Malice Mizer
Encyclopedia
Malice Mizer was a visual kei
rock band from Japan
. They were active from August 1992 to December 2001. Formed by Mana
and Közi
, the band's name stands for "malice and misery", extracted from "nothing but a being of malice and misery" — their reply to the question "what is human?". Their earlier music and themes were characterized by their strong French and classical influences, later moving away from deliberate French romanticism and incorporating Gothic-Victorian aspects after several tragedies befell the band.
Malice Mizer was as famous for their music as for their live shows, featuring lavish historical costumes and stage sets, short silent theatre pieces preluding various songs, whimsical dance routines, and even a particularly notable instance of the vocalist descending to Earth (the stage) as a fallen angel, only to ascend again at the end of the concert. Throughout their history, the band has gone through several different lineups and three drastic image changes.
On December 11, 2001, it was announced that Malice Mizer would go on an indefinite hiatus. Seven years after the hiatus started, Közi played on stage with Mana's Moi dix Mois
for a session gig at their "Dis Inferno Vol.VI ~Last Year Party~" event on December 27, 2008. In 2009 Közi went on a short 2 gig coupling tour with Moi dix Mois called "Deep Sanctuary". A year later, in July 2010, Közi went on another tour with Moi dix Mois, titled "Deep Sanctuary II", with Yu~ki as a special guest at Akasaka Blitz on the 17th. This was the first time in 9 years that the three original members were on stage together.
and Közi
formed Malice Mizer in August 1992 with Tetsu
on vocals, both Mana and Közi on guitars/synthesizers, Yu~ki on bass and Gaz on drums. From the outset, the band established their trademark "twin guitar"' sound, whereby two guitars play different melodies creating polyphony
. Malice Mizer's sound during the Tetsu era was a mixture of rock, early 1980s goth
, and strong classical influences. Their first official release was the song "Speed of Desperate" on the 1993 compilation Brain Trash. Before this, they had released a demo tape called Sans Logique which contained no vocals. Shortly after the release of Brain Trash, Gaz left the band to join Kneuklid Romance, while Kneuklid Romance's drummer Kami
in turn joined Malice Mizer. In 1994, the band released their debut album Memoire
on Mana's newly founded independent record label
Midi:Nette
, and shortly after re-released it with an additional bonus track, "Baroque", under the title Memoire DX. Only days later, singer Tetsu left the band. While the exact reasons are unknown, Tetsu went on to take a different direction in his work and some say it was because he disliked the flamboyant image of the band. The band's continued use of his lyrics in songs they continued to perform with later vocalists suggest an amicable split.
as their new vocalist. With a new concept created by Mana, the band's music became more progressive rock
, incorporating even stronger classical and electronic elements. Visually, the band abandoned their 1980s goth look for colorful historical costumes with a gothic feel. In 1996, Malice Mizer released their second album, Voyage ~Sans Retour~
. The band became increasingly popular and in 1997 signed with Nippon Columbia
, where they released a number of successful singles, a short film (Bel Air ~Kuuhaku no Shunkan no Naka De~ de L'image), and, in 1998, their third album, Merveilles
. The band even had their own radio show around this time and played a two day live at the Nippon Budokan
which involved a large building as a stage prop and amazing theatrics; each member performing a skit with another member on their own (including [on "Le Ciel"] the aforementioned skit in which Gackt fell to the stage [to sing the song] and returned to "Heaven" by song's end). It was a massive success and was released on video as Merveilles l'espace. In January 1999, at the height of Malice Mizer's success, Gackt suddenly left the band, and after just four months he released his first solo album. There are many rumors circulating as to why he left, but none of them have yet been confirmed. Malice Mizer left Columbia shortly after and returned to Midi:Nette.
A few months after Gackt's departure, drummer Kami
died of a subarachnoid hemorrhage
on June 21, 1999, leaving behind a handful of songs, which the band eventually released as part of the EP
/video boxset Shinwa, which consisted of 2 songs composed by him and the short track "Saikai" written by the band. Kami was never replaced; from that point on, Malice Mizer would only use support drummers (namely ex-Aion
member Shu, who is not shown in the band's later promotional material, nor credited) and Kami would be credited as "eternal blood relative" on all their future releases. Possibly due to Kami's death and other factors, the band shifted to a "darker" image and sound.
