It really was incredible going to Japan this year, first time for me, and seeing how very much alive the Visual Kei scene really was!

Visual kei isnt dead the only problem is that every 5-10 years it changes. In the 90s it was awesome, 2000-2010 still awesome but slowly different and after that just mostly meh. A lot of songs are hella autotuned or hyperactive nowadays. Back then it was more mysterious and unique.

Anyone here like "THE GALLO"? They are unique and equally as talented as "Dir en grey" or "The GazettE" in my opinion. Just listen to their new album Diavolo! they have great Ballads, great metal and rock! literally my favorite band and i listen to allot of VK (mainstream and less known)

Been a major VK fan since around 2008, grew up with Girugamesh, D'espairsRay, OZ, Sadie, Unsraw etc. I think almost all of those don't exist anymore. However, I recently got back into and and holy shit, there's such a giant diversity of new awesome bands popping up left and right, it's absolutely amazing. I don't think VK has been more alive than now, and I love fresh blood. Already bought 3 CDs to support my new favorites. Also tried the twitter thing, but as you pointed out, it get's really annoying having your feed blow up with 10+ random retweets a day :D

All the Visual Kei Bands I grew Up with and fell in love with have all disbanded within the last decade or so Girugamesh, Dué le Quartz, OZ, Born, Sophia, Pierrot, Lycaon, La'cryma Christi, Malice Mizer, D'espairsRay, Versailles and when I think about it it makes me sad, :( but I still plan on supporting Visual Kei regardless I took like a 4 year hiatus but I've recently gotten back into listening to the genre again

Note: I never liked calling VK a "genre," since anything with a mainly visual aesthetic is technically considered a "movement." Genres only deal with sound, and VK doesn't really have many sound rules like hair metal and glam rock tended to. I think its also interpretation based so.... yeah. forgive my peeves. >__< I think the arrogance of fans killed a number of potential fans, because when I saw GazettE at NYC, there weren't just visual kei fans, but fans of even American metal bands jamming out and people I would of seen in my old high school. I was happy to see that since I see the online community is so ridged and hateful towards fans who don't write smutty fanfics and fanart. Not to mention how many people I still see hate on VK bands with woman. I think we need to calm down and enjoy the power VK created in woman and people who are not cis-gendered. This is a movement with genderfucking, so whats the point of being pissed off with woman and non-binaries joining the fun. I don't like many newer hyped and popular bands like Mejibrey and feel a lot of them are overrated, but that's how it is with all types of music. I stick with my favorite bands, VK or not. In short - we get too picky with who we allow as fans when its not necessary. Lets just enjoy music so that it can't die.

This video needed to be made. Love it. XD Since you were mentioning new bands I recommend the band REIGN.They have great potential. :) Oh, and I love Scapegoat by the way. You are not alone there.

My favorite band will stay the GazettE. I've only been part of this fandom for a while now, but I enjoy it a lot and I like already quite some. Yeah, I knew the mainstream ones earlier than others, but that doesn't mean they're the best, heha

Oh my god I so love this video and you are just adorable and so funny! I would love to hear more from you! :)

Honestly the band disbandment that hurt me the most were Lycaon, Avel Cain, and Velvet Eden.

yeah I kinda stuck with 90' visual kei band like malice mizer back then they really know how to mix art with good music but thanks to kamijo with versailles or the extreme revolution of dir en grey I still have some room for visual kei nowadays

I haven't listened to Visual Kei bands for like 10 years. I miss it!

nooooooooo!!!!! Visual Kei is still pretty much alive right? I just learned about it and I'm sooo interested. 🙁

that's all true! i love DIAURA since their debut in 2010, but i listen to grieva too. there's a ton of visual kei band who have a good music, but people this days just listen to all of the popular visual kei bands. and i care about DOAK and the 3rd birthday disbandment. really, i love them! T^T

I just recalled the song from R指定, Visual is dead😂

Jiluka have come so far looking back on this. Seven years ago when this video was posted no one talked about Jiluka or knew of them. Today they are known worldwide and doing their first world tour this year. Wow

HaHa musste gut lachen ^^ Toll gemacht! Man stelle sich vor was passiert, wenn Gazette sich "trennt" :D

I totally agree with you! We should focus on the good stuff. I'm gonna check out the bands that you listed, i'm thirst for new jrock bands

Danke, dass musste mal gesagt werden! Ist echt gut gemacht. ;)

So gonna share this! Thanks!

