JROCK NEWS

Latest News

Top 10 visual kei and Japanese rock artists 2025

Erica, NBT, Jack, Mazohyst_Kyo, Jorge M.

Jan 19, 2026

Welcome to our annual JROCK NEWS Top 10 ranking! Each year, we strive to highlight the visual kei and Japanese rock artists who made waves, and 2025 was a fiercely competitive year. From ambitious worldwide tou...

HYDE performs historic live concert in Austria, “Orchestra Tour 2026 JEKYLL in Wien”

Erica

Jan 18, 2026

Releases, Tour and event

Tickets are now on sale for HYDE's orchestral performance in Vienna, Austria, HYDE Orchestra Tour 2026 JEKYLL in Wien, taking place on Monday, May 25. This concert represents a historic milestone as the first t...

POLKADOT STINGRAY presents playful music video “Killer Record”

Sizergyia

Jan 18, 2026

Music Video, New Look, Releases

POLKADOT STINGRAY released their fifth album, Gekirin, on December 24, and there's no better way to bring the noise for its arrival than the music video for the ninth track, Killer Record.The band presents ...

Former DEVILOOF guitarist debuts dystopian deathcore project VELHMORA

Jack

Jan 17, 2026

Music Video, New Band, Releases

After a short cryptic teaser to start the new year, VELHMORA makes their debut with a heavy three-track EP of the same name, released on January 14. A technologically grotesque music video for the track CRPTD w...

Matenrou Opera kicks off 2026 with “EMBRYO” music video

Lin

Jan 8, 2026

Music Video, New Look

Matenrou Opera has released the music video for EMBRYO on January 1, 2026.The video balances restraint with escalation. Each member is inside a confined box with a projected visual image pulsing on the surr...

DRUGS finishes 2025 with a staggering 7 singles!

Jack

Jan 6, 2026

Releases

Despite only debuting in June, DRUGS has been moving exceptionally fast, finishing 2025 with a total of seven singles. The latest, "Flesh and Halo" and "CARVED IN ALMA", were released on December 30.DRUGS d...

In My Vanitasss rings in new year with 6th single “Violet Visions”

Mizerable

Jan 5, 2026

New Look, Releases

Starting the new year off strong, Tokyo-based new wave band In My Vanitasss released a new single! "Violet Visions" is the band's sixth single and combines new wave with post-punk to create a distinctive, allur...

HANABIE. announces “HOT TOPIC” EP, 2026 North America tour

Jorge M.

Dec 30, 2025

Releases, Tour and event

Following their European tour, metalcore band HANABIE. announced the release of their new EP for January 28, 2026. They also announced a North American tour, kicking off next Spring.Titled HOT TOPIC, the mi...

HYDE livestreams orchestral birthday concert worldwide, signaling a new chapter

Erica

Dec 27, 2025

Online Concert, Releases, Tour and event

Fans worldwide can celebrate Japanese rock icon HYDE’s birthday with a special live orchestral performance, available both in cinemas across Japan and via global livestream. “HYDE Orchestra Tour 2026 JEKYLL”, r...

GLAY’s single “Dead Or Alive” tops Oricon chart as “Record of Ragnarok III” theme

Hitomi

Dec 26, 2025

Anime, Music Video, Releases

After closing out their spectacular 30th anniversary year with two massive dome shows, GLAY is kicking off their 31st year stronger than ever. Their latest single, “Dead Or Alive,” released on December 3, serve...

Recent Releases

Former DEVILOOF guitarist debuts dystopian deathcore project VELHMORA

Jack

Jan 17, 2026

Music Video, New Band, Releases

After a short cryptic teaser to start the new year, VELHMORA makes their debut with a heavy three-track EP of the same name, released on January 14. A technologically grotesque music video for the track CRPTD w...

DRUGS finishes 2025 with a staggering 7 singles!

Jack

Jan 6, 2026

Releases

Despite only debuting in June, DRUGS has been moving exceptionally fast, finishing 2025 with a total of seven singles. The latest, "Flesh and Halo" and "CARVED IN ALMA", were released on December 30.DRUGS d...

In My Vanitasss rings in new year with 6th single “Violet Visions”

Mizerable

Jan 5, 2026

New Look, Releases

Starting the new year off strong, Tokyo-based new wave band In My Vanitasss released a new single! "Violet Visions" is the band's sixth single and combines new wave with post-punk to create a distinctive, allur...

