Representative bands of the Nagoya-kei scene in 90s Visual Kei
Among visual kei, there’s a subgenre and scene known as “Nagoya-kei,” distinguished by its especially underground aesthetic and a large cult following.
Do you know this term?
Its origins are debated, but Kuroyume and Silver-Rose, who began their activities in the early 1990s, are regarded as the two leading pillars.
Back when the term “visual kei” itself was not yet in use, bands active in Nagoya’s indie scene gradually came to be called “Nagoya-kei.”
This article introduces the bands from the 1990s that were known as Nagoya-kei.
Whether you want to dig deeper into visual kei or learn about a crucial part of Japanese indie music history, take this opportunity to get to know the indispensable presence of Nagoya-kei.
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[1990s Visual Kei] Representative Nagoya-kei Bands (1–10)
Let me give you courage…Romance for～
Given that their band name was bestowed by Kiyoharu from Kuroyume, I’d like to call Romance for~ a band that carries on the Nagoya-kei tradition.
The name is pronounced “Romance For,” and the group formed in 1994 around vocalist Yuu Izumi—who had worked as a roadie for Kuroyume—and guitarist Kai Yagami, who would later join WITH SEXY.
They made their major-label debut in 1997, but disbanded in 1999, making them very much a Nagoya-kei band that sprinted through the ’90s.
Knowing Romance For’s background, if you go in expecting a full-on, hard-edged Nagoya-kei sound—especially in their post-major-debut output—you might find yourself a bit taken aback.
Their major debut single “I wish ~Zutto Futari de~” features crisp guitar backing and shimmering keyboards; it’s built around Izumi’s straightforward, rough-edged yet wistful vocals and a poignant melody.
Die-hard visual kei fans will detect an inescapable visual-kei lineage, but the overall sound leans toward J-pop with a strong rock flavor.
Their look, too, is quintessential mid-to-late ’90s fashion, which is fascinating if you know where they came from.
Unfortunately, they didn’t leave a major commercial mark, but I’d like people to know that even within the Nagoya-kei sphere there was a band that debuted in this way.
I also highly recommend giving their only major-label release, the mini-album “~a place in the sun,” a listen at least once.
Incidentally, it’s quite difficult to track down recordings from their darker, more Nagoya-kei period, but if you’re interested, try looking for the compilation album “COSMIC FIELDS,” which features many Nagoya-kei bands.
HEART ACHE…LONELINESSof-J
Another band whose name you might not know how to read… If you’re new to the Nagoya-kei scene, you might be thinking that, but “of-J” is pronounced “Obuje.” of-J is known as one of the earliest bands in the ’90s Nagoya-kei movement.
It featured guitarist Kaoru Mamiya, who played with Kiyoharu from Kuroyume in bands like SUS4 and GAENET, and vocalist Masatoshi Yasuda, who was active with Shin from Kuroyume in GERACEE.
Other members included Junna, who later became the bassist of Merry Go Round, and Tetsu, the drummer who would join FANATIC◇CRISIS—essentially a Nagoya-kei all-star lineup.
So it’s a band you absolutely need to know when tracing the history of Nagoya-kei.
With members boasting such rich careers, they left behind many high-quality tracks, armed with solid musicianship and strong songwriting.
While many Nagoya-kei bands broke up after releasing only demo tapes, of-J released their debut full-length album “anamorphosis” in 1993 on Kuroyume’s label La†miss, followed by their second album “FLAT” in 1996.
So even if they’re not as widely known compared to other bands, they’re definitely one you should keep in mind—both for understanding Nagoya-kei and for understanding ’90s visual kei.
Unlike the shock-oriented side of Nagoya-kei—marked by bleak worldviews and provocative performances—of-J has a different appeal: they’re a band that can compete on the strength of their songs themselves, with melodies that leave a faint sense of melancholy lingering in your ears.
Their songwriting, which hints at an ’80s beat-rock influence while still feeling distinctly visual kei with its not-quite-straightforward structures, is intriguing and compelling.
Grammykein
Active from 2000 to 2006, deadman swept the scene with their distinctive musicality, gained a charismatic following, and made a comeback in 2019.
The band considered their predecessor is kein.
Centered around vocalist Mako, who had worked as a roadie for Merry Go Round, the band is also legendary for featuring guitarist Reo—who had been in Lustair, later joined GULLET, and is now active in lynch.
Like Lamiel, they were a defining band of the late-’90s Nagoya-kei scene.
Aie from Lamiel, who would go on to form deadman with Mako, also joined in the later period, making their very existence practically a living history of Nagoya-kei.
While kein inherited the darkness and decadent aesthetics characteristic of Nagoya-kei, their songs—built around Mako’s intensely individual vocals and worldview—have a distinct allure that sets them apart from other bands.
One trait common to late-’90s Nagoya-kei bands is a band ensemble shaped by ’90s Western alternative rock—just as early visual kei bore strong influences from ’80s post-punk and new wave—and you can certainly sense those elements in kein’s tracks.
Since they disbanded before releasing a full album, their available recordings are extremely limited.
They’re absolutely worth seeking out, but in a surprise move, kein announced their revival in May 2022.
“Uso,” included on their classic demo tape Mukuge no Haka (The Hibiscus Coffin), was remade and released as an official lyric video.
Be sure to keep an eye on the laufende, present-day kein as well!