, vocalist of dark wave band Pride of Mind. By then the band had abandoned the lighter pop music sound of the Gackt era for a dramatic mixture of classical music, gothic and metal music
, and adopted an elaborate funeral Goth look. In the summer of 2000, they released what would be their last album, Bara no Seidou
, followed by a very spectacular and theatrical live show, featuring pyrotechnics, a choir of veiled nuns and a scaled-down cathedral as stage prop. In 2001, Malice Mizer starred in a feature length vampire
movie (Bara no Konrei ~Mayonaka ni Kawashita Yakusoku~
), and released three more singles: "Gardenia", "Beast of Blood", and "Garnet ~Kindan no Sono e~"; "Gardenia" and "Garnet" being of a considerably lighter tone than their previous album, signifying the start of a new era for the band. However, the band members decided to go their own separate ways in 2001, leaving a messages on their official website, which can still be viewed today. The split was spoken of as a "hiatus", so as not to exclude the possibility of a future reformation.
released one solo album, and has subsequently taken part in a series of bands such as Zigzo
, Mega 8 Ball, Nil; his most recent being The JuneJulyAugust.
After his departure in early 1999, Gackt
started a solo career a year later which has been enormously successful; he is now one of Japan's top musicians and TV personalities.
Klaha
started a solo career as well in December 2002, but in the middle of 2004 it was announced that his fan club would be closing down, and after that there have been long periods of silence, only broken by rare updates on his site. In 2007 he stated on his site that he would resume musical activity that year. But this did not happen and no information has been announced since.
Yu~ki has not been active on the music scene since 2004 when he wrote the song "Memento", about Kami
, for Közi's solo project. In an informal conversation with Klaha, he said he would like to return to the music scene.
Közi
joined Haruhiko Ash's industrial
band Eve of Destiny
and also started a solo career. Eve of Destiny has been inactive since 2006. As of Halloween 2008 he is part of the band Dalle. Around June 2010, Közi started to perform with a band called My Horror Revue. He has also formed the band XA-VAT, who held their first performance on November 16, 2010 and released their first single on December 2.
Mana
has formed his own solo project Moi dix Mois
, which has performed live concerts across Europe. In addition to the successful solo project, Mana is a fashion designer for his fashion label Moi-même-Moitié
(created in 1999), which focuses on the styles Elegant Gothic Aristocrat
(EGA) and Elegant Gothic Lolita (EGL). He also continues to run his indie record label Midi:Nette
, and has produced for artists such as Schwarz Stein
and Kanon Wakeshima
.
On December 27, 2008, Közi played on stage with, Mana's solo project, Moi dix Mois for a session gig at their "Dis Inferno Vol.VI ~Last Year Party~" event. He joined them again in 2009, when they went on a short 2 show tour called "Deep Sanctuary", on July 17 in Osaka and the 19th in Tokyo. A year later in July 2010, Közi once again went on a tour with Moi dix Mois, titled "Deep Sanctuary II". This tour had six shows, but the gig at Akasaka Blitz
on the 17th was special, as former Malice Mizer bassist Yu~ki, was a special guest. This was the first time in 9 years that the 3 remaining original members played together. They played "Saikai no Chi to Bara" and "Beast of Blood".
Malice Mizer's song "Gekka no Yasoukyoku" was covered by D on the compilation Crush! -90's V-Rock Best Hit Cover Songs-, which was released on January 26, 2011 and features current visual kei
bands covering songs from bands that were important to the '90s visual kei movement. Their song "Illuminati" will be covered by Moran on its sequel, Crush! 2 -90's V-Rock Best Hit Cover Songs-, that will be released on November 23, 2011.
Visual Kei
is a movement among Japanese musicians, that is characterized by the use of make-up, elaborate hair styles and flamboyant costumes, often, but not always, coupled with androgynous aesthetics. Some sources state that visual kei refers to a music genre, or to a sub-genre of Japanese rock, with its...
rock band from Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
. They were active from August 1992 to December 2001. Formed by Mana
Mana (musician)
Mana is a Japanese musician and fashion designer, best known for his role as leader and guitarist of the visual kei band Malice Mizer. His clothing label, Moi-même-Moitié, helped popularize Japan's Gothic Lolita fashion movement. Mana is currently working on his solo project Moi dix...
and Közi
Közi
Közi is a Japanese musician who plays guitar, piano, keyboard and synthesizer. Közi is best known as guitarist for the visual kei rock band Malice Mizer. After the band went on an indefinite hiatus in 2001, he joined the industrial rock act Eve of Destiny and also started a solo career...
