19 June 2016

Visual Kei: Versailles


If you look at the picture above you might think that these people are impersonating their favourite Final Fantasy characters. This is however the normal getup of Visual Kei band Versailles. Visual Kei (ヴィジュアル系) is a Japanese genre that is characterized by its looks: fancy costumes, crazy hair styles and lots of make-up resulting sometimes in rather androgynous characters. The genre first started to appear in the early 1980s and can be compared to the western Glam Rock. Although many Visual Kei bands like Versailles play metal music, some bands focus more on an electronic sound.
The first song of Versailles I ever heard was perhaps one of their most famous songs, called The Revenant Choir. I was hooked instantly, the elaborate drum parts, Kamijo's almost opera sounding voice and of course Hizaki's awesome guitar solos. That guy really knows how to play the guitar. Yes, you read that right the person with the long blond hair and nice dress is actually a dude. It took some time for me to find out as well. After releasing four albums Versailles decided to disband in 2012. Kamijo started as a solo artist while the remaining four members went on to form the band Jupiter. And although both released some nice songs, none were at the same level as that awesome first song.

Other songs:
               Versailles:           Philia, Truth
               Kamijo:               Lion of the Dark Night
               Jupiter :               Arcadia, Topaz


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