While vocaloids like Hatsune Miku are still relatively unknown in the West, they have quite the following in Japan and can be found taking part in everything from live concerts to limited edition smartphones. Though some may worry that the digital singers mean the end of “human” music, so far that’s hardly been the case. In fact, it’s nothing strange to find regular bands performing cover songs of vocaloid originals!

One band has taken the concept a step further by introducing some unique, traditional elements and are garnering quite a bit of attention among Japanese Internet users. Meet the Wagakki Band with Yuko Suzuhana and get ready to rock!

The Wagakki Band, which consists of seven musicians and the singer Yuko Suzuhana, deftly fuses traditional Japanese instruments with contemporary rock. Though the stage may get a bit crowded with a drummer, a guitarist, a bassist, a tsugaru-jamisen (Japanese lute) player, a koto (Japanese harp) player, a shakuhachi (Japanese flute) player, a taiko drummer, and a fan-swinging singer, they manage to put on a surprisingly dynamic and cohesive performance.

But you don’t have to take our word for it. Today we have their three most popular songs, and the vocaloid tracks that inspired them. Give the music a listen and tell us which versions you like best!

The first video the group released was “Tsuki Kage Mai Ka” (“Moon Shadow Dance Flower”), a cover of the Hatsune Miku song featuring electronic dance music mixed with distorted guitars and traditional Japanese instruments. If you look closely, you can see “Wayou Secchuu,” meaning a blending of Japanese and Western styles, written in large, black kanji on the drummer’s back. You couldn’t ask for a more perfect description of their music.

If you’re a fan of electronica or vocaloid music, be sure to give the original song a listen, too!

Their second song, which appeared on Nico Nico Douga in April and has over 480,000 views, is a cover of “Rokuchonen to Ichiya Monogatari” (“The Tale of Six Trillion Years and One Night”), a track featuring IA -ARIA ON THE PLANETES-, a vocaloid based off the singer Lia. Eagle-eyed viewers will also notice a new shamisen player, who we’ll mention more about later. The drummer’s message in this video is: “Tomodachi boshuuchuu,” which means “now taking applications for friends.”

If you have trouble with the video player below, you can also view it on YouTube.

For comparison purposes, here’s the original vocaloid track, which itself has 2.7 million views, showing just how popular this “niche” music is.

The third video we have for you today is “Tengaku,” or “Music of Heavens,” which has gotten around 214,000 views on Nico Nico Douga since it was uploaded on October 12. A cover of the Kagamine Rin vocaloid song, the video is certainly the most ambitious yet, with a “manga” montage of sorts towards the end. For those who are looking closely, the phrase on the drummer’s back in this video is “shoudou,” meaning “impulse” or “urge.” Click here to watch it on YouTube.

And here’s the original “Tengaku” vocaloid video for comparison.

That’s all of the Wagakki Band songs today, but we’re not quite done yet! As promised, there’s a bit more to share about their tsugaru-jamisen player, Beni Ninagawa, who enjoys uploading tsugaru-jamisen versions of anime theme songs to Nico Nico Douga and YouTube.

Here’s her version of the theme song for Attack on Titan. And her pet bird.

Finally, one of the most famous songs in anime history, the theme song from Neon Genesis Evangelion, as performed on shamisen! With a bird.

We hope you enjoyed this musical odyssey as much as we did! If you’re interested in hearing and/or seeing more from the Wagakki Band with Yuko Suzuhana, be sure to check out their Facebook and YouTube pages.

Sources: Nico Nico Douga (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6), YouTube (1, 2, 3), Facebook
Images: Facebook

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Origin: Rocking out with the Wagakki Band: Giving vocaloids a human voice
Copyright© RocketNews24 / SOCIO CORPORATION. All rights reserved.

When we introduced you to the Wagakki Band last year, we were pretty sure they might end up being a big deal. And, as it turned out, we were definitely right about that! After releasing a full album to rave reviews earlier this year, the band has been on the road touring both in Japan and at the Japan Expo in Paris. But despite their busy schedule of rehearsing and performing, they’ve had time to work on a new, original song. While they haven’t released a full video yet (you’ll have to wait a few more weeks), you can check out the short version below!

Called “Hanabi,” which means “fireworks,” the song is an original–a first for the band, whose debut album was all covers, mostly of vocaloid songs. In case you ever wondered if they had the musical chops to write their own music, wonder no more–they definitely do!