, the band's name stands for "malice and misery", extracted from "nothing but a being of malice and misery" — their reply to the question "what is human?". Their earlier music and themes were characterized by their strong French and classical influences, later moving away from deliberate French romanticism and incorporating Gothic-Victorian aspects after several tragedies befell the band.
Malice Mizer was as famous for their music as for their live shows, featuring lavish historical costumes and stage sets, short silent theatre pieces preluding various songs, whimsical dance routines, and even a particularly notable instance of the vocalist descending to Earth (the stage) as a fallen angel, only to ascend again at the end of the concert. Throughout their history, the band has gone through several different lineups and three drastic image changes.
On December 11, 2001, it was announced that Malice Mizer would go on an indefinite hiatus. Seven years after the hiatus started, Közi played on stage with Mana's Moi dix Mois
Moi dix Mois
Moi dix Mois is a musical project founded by Japanese musician and fashion designer Mana in 2002 after his previous band, Malice Mizer, paused activities.- History :...
for a session gig at their "Dis Inferno Vol.VI ~Last Year Party~" event on December 27, 2008. In 2009 Közi went on a short 2 gig coupling tour with Moi dix Mois called "Deep Sanctuary". A year later, in July 2010, Közi went on another tour with Moi dix Mois, titled "Deep Sanctuary II", with Yu~ki as a special guest at Akasaka Blitz on the 17th. This was the first time in 9 years that the three original members were on stage together.
1992–1994: Tetsu era
After leaving Matenrou, ManaMana (musician)
Mana is a Japanese musician and fashion designer, best known for his role as leader and guitarist of the visual kei band Malice Mizer. His clothing label, Moi-même-Moitié, helped popularize Japan's Gothic Lolita fashion movement. Mana is currently working on his solo project Moi dix...
and Közi
Közi
Közi is a Japanese musician who plays guitar, piano, keyboard and synthesizer. Közi is best known as guitarist for the visual kei rock band Malice Mizer. After the band went on an indefinite hiatus in 2001, he joined the industrial rock act Eve of Destiny and also started a solo career...
formed Malice Mizer in August 1992 with Tetsu
Tetsu Takano
is a Japanese musician, probably best known as the first vocalist of the visual kei band Malice Mizer. After leaving Malice Mizer, he joined Mega8Ball from 1995 to 1997. He then started the band Zigzo with other formerly popular musicians, they were active from 1999 to 2002...
on vocals, both Mana and Közi on guitars/synthesizers, Yu~ki on bass and Gaz on drums. From the outset, the band established their trademark "twin guitar"' sound, whereby two guitars play different melodies creating polyphony
Polyphony
In music, polyphony is a texture consisting of two or more independent melodic voices, as opposed to music with just one voice or music with one dominant melodic voice accompanied by chords ....
. Malice Mizer's sound during the Tetsu era was a mixture of rock, early 1980s goth
Gothic rock
Gothic rock is a musical subgenre of post-punk and alternative rock that formed during the late 1970s. Gothic rock bands grew from the strong ties they had to the English punk rock and emerging post-punk scenes...
, and strong classical influences. Their first official release was the song "Speed of Desperate" on the 1993 compilation Brain Trash. Before this, they had released a demo tape called Sans Logique which contained no vocals. Shortly after the release of Brain Trash, Gaz left the band to join Kneuklid Romance, while Kneuklid Romance's drummer Kami
Kami (musician)
, better known by his stage name Kami, was a Japanese musician best known as drummer for the rock band Malice Mizer. He died on June 21, 1999 in his sleep of a subarachnoid hemorrhage at the age of 26.- Early life :...
in turn joined Malice Mizer. In 1994, the band released their debut album Memoire
Memoire
-Personnel:* Tetsu – vocals, classic guitar on track 4* Mana – synth guitar, synth keyboard on track 1* Közi – synth guitar, synth keyboard on track 6* Yu~ki – bass* Kami – drums, percussion...
on Mana's newly founded independent record label
Independent record label
An independent record label is a record label operating without the funding of or outside the organizations of the major record labels. A great number of bands and musical acts begin on independent labels.-Overview:...