[1990s Visual Kei] Representative Bands of the Nagoya-kei Scene (11–20)
Ask for EyesSleep My Dear
Sleep My Dear, regarded as one of the “Big Three bands” alongside PENICILLIN and media youth under Tears Music Office—a highly influential agency in the history of ’90s visual kei—and a leading force of the Nagoya-kei scene.
Formed in 1991, they were contemporaries of Kuroyume and were assembled mainly around members who had worked as roadies for Silver-Rose, making them a 120% pure Nagoya-kei band.
In 1992, their first vocalist Toshiya left, and KöHey, who had been the band’s roadie, took over as the second vocalist and remained until their breakup in 1998.
They built popularity through steady activity at Nagoya MUSIC FARM, a venue considered sacred ground for Nagoya-kei bands, and notably, Kiyoharu of Kuroyume contributed chorus vocals on their early demo tapes—an important detail that sheds light on the connections within the scene at the time.
Musically, while they possessed the intensity and darkness characteristic of Nagoya-kei, a key point is that they also boldly embraced catchy, melodic songs.
Produced by EBY of Zi:KILL, their 1995 major-label debut “SHAPE” showcases their stylistic range.
Unfortunately, “SHAPE” was discontinued due to disc defects; the band was somewhat unlucky, with “CODE” subsequently released as a sort of reset, featuring track replacements and a revised running order.
As an aside, it’s still fresh in memory that in 2018, KöHey appeared on television as a manager/store manager of a yakiniku restaurant chain, causing a stir among visual kei fans familiar with that era.
CharismaLamiel
Lamiel inherited the quintessential Nagoya-kei sound forged by bands like Kuroyume, LAPUTA, and ROUAGE, debuting in the late 1990s and attaining a charismatic following.
As I mentioned when introducing Lustair, the band was formed around vocalist Iina and bassist Ruka from Lustair, along with guitarist Sho, and is also known for having aie—who would later join kein and then DEADMAN—among its early members.
They instantly sold out three demo tapes—Aoi (Blue), Shu (Vermilion), and Kuro (Black)—which conveyed a consistent aesthetic, and in 1998 they achieved what hadn’t been possible during the Lustair era: a CD release, realized in the classic album Kaigan (Opening Eyes).
It’s fascinating that, while the late ’90s saw an unprecedented commercial boom in visual kei—with many bands advancing to major labels and charting on Oricon with a more sophisticated sound for better or worse—the underground scene was flourishing with bands expressing the pitch-black darkness and despair characteristic of Nagoya-kei.
Although you can sense how strongly they revered their predecessors, it’s undeniable that Lamiel were great for carrying the Nagoya-kei tradition into the next generation and projecting it into the world through their own interpretation.
Their ensemble, built on the interplay between clean tones and distorted guitars, is quintessentially visual kei: from staple tracks that are dark, aggressive, and melodic, to arrangements reflecting Western alternative rock influences, and even the occasional oriental-tinged phrases reminiscent of early L’Arc-en-Ciel—these all became hallmarks of their style.
All of their recordings are now out of print, but ideally you’d want to collect everything they released.
Heart to Heartsus4
SUS4 is known for featuring Kiyoharu from Kuroyume and Kaoru Mamiya from Of-J.
From a music history perspective, you could say they were, in a sense, the very beginning of the ’90s Nagoya-kei scene.
Considering that YOWMAY, the vocalist of Silver-Rose, said on Twitter something to the effect of “the true originator of Nagoya-kei is Mr.
Mamiya of SUS4,” it’s interesting to see that insiders hold that view.
Their activity spanned only briefly from around 1989 to 1990, and the only recordings left are demo tapes, including those distributed at the time.
Judging by what can be heard, they were playing a beat-rock sound reminiscent of early BUCK-TICK, and it’s striking that even at that stage, Mamiya’s talent as a guitarist and Kiyoharu’s instantly recognizable vocals were already fully formed.
Of course, actually obtaining the recordings is extremely difficult, but if you’re going to dig deep into Nagoya-kei, this is a band you should at least know about, if only as part of your knowledge base.
CHAOSDIE-ZW3E
There’s probably no one who can read the band name DIE-ZW3E correctly at first glance.
Pronounced “Dizai,” DIE-ZW3E are another crucial presence when digging into the Nagoya-kei scene of the ’90s.
In terms of Nagoya-kei connections, members from MANICURE—a group active in the very early days of the scene—were involved, as were guitarist YUKI (who joined ROUAGE as a bassist right after their major debut) and bassist TOMOKI from GERACEE, which featured Kuroyume’s Shin and OF-J’s MASATOSHI.
For that matter, even Yoshio Kuroyanagi, famed as the bassist of SOPHIA, was in the band for a time.
As for Dizai’s musical style, while their early mini-album “Di·es I·rae” certainly carries ’90s visual kei traits—like contrasting twin-guitar textures and urgent beats—you’ll quickly hear a distinct appeal different from the characteristic darkness of Nagoya-kei.
The lyrics, delivered by vocalist Takashi Yuki with a resonant, powerful voice, depict things like youthful conflict and delicate inner landscapes, setting them apart from the decadent, shadowy tone often associated with visual kei.
Their 1994 full-length “SIDE-B” is a masterpiece where their unique sound fully blossoms, even as it clearly shows influences from Nagoya-kei visual kei and bands like LUNA SEA.
If you spot it at a secondhand shop, don’t hesitate to pick it up!