“White Rose” by sportsilliterate is licensed under CC BY 2.0.

Malice Mizer was a Japanese visual-kei (normally shortened to “V-kei”) band before it went on indefinite hiatus in 2001. While it is an old band now, originating from the 90’s, some students have thoughts on the aspects that they display, whether it will be each band’s own character or the main style.

Tiara Withers, a current vocal major, said, “I saw this TikTok. It was a performance of theirs of Aegon, and I was just blown away by it. It was beautiful.”

“I like the aesthetic of it and as a Japanese band, they try to focus on more like European themes.” Claudia Idini, a current 2d visual arts major, said.

The style of Malice Mizer that many people often see, depicts gothic with inspiration from European culture. Inspiration can be seen in titles like “Bel Air” derived from the phrase “Verte Ail.” This also includes “Le Ciel” meaning the “Air and sky” in Gackt’s definition.

Many songs, duets, and solos from the remaining members have many variations within them that some might be attracted to. Examples include “Honey Vanity” or “Innermost,”which gives out a more Halloween theme from Kozi and Mana. 

Although Malice Mizer is known for their visuals, they are greatly admired for their music as a mix of rock and some classical influences. “Ma Chérie,” was the most recommended from the students, and a nice song to listen to first when looking into this band. “Au Revoir” is one of the popular songs that comes up when searched. Its style of rock music and noticeable sound of string instruments fit together quite well. 

While the popular songs from the band are highly recommended, many of their underrated songs such as “Brise” or “Claire ~Tsuki no Shirabe~,” can show different styles for people who are still uninterested and willing to give it a try.

Malice Mizer has left an impact on future visual-kei bands, letting there be more emphasis on earlier bands such as Buck Tick. Not only that, but it led to more inspiration of gothic lolita with Mana’s brand “Moi-même-Moitié”.

Many people have different music tastes, meanwhile trying something new or finding another song to add to your playlist can lead to some exploring. Though some might not like this type of music, Malice Mizer is a great recommendation for potential rock-lovers or classical music enthusiasts who don’t mind adding a remix to their playlist.