Midi:Nette
Midi:Nette
Midi:Nette is an independent record label founded by the Japanese musician and fashion designer Mana. Initially it released most of the discography of the band Mana was in at the time, Malice Mizer, which went on an indefinite hiatus on 11 December 2001....
, and shortly after re-released it with an additional bonus track, "Baroque", under the title Memoire DX. Only days later, singer Tetsu left the band. While the exact reasons are unknown, Tetsu went on to take a different direction in his work and some say it was because he disliked the flamboyant image of the band. The band's continued use of his lyrics in songs they continued to perform with later vocalists suggest an amicable split.
1995–1999: Gackt era
In 1995, after a year of inactivity, Malice Mizer recruited GacktGackt
is a Japanese singer-songwriter, actor, voice actor and author. Usually referred to by his mononymous stage name, he is known for his career as a solo artist and as the former vocalist for the defunct visual kei rock band Malice Mizer....
as their new vocalist. With a new concept created by Mana, the band's music became more progressive rock
Progressive rock
Progressive rock is a subgenre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s as part of a "mostly British attempt to elevate rock music to new levels of artistic credibility." John Covach, in Contemporary Music Review, says that many thought it would not just "succeed the pop of...
, incorporating even stronger classical and electronic elements. Visually, the band abandoned their 1980s goth look for colorful historical costumes with a gothic feel. In 1996, Malice Mizer released their second album, Voyage ~Sans Retour~
Voyage ~sans retour~
Voyage ~Sans Retour~ is the second album by Malice Mizer released on June 9, 1996. The title is French for "Travel ~No Return~". It is their first material released with second vocalist Gackt...
. The band became increasingly popular and in 1997 signed with Nippon Columbia
Columbia Music Entertainment
is a Japanese record label founded in 1910 as . It affiliated itself with the Columbia Graphophone Company of the United Kingdom and adopted the standard UK Columbia trademarks in 1931. The company changed its name to Nippon Columbia Co., Ltd. in 1946. It used the Nippon Columbia name until...
, where they released a number of successful singles, a short film (Bel Air ~Kuuhaku no Shunkan no Naka De~ de L'image), and, in 1998, their third album, Merveilles
Merveilles
Merveilles is the third album by Malice Mizer, released on March 18, 1998, and their only on a major label, being released through Columbia Music Entertainment. The title is French for "Wonders"...
. The band even had their own radio show around this time and played a two day live at the Nippon Budokan
Nippon Budokan
The , often shortened to simply Budokan, is an indoor arena in central Tokyo, Japan.This is the location where many "Live at the Budokan" albums were recorded...
which involved a large building as a stage prop and amazing theatrics; each member performing a skit with another member on their own (including [on "Le Ciel"] the aforementioned skit in which Gackt fell to the stage [to sing the song] and returned to "Heaven" by song's end). It was a massive success and was released on video as Merveilles l'espace. In January 1999, at the height of Malice Mizer's success, Gackt suddenly left the band, and after just four months he released his first solo album. There are many rumors circulating as to why he left, but none of them have yet been confirmed. Malice Mizer left Columbia shortly after and returned to Midi:Nette.
A few months after Gackt's departure, drummer Kami
Kami (musician)
, better known by his stage name Kami, was a Japanese musician best known as drummer for the rock band Malice Mizer. He died on June 21, 1999 in his sleep of a subarachnoid hemorrhage at the age of 26.- Early life :...
died of a subarachnoid hemorrhage
Subarachnoid hemorrhage
A subarachnoid hemorrhage , or subarachnoid haemorrhage in British English, is bleeding into the subarachnoid space—the area between the arachnoid membrane and the pia mater surrounding the brain...
on June 21, 1999, leaving behind a handful of songs, which the band eventually released as part of the EP
Extended play
An EP is a musical recording which contains more music than a single, but is too short to qualify as a full album or LP. The term EP originally referred only to specific types of vinyl records other than 78 rpm standard play records and LP records, but it is now applied to mid-length Compact...