I don't see anyone giving love to... Royz Kiryu and SuG

I miss Girugamesh😢💔

ELYSION-エリシオン- is a band that really got my interest.

THANK YOU FOR THIS! I've been wanting to say to those people who say visual kei sounds the same: yes because it's a GENRE! You took the words right out of me! Also about the local store thing, there once was a beautiful little v-kei shop run by Cure near where I live, but it recently closed so now the only visual kei shop I know of is in NY... *sighs* I think visual kei is so much bigger in Europe than it is over here in the states and Canada.

I think the original gen of vk has grown out of it and the bands they listened to are slowly disbanding. But the new hen w/ meji and royz pentagon kinda thing is just starting up. I see a lot of younger people in middle school and highschool listening to them.

I have tried to put a band together here in Norway for 6 years without luck. I will not stop untill I make it!

You are so on point with this video. I agree with you 100%

I freaking am loving Malisend

Is there a stigma against liking the Gazette and being a longtime fan of them? I used to know this girl in college who would mock me for liking them, claiming they were so mainstream back in 2010.

Solange the GazettE existiert, wird VK niemals tot für mich sein! Wenn sie sich trennen, geh ich mich eh begraben~ Übrigens sehr schön mal einen deutschen VK-Fan zu sehen. :3

I've been a VK fan since maybe 15. I'm 31 now and this past year have been rediscovering my old favourites, adding new ones I missed out on at the time. Now is actually a great time to have that nostalgia moment as used CDs/DVDs can be found under 1000 yen these days which was unheard of when I was younger. Now that I have more disposable income it's nice to collect things I've always wanted. There are definitely some new gems out there and the scene doesn't seem dead. I remember when I was younger it was the threat of Oshare Kei killing off VK and it never died then either.

Xaa-xaa, Dezert, Deviloof, more amazing visual kei bands that deserve more recognition!

I love how people say all the good old bands are "gone" while some of the biggest ones are still around such as Dir En Grey and The GazettE... Even now there is still many good bands that are new such as Nocturnal Bloodlust, The Black Swan, Scapegoat, Mejibray, Dadaroma, Xaa-Xaa and so on.

Awesome video. But I actually cared more about DOAK than Girugamesh and Screw, but those definitely shocked me more, since they've been together for such a long time...

The truth is that visual kei is dead for foreigners, but not only visual kei but also the other urban tribes, that is, it has become so normalized that it ends up being just a way of dressing

Great Job!!!!! you have right. iIwas a big fan of Screw, but there still some good band in these days. Nocturnal Bloodlust are my fav, Arlequin too, Alice Nine, Diaura...

if you want i have RIGHT NOW a projet i want to make ,build a vkei band so right now i wait for my hair to grow

I agree. Mostly if you are new to a scene or genre everything seems fresh and sometimes people think in the past everything was better. But I think there is still great new music. I still listen to the same bands like 15 years ago, but also I'm discovering new vk bands every year. And I love it. Some of them have already a deep impact for me. Mostly I discover them by search through youtube or vk news blogs. Overall I think it depends how open-minded you are. And I still think vk ist pretty awesome.

All you said is so true . I fully agree with you . Sometimes I just wonder why people wouldn't give chance to new VK bands . They say that it's not the same like the old ones , but they haven't even tried to listen some of the songs of the new bands. On the other hand with new bands come new fans, like really new ones , who just now start listening to VK , who haven't even heard of the old bands . So even if the old fans , don't like the new bands , there will be always other new fans , who will like them . I personally check out almost every new band and must say that 70-80% sound really amazing , the rest may be good too , but well not everyone is to my taste. As you said another problem are the concerts . Many people especially in Europe , don't attend concerts very often ( excluding money , distance and parents permission reasons) . Some once they've attended a particular band's concert , they ddecide that this is already enough for them , and don't attend for a second or a third time , when the band decides to visit their country again, which I find completely unlogical. I've heard so many absurd reasons , why people don't attend concerts , and I can hardly call those people true fans . Anyway as a conclusion I would also like to say that Visual Kei is NOT dead and even if it has it's downfalls , this doesn't mean it's end . And to all the annoying fans - instead of constantly yapping and complaining , how about you try out something new , and surprisingly it may be to your taste. Everything changes , nothing stays the same forever - music, culture, morals, people , everything . It's time for all of you to finally understand that!

