Records in Tokyo and Free-Will in Osaka.

Notable newer visual kei bands include Dir en Grey, Alice Nine, The Gazette and D'espairsRay, who have all performed overseas.[SUP][16][/SUP] Veterans of the scene have also established new acts, such as Malice Mizer's Mana with his band Moi dix Mois, and several members of Pierrot forming Angelo.[SUP][16][/SUP] In 2007, visual kei was revitalized as Luna Sea performed a one-off performance and X Japan officially reunited with a new single and a world tour. With these developments, visual kei bands enjoyed a boost in public awareness, with bands formed around 2004 having been described by some media as "neo-visual kei" (??????????[SUP]?[/SUP]).[SUP][20]

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"Good video, should include The GazettE , One Ok Rock and Screw !? xD"


"Vistlip??

I really don't? know how to pronounce their band name."



"They Look/sound like the anime version of the Black Veil Brides"


Well, what say you?

Visual kei (???????, bijuaru kei[SUP]?[/SUP], lit. "visual style" or "visual system") is a movement among Japanese musicians,[SUP][1][/SUP][SUP][2][/SUP] that is characterized by the use of varying levels of make-up, elaborate hair styles and flamboyant costumes, often, but not always, coupled with androgynous aesthetics.[SUP][3][/SUP][SUP][4][/SUP][SUP][5][/SUP] Some sources think that visual kei refers to a music genre,[SUP][6][/SUP][SUP][7][/SUP] with its sound usually related to glam rock, punk rock and heavy metal.[SUP][8][/SUP][SUP][4][/SUP][SUP][9][/SUP][SUP][10][/SUP] However, this is contradictory to the fact that visual kei acts play various genres,[SUP][11][/SUP][SUP][12][/SUP] including those unrelated to rock such as electronic, pop, etc.[SUP][1][/SUP][SUP][4][/SUP] Other sources, including members of the movement themselves, state that it is not a music genre and that the fashion and participation in the related subculture is what exemplifies the use of the term.[SUP][3][/SUP][SUP][13][/SUP][SUP][14][/SUP][SUP][15[/SUP]


In 1992, X Japan tried to launch an attempt to enter the American market, even signing with Atlantic Records for a US album,[SUP][19][/SUP] but this ultimately did not happen. In the mid 1990s, visual kei received increasing popularity throughout Japan, when album sales from visual kei bands started to reach record numbers.[SUP][5][/SUP][SUP][20][/SUP] The most notable bands to achieve success during this period included X Japan, Glay and Luna Sea; however, a drastic change in their appearance accompanied their success. During the same period other bands, such as Kuroyume, Malice Mizer and Penicillin, gained mainstream awareness, although they were not as commercially successful. By the late 1990s, the mainstream popularity of visual kei was declining;[SUP][9][/SUP] X Japan had disbanded in 1997 and one year later their lead guitarist hide died, and in 2000, Luna Sea decided to disband as well. In 1998, Billboard's Steve McClure commented that "To a certain extent, hide's death means the end of an era, X were the first generation of visual kei bands, but the novelty has worn off. For the next generation of bands, it's like: That's it. The torch has been passed to us."[SUP][3][/SUP]

Versailles performing in 2010, wearing costumes similar to the French Rococo style.


Notable newer visual kei bands include Dir en Grey, Alice Nine, The Gazette and D'espairsRay, who have all performed overseas.[SUP][16][/SUP] Veterans of the scene have also established new acts, such as Malice Mizer's Mana with his band Moi dix Mois, and several members of Pierrot forming Angelo.[SUP][16][/SUP] In 2007, visual kei was revitalized as Luna Sea performed a one-off performance and X Japan officially reunited with a new single and a world tour. With these developments, visual kei bands enjoyed a boost in public awareness, with bands formed around 2004 having been described by some media as "neo-visual kei" (??????????[SUP]?[/SUP]).[SUP][20][/SUP]


Post all your Visual kei band/Artists videos and pictures HERE. :punk:
 
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I like The Gazette! Haven't listened to them for a good while though :( Miyavi(sp?) was another I liked.
 
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