/video boxset Shinwa, which consisted of 2 songs composed by him and the short track "Saikai" written by the band. Kami was never replaced; from that point on, Malice Mizer would only use support drummers (namely ex-Aion
Aion (Japanese band)
Aion is a Japanese metal band formed in 1983 by guitarist Izumi. Aion are considered to be important to the formation of visual kei, credited as being one of the bands to start the movement in the early '80s. They are also considered to be one of the most successful heavy metal bands in Japan,...
member Shu, who is not shown in the band's later promotional material, nor credited) and Kami would be credited as "eternal blood relative" on all their future releases. Possibly due to Kami's death and other factors, the band shifted to a "darker" image and sound.
2000–2001: Klaha era
In the second half of 1999 and the beginning of 2000, Malice Mizer,still without an official vocalist, released a number of singles and began to work on a new album. Eventually, they recruited KlahaKlaha
, aka Klaha, is a Japanese singer-songwriter. He is best known as the third vocalist for visual kei rock band Malice Mizer. His first band was the new wave group Pride of Mind, active from 1992-1996. He first played with Malice Mizer in 2000, on their single, "Shiroi Hada ni Kuruu Ai to Kanashimi...
, vocalist of dark wave band Pride of Mind. By then the band had abandoned the lighter pop music sound of the Gackt era for a dramatic mixture of classical music, gothic and metal music
Heavy metal music
Heavy metal is a genre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s, largely in the Midlands of the United Kingdom and the United States...
, and adopted an elaborate funeral Goth look. In the summer of 2000, they released what would be their last album, Bara no Seidou
Bara no Seidou
is the fourth and final album by Malice Mizer released on August 23, 2000. The title roughly translates as "Church of Roses" or "Sanctuary of Roses". In February 2007, Bara no Seidou was re-released, packaged in both jewel case and slipcase versions, both including an additional DVD, titled Cardinal...
, followed by a very spectacular and theatrical live show, featuring pyrotechnics, a choir of veiled nuns and a scaled-down cathedral as stage prop. In 2001, Malice Mizer starred in a feature length vampire
Vampire
Vampires are mythological or folkloric beings who subsist by feeding on the life essence of living creatures, regardless of whether they are undead or a living person...
movie (Bara no Konrei ~Mayonaka ni Kawashita Yakusoku~
Bara no Konrei ~Mayonaka ni Kawashita Yakusoku~
is a movie released by Malice Mizer on March 22, 2002. It is a silent film with a storyline similar to Dracula and other vampire-based stories with Japanese and English captions for dialogue...
), and released three more singles: "Gardenia", "Beast of Blood", and "Garnet ~Kindan no Sono e~"; "Gardenia" and "Garnet" being of a considerably lighter tone than their previous album, signifying the start of a new era for the band. However, the band members decided to go their own separate ways in 2001, leaving a messages on their official website, which can still be viewed today. The split was spoken of as a "hiatus", so as not to exclude the possibility of a future reformation.
Post projects, unofficial reunion
After his departure in 1994, TetsuTetsu Takano
is a Japanese musician, probably best known as the first vocalist of the visual kei band Malice Mizer. After leaving Malice Mizer, he joined Mega8Ball from 1995 to 1997. He then started the band Zigzo with other formerly popular musicians, they were active from 1999 to 2002...
released one solo album, and has subsequently taken part in a series of bands such as Zigzo
Zigzo
Zigzo is a Japanese rock supergroup that originally started activities in 1999 and disbanded in 2002. Each member came from a prominent band and they became very popular in the indies scene...
, Mega 8 Ball, Nil; his most recent being The JuneJulyAugust.
After his departure in early 1999, Gackt
Gackt
is a Japanese singer-songwriter, actor, voice actor and author. Usually referred to by his mononymous stage name, he is known for his career as a solo artist and as the former vocalist for the defunct visual kei rock band Malice Mizer....
started a solo career a year later which has been enormously successful; he is now one of Japan's top musicians and TV personalities.
Klaha
Klaha
, aka Klaha, is a Japanese singer-songwriter. He is best known as the third vocalist for visual kei rock band Malice Mizer. His first band was the new wave group Pride of Mind, active from 1992-1996. He first played with Malice Mizer in 2000, on their single, "Shiroi Hada ni Kuruu Ai to Kanashimi...
started a solo career as well in December 2002, but in the middle of 2004 it was announced that his fan club would be closing down, and after that there have been long periods of silence, only broken by rare updates on his site. In 2007 he stated on his site that he would resume musical activity that year. But this did not happen and no information has been announced since.
