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Literally means "visual type"; from a style/movement in J-Rock that started back in the 1980s, and became popular in Japan by the 90s. This style/movement has been largely credited to have been started by X Japan; which led to an uprising in the trend of the visual scene. It's characterized by bands (namely Japanese) that use dramatic costumes/hair/makeup to basically inhance their visual appearance. Although there are branches of Jrock, that have different classifications/characteristics that visual-kei. The style alone does not neseccarily have to do with the music; but more alone with its outlandish and unique clothing/hair/makeup-thats what its really known for.
Many visual-kei bands include: X Japan, Malice Mizer, Dir en Grey, Gazette, Phantasmagoria, Alice Nine, 12012, and many more to name.
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Visual Kei or Visual Rock is a genre of rock music in Japan. A Visual band will usually have a set concept or theme that influences their music style, lyrics, and mode of dress.
There are many sub-genres of visual kei including oshare kei , kote kei, koteose kei, soft visual kei, and many more.
Karen was a visual kei band with the theme "life and death."
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Visual Kei is a sub-genre of Japanese Music that focuses on self-expression, most Visual Kei, bands do not sound the same, as that statement could be used for Rap as well, but Rap fan will argue that it takes an ear, same applies to Visual Kei. The Key of Visual Kei is too express a message and bring a twist on it. Not all of VK fans are female and only care about looks. The GazettE, one particular VK band has amazingly metaphorical lyrics (if translated). But like all band VK bands talk about a multitude of different themes and should not be dissed as such. Also the 'cross-dressing' comes from their culture which performed (and still does) Kabuki, a form of theatre where all actors are male, and so if the bands theme requires females, cross-dressing occurs. An example of this is Versailles -Philharmonic Quintet- whose theme revolves around two waring noble clan set in pre-revolutionary France, with a style similar to speed-metal.
Visual Kei is just another form of music which doesn't want to conform to popular music, like metal
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Refers to Japanese bands with an image in between glamorous and dark. While not truly goth in a western sense (e.i. Bauhaus, Sisters of Mercy), they do owe a lot to glam rock greats, David Bowie and T-Rex (as does Goth Rock.)
X-Japan (sort of), Dir en Grey, Luna Sea, Malice Mizer, Gackt, Kana, Buck Tick
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Visual Kei is a fashion NOT a musical genre, any band of any genre can take on this styal and be called as such. However, the majority of bands who dress VK are of the Rock or experimental origin. Visual kei usualy has vibrent colors, feathers, and basically attention drawing features, this however is not true everytime, some VK is more subtle and sence VK is just visual fashion there really isn't a true deffinition. It evovles all the time and differs from band to band and person to person. Just look at all of VK's subgenres, even the subgenres have subgenres. Vk bands tend to be all male, however, if you no where to look you can find female ones to like Exist+Trace.
Visual Kei band/artist inculde Malice Mizer, Girugamesh, Mucc, The GazettE, X Japan (considered by some the father of VK), Miyavi, Gackt, Exist+Trace, Dir en Gray, and so on.
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The best way I can put it is this. It's basically Japanese Glam Metal
Johnny: Hey want to listen to my MΓΆtley CrΓΌe CD?
Weeboo Kid: No that shit isn't kΕ«ru. Let's listen to Penicillin, Their music is so subarashii!
Johnny: Okay? That's Glam?
Weeboo Kid: No, It's Visual Kei!
Johnny: What's the difference?
Weeboo Kid: Ummm?
Johnny: Idiot.
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Soft visual kei is a vaguely defined sub-genre of visual kei (a type of Japanese music). Instead of elaborate costumes, the bands wear clothing "off the rack" and have simple, natural makeup. It is what people tend to think of when they think of mainstream or major visual kei, but it is very different from typical visual kei. The most important aspect of the music is the melody. The style pretty much died around the year 2000, when visual went back to having an independent focus. Sometimes shortened to "Sofubi."
Bands include Siam Shade, Glay, Sophia, Janne Da Arc. Contrasts with kote kei.
Calling "soft visual kei" bands a form of "visual kei" seems to be a marketing move more than anything; they don't have the same dark focus or elaborate costumes of other bands.
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