is a Japanese musician who has worked with several
visual kei
is a movement among Japanese musicians that is characterized by the use of varying levels of make-up, elaborate hair styles and flamboyant costumes, often, but not always, coupled with androgynous aesthetics, similar to Western glam rock.
Som ...
bands, including
La:Sadie's, Syndrome, Kisaki Project
[CD Journal, Kisaki Project CD Review](_blank)
Retrieved Sep 06 2007 and
Phantasmagoria
Phantasmagoria (, also fantasmagorie, fantasmagoria) was a form of horror theatre that (among other techniques) used one or more magic lanterns to project frightening images, such as skeletons, demons, and ghosts, onto walls, smoke, or semi- ...
.
[CD Journal, Phantasmagoria Profile](_blank)
Retrieved Sep 06 2007 Besides playing
bass and
keyboards
Keyboard may refer to:
Text input
* Keyboard, part of a typewriter
* Computer keyboard
** Keyboard layout, the software control of computer keyboards and their mapping
** Keyboard technology, computer keyboard hardware and firmware
Music
* Musi ...
and
composing music, he also works as a
producer, previously for the Matina label and currently for Under Code Production.
[''Cure'' Vol 27, December 2005 pg 7 - 35] In 2008, when Phantasmagoria broke up, Kisaki once announced his retirement as a musician (although he would continue to participate in side projects, compose for other musicians, and produce the artists on his record label). However, in 2010, he announced that he was ending his retirement and debuted his new band, .
Record Labels
Matina
Matina was an
independent label
An independent record label (or indie label) is a record label that operates without the funding or distribution of major record labels; they are a type of small- to medium-sized enterprise, or SME. The labels and artists are often represented ...
that managed visual kei artists. It was formed in 1997 by Kisaki as Matina Soleil, the
Osaka
is a designated city in the Kansai region of Honshu in Japan. It is the capital of and most populous city in Osaka Prefecture, and the third most populous city in Japan, following Special wards of Tokyo and Yokohama. With a population of 2. ...
branch of larger visual kei label Soleil. When Soleil closed, Matina became an independent entity and eventually formed its own sub-labels (Eternal, its
Kantō region
The is a geographical area of Honshu, the largest island of Japan. In a common definition, the region includes the Greater Tokyo Area and encompasses seven prefectures: Gunma, Tochigi, Ibaraki, Saitama, Tokyo, Chiba and Kanagawa. Slight ...
branch, and Storm, its
Hokkaido
is Japan's second largest island and comprises the largest and northernmost prefecture, making up its own region. The Tsugaru Strait separates Hokkaidō from Honshu; the two islands are connected by the undersea railway Seikan Tunnel.
The la ...
branch). Matina featured a large number of bands, most of whom had few releases and were short lived. After its fifth anniversary, Matina closed in 2002.
Under Code Production
Under Code Production is Kisaki's second
indie
Indie is a short form of "independence" or "independent"; it may refer to:
Arts, entertainment, and media
Gaming
*Independent video game development, video games created without financial backing from large companies
*Indie game, any game (board ...
visual kei
is a movement among Japanese musicians that is characterized by the use of varying levels of make-up, elaborate hair styles and flamboyant costumes, often, but not always, coupled with androgynous aesthetics, similar to Western glam rock.
Som ...
label, and is a sub-label of
Free-Will
is a Japanese independent record label founded in 1986 by Color vocalist Hiroshi "Dynamite Tommy" Tomioka, with branches predominantly in Japan and the United States, as well as previously in Europe.
It also continues to co-manage many of its ...
.
[''Cure'' Magazine, Volume 12, September 2004. Insert between pages 34-35.] It was formed in 2003 in the
Kansai region
The or the , lies in the southern-central region of Japan's main island Honshū. The region includes the prefectures of Nara, Wakayama, Kyoto, Osaka, Hyōgo and Shiga, often also Mie, sometimes Fukui, Tokushima and Tottori. The metropolita ...
, slightly after Matina's demise. Although its focus is visual bands, Under Code Production has produced several non-visual artists, including Anti-Kranke, Cious pi Cious, and Oto-oni (音鬼). The label also has established sub-labels: Road Awake, a sublabel for hardcore bands Harvest and Vagerke, and Haunted House Records, a sub-label created exclusively for the band Flesh for Flankenstein. Although Under Code Production has a public reputation as a label with many similar artists, it is one of the biggest indie visual kei labels today.
