What is Visual Kei?

Basically, Visual Kei is a japanese underground musical genre that focuses on the visual aspect as well as the musical one which has originated with the band X Japan. Visual Kei artists are recognized by their extravagant hair, clothings and their dark lyrics which are full of figure of speech of any kind. The goal is to look like a japanese manga character, and to provide deep songs with meanings (which in my opinion isn't what we have here in North America). Also, most musicians in VK are androgynous, which means you will ask yourself many times "Is that a girl or a guy?" And it caused emo and scene fashion to other countries. There are also sub-genre of Visual Kei like Oshare Kei, which is a happier themed genre, but let's just stay on topic. It's kind of like the Idol culture in Japan; Most people, especially teens, need a model, which should represent what (physical) perfection is, and make them strive to achieve their goal and become perfect too, Except that this is Jrock and not Jpop. Also, since it is japanese metal/rock, headbanging and screaming is common in Visual Kei.

A band I could show as an example is the GazettE. Even though nowadays they've become more americanized and mainstream, they are one of the greatest VK bands in Japan. They formed in 2002, at this time, they were Ruki on voccals, Yune on drums, Uruha on lead guitar, Aoi on rhythm guitar and Reita on bass. In early 2003, Kai replaces Yune as the band's drummer and shortly after, they sign with the Peace and Smile Company. I would say that from 2004 to 2009 was they best, once they made their album called DIM, they started being more mainstream, tough remaining visual. I personally don't really like their new album, TOXIC, they changed SO MUCH. Not just their style, but the rhythm is not Jrock anymore, it's much like American metal plus dubstep.

Visual Kei is mostly depicted as a dark and stylish japanese metal with gothic clothing and colorful hairs. but there are bands which are more colorful and don't yet belong to Oshare Kei. Kiryu, for example, is a band where the members wear traditional japanese clothing, and they all have a color assigned to them (they hairs as well as their clothes).

Visual Kei bands are known by many fans oversea, but there are VERY few companies that allow their bands to tour outside of Japan. Also, they may be known around the world, but they are too very little in number and scattered to be heard. Though I was surprised that there are a few people in Rimouski that are listening to japanese music.