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.
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Debut songs of 90s Visual Kei bands (21–30)
Portrait in GlassLaputa
Laputa is a band said to have helped shape the early Nagoya visual scene alongside Kuroyume.
While embodying the quintessential ’90s visual kei style—decadent, dark, and psychedelic with a foundation in hard rock—their sound is consistently solid, with many tracks that are easy on the ears.
QueenROUAGE
This is ROUAGE, a visual kei band from Nagoya that was active around the same time as Laputa.
They’re sometimes called the “original orthodox visual kei,” and they expressed a worldview themed around the moon and the night.
Their twin-guitar ensemble is distinctive, and the songs are full of brilliant ideas.
RAINGLAY
GLAY is now a nationally beloved rock band.
They debuted in 1994 with the song “RAIN.” YOSHIKI from X JAPAN contributed to the lyrics, composition, and arrangement, and under his production, they made their major-label debut.
for dearkuroyume
During their indie days, Kuroyume were known alongside Silver-Rose as the “two giants of Nagoya,” gaining popularity for their provocative performances.
Both the members’ names and the band name used kanji—unusual for the time—and they pursued a thoroughly defiant style.
Their major-label debut song is this track, “for dear.”
Role-Playing Bonnie & ClydeCASCADE
CASCADE had a sound that mixed programmed techno elements with pop punk, and because of vocalist Tama’s looks, they were introduced as a visual kei band at the time.
However, as you can tell from the kanji used in their music videos, the band themselves may not have intended to operate as visual kei.
Ver Aile: In the Blank MomentMALICE MIZER
MALICE MIZER is a band that incorporates a medieval Europe-like worldview and classical music into rock, with an uncompromising focus on visuals and performance.
Gackt, who is now well-known from variety shows, once served as their vocalist.
A band that pursued visuals to this extent has never been seen before or since.
Clear SkyPIERROT
Pierrot was a band that set itself apart from other visual kei groups with a musical style that incorporated a guitar synthesizer and electronic percussion.
Their lyrics also showcased a distinctly otherworldly worldview far removed from everyday life, emphasizing the essence of visual kei.