In 2013, UNDER CODE officially closed its doors.
As a result, many bands signed to the label split up, such as Nega, Megaromania, DALI, Vior Gloire. A handful of other acts remained active, such as FUTURISM・BOYZ, 凛 (LIN), and REALies. Several musicians related to UNDER CODE formed their own labels, such as GOEMAN Records formed by REALies' frontman Rayka, and King Zebra formed by 朱's (SUZAKU) vocalist 樹 (Itsuki).
Career History
Kisaki began his career as a roadie for SCARE CROW in 1992. In 1993, he joined his first band, Levia. From that point, he began a career of over 15 years in various bands: Sheyde (SHËY≠DË), Garden, Stella Maria, , La:Sadie's (which later reformed as
Dir En Grey
Dir En Grey (stylized as DIR EN GREY and previously as Dir en grey) is a Japanese heavy metal band formed in February 1997 and currently signed to Firewall Div., a sub-division of Free-Will. With a consistent lineup of guitarists Kaoru and Die, ...
), Mirage, Syndrome, and
Phantasmagoria
Phantasmagoria (, also fantasmagorie, fantasmagoria) was a form of horror theatre that (among other techniques) used one or more magic lanterns to project frightening images, such as skeletons, demons, and ghosts, onto walls, smoke, or semi- ...
. When Phantasmagoria formed, it was announced as Kisaki's final band. Thus, when the group broke up in 2008, Kisaki retired from performing to concentrate on managing Under Code Production and producing. Despite this, on February 1, 2010, Kisaki announced that he was planning to end his retirement and form a new band. In the summer of 2010, the new band was revealed to be .
[www.cdjournal.com](_blank)
''元PhantasmagoriaのKISAKI率いる凛、ニュー・マキシ・シングルをリリース!'' November 8, 2011, Retrieved February 14, 2011
Kisaki Project
Kisaki Project (also written as Kisaki Solo Project, ) was Kisaki's solo project. The band's lineup changed often, with the only permanent member being Kisaki. Most of the time (of
Vidoll
was a Japanese visual kei rock band formed in 2002. Their concept was "Occult Romance".[www.cdjour ...](_blank)
) was the featured vocalist. Kisaki composed and wrote the lyrics for all of the band's songs, which consisted primarily of soft rock and pop ballads. In 2011, the band changed their name to and featured RENTRER EN SOI's vocalist.
Brief history
The band participated in an omnibus in 2002, but did not officially form until the next year. In 2004, the band traveled to Europe and released an album there.
[''JAME: Kisaki Project Profile''](_blank)
Retrieved Sep 22 2007 It paused activities on October 31 as
Phantasmagoria
Phantasmagoria (, also fantasmagorie, fantasmagoria) was a form of horror theatre that (among other techniques) used one or more magic lanterns to project frightening images, such as skeletons, demons, and ghosts, onto walls, smoke, or semi- ...
was forming. In 2006, Kisaki Project resumed activities, performing live and releasing music once again. In 2007, Kisaki Project officially disbanded at the same time as
Phantasmagoria
Phantasmagoria (, also fantasmagorie, fantasmagoria) was a form of horror theatre that (among other techniques) used one or more magic lanterns to project frightening images, such as skeletons, demons, and ghosts, onto walls, smoke, or semi- ...
"sealed" activities.
The Kisaki project then returned briefly in 2011, featuring 砂月 (Satsuki) (of RENTRER EN SOI) as the vocalist. This lineup released two demo CDs, a single that came with a DVD, and a mini-album containing all of this era's material. The band then ceased activities in 2012, shortly before UNDER CODE PRODUCTION went out of business.
Discography
=Albums
=
=Singles
=
=Videos
=
Kisaki & Kansai Kizoku
was a
side project
In popular music, a side project is a project undertaken by one or more people already known for their involvement in another band. It can also be an artist or a band temporarily switching to a different style.
Usually these projects emphasize a ...
by Kisaki and Rame (from
Vidoll
was a Japanese visual kei rock band formed in 2002. Their concept was "Occult Romance".[www.cdjour ...](_blank)
).
[Visuanvi News June 2003](_blank)
(Japanese) Retrieved Oct 31, 2010
Discography
=Albums
=
=Singles
=
=Videos
=
References
External links
KISAKI Official Website
{{authority control
Japanese rock bass guitarists
Visual kei musicians
Japanese record producers
1976 births
Living people
Musicians from Wakayama Prefecture
21st-century bass guitarists