Ich muss zugeben, dass ich mich auch ab und zu mit neuen Bands schwer tue. Aber wenn ich dann eine Band finde die mir Gefällt, dann breitet sich mein Suchspektrum aus und ich finde für eine gewisse Zeit weitere gute Bands. So war es auch mit DIAURA und Mejibray. Über diese zwei die ich erst ziemlich spät lieben gelernt habe (2013), sind mir dann auch weitere Bands wie z.b. Dadaroma aufgefallen. Außerdem gibt es ein paar Musiker bei denen ich einfach weiß, dass alles was sie machen, meinen Geschmack trifft. (z.B. Leda (Ex.DELUHI, Ex.Undivide, Far east dizain), Daisuke

I am not able to go to Japan. I can't buy anything from my favorite band at their website, because they only deliver in Japan. The only thing I can do is to buy, trough my parents, because I'm underaged, CD's on Amazon which include 3 Songs...for like 50 €!

What's the name of the band at 2:08 called because I wasn't able to understand her she was talking too fast

I like all bands so how this bands wants to be. :3 you have so right

Yep, well said.

The Gallow, Mejibray, Pentagon BRUH,

I AGREE ALL THE WAY WITH YOU *-*

Ich mag dich! :D Aber nein, VK ist für mich nicht tot, war's nie, wird's nie sein. Ich habe meine Lieblingsbands, selbst als eingesessener, zwischen den neuen gefunden. Das einzige was bei mir "tot" ist sind Freunde oder Bekannte in dem Kreis. Ich finde iwie keine GUTEN Foren wo ich mich vllt mit anderen austauschen kann. Animexx... hm, ist für mich nicht die richtige Plattform. Als Visu fühl ich mich hier, wo ich wohne, derzeit echt allein. Die meisten haben die Szene schon vor ewigkeiten verlassen und ich bin irgendwie der Einzige der zurückblieb... Daher dachte ich, das die Szene irgendwie verschwindet, zumindest aus Deutschland. Würde mich eifnach freuen mehr Leutz kennenzulernen damit ich in der Szene auch wieder richtig aktiv werden kann! Ich wohne derzeit im Raum NRW, komme aber aus Neidersachsen. Würde mich sehr über neue Kontakte freuen, ich mag mich wieder mehr austauschen können.

i love scapegoat ! and others greats bands are DEZERT , DADAROMA , BLESSCODE

I first became interested in Visual Kei when I found the small band ACME, I had heard a few songs before then but they were the band that convinced me to like VKei. I don't listen to too many bands, but I do sometimes listen to AnCafe, SID and the gazettE. Although they are good bands, I actually think ACME are good modern day role models for VKei. Most of the members have actually been in the culture for a while and have been in a few different bands before they got to their current place. I strongly believe Visual Kei is not dead though.

early 2000er beste jahre

*cough* monochrome heaven *cough*

Scapegoat is amazing😆❤❤

True! Everyone that i see complaining about the same things doesn´t like it anymore, visual kei is only dead in their minds! All the bands that you cited are very good, and have a solid fan base in Japan. Cheers from Brazil

So true!!!!