The full song and accompanying video will be released on August 27, when DVDs and Blu-rays will become available. There will be two different versions–regular and an Amazon exclusive–of the final release, with each version including the full-length video and a making-of video in addition to a version-specific live performance. Each disc will also come with a randomly selected member trading card.

But enough talk, let’s get to the music! Here’s the short version of “Hanabi.” We can’t wait to see the full video!

And in case you missed it earlier this month, here is the strangely melodramatic commercial for the song. It provides some (possibly unnecessary) background for the single–and movie-trailer English narration.

Finally, if you ever wanted to know what it would be like to actually see the band live and you don’t happen to be living near any of their planned tour spots, here’s a video of the band performing their cover of “Kagerou Days.”

We’ve also included the original vocaloid version below for comparison.

If the wait for the new, original song is killing you, we recommend following them on Facebook, where they post updates in Japanese and occasionally English. Otherwise, come back on August 27 to check out the full song!

References: YouTube, Facebook
Images: YouTube

• Rocking out with the Wagakki Band: Giving vocaloids a human voice
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• BABYMETAL invasion of the West marches on, everyone welcomes new kawaii overlords【VIDEOS】

Origin: New video from Wagakki Band “Hanabi” is an original, awesome song【J-Tunes】
Copyright© RocketNews24 / SOCIO CORPORATION. All rights reserved.

Since the release of Wagakki Band‘s first original song “Hanabi” last year, we’ve been holding our breath waiting for more. Okay, that’s not completely true–we’ ve been sneaking little gasps since then–but we were definitely excited to hear the the group was recording both the opening and closing song for the new anime Sengoku Musou, based on the game of the same name. But unless you actually tuned in to watch the show you’d be hard pressed to find the songs–until now!

Today, the band released a music video for “Ikusa,” the show’s opening theme song. Check it out below but be careful that you’ve cleared your room of pointy objects first so you don’t hurt yourself headbanging.

Opening with a crunchy guitar riff, thunderous drums, and the haunting voice of the shakuhachi, it’s obvious that this track is full steam ahead–a clear fit for an anime about people stabbing each other with swords. Sengoku Musou, also known as Samurai Warriors outside of Japan, started earlier this month and is based on the long-running video game series of the same name. Tapping the Wagakki Band to do both the opening and closing songs was both an obvious and brilliant choice!

Though the opening song, titled “Ikusa,” hasn’t been released for purchase yet, the band just released a music video featuring the musicians performing in a war-torn landscape. It also shows them fighting each other, because who doesn’t love sword fights??

The closing song, titled “Nadeshiko zakura,” hasn’t seen any sort of official release yet, sadly. However, DVDs and Blu-rays featuring music videos for both songs will be released on February 25, making it a possible “late, but I still love you” Valentine’s Day gift. If you do decide to spring for it, be sure get the Amazon Japan limited edition of the Blu-ray or DVD, as those will come with another unreleased song “Hoshitsukiyo.”

And in case you haven’t seen it yet, here’s the trailer for the anime, featuring “Ikusa” in the background.

The song isn’t a drastic departure from the band’s now well-established sound, but if it’s not broken, why fix it, right? We are happy to see the group branching out into new material territory. While we did enjoy the first album of cover songs, we’re excited to see what they can produce when they really let loose.

Now excuse us while we hit replay and jump around the room swinging swords/pens.

Sources/images: YouTube, Wagakki Band

Origin: New video “Ikusa” from Wagakki Band mixes rock, traditional instruments, and swords!
Copyright© RocketNews24 / SOCIO CORPORATION. All rights reserved.

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We have great news for all our Wagakki Band fans: The group has officially announced their second album! To be released this September, the record will be titled Yasouemaki and will feature 14 tracks, including some new original songs by the band. Hardcore fans will want to be sure to get a first printing too, as it will included an extra limited-edition song. Read on for more information!

Amazon Japan

Ever since their first full-length release last year, we’ve been looking forward to new music from our favorite traditional-Japanese-instruments-and-rock band. Though the first album, titled Vocaloid Sanmai, was a romping fun ride through a host of vocaloid covers turned up to 11, we couldn’t help wondering what the band would sound like if they decided to write original songs.

Now we’ll be able to find out! Though Yasouemaki (八奏絵巻) will feature some vocaloid covers, like “Sebon Zakura,” there will also be plenty of original songs, too, including “Ikusa,” “Nadeshiko Sakura,” and “Hanabi.”

▼ “Ikusa”

▼ “Hanabi”

▼ “Nadeshiko Sakura”

The first printing of every version of the album will also feature an extra limited-edition song, a cover of “Chikyu Saigo no Kokuhaku wo,” usually translated as “The Last Confession on Earth,” a vocaloid song originally produced by Kemu using the Gumi vocaloid.

