Japanese Bands A-Z list: D

Genre: Alternative metal / screamo / experimental rock
Origin: Tokyo, Japan
Active: 2003 – 2015

Bitesize Overview:
Dazzle Vision was a Tokyo-based Japanese rock band formed in June 2003 by siblings Maiko (vocals) and Takuro (bass), beginning as an indie project that developed into a widely respected act in Japan’s alternative music scene. 

The band became known for combining melodic singing with raw, screaming vocals — a contrast that became a hallmark of their sound — and for continually changing musical direction from record to record. Their theme, embraced by the band, was “Children create the world,” reflecting a message of youthful imagination and emotional expression through music.

Key Facts:

Founding & Early Years:
The original lineup included Maiko, Takuro, drummer Natu, and guitarist Teru, with live shows beginning in Tokyo not long after forming. After early lineup changes — including the switch to drummer Haru and a series of guitarists — the band solidified its sound and identity as an experimental metal group.

Members (final lineup):

• Maiko – Vocals (2003–2015)
• Takuro – Bass (2003–2015)
• Haru – Drums (from 2004)
• Tony – Guitar (from 2013)

Past Guitarists: Natu (early drums), Teru, Ryu, Yu, John were each part of different eras of the band and contributed to their evolving sound.

Music & Style:
Dazzle Vision forged a distinctive blend of heavy riffs, post-hardcore energy, melodic rock, and screamo intensity, anchored by Maiko’s ability to switch between clean, emotional singing and powerful screams. 

Japanese music news highlighted Maiko’s voice as particularly striking, noting her use of both “death voice” and “childlike melodic” singing that made the band stand out domestically.

Their music has been described as not fitting neatly into any one category, touching on alternative metal, screamo, post-hardcore, and even early elements of what would later be known as kawaii metal through its juxtaposition of heaviness and emotional vocal styles.

Career Highlights:

• Debut EP & Albums: They released their first EP Origin of Dazzle in November 2005, followed by Camellia Japonica (2007), Crystal Children (2008), and to the next (2010).
   
• International Performances: Dazzle Vision made their U.S. debut at Sakura-Con 2010 in Seattle, attracting thousands of fans and broadening their presence overseas.
   
• Chart Success: Albums like Kirari (2011) topped Japan’s HMV Indies Chart and placed well on Tower Records charts, showing strong commercial impact in the indie scene.
   
• Touring & Collaborations: In 2012 they were chosen to open for the American rock band Evanescence on their Japan tour and continued touring internationally, including headlining events in the U.S. in 2013.
   
• Later Releases: After international touring and the compilation SHOCKING LOUD VOICE (2012), their final studio album Final Attack came out in March 2014.
   

Legacy & End:
Dazzle Vision remained active in both Japan and overseas for over a decade, gaining respect for their genre-bending sound and energetic live shows. 

The band announced their disbandment in April 2015 after years of releases and performances, leaving a lasting influence on Japan’s alternative and heavier rock scenes.

Online:

(Most accounts are now inactive).

Facebook: Dazzle Vision

MUSIC:

Popular: Here

We also like: Final Attack!

Genre: Death Metal
Origin: Tokyo, Japan
Formed: 1992
Status: Active

Bitesize Overview:
Defiled is a highly respected Japanese death metal band from Tokyo that has been delivering brutal, technical, and old-school heavy music since 1992. Rising from the city’s underground metal scene, the band helped establish Japan’s presence in extreme metal with a sound rooted in unrelenting aggression and precision that has endured for more than three decades.

Key Facts:

• Early Years & Breakthrough: Defiled formed in Tokyo in the early ’90s and released their self-financed EP Defeat of Sanity in 1994, establishing their early death metal credentials.
   
• First Full Album: Their debut full-length, Erupted Wrath, came out in 1999 on Nightfall Records and was mixed by renowned producer Jim Morris in Tampa, Florida — a major milestone that helped introduce them to international audiences.
   
• Subsequent Albums: Defiled followed with several influential releases including Ugliness Revealed (2001) and Divination (2003), and continued to refine their brutal, technical style over the years.
   
• Later Career: After a creative break in the 2000s, they returned with albums like In Crisis (2011), Towards Inevitable Ruin (2016), and Infinite Regress (2020), leading up to their recent The Highest Level (2023) and Horror Beyond Horror (2024).
   
• Tours & Live Impact: Known for intense live performances, Defiled has toured throughout Asia and beyond, including notable appearances with major death metal acts and at international metal festivals.
   
• Style & Legacy: Their music blends the unfiltered brutality of classic death metal with intricate riffing and technical complexity. Though rooted in the early days of the genre, their sound continues to evolve without losing its core ferocity.
   