Yu~ki has not been active on the music scene since 2004 when he wrote the song "Memento", about Kami
Kami (musician)
, better known by his stage name Kami, was a Japanese musician best known as drummer for the rock band Malice Mizer. He died on June 21, 1999 in his sleep of a subarachnoid hemorrhage at the age of 26.- Early life :...
, for Közi's solo project. In an informal conversation with Klaha, he said he would like to return to the music scene.
Közi
Közi
Közi is a Japanese musician who plays guitar, piano, keyboard and synthesizer. Közi is best known as guitarist for the visual kei rock band Malice Mizer. After the band went on an indefinite hiatus in 2001, he joined the industrial rock act Eve of Destiny and also started a solo career...
joined Haruhiko Ash's industrial
Industrial music
Industrial music is a style of experimental music that draws on transgressive and provocative themes. The term was coined in the mid-1970s with the founding of Industrial Records by the band Throbbing Gristle, and the creation of the slogan "industrial music for industrial people". In general, the...
band Eve of Destiny
Eve of Destiny
Eve of Destiny is a Japanese industrial rock band founded in 1999 by Haruhiko Ash . For a long time, Eve of Destiny was a solo project of Ash, with not much real activity, but this changed in 2002, after guitarist Közi of Malice Mizer fame joined and they started to tour outside Japan on a regular...
and also started a solo career. Eve of Destiny has been inactive since 2006. As of Halloween 2008 he is part of the band Dalle. Around June 2010, Közi started to perform with a band called My Horror Revue. He has also formed the band XA-VAT, who held their first performance on November 16, 2010 and released their first single on December 2.
Mana
Mana (musician)
Mana is a Japanese musician and fashion designer, best known for his role as leader and guitarist of the visual kei band Malice Mizer. His clothing label, Moi-même-Moitié, helped popularize Japan's Gothic Lolita fashion movement. Mana is currently working on his solo project Moi dix...
has formed his own solo project Moi dix Mois
Moi dix Mois
Moi dix Mois is a musical project founded by Japanese musician and fashion designer Mana in 2002 after his previous band, Malice Mizer, paused activities.- History :...
, which has performed live concerts across Europe. In addition to the successful solo project, Mana is a fashion designer for his fashion label Moi-même-Moitié
Moi-même-Moitié
Moi-même-Moitié is the Gothic Lolita fashion label of Mana, the co-founder and former guitarist of the Visual Kei Malice Mizer. It was founded in 1999 and features the specific styles of Elegant Gothic Lolita, which blends the innocence and cuteness of the Lolita fashion with the darkness and...
(created in 1999), which focuses on the styles Elegant Gothic Aristocrat
Elegant Gothic Aristocrat
Elegant Gothic Aristocrat is a subset of Gothic Lolita fashion, popular in Japan. The term Elegant Gothic Aristocrat was originally coined by Mana, a fashion designer and former band leader of Malice Mizer, and is used to describe his brand of clothing carried in his store Moi-même-Moitié...
(EGA) and Elegant Gothic Lolita (EGL). He also continues to run his indie record label Midi:Nette
Midi:Nette
Midi:Nette is an independent record label founded by the Japanese musician and fashion designer Mana. Initially it released most of the discography of the band Mana was in at the time, Malice Mizer, which went on an indefinite hiatus on 11 December 2001....
, and has produced for artists such as Schwarz Stein
Schwarz Stein
Schwarz Stein was a Japanese visual kei electronic music duo formed by Hora and Kaya in 2001 and disbanded in 2004.-History:...
and Kanon Wakeshima
Kanon Wakeshima
is a Japanese singer and cellist. Produced by Mana, Wakeshima debuted under the DefStar Records label on May 28, 2008 with the single "Still Doll", the ending theme for the anime adaptation of the manga series Vampire Knight. She also provided the voice for a maid that appears in the eighth episode...
.