▼ Here’s the Wagakki Band version of “Chikyu Saigo no Kokuhaku wo.”

▼ And here’s the original vocaloid version for comparison.

A live version of another song to appear on the album has also appeared YouTube. Called “Hoshidukiyo,” or “The Starry Night,” a fairly straightforward rock song, it features the traditional flourishes and piercing, clean vocals we’ve come to expect from the Wagakki Band.

▼ “Hoshidukiyo” (“The Starry Night”)

The album will be released in a number of different versions. Aside from a CD version, there is also a set with your choice of either a DVD or Blu-Ray disc featuring a video recording of the band’s live performances. There will also be a music video collection set, which will feature the CD packaged with either a DVD or a Blu-ray. All versions come with one randomly selected trading card (out of a total of twenty). Obviously, each version also comes with its own variant cover as well!

Amazon Japan

Finally, a special edition box set is planned as well and will contain the CD, two DVDs, a Blu-ray disc, and a photo collection. It will also come with a special edition USB stick packed with MP3s and high-definition audio.

▼ Potential USB stick design

Wagakki Band

Yasouemaki is to be released on September 2 and will be available from a variety of retailers, including Tower Records, Rakuten, and Amazon Japan. So far, it looks like only a Japanese release is planned, but we’ll let you know if any international releases are planned.

Suddenly, September seems so far away, doesn’t it? Let us know in the comments section if you’re excited to hear original music from the Wagakki Band or if you wish they’d stick with vocaloid covers.

Sources: Wagakki Band
Image: Amazon Japan

Origin: Wagakki Band announces second album, due to be released this September
Copyright© RocketNews24 / SOCIO CORPORATION. All rights reserved.

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It’s no secret that we love the Wagakki Band around here at the RocketNews24 offices. Their music just has a thundering pulse to it that draws you in like a whirlpool. Between the soaring vocals delivered by Yūko Suzuhana and the fusion of rock and traditional Japanese instruments, it’s hard not to start pounding a fist in the air whenever they release a new song. And we totally failed to restrain ourselves tonight!

Just a few hours ago, the band published a new release on YouTube: A music video for “Akatsuki no Ito,” or “The Thread of Dawn,” a new song to be release on their forthcoming album Yasou-emaki. Featuring awesome music, a dragon, swords, and a night sky filled with clouds, the video is sure to get fans excited for the new album!

When Yasou-emaki is scheduled for release in September and will feature a slew of new, original songs by the Wagakki Band, including “Akatsuki no Ito,” a truly rocking song that makes excellent use of every instrument at their disposal. The lyrics are based on Chinese poetry, the recitation of which Yūko is literally a master. It turns out that in addition to singing, she’s also a national champion in the recitation of Chinese poetry (a practice called 詩吟, “shigin,” in Japanese).

The music features the band’s trademark mixture of rock and traditional instruments, with thundering drums and furious strings that compel the soaring vocals ever higher. The song is almost like a battle cry, which manifests in the video as the members draw swords to face off against a dragon flying through the sky.

We’re sure this video will please fans of the band and probably win them quite a few more!

Yasou-emaki is scheduled to be released in September. The album can be pre-ordered through Amazon Japan.

Sources: YouTube (Avex), Barks
Images: YouTube (Avex)

Origin: Wagakki Band releases video for new song “Akatsukino Ito,” featuring swords and dragons 【Video】
Copyright© RocketNews24 / SOCIO CORPORATION. All rights reserved.

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Wagakki Band is keeping busy this summer! Even though they released a video just two weeks ago, a new one has just appeared today! This time, it’s for “Hangeki no Yaiba,” the theme song for the new Attack on Titan series produced from dTV. That’s right, now you can get your Wagakki Band fix and your Attack on Titan spin-off fix all in one place!

The video features the band performing in a crumbling church and wielding weapons that look like they were taken straight from the set of the show. The song itself features Wagakki Band’s distinctive sound and it sure to get your blood pumping. Check it out below and blast it while you get ready to fight some giants!

Don’t worry! Your speakers aren’t broken — the first 18 seconds are silent. While it might seem like an odd choice for a music video, it certainly does build up the tension. Though we’ve seen the band waving swords around before, we’re pretty sure this is the first time we’ve seen any of them anywhere near some 3-D maneuver gear. Sadly, we don’t actually get to see anyone wearing the gear, but it does look pretty cool on the floor behind them.

