the GazettE

Originally sharing a roster with J-rock acts including Kagrra, Miyavi, and Alice Nine, the Gazette ultimately eclipsed those peers by capitalizing on surging online visibility and growing Western curiosity toward Japanese music, thereby emerging as the foremost visual kei outfit globally. Although Dir en Grey may have commanded larger audiences, the group had already distanced itself from visual aesthetics. The five-piece, formed in 2002, specialized in alternative metal distinguished by cinematic flourishes and occasional forays into jazz-rock; its lineup comprised vocalist Ruki, guitarists Uruha and Aoi, bassist Reita, and drummer Yune, the last of whom yielded his spot to Kai in 2003. Despite prior group affiliations among the members, early instability arose when their initial imprint, Matina, folded in 2003. Nevertheless, initial output—beginning with the April 2002 single “Wakaremichi”—secured a contract with PS Company. Bolstered by this footing, the band issued five mini-albums by March 2004, the final one, Madara, peaking at number two on the indie rankings, while also sharing festival bills with D’espairsRay, Mucc, Miyavi, and Merry.

Further momentum built throughout 2004, culminating, after a solo headline trek and two DVDs, in the release of the band’s first full-length, Disorder, which debuted at number nineteen on the Oricon chart—an impressive showing for an independent act. Following intensive roadwork across 2005, the group adopted the Latinized spelling the GazettE and moved to major-label King Records. The partnership opened with 2006’s Nil, which reached number four and supported an extensive tour capped by a sold-out Budokan date, plus an overseas bow at a German anime convention in Bonn. The pattern repeated in 2007 when Stacked Rubbish entered at number three, accompanied by nationwide dates and European appearances in Germany, England, Finland, and France. In February 2008 the single “Guren” attained the number-two Oricon position.

The sprawling fourth album Dim arrived in 2009 and landed at number five while expanding the band’s footprint through European distribution on CLJ Records and American release via Maru Music. After continued touring the following year, the act switched to Sony, issuing the retrospective Traces in early 2011 and the more streamlined, aggressive fifth studio set Toxic later that year; the latter performed strongly on domestic charts and received a European pressing. Returning promptly to the studio, the musicians bypassed singles and delivered Division nine months afterward, again handled in Europe by JPU Records, which managed subsequent releases. Beautiful Deformity surfaced in 2013, followed by Dogma in 2015, after which the group paused new material. For the 2017 compilation Traces, Vol. 2 the members revisited and re-recorded select ballads. Nearly three years of silence ended with the unexpected March 2018 single “Falling,” whose video upload temporarily overwhelmed the band’s site. Ninth appeared that June, climbing to number three on the Oricon list and leading download rankings across Europe. At the same time the musicians announced their departure from PS Company to establish their own company, Heresy, Inc. Bassist Reita passed away on April 15, 2024, at age 42.