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 (31–40)
flickerDIR EN GREY
DIR EN GREY was already a well-known band during their indie days, even headlining a solo show at Nippon Budokan.
Produced by YOSHIKI of X JAPAN, they made their major debut by simultaneously releasing three singles, including Yurameki.
On the hill where the aster flowers bloomGilles de Rais
This was a band that energized the indie visual scene alongside LUNA SEA and X.
In their indie days they had a strong punk flavor, but after their major-label debut they began to prioritize accessibility.
inspireLa’Mule
This is the title track from La’mule’s album Inspire, with which they made their major-label debut in 1998 alongside X, produced by Dynamite Tommy of COLOR, a pioneering visual kei band.
Although they debuted as the visual kei boom was losing momentum, La’mule are considered an important band that helped bridge the scene to the next generation of neo-visual kei.
SkYLastier
This is “SkY,” the 1998 debut single by Lastier, a visual kei band from Niigata.
The band was introduced on a TV program that featured visual kei indie bands at the time, which led to their debut.
On the show, their melody and vocal ability were praised, and they made an unusual debut with two producers attached.
As long as life bloomsRaphael
Formed in 1997 and made their major debut in 1999.
They went on hiatus in 2001, later reunited, but disbanded again after about three years—a band with a relatively short active period.
Their hallmark was hard rock and heavy metal incorporating classical elements, and in this song they even use a classical melody in the guitar solo section.
Debut Songs by 90s Visual Kei Bands (41–50)
HANABI-la Grand RotationSEX MACHINEGUNS
This is SEX MACHINEGUNS, a bona fide heavy metal band that promoted themselves as a visual-kei heavy metal band.
Back then, it seems they could get gigs at live houses by calling themselves visual-kei, whereas they wouldn’t have been accepted as just a metal band.
Melty loveSHAZNA
SHAZNA made their major debut in 1997 with “Melty Love.” At the time, the vocalist IZAM’s androgynous look became a hot topic and even a social phenomenon.
After SHAZNA’s debut, the number of visual kei bands adopting a cross-dressing style increased.