▼ Did their parents never tell them not to throw their clothes on the ground?!

Unfortunately, it looks as if they’re only releasing the short version for now, but if you’re looking for more information on the Attack on Titan mini-series, there’s an official trailer as well. It also features a few snippets of the new Wagakki Band song.

In addition to being featured as the theme song for the show, “Hangeki no Yaiba” will also appear on their new album Yasou Emaki, to be released in a few weeks on September 2. If you’re burning to see the full-length video, DVD and Blu-Ray versions of the album will feature it and a number of other videos as well.

Sources: YouTube (Avex), Facebook (Wagakki Band)
Images: YouTube (Avex)

Origin: Wagakki Band releases new video for Hangeki no Yaiba, theme song for Attack on Titan mini-series
Copyright© RocketNews24 / SOCIO CORPORATION. All rights reserved.

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It’s no secret that we’re fans of Wagakki Band here at RocketNews24. We’ve been sharing their music with you since 2013, and you can bet we’ll keep sharing their music until they get old and retire! So, as you can imagine, we were eager to get our hands on their new album Yasouemaki. And, now that everyone has had a few days to enjoy all the new tracks, let’s find out what Japanese fans are saying about the album!

Wagakki Band has certainly wasted no time in going from covering Vocaloid tracks to producing an album packed with new, original songs. You’ve likely heard some of them as a result of the many crowd-pleasing videos they’ve produced over the last year, and while their sound hasn’t changed much from their first album Vocalo Zanmai, the original songs have a bit more variety. But are fans happy with this new album?

For the most part, the answer seems to be a resounding yes! The CD/DVD version has around 10 reviews on Amazon Japan at the moment, with an average of 4.5 stars.

One reviewer wrote: “This is music good enough to take over all of Japan…or even the world!” The reviewer went on to compare the band favorably to classic rock bands, mentioning that listening to the album reminded him of first hearing King Crimson or Led Zeppelin when he was young. (He also admitted to being over 50.)

Amazon Japan

Another reviewer commented, “I listen to this in the car on the way to work, and it fills me with energy. I’m very happy I got this album!”

One reviewer, who was apparently a big fan of the first album, was perfectly happy with the music, but did see a problem certain business aspects of the release: There are just too many versions! It’s an understandable complaint as there are seven versions available (eight, if you count the digital version). Unless you’re a die-hard super fan, though, you will probably be satisfied with just one copy.

▼ One die-hard super fan’s purchase of Yasouemaki

やっと手元に全部揃った╭( ･ㅂ･)و ｸﾞｯ ! #八奏絵巻 #和楽器バンド http://t.co/Bdm8bR8tXJ

—
じゅんたん★ガチ屋@全ツ6ヶ所参戦予定★ (@machiya_gachiya) September 03, 2015

Another reviewer wrote about initially being unsure about getting the new release, partly because she wasn’t a huge fan of the Vocaloid covers. Nonetheless, she found the music solid and pointed out that the vocals were really good, noting that some of the duets with male vocalists helped add some extra flavor to the album.

Of course, not everyone will be a fan of every album. One reviewer gave the album only three stars, writing: “Somehow, I was a bit disappointed. It’s the same with Japanese blues recently; they produce certain melodies and certain lyrics that create a certain feeling, but it’s just not very original.”

#八奏絵巻 全部いい歌だけど、やっぱ華火が一番好きだな♡ http://t.co/N8KhleTlvB

—
❀あずにゃん✿WGB 9/27広島参戦 (@SSkg06) September 03, 2015

Twitter users were also out in force sharing their thoughts on the album, like the tweet above, which reads: “All of the songs are good, but I really like ‘Hanabi’ the best! ♡”

As for this writer, I was personally pretty happy with Yasouemaki! It’s not a particularly big departure from the first album, which I really enjoyed, though I am happy to see them producing original tracks. “Perfect Blue” was one of my favorites, in large part due to the koto sections, though the interplay between the two vocalists added a great contrast. “Hagane” was another stand out track for me, mostly due to the heavier guitars that appear throughout the song. On the other hand, I wasn’t such a big fan of “Kyushu no Sora,” but I generally don’t enjoy rock ballads, so this one is largely on taste.

Twitter (@shibuyatsutayaG)

In addition to the album appearing in music stores across the country, four locations were selected for special displays. Each of the displays held different outfits which singer Yuuko Suzuhana has worn in some of the band’s videos. In the image above, the singer stands next to a display with the kimono she wore in the “Senbonzakura” video at Shibuya Tsutaya.