Interviews

Interview with Fukuro: inspiration fueled by touring the world

Sizergyia, afaenia

Feb 1, 2026

Interview

In the small pool of visual kei and visual kei-adjacent bands being brought overseas, there's Fukuro with its self-proclaimed "piano-rock" sound. Embodying said sound, all while wearing suits and ties, are voca...

Interview: Vocalist Chi- from CHAMELEON LIME WHOOPIEPIE Whoops It Up

Aya, Nori

Jan 24, 2026

Interview

Experimental alt-pop vocalist Chi- and fellow “creatures” Whoopies No. 1 and No. 2 of CHAMELEON LIME WHOOPIEPIE blend vibrant creativity in their latest album Whoop It Up "DELUXE Edition". For the very first ti...

Interview with Crystal Lake: Entering a new era with “The Weight Of Sound”

NBT, afaenia

Dec 21, 2025

Interview, Releases, Tour and event

Crystal Lake have been touring relentlessly this year, and we managed to catch up with them back in May while they were in Stockholm, Sweden. During our conversation, we talked about the band’s new lineup and t...

Tours

HYDE performs historic live concert in Austria, “Orchestra Tour 2026 JEKYLL in Wien”

Erica

Jan 18, 2026

Releases, Tour and event

Tickets are now on sale for HYDE's orchestral performance in Vienna, Austria, HYDE Orchestra Tour 2026 JEKYLL in Wien, taking place on Monday, May 25. This concert represents a historic milestone as the first t...

HANABIE. announces “HOT TOPIC” EP, 2026 North America tour

Jorge M.

Dec 30, 2025

Releases, Tour and event

Following their European tour, metalcore band HANABIE. announced the release of their new EP for January 28, 2026. They also announced a North American tour, kicking off next Spring.Titled HOT TOPIC, the mi...

HYDE livestreams orchestral birthday concert worldwide, signaling a new chapter

Erica

Dec 27, 2025

Online Concert, Releases, Tour and event

Fans worldwide can celebrate Japanese rock icon HYDE’s birthday with a special live orchestral performance, available both in cinemas across Japan and via global livestream. “HYDE Orchestra Tour 2026 JEKYLL”, r...

New Bands

New band GUMMY forms with members of PIERROT, Fukuro, deadman, and Merry

Jack

Jan 30, 2026

Music Video, New Band

The all new visual kei band GUMMY debuted January 21 with the music video for Koori no Ketsumatsu (氷の結末).GUMMY's lineup consists of vocalist Gara from MERRY (メリー), guitarist “Mad Dangerous” known as “aie” f...

HEROINE FROM the Nether’s “MIDNIGHT” music video visualizes former cocklobin vocalist’s project

Sizergyia

Jan 24, 2026

Music Video, New Band, Releases

The year 2025 saw former "cocklobin" vocalist "nigu" and his solo project, HEROINE from the Nether, release their first album titled MIDNIGHT on April 23, with the title also serving as the concept. However, it...

Entertainment

Top 10 visual kei and Japanese rock artists 2025

Erica, NBT, Jack, Mazohyst_Kyo, Jorge M.

Jan 19, 2026

Entertainment

Welcome to our annual JROCK NEWS Top 10 ranking! Each year, we strive to highlight the visual kei and Japanese rock artists who made waves, and 2025 was a fiercely competitive year. From ambitious worldwide tou...

Vibrant moments from Hatsune Miku Magical Mirai 2025

NBT

Nov 25, 2025

Entertainment, Tour and event, Vocaloid/Virtual singer

We’re back at Magical Mirai 2025, the annual event celebrating Hatsune Miku’s birthday with concerts and an exhibition. This year, the event took place not only in Tokyo and Osaka but also in Sendai for the fir...

Fashion brand MADARANINGEN collaborates with IKUMI for 10-year anniversary

Erica

Sep 26, 2025

Entertainment, News

MADARANINGEN, the fashion label created by Kyo of DIR EN GREY, sukekiyo, and Petit Brabancon, has teamed up with fashion brand IKUMI to celebrate the brands' shared 10th anniversaries. The collaboration runs at...