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The japanese goth-rock band Malice Mizer has been one of the most popular and influencial j-rock bands to rise to fame in Japan. Forming in August of 1992, founding members Mana and Kozi conceived the band name from the term "malicious misery". During the indie days of the band, drummer Gaz was recruited, but soon left in early '93 to join another band. Soon after, Kami was signed up to the group as the new drummer. The virst lead vocalist for the band was Tetsu. With a higher pitched voice and fear of performing on stage, it was undoubtedly harder for the band to create their ideal sound of a goth-rock, French inspired, baroque sounding band. After nearly two years in the band, Testu officially left on December 27th, 1994. Nearly a year later, the savoir of the band was magically found. Aspiring singer Gackt Camui was seemingly made for the band: sharing the same musical interests, concepts and theories...Gackt transformed the band's music into what they had dreamed it would become. With a complete roster of members, Malice Mizer, consisting of drummer Kami, guitarist Kozi, singer + pianist Gackt, guitarist Mana, and bass-man Yu~ki, the band found their ultimate fame with this beloved line-up. Being one of the founding groups of visual kei and gothic j-rock bands, their presence in the music world of Japan changed the scene for ever. Hit after hit, Malice Mizer became and stayed one of the most popular bands in Japan. For four years, the band enjoyed the biggest success of their career. But in early 1999, fans of the band were given a shock, when lead singer Gackt left the band due to creative differences (with Mana) and hopes of starting his own solo career. Fans were now divided: half stayed true to Gackt-less Malize Mizer, and the other half followed Gackt's solo career. Gackt has thus become the most popular male solo artist in Japan, and has had 10x more fame than he could have ever hoped for with Malice Mizer. Good for Gackt, but not for Malice Mizer. Soon after Gackt left, an even bigger tragedy struck not only Malice Mizer fans...but the previous and current band members themselves. The drummer of the band, Kami, who is known as one of the best drummers in J-rock history, suddenly succumbed to a subarachnoid haemorrhage (brain aneurysm) on June 21st, 1999. Devastated, the remaining band members, Mana, Yu~ki, and Kozi, released Shinwa ~ Kami Memorial Box in honor of their late band member. Ex-lead singer Gackt Camui, however, was probably the most grief-stricken. He released U+K, a song he wrote and dedicated to Kami later in 1999. After two tough blows to the band, the three remaining members focused even more on their music, and pulled together to release several amazing works, such as Saikai no Chi no Bara & Kyomu no Naka de no Yugi. Yet the absence of a lead singer and amazing drummer took it's toll on the band... Soon the break they'd been hoping for came. A singer formally of "Pride of Mind" named Klaha was hired out as a session singer, but after realizing the music he helped created, Klaha officially became the new lead singer of Malice Mizer on August 23rd, 2000. With a haunting, deep voice, the band created more gothic-styled baroque music that they had always aimed for. But what about a drummer? The newly reborn Malice Mizer found a drummer named Shue, who lived for his drum set. His powerful presence in the music added the last needed touch to what the band needed. Yet Shue was never an official member of Malice Mizer. With the grief of Kami's death forever in their hearts, the band decided as a tribute to him, Kami's spot as a drummer could never be filled. Thus, Shue is not one of the more widely known contributors, and is not featured in any pictures of the 3rd generation band. With the release of "Bara no Seidou", the band's first album feature Klaha on vocals, their fame was renewed. Some believe the album to feature the band's best work ever, and loyal Malice Mizer fans were pleased with the result. One of the band's most famous songs, "Beast of Blood", helped them rise to the fame they'd longed for. Yet the band would never reach the full fame they'd once experienced when Gackt and Kami had been a part of their work. Yet even with the new found success they had reached, Malice Mizer, after nearly a decade as a band, officially called it quits on December 11th, 2001. Some members have joined other bands or started solo careers, but the music of Malice Mizer will never be fully recreated. Even though the band is no longer together, their music still continues to inspire people across the world and will influence other j-rock bands for years to come. They will always be known as one of the best j-rock bands ever. History compiled and written by Haley.
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