Debut song of a 90s visual kei band
A visual kei band that revolutionized the Japanese music scene with their innovative musicality and glamorous looks.
Even major artists that everyone knows today—such as GLAY, L’Arc~en~Ciel, and DIR EN GREY—once took their very first steps as newcomers.
While influenced by X JAPAN, each established a uniquely rich musical identity and forged a new era.
Here, we introduce the debut songs that became their starting point, hidden behind the bold makeup and costumes.
Debut songs of 90s visual kei bands (1–10)
In the shadow play…Deshabillz
Deshabillz is a band that cuts sharply into the darkness of the human heart with decadent beauty and raw emotion.
The grotesque yet aesthetic lyrical world woven by SHUN has an unforgettable, overwhelming pull once you’ve experienced it.
In this track, SHI-NO’s baroque-style guitar instantly captivates the listener, and the raw intensity of the vocals unfolding over the driving sound draws you in even further.
Featured on their debut EP “Shinjuusha,” released in June 1994, this song is perfect for those moments when you’re worn out by the light of everyday life and feel the urge to deliberately sink into the depths of darkness.
Blue Romance “Feelings”LAREINE
This song is a tale of blue, heartrending love spun by LAREINE, who performed under the concept of a “flower incarnate descended into the modern age.” Its dramatic structure of over six minutes and the delicate tones of the synth beautifully portray an overwhelming yearning for an unattainable love.
You can almost see the feelings for a beloved person blooming and scattering like a beautiful flower.
The track was included on their first album, released in 1996.
Why not listen to it when you want to wrap the memories of an unforgettable love in a beautiful melody?
cold raincali≠gari
It’s a rock number marked by the melancholic sound of the accordion and a somehow nostalgic melody.
From the lyrics, you can feel the searing emotions of someone trembling in loneliness, seeking salvation amid pouring rain.
In the depths of helpless despair, the figure still reaching for a faint light is portrayed with striking realism.
The song appears on cali≠gari’s indie album The Third Laboratory, their CD debut released in June 1998.
On nights when your heart sinks and nothing seems to help, don’t you think listening to it might gently stay by your side?
swaying gentlyMASCHERA
This is “Yurari,” the major-label debut song by MASCHERA, a band whose name means “mask” in Italian.
They debuted in 1997 under Teichiku Entertainment, a label primarily focused on enka and kayōkyoku.
Above all, the beautiful singing voice is remarkable and can be said to be a defining feature of the band.
SunflowerSOPHIA
This is the band SOPHIA, led by vocalist Mitsuru Matsuoka, who is also active as an actor.
For a visual kei band, their songs are pop and their fashion is casual, with lighter makeup.
At that time, visual kei was the trend, and it was normal for any band to wear makeup and operate as a visual kei act.
Tantra and MantraGARGOYLE
Gargoyle, hailed as the king of the live house scene, made their major-label debut with a work that, as its esoteric, mantra-like title suggests, invites listeners into a mystical ritual.
Their complex song structures—often dubbed progressive thrash metal—fuse with a poetic worldview imbued with a distinctly Japanese sensibility.
The profound themes, which seem to probe the depths of human consciousness, carry an addictive quality that lingers long after a single listen.
Released as a video in April 1993, this work sparked major buzz for debuting not on CD but in the form of music videos.
ALIVE～DEDICATED TO THE SAVIOR ～THE DEAD POP STARS
This is a fast-paced track that feels like a distillation of the energy they had in June 1997, when the band that had dominated the indie scene made their leap to the major stage.
Subtitled “Dedicated to the Savior,” the piece brims with searing sarcasm toward a glittering world, along with the band’s own fierce impulse to cry out to “live” without yielding to it.
When you want to break through the suffocating monotony of everyday life, this aggressive, powerful sound will lend you strength.