Haha I absolutelly love all the bands you listed! :D I don't understand people who think like that, they probably just know for the GazettE, Mejibray or smth and think that any other band other than them suck... no but you suck if you think like that :"D seriously! and about Scapegoat, they really desereve more recognition! and for Sibilebashir, yep tottally right :"D damn Izumi

Dudeeee this had to be said

Before I say anything, Unlucky Morpheus by far is my favorite VK band (even if they're doujin) I agree completely with you, as a arguably obsessive music collector (specifically for japanese doujin bands such as Undead Corporation, Thousand Leaves/Thousand Eyes, Vermilion D Alice Syndrome and Imperial Circus Dead Decadence), keeping up with foreign bands may at first be tricky, but that all depends on the effort one will give for the music they love. If you don't indulge yourself into the scene, and complain how inconvenient your own tastes are, you clearly aren't one to think on the logical side of things. For one, circle jerking to some old legends in the music industry of your liking isn't a bad thing, but to engulf your mind so much into one group and denounce any newcomers shows how close-minded you are when it not only comes to a genre, but the evolution of music itself. Of course your bands will stop one day, and of course the genre will sound similar, bands can only do so much and that's what a genre is. It's similar to those who spout "I was born in the wrong generation, the 80s or the 90s were the best, music of today sucks and will never compare to it". First off, you can fuck off if you honestly think music of today is shit compared to then, just like then, you will find fucking fantastic music if you search for it enough. Ultimately, she is right about a main conclusion to this, most people are lazy with their passions and music nowadays. Sure, I may never be able to go to a Vermilion D Alice Syndrome concert *manly tears*, but the least I can do is keep up, purchase/download their works and keep supporting and spreading them as I always have. Genres really don't die, they just get buried under dumb ideals and new delusions made up by the fans they once had. Other than that, genres evolve continually as the human mind comes up with better arrangements of the sound. Anyway, no good way to end this, but yeah that's my 2 cents. Thank you for the video!!

the GazettE was my first visual kei band and I adore them, but nowadays I'm more into MEJIBRAY, DIAURA, LYCAON and DADAROMA. I'm also into the more lesser known vkei bands like LOST ASH whom I've seen perform in London last year, their now sadly disbanded. Ive also seen Yoshiki and Toshi of X JAPAN perform in London. I also like Rides in ReVellion and THE BLACK SWAN. My taste in visual kei bands is quite broad so I'm always looking for new bands to listen to. One of the great things about less popular bands is that they try even harder to appeal to international fans by speaking in English to promote to them and many of those musicians also follow them back on Twitter and Instagram. I've lost count how many has followed me and they sometimes also reply and have conversations with you.

All soooo true. for bands now I recommend マイナス人生オーケストラ、乙女国家and A113. Though tbh I cared about the disbandment of SOAK more than Screw because I used to like UnsraW. Though let's be honest; Yuuki's projects rarely last more than a year or two.

Fucking amen to all of this. I squealed at the mention of 'the other bands under the ains label' Since I always struggle to find people who love Grieva and Gossip ( and Kuroyuri to Kage even if they recently left the label ) .. I hate the 'Visual kei is dead -cries for 2 hours-" kind of people because they obviously don't know much Visual kei then... "all the good bands are disbanding" says the people I've NEVER EVEN HEARD TALKING ABOUT SCREW OR GIRU.......... It's like they love seeming depressed or something. Get a grip people.. Why show a sudden spike of interest in a band just when they're disbanding because you want to make dramatic posts.. No one said jackshit about visual kei being dead when great bands that were around for like 8 years like MoNoLith and Lycaon disbanded..

I am 25 now, loved DespairsRay when I was 16. Saw them live three times. I thought Visual Kei was really dead haha. I like K^POP now but love listening to the oldies. Please recommend me good bands!!

I am new to visual kei . Discovered it today ! Please help me around ~ It's way better than the music I am listening to atm I saw a video of The black swan with their cats

LISTEN TO THE GAZETTE

GUILD is very underrated as well.

*Insert Thank you gif here*

Of course it's not dead, but damn it gets exhausting with all the disbandments over the years.

no idea where you come up with these 1 in a million people. I never hear people talking like this.