Notable Releases:

• Erupted Wrath (1999) — Internationally recognized debut
• Divination (2003) — Cult favorite among extreme metal fans
• Infinite Regress (2020) — Showcased seasoned technical brutality
• The Highest Level (2023) — Highly praised by death metal circles
• Horror Beyond Horror (2024) — Latest full-length with extensive touring support
   

Band Members (Current):

• Shinichiro Hamada – Vocals & Guitar
• Yusuke Sumita – Guitar
• Takachika Nakajima – Bass
• Keisuke Hamada – Drums
   

Interesting Notes:
Defiled has shared stages with genre legends like Cannibal Corpse, Morbid Angel, Incantation, and Mayhem, helping bridge Japanese extreme metal with the broader global scene.

Online:

Web: defiled.info

Merch: band/defiled

YouTube: @defiled

Twitter (X): @defiledjapan

Instagram: defiledjapan

Facebook: defiled

MUSIC:

Popular: Tragedy

We also like: Inquisition

Genre: Technical Death Metal / Brutal Death Metal
Origin: Tokyo, Japan
Formed: 2007
Status: Active

Bitesize Overview

Desecravity is a highly respected Japanese technical death metal band that emerged from Tokyo in the latter half of 2007. Known for their extremely fast, intricate riffs and relentless precision, they have helped put Japan’s extreme metal scene on the global map with international tours and acclaimed studio albums. 

Key Facts

Formation & Early Years:

• The band was started by drummer Yuichi Kudo in 2007 and began performing live in 2008, building a reputation for intense live shows.
   
• In 2009 they completed a successful headlining tour in the Philippines and performed at the Painkiller Metal Festival in Beijing alongside major US acts.

Record Deal & Debut:

• Desecravity signed with the U.S. extreme metal label Willowtip Records in 2011.
   
• Their first full-length album Implicit Obedience was released in early 2012, mixed and mastered in Florida by death metal veteran Erik Rutan (Hate Eternal, ex-Morbid Angel).

Subsequent Albums:

• Orphic Signs followed in late 2014, showcasing even denser technical compositions.
   
• Their most recent studio album, Anathema, arrived in January 2019 and was mixed/mastered by Dan Swanö at Unisound Studio, earning praise from tech-death fans worldwide.

Tours & Notable Gigs:

• Desecravity has toured extensively across Asia, Europe and Japan, including co-headlining tours and festival appearances with major extreme metal acts such as Aborted.

Video Game Collaboration:

• In 2016, they contributed music to the soundtrack of the PlayStation 4 survival action game Let It Die, produced by Akira Yamaoka (famed for the Silent Hill series).

Musical Style

Desecravity’s sound blends blistering speed, complex rhythms, and jaw-dropping technicality typical of elite tech death. Their music draws on influences from Western extreme metal while retaining an unpredictable edge often noted by fans and critics alike. 

Albums (Selected)

• Implicit Obedience (2012) – Debut album with international underground acclaim. 
• Orphic Signs (2014) – Continued development of their technical sound. 
• Anathema (2019) – Highly praised third album mixed by Dan Swanö. 

Online:

Web: desecravity.net

Twitter (X): @DESECRAVITY

YouTube: @DESECRAVITY

Instagram: desecravity

Facebook: DESECRAVITY

MUSIC:

Popular: Bloody Terpsichorean Art

We also like: Depth Of Misery

Genre: Visual Kei / Deathcore / Extreme Metal
Origin: Osaka, Japan
Formed: December 12, 2015
Status: Active (2025–present)

Bitesize Overview

DEVILOOF is a Japanese visual kei deathcore band from Osaka known for combining the raw intensity of extreme metal with dramatic, theatrical visuals. Since forming in late 2015, DEVILOOF have earned a reputation as one of the most ferocious and boundary-pushing groups in the modern Japanese metal scene, attracting a growing global fanbase through relentless riffs, blast beats, and guttural vocals. 

Key Facts

Origin & Formation: DEVILOOF was formed on 12 December 2015 by vocalist Keisuke, bassist Daiki, and drummer Hiroto, who previously played together in another metal project before reinventing themselves within the visual kei world. The band debuted with their first music video for the single “Ruin” in late 2015, immediately signalling their aggressive style and striking look.

Musical Style & Influences: 

Their sound fuses deathcore, brutal death metal, metalcore, and visual kei aesthetics, marked by super-fast guitar work, double-pedal drums, blast beats, and a powerful mix of growls and screams. DEVILOOF have cited influences from classic Japanese visual kei acts while pushing the envelope of heaviness and performance art.