▼ We found this hiding at the Tower Records Shinjuku location.

RocketNews24

For those of you living in Japan, the album can be found at Tower Records and Tsutaya as well as on Amazon Japan in all its different versions, including digital. The album is also available on the Amazon USA, but it won’t come cheap—the prices range from $26 used to $62 new.

If you’ve had a chance to listen to the album, be sure to share your thoughts in the comments section below!

Sources: Amazon Japan,
Images: Amazon Japan

Origin: The new Wagakki Band album is out! Let’s find out what the fans think!
Copyright© RocketNews24 / SOCIO CORPORATION. All rights reserved.

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Nintendo fans have been hard at work these past few weeks churning out all kinds of creative levels in Super Mario Maker for the Wii U. Even if you don’t have a copy of the game yourself, if you’re a fan of Mario you’ve no doubt had fun watching videos showcasing the mad-cap levels people have come up with and the rages of gamers trying to beat the hardest courses.

The level we’re showcasing today, however, focuses on not what an insanely tricky course looks like, but what you can do with music in the game by bringing Vocaloid into the Mario world.

“Senbonzakura” (A Thousand Cherry Blossoms), first uploaded in 2011, is perhaps the most famous of all Vocaloid tunes, combining a fast, upbeat track with dark and elaborate lyrics. The track was later covered by none other than the Wagakki Band in their signature fusion of Vocaloid music with traditional Japanese instruments and Western rock, complete with a stunning video you can see below.

Due to the level-size limitations of Super Mario Maker, only a snippet of the hit song is recreated, but, with the sheer number of notes its creator had to get in perfect timing by positioning the bouncy white music blocks just right, it must have taken a lot of hard work.

▼ Senbonzakura performed by everyone’s favourite digital idol Hatsune Miku.

▼ Wagakki band’s incredible rendition.

Pretty epic, no? If you have a copy of Super Mario Maker, you can experience the level for yourself by entering the course ID DDAB-0000-0068-3AA9 in the Course World section of the game. Enjoy!

Source: Jin115
Featured image: Fanpop, YouTube/ちゃがまちゃねる
Top image: Fanpop

Origin: Super Mario Maker level recreates intense Vocaloid hit with carefully positioned music blocks
Copyright© RocketNews24 / SOCIO CORPORATION. All rights reserved.

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It’s on the short side, so you’ll just want to keep hitting replay!

As you may already know, we’re pretty big fans of Wagakki Band here at RocketNews24, so we’re always excited to hear when they’ve released a new music video. The group does a great job of combining fun visuals with their highly layered music. And this time is no different!

This version of the song, which is titled “Valkyrie -Ikusa Otome-” or “Valkyrie -War Maiden-“, actually only clocks in at around a one-and-half minutes, but since it’s the opening song for the anime Twin Star Exorcists, we figure it makes sense for the video to be on the short side. On the other hand, despite its length, the track manages to pack in all of the elements the Wagakki Band is known for, including plenty of traditional instrumentation mixed with driving rock guitars and drums and Yuko Suzuhana’s powerful voice.

▼ Check it out below!

The video isn’t quite as exciting as most of them have been in the past, but it does have a cool “rock concert” feel to it. All in all, though, we love the song itself, and we can’t complain about new music from the Wagakki Band! Hopefully this means we’ll get another full-length album soon.

As much as we love Japanese rock, sometimes we just want to sit by the ocean and listen to the ice on the waves. Sadly, we can’t make it up north very often, but fortunately we can just pull up YouTube and check out these amazing soudscapes! We wouldn’t mind if someone got creative mixed together some soundscapes with Yuko’s vocals…

Sources: Wagakki Band, YouTube/Avex
Featured image: Wagakki Band

This one takes the cake, folks, but don’t take our word for it – check it out for yourself here!

Oh, Wagakki Band. You have yet to fail us when it comes to pairing gritty guitars and killer percussion with Japanese folk instruments and Yuuko Suzuhana’s otherworldly voice. And “Strong Fate” is no exception!

For those of you who might be unfamiliar with them, Wagakki Band was formed in 2013 and their first album “Vocalo Zanmai” debuted in April 2014. The lead singer Yuuko Suzuhana is a shigin singer. Shigin is basically traditional Japanese performance poetry. In addition to the typical rock band instruments, 4 of the 8 band members play Japanese folk instruments such as the shamisen (a Japanese lute) and the shakuhachi (a Japanese flute). This unorthodox pairing of sounds in combination with music videos full of fantasy have gained them a worldwide following.