I honestly 100% agree with you, I think every music scene has its set of stupidly arrogant fans. Those who are elitists will ALWAYS shit all over newer bands and their fanbase. They also can't seem to accept the fact that Visual Kei is becoming more widely known and praised. I recently went to the GazettE show here in LA and I was so surprised at the extremely divers variety of people attending the show. There was even this old dude (probably in his late 50's) at the show fucking headbanging and having such a wild time. The man was an oldschool metalhead, one of the OG ones. We were chatting within intermission and I asked "So you like the band?" and he responded with "I don't even fucking know who these guys are or where they came from, but holy shit they're badass!" I was so stunned yet very excited to see such a great mix of people of all ages going crazy for this band. BUT... at the end, there was this group of kids that I overheard talking near the bar area. They were going on about how some of the audience members were a bunch of "posers" and how they probably wouldn't even be able to name any VK bands other than the really popular ones. I was pretty much annoyed with their complaining, but I sat back and shrugged it off. I just had such a great time and I wasn't about to ruin it by getting into an argument with some dumb kids lol. I don't understand whats so bad about new and different people enjoying Visual Kei, I actually think its great. Everyone loves discovering new music and artists and the best way to do so is to broaden your horizons to different things. I think that maybe some people have that stupid "Hipster" mentality of "Oh, I liked this before it was cool." or "This used to be so cool when it was underground." and I just think that's dumb. You come off as an ass saying shit like that. Back when I was in middle school (2007-2008) NO ONE knew what the hell Visual Kei was. Only some friends that I had on social media around the world knew, but where I lived everyone was clueless. In high school, I had some friends that knew about it and I also introduced some of my other friends to various bands. They enjoyed the music and I think that's all that matters. Who cares whether they like the older bands or the newer bands? Eventually people will discover more as they dig deeper into the topic. Great video! You made such awesome points and I'm glad someone finally said what needed to be said. I think that if people stopped being such petty weenies towards each other and bands, then I'm sure we can help keep VK artists going strong.

Nice video :) Also, Esprit D'Air reformed this year :D!

Ich liebe dich hahahahaha xD A+

Es kommt mal ein Punkt während der (ich schreib jetzt einfach mal) Fandom, an dem ich mich gefragt habe WIESO DAS ALLES? Ich war in der Szene und die Leute machen es einem echt schwer Visual Kei zu mögen, geschweige denn zu supporten. Ich und das "Visual Kei" Umfeld, haben mir persönlich Vivaul Kei Komplett unschmackhaft gemacht. Lass mich dir erklären was mir passiert ist. Ich war damals in eine Visual Kei Band, die mit einer anderen Örtlichen Visual Kei Band konkurrierte. Niemand wollte es aussprechen, aber die hassten uns und wir hassten Sie bis aufs Blut. Zu anfang ginge es uns (meiner Band) um die Musik und um die Leidenschaft, dannach ging es langsam nur noch um den ruf und um den geileren Styling als die andere Band zu haben. Später wurde es echt nur noch giftig mit Mobbing im Internet, Gerüchte verbreitung und Psychoterror auf der Strasse oder bei anderen Konzerten, die alle irgendwie mit Visual Kei zu tun hatten. Ich weiss noch ganz genau: Einmal gingen wir auf ein Gazette Konzert, nur um die andere konkurrierende Band zu "verspotten". Gazette wurde an diesem Abend zum Nebenevent für uns. Ihr müsst euch das so vorstellen, wir waren an einer seite der Bühne (In den Zuschauermengen) und die andere Band auf der anderen Seite. Wir bewarfen uns mit allem was wir finden konnten (Qwer durch die Zuschauermenge). Nach dem Konzert gab es etwas weiter draussen eine Schlägerei. Ja es ging soweit bis hin zur verleumdung und später dann auch in einigen Fällen bis und mit zur Körperverletzung. Geschmückt wurde dass später auch mit "wer hat die meisten Groupies", "Welche Band hat die besseren Lieder" und sochen blödsinn wie "wer von unserer Band hat am meisten groupies ge*****" Also ich kann euch sagen es war echt die Psychische Hölle. Am ende wurden Gerüchte in die Welt gesetzt vonwegen "Der da hat ein Mädchen vergewaltigt" und so Sachen. In anderen "Szenen" und Kreisen verprügelt MANN sich, geht dannach ein Bier Trinken und dass wars dann auch. In der damaligen Visual Kei szene war das alles (wie bereits oben erwähnt) viel giftiger. Mann wurde nicht direkt mit Fäusten traktiert, sondern erhielt um 4 uhr morgens z.B Anrufe von Unbekannten, Famillienmitglieder wurden bedroht, Hausfensterscheiben wurden zerschmettert und sogar Fremde Instrumente kaputt gemacht. Also echt wie Schulmädchen. Keiner von den Bands (weder wir noch unsere konkurrenten) wollten Behauptungen aufstellen, aus Angst den "guten" Ruf zu verlieren, aber wir wussten beide wer was getan hatte. Also kann ich dir versichern, dass es bei den Männer MEHR ALS GENUG "Drama" gegeben hat. Das war auch ein Grund weswegen ich dieser ganzen Szene, den Rücken gekehrt habe. Manipulative Arschlöcher, Mädchen die nur wegen deinem Image und dem Aussehen mit dir zusammen kommen oder mit dir schlafen möchten... Und es sei dir gesagt, dass ich in 2 Visual Kei Bands gewesen bin und 2 mal in etwa der gleiche abgedrehte Mist Passiert ist. Schlussendlich haben wir uns aufgelöst, und somit starb auch mein Engagement für Visual Kei insgesamt.

