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)
Play with the Crosskuroyume
Among the bands labeled as part of the Nagoya-kei scene, the most widely known and one that had an enormous influence on shaping ’90s visual kei—while continuing to stand out in Japan’s rock scene—is Kuroyume.
To the general public, they’re most strongly perceived as a duo: vocalist Kiyoharu, with his one-of-a-kind voice and charisma, and bassist Hitoki, who has excelled not only in rock but also as a supporting musician across various genres.
However, when Kuroyume formed in 1991, they were actually a four-piece.
The lineup featured Kiyoharu and Hitoki, who had been active in their previous band GARNET, drummer Zuaoi, and guitarist Shin, who had played in a band called GERACEE.
Since it was Shin who invited Kiyoharu to start a band, it’s no exaggeration to say he could be considered the founder of Kuroyume.
Based in Nagoya and active throughout the Chukyo region, Kuroyume dominated the indie scene with their provocative performances, aggressive guitar sound, decadent darkworld aesthetic, and melodies and lyricism imbued with a distinctly Japanese sense of melancholy.
The term “visual kei” wasn’t yet in use at the time, and among makeup-wearing bands, LUNA SEA in the East was immensely popular.
Amid the rise of similar bands, Kuroyume distinguished themselves by adopting kanji for their band and stage names, embodying Kiyoharu’s conviction to do what no one else would—an ethos he still upholds.
After Zuaoi left in 1992, the drummer position never stabilized, and in 1995, after their major-label debut, Shin also departed, giving birth to the so-called “two-member band” version of Kuroyume.
While we won’t delve here into their subsequent success and dramatic musical shifts, one characteristic of Nagoya-kei bands is their pursuit of something distinct from Kanto-area groups—a dark sound retaining an underground aroma—and in that sense, Kuroyume’s indie-era work stands as the quintessential symbol of this aesthetic.
Eve〜Last night for you〜Laputa
If we define bands like Kuroyume and Silver-Rose as the first generation of the Nagoya-kei scene, then the quintessential representative of the second generation would be Laputa.
Formed in 1993 around drummer Tomoi and vocalist aki, they have an origin story that’s crucial to the history of Nagoya-kei: Tomoi was so shocked by Silver-Rose’s live performance that he disbanded Ai SICK FACE—effectively Laputa’s predecessor—and moved on to form Laputa.
To add to the twist of fate, the guitarist playing in Silver-Rose at that time was none other than Kouichi, Laputa’s future guitarist.
In their earliest days, Laputa presented a hard, deeply underground sound heavily influenced by Kuroyume’s indie era, which makes sense given that aki and Tomoi worked as Kuroyume’s roadies.
In 1994, Junji joined as a guitarist, and a few months later Kouichi came aboard, making them a five-piece; however, the following year bassist Kusuba left, Junji switched to bass, and the four-piece lineup that would last until their breakup was complete.
They were proactive from early on—relocating their base to Tokyo—and in 1996, they made their major-label debut on Toshiba EMI, the very same label as Kuroyume.
Every work they released up until their breakup in 2004 is remarkably distinctive: while retaining the signature darkness of Nagoya-kei, they incorporated sounds influenced by contemporary Western music, and in the 2000s explored industrial textures, never once merely riding the scene’s trends.
Their ensemble, underpinned by exceptional musicianship, and their beautiful melodies steeped in an ineffable sorrow—their individuality, evident on any album, could be called both the royal road and one consummate form of “Nagoya-kei.”
Real of Love?Silver-Rose
Alongside Kuroyume, the band known as Silver Rose—nicknamed Ginbara—was called one of the “two great titans of Nagoya.” Their beginnings predate Kuroyume’s, with Silver Rose forming in 1989.
In terms of visual kei history, that makes them contemporaries of bands like LUNA SEA and Gilles de Rais.
The original lineup consisted of vocalist Yowmay, guitarist Hitoshi, bassist Kaiki, and drummer Eiji.
Later, guitarist Kouichi joined and drummer Kyo replaced Eiji, giving rise to the well-known five-piece incarnation of Silver Rose.
Although they remained indie, they enjoyed nationwide popularity.
In their earliest phase, their sound drew on the dark music of British goth, post-punk, and so-called positive punk.
After Kouichi and Kyo joined, their musical range broadened significantly, unfolding into a more melodic approach that also embraced straightforward rock.
Their twin-guitar ensemble—distinct from heavy metal, with one guitar often playing clean, choppy rhythms—was complemented by a bass that roamed through the mix, dynamically nuanced drums, and a powerful, commanding vocal presence.
The result was a sound with a clear identity that greatly influenced later bands.
Unfortunately, they never made the jump to a major label and disbanded in 1993.
Their discography isn’t extensive, but for first-time listeners, the full-length album “Labyrinth—Meikyū—,” released in 1993, the year they broke up, is the best place to start.
As an aside, after the breakup, guitarist Kouichi joined Laputa, Kaiki went to Rouage, and Kyo joined Merry Go Round—proof that the Nagoya lineage continued unbroken.
self-destructionLustair
In the mid-1990s, bands like Laputa and ROUAGE broke into the mainstream, and as FANATIC◇CRISIS achieved commercial success in the late ’90s, the dark musical lineage that seemed like the Nagoya-kei’s destiny continued to be passed down unbroken.
Lustair—whose members included Yuina from Lamiel, Ruka from kein, and Reo, who would later gain major-label renown as the guitarist of lynch.—was emblematic of this trend, occupying a very important place in discussions of late-’90s Nagoya-kei.
Their active period, from 1996 to 1997, was extremely short, the kind often considered legendary within the Nagoya-kei scene.
Aside from handout tapes, their practical demo output amounts to just one cassette, “Shūen no Hate…,” and no CD recordings survive.
As you can hear on “Shūen no Hate…,” their sound was a pure, quintessential “Nagoya-kei” that openly idolized early Kuroyume and Laputa.
There are intriguing tracks—like “Jimetsu,” which features complex band arrangements and a vocal style heavy on spoken passages—but in terms of individuality, they may be somewhat lacking.
Even so, considering that Lamiel and kein—charismatic bands of the late Nagoya-kei era—emerged from here, there’s no doubt Lustair was significant.
Though not from Nagoya, it’s also interesting to compare contemporaneous acts influenced by Nagoya-kei, such as La;Sadie’s (in effect a precursor to DIR EN GREY) and D’elsquel from Niigata, which featured Yō of 9GOATS BLACK OUT.
MICHAELBrand new kiss XXXX
Brand new kiss XXXX was a band fronted by Yuu Izumi from Romance for~, with JUNJI from Laputa—normally a bassist—participating as the guitarist.
There’s very little information about them, and it’s not even clear whether they left behind any recordings.
However, considering they formed in 1991 and disbanded in 1993, they count among the earliest bands of the 1990s Nagoya-kei scene.
Since JUNJI was born in 1974, it’s remarkable to think that most of the members were likely around high school age.
Like Tsutomu Ishizuki, who formed FANATIC◇CRISIS at 15, these precociously talented, very young musicians also helped shape the history of Nagoya-kei—something that feels deeply moving in retrospect.
Contemporary flyers carried taglines like “UNDER GROUND PSYCHEDELIC METAL,” and by checking out live footage from that era available online, you can get a reasonable sense of the direction they were aiming for musically.
JUNJI’s bass work in Laputa was characterized by freely roaming, agile lines, so knowing he originally played guitar really does make a lot of sense!
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!
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.