While we’ve expressed our love of the band’s offerings in prior posts, it is this writer’s opinion that both this song and video take them to a whole new level. The first minute of the song is somewhat uncharacteristically sparse sonically compared to some of their other songs, but this actually allows Suzuhana’s voice to take on a shimmering quality in conjunction with the shamisen work and conjures up images of water rippling on an icy lake in the dead of winter along with the sense that a foundation is being laid for something greater to come. If you are looking for something dramatic and intense, this video doesn’t disappoint.

There’s also great news for Wagakki Band fans old and new on the West Coast: between July 12^th and July 16^th, Wagakki Band will be performing 4 concerts in California on their “衝撃(shougeki) Deep Impact” tour. You can find more information on dates, times, locations, and tickets here on their website.

For more on Wagakki Band, check out this post on their song “Valkyrie”, the opening to the anime Twin Star Exorcists.

Sources: Wagakki Band, Youtube/Avex, Wikipedia 
Images: Wagakki Band

Maybe Wagakki Band will open Tokyo 2020!

If you are lucky enough to be a denizen of Japan during the Rio Olympics, then surely you’ve heard the captivating strains of Wagakki Band coming through your TV as you’ve tuned into TV Tokyo. At midnight on August 3, their newest video, “Kishikaisei”, debuted and the song is being used as the TV Tokyo theme for the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro.

While this video does lack some of the panache of previous offerings, it is no less thrilling. The band is attired in the usual Wagakki-style and the music is as energizing as ever. The synchronicity of the dancers seem to add both depth and volume to the sound, and there’s no doubt that Wagakki Band is telling viewers that Japan is gonna be on fire at this year’s Olympic Games when you see the blaze at the end.

“Kishikaisei” isn’t the only Wagakki Band song that’s been played during these Games; a new track titled “MI・RA・I” also debuted on August 3 and was the fight song for the Olympic torch relay. While the video for “Kishikaisei” won’t be available for purchase until August 17, you can buy the songs already on Itunes, Recochoku, Mu-mo, or Mora.

Check out the “Kishikaisei” video here and let us know if this song gets you fired up for the Rio Olympics!

Source: Wagakki Band

The popular group has played sold-out shows overseas and now they’re ready to release their third album!

We’ve talked about them a lot in the past, but in case you’re unfamiliar, Wagakki Band (和楽器バンド) is a musical group hailing from Japan who create their unique sound by infusing Western rock music with traditional Japanese instruments. The band has only been active since 2013, but has already gained a lot of attention, even overseas. There are seven members, beginning with female lead vocalist Yuko Suzuhana. There is also:

• Machiya – guitar, backup vocals
• Beni Ninagawa – shamisen
• Kiyoshi Ibukuro – koto
• Asa – bass
• Daisuke Kaminaga – shakuhachi
• Wasabi – drums
• Kurona – wadaiko

In addition to the usual guitar, bass, and drums, Wagakki Band also implements four traditional Japanese instruments into their sound. Wadaiko, in English often just called taiko, are heavy barrel-shaped drums which are beaten on with wooden drumsticks called bachi. Koto and shamisen are both stringed instruments, likely originating in China. The koto generally has 13 strings, which are plucked using finger picks on the thumb, index, and middle fingers. Shamisen (三味線), as the name in kanji implies, has only three strings and is played with a large pick called a bachi. Finally, there’s the shakuhachi, which is an end-blown flute traditionally made from bamboo.

These elements add a certain depth to their music when combined with the more western sounds of rock. Their visual style also uses a lot of kimono-inspired costuming, giving them an edgy yet fun and colorful look. In 2014, the band was invited to play at Japan Expo in France, and the following year they held their first independent overseas concert in Taipei. That same year they also headlined a sold-out show for Anime Expo in Los Angeles.

Last week, they released a teaser video for their song “Yuki yo Maichire sochira ni mukete”, which will appear on their third album titled Shikisai, set to release on March 22. The CD will be sold along with a DVD or Blu-ray of music videos of songs from the album and in-the-making footage as well. The album can be purchased through various venues online, starting at 4,320 yen (US$38.20).

If you are into visual kei music or are looking for a good gateway to start, give Wagakki Band a listen. Some of their more popular songs have upwards of two million views on YouTube. Their most popular – “Senbonzakura” – has more than 55 million, so they must be doing something right!

Sources: YouTube/ avex, Wikipedia, Wagakki Band 
Top image: Wagakki Band