Visual Kei is dead there nothing that can be Done.

Due'le Quartz forever!

Hätte gern mal gewusst was so toll an Gazette ist. Kanns mir mal wer erklären? Finde die genau so gut/schlecht wie die meisten anderen VK Bands heutzutage

Das Problem ist meiner meiner Meinung nach, dass die neuere VKmusik zu amerikanisch, und nicht mehr Catchy ist. ich bin eher so der Nagoya kei fan, einfach weil mir die Musik besser gefällt.

Are you german?

you are correct Visual Kei is not dead but that does not mean that most of the bands today don't suck. Most can't sing properly and try and make up their lack of talent throw the visuals side. A lot of you forget this is still music and not a visual show. Look at the fonder group of visual Kei X Japan. They was firstly great band with great music the visuals came second.

Mal ganz im Ernst..die wenigsten Bands sind von Anfang an "perfekt" xD wenn ich mir alte the GazettE songs anhör..naja ich weiß nich is schon n großer unterschied zu den heutigen songs XD die erwartungen der leute sins zu hoch! was mich stört is dass die cosplayszene ausstirbt XD zumindest hab ich so das gefühl.. in bayern (wo ich wohn) haben irgendwie auffällig viele angst davor visual kei bands zu cosplayen weil angeblich viele rumekeln oder sowas..mir is das in meinen 5 jahren visual kei cosplayen nicht aufgefallen aber hm...jedes mal wenn ich mit jemandem rede der visual kei cosplayen will kommt "ich trau mich nicht" u.u"

Many good points. But really, I love your fucking accent!

Versailles moi dix mois xjapan D vamps l'arc en ciel and "The GazettE" is here how can visual kei

I dont think VK is dead

VK forever

Um... about your comment regarding AINS: the reason a lot of people don't care about AINS is because half of the bands under AINS are known for being copycats. Grieva is criticized for copying Diru (and they kinda do, to be honest), Gossip are frequently called Gazette wannabies (I don't know how much of that is true, tho), and Mediena _has_ to be the most blatant Valluna clone that I have ever seen. I mean, come _on_. The vocalist is obviously trying too hard to be yo-ka, and their most well-known song ("Rasen") is basically "Aishia" with different lyrics. Then again, AINS also has it's, ehm, "original" bands like DIAURA (though they have been heavily inspired by Pierrot), Kuroyuri to Kage and, yes, MALISEND, so I guess it's not all as bad as naysayers are making it out to be. (Also, amen to the mention of Avanchick.)

schon tot. die musik ist immer schlechter, die stimme ist immer ähnlicher. es gibt typisch vk stimme, die tasuend von bands benutzen. vermisse die alte zeit und die alten bands und die stimme mit eigener eigenschaft. wie dir en grey, glay, x japan, lacryma christi, fanatic crisis, shazna, tm revolution, larc en ciel, glay, sads, penicillin, janne da arc, luna sea, dshade, siam shade, sophia usw.

I'm new to Visual Kei and pretty much can't listen to the old bands. They're too hard, dark looking, and scream too much. I prefer today's softer Visual Kei bands.

Haha I LOVE Scapegoat but I hate Diaura