Discography Highlights: 

Major releases include full albums like: 

• Devil’s Proof (2017), 
• Oni (2019), 
• Dystopia (2021), 

Mini-albums such as 

• Purge (2016), 
• Damned (2023),
• Song For The Weak (2024). 

Singles include  “Ruin,” “Ishtar,” “Everything is all lies,” and the 2025 digital single 因習 (Inshu), which the band described as one of their most brutal songs to date.

Visual Identity & Philosophy: DEVILOOF pitch themselves as one of the most extreme bands in visual kei — a scene traditionally known for flamboyant fashion and varying rock styles — but they blend that with extreme metal ferocity to stand out both musically and visually. The band’s name, created by the members, is rooted in a philosophical concept relating to “the devil’s proof,” intended to evoke mystery and depth. 

Recent Activity & Milestones

• Major Label Debut: In 2023, DEVILOOF signed with Tokuma Japan Communications for major-label releases, culminating in the Damned EP and expanded global opportunities.
   
• 10th Anniversary & New Music: In 2025, the band released 因習 (Inshu) to mark their tenth year — a track that pushes technical and atmospheric extremes in their sound.
   
• Europe Tour 2025 (“THE UNHOLY”): They announced their first extensive European tour, with festival slots and headline shows across Spain, the UK, France, Germany, and more, celebrating their growing significance outside Japan.
   
• Lineup Update: At the start of 2026, DEVILOOF welcomed Nao as their new drummer, ushering in a fresh chapter for the band’s sound and live energy.
   

Band Members (Recent)

• Keisuke – Vocals (2015–present)
• Ray – Guitar & Vocals (2017–present)
• Daiki – Bass (2015–present)
• Nao – Drums (2026–present) 

Legacy & Impact

DEVILOOF have carved a niche that blends extreme metal intensity with Japanese visual kei extravagance, helping introduce heavier subgenres to visual kei fans and expanding their reach through international tours, major label support, and visually striking releases. Their evolution over the past decade has made them a standout act among Japan’s modern metal underground and beyond.

Online:

Web: deviloof.ryzm.jp

Twitter (X): @_Deviloof

YouTube: @deviloofofficial

Instagram: @official_deviloof
Facebook: DEVILOOF.jp

MUSIC:

Popular: GouZinZanGoku

We also like: Ruin

Tokyo Noizu Spotify: DEVILOOF playlist

Genre: Visual-kei metalcore / deathcore
Origin: Nagoya, Aichi, Japan
Formed: October 28, 2016
Status: Active (as of late 2025)

Bitesize Overview

DEXCORE is a Japanese metalcore and deathcore band known for blending crushing heaviness with dramatic melody and the visual flair of the visual-kei scene. The group formed in Nagoya on October 28, 2016, debuting at Visuttoke!!Festtoke!! 2016 and launching their official website the same day.

Their music draws from aggressive breakdowns and intense vocal work, balanced with unexpectedly tuneful hooks — a style often referred to by the band as “DEX sound.”

Key Facts:

• Founding & Style: DEXCORE was created by ex-DEATHGAZE drummer Naoki and quickly earned attention in Japan’s heavy music scene for their hybrid metalcore/deathcore approach.
   
• Discography Highlights: The band has released multiple singles, EPs, and full albums — including their first full-length METEMPSYCHOSIS. in 2020 and their second album WE WERE HERE in May 2025.
   
• Live Presence: DEXCORE has toured across Japan, headlining one-man shows and performing at metal festivals with other prominent acts.
   
• Musical Identity: Their sound mixes aggressive breakdown-heavy riffs with melodic choruses, and vocalist 架神-kagami- combines harsh shouts with cleaner, expressive singing.
   

Members & Line-Up Notes

Core Members (most recent):

• 架神-kagami- (Vocal)
• 梦斗-yumeto- (Guitar)
• 澄-TO-RU- (Bass) – rejoined in January 2023 and completed the lineup after earlier departures; his return helped stabilise the band’s roster after a period of turnover.
   

Line-up Changes: Early years saw several member shifts, including founding drummer Naoki and other past contributors on bass and guitar. 

Tragic Loss:

In September 2025, DEXCORE and their label Jellyfish publicly announced that bassist 澄-TO-RU- passed away on September 19, 2025. The band expressed deep sadness over the sudden loss, sharing that the funeral was held privately in accordance with his family’s wishes. 

They also noted TO-RU’s passion and aspiration to play huge venues, reaffirming their commitment to continue making music in his honour.

Online:

Web: dexcore.jp

YouTube: dexcoreofficialchannel

Instagram: dexcore_official

Facebook: dexcore.jp

Twitter (X): dexcore_info

TikTok: @dexcore_official

MUSIC:

Popular: Self-Hatred 

We also like: Brain Washing