On December 27, 2008, Közi played on stage with, Mana's solo project, Moi dix Mois for a session gig at their "Dis Inferno Vol.VI ~Last Year Party~" event. He joined them again in 2009, when they went on a short 2 show tour called "Deep Sanctuary", on July 17 in Osaka and the 19th in Tokyo. A year later in July 2010, Közi once again went on a tour with Moi dix Mois, titled "Deep Sanctuary II". This tour had six shows, but the gig at Akasaka Blitz
Akasaka BLITZ
Opened in April, 1996, Akasaka BLITZ is a so-called music "live-house" in Minato, Tokyo, owned and operated by Tokyo Broadcasting System Television, Inc. Until the opening of Shibuya-AX in 2000, it was the only concert space that in the metropolitan area that could accommodate 1500 people...
on the 17th was special, as former Malice Mizer bassist Yu~ki, was a special guest. This was the first time in 9 years that the 3 remaining original members played together. They played "Saikai no Chi to Bara" and "Beast of Blood".
Malice Mizer's song "Gekka no Yasoukyoku" was covered by D on the compilation Crush! -90's V-Rock Best Hit Cover Songs-, which was released on January 26, 2011 and features current visual kei
Visual Kei
is a movement among Japanese musicians, that is characterized by the use of make-up, elaborate hair styles and flamboyant costumes, often, but not always, coupled with androgynous aesthetics. Some sources state that visual kei refers to a music genre, or to a sub-genre of Japanese rock, with its...
bands covering songs from bands that were important to the '90s visual kei movement. Their song "Illuminati" will be covered by Moran on its sequel, Crush! 2 -90's V-Rock Best Hit Cover Songs-, that will be released on November 23, 2011.
Members
- ManaMana (musician)Mana is a Japanese musician and fashion designer, best known for his role as leader and guitarist of the visual kei band Malice Mizer. His clothing label, Moi-même-Moitié, helped popularize Japan's Gothic Lolita fashion movement. Mana is currently working on his solo project Moi dix...
– lead guitarLead guitarLead guitar is a guitar part which plays melody lines, instrumental fill passages, guitar solos, and occasionally, some riffs within a song structure...
, synth guitar, keyboardKeyboard instrumentA keyboard instrument is a musical instrument which is played using a musical keyboard. The most common of these is the piano. Other widely used keyboard instruments include organs of various types as well as other mechanical, electromechanical and electronic instruments...
, percussionPercussion instrumentA percussion instrument is any object which produces a sound when hit with an implement or when it is shaken, rubbed, scraped, or otherwise acted upon in a way that sets the object into vibration...
(1992–2001) - KöziKöziKözi is a Japanese musician who plays guitar, piano, keyboard and synthesizer. Közi is best known as guitarist for the visual kei rock band Malice Mizer. After the band went on an indefinite hiatus in 2001, he joined the industrial rock act Eve of Destiny and also started a solo career...
– rhythm guitarRhythm guitarRhythm guitar is a technique and rôle that performs a combination of two functions: to provide all or part of the rhythmic pulse in conjunction with singers or other instruments; and to provide all or part of the harmony, ie. the chords, where a chord is a group of notes played together...
, synth guitar, keyboard, percussion (1992–2001) - Yu~ki – bassBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
, contrabassContrabassContrabass refers to a musical instrument of very low pitch; generally those pitched one octave below instruments of the bass register...
, percussion (1992–2001) - KlahaKlaha, aka Klaha, is a Japanese singer-songwriter. He is best known as the third vocalist for visual kei rock band Malice Mizer. His first band was the new wave group Pride of Mind, active from 1992-1996. He first played with Malice Mizer in 2000, on their single, "Shiroi Hada ni Kuruu Ai to Kanashimi...
– vocalsSingingSinging is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments...
(2000–2001)
Former members
- Gaz – drumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
(1992–1993) - TetsuTetsu Takanois a Japanese musician, probably best known as the first vocalist of the visual kei band Malice Mizer. After leaving Malice Mizer, he joined Mega8Ball from 1995 to 1997. He then started the band Zigzo with other formerly popular musicians, they were active from 1999 to 2002...
– vocals (1992–1994) - GacktGacktis a Japanese singer-songwriter, actor, voice actor and author. Usually referred to by his mononymous stage name, he is known for his career as a solo artist and as the former vocalist for the defunct visual kei rock band Malice Mizer....
– vocals, pianoPianoThe piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal...
(1995–1999) - KamiKami (musician), better known by his stage name Kami, was a Japanese musician best known as drummer for the rock band Malice Mizer. He died on June 21, 1999 in his sleep of a subarachnoid hemorrhage at the age of 26.- Early life :...
– drums, percussion (1993–1999)†- After his death, the band listed Kami on all subsequent releases as an "eternal blood relative".