Today we have an exclusive interview with quintessential vkei band La'veil MizeriA.

La'veil MizeriA has been active for many years, but has gained notoriety after joining Starwave Records in 2017. Their style is heavily influenced by kote kei bands from decades past, but they've carved out their own niche in the current visual kei scene.

They talked to us about their upcoming single, their new members, and what we can expect from them going forward.

⚠ 日本語版へこちら。

---

• La'veil MizeriA, thank you very much for agreeing to this interview.

• Please introduce yourselves. What’s one word you would use to describe yourselves?

[祈狂-kikyo-] I’m the screamer. Out of my mind...

[魔琴-makoto-] Guitarist.makoto. The sound of a witch’s koto

[渚月-nazuki-] I’m shimote guitarist nazuki. One word to describe myself・・・ is “stillness.”

[ミリア-miria-] I’m miria・・・ a doll...

• Please tell us how you formed.

[祈狂-kikyo-] We were guided by fate...

• What is the origin and meaning of your name?

[祈狂-kikyo-] A tale of tragedy clad in cruelty...

• What is your band’s concept?

[祈狂-kikyo-] It’s the same as the meaning of the band name.

• How would you describe your music? Why did you decide to play this style?

[祈狂-kikyo-] It’s from the band name, and our concept. We were guided by fate...

[魔琴-makoto-] It’s remains the concept. Tragedy repeats without stop.

For me personally, I’m conscious of “piercing sounds.”

[渚月-nazuki-] The music of La'veil MizeriA is the result of my research into my favorite music.

[ミリア-miria-] ××××ed ×××’s ×××××. From the moment we were manufactured, our fate was sealed.

• In VK, there are many different aesthetics. How would you describe your aesthetic, and why did you choose it?

[祈狂-kikyo-] Fantastic presentation. Destiny, ...

[魔琴-makoto-] My aesthetic is trying to save viewers from darkness, via negative aspects which aren’t expressed in other genres.

[渚月-nazuki-] The same fantastic presentation as 祈狂-kikyo-. It feels as if destiny is in this place, driving us to have similar answers (laughs).

[ミリア-miria-] The ultimate duality that will never be crossed. From the time I was manufactured, my fate was already sealed.

• How did each of you become interested in vkei? Also what does vkei mean to you?

[祈狂-kikyo-] From various media outlets. Fantasy.

[魔琴-makoto-] I believe the most important thing in visual kei is to be able to express visual elements along with the sound, so I try to make it easy to imagine scenery from my sounds.

[渚月-nazuki-] I became interested after watching music shows and reading magazines.

I think visual kei is something that lets us visually embody what we want to express in songs.

[ミリア-miria-] My fate was already sealed when I was manufactured. ××××.

• Your style is uncommon in modern VK. Has this presented any challenges? Do current trends influence you at all?

[祈狂-kikyo-] Unfamiliar things tend to be shunned. I don’t know much about the world outside my reality.

[魔琴-makoto-] Among the members, I think I’m more susceptible to recent trends. But I don’t think visual kei, which was my first influence, will ever change.

[渚月-nazuki-] I’m not really interested in trends, even outside of music, so I’m not influenced by them. It’s all about what I become fond of.

[ミリア-miria-] Nothing in particular. I’m proud to be able to do La’veil MizeriA, which no one can imitate in this era of mass-produced visual kei...

• What song would you recommend to first-time listeners of your band?

[祈狂-kikyo-] I think you should listen to our single Soukoku (葬刻), which will be released on April 8th.

[魔琴-makoto-] Décadance

[渚月-nazuki-] If you like intense songs, Décadence. If you want something easy to listen to, Nostalgia.

[ミリア-miria-] If you listen to our upcoming Soukoku (葬刻), you’ll be a feel for the new MizeriA regime.

Please listen to Soukoku (葬刻).

• How do you write your lyrics? What do you want listeners to feel when they hear your lyrics?

[祈狂-kikyo-] The melody spins a story for me. I want you to feel the essence of what lies beyond despair.

• La’veil MizeriA has been active for about 8 years now. What are some milestones from that time?

[祈狂-kikyo-] Joining the record label [Starwave Records], and when 魔琴-makoto- joined.

[魔琴-makoto-] My existence.

[渚月-nazuki-] For me, our 2018 rebirth.

[ミリア-miria-] 47-prefecture tour.

• How have you changed since formation?

[祈狂-kikyo-] Our essence hasn’t changed, but our mind has been destroyed.

[魔琴-makoto-] Before birth. After birth.

[渚月-nazuki-] A lot has happened as a band, but for me personally, not much?

[ミリア-miria-] ××××

• Please tell us about your April 8th single, Soukoku (葬刻). Could you tell us a little bit about the songs included in it? Were there any challenges or triumphs when making it?

[祈狂-kikyo-] It’s only the first work in our new regime, but it’s the best work I’ve ever done. All three songs could be A sides. There is nothing disappointing about it.

[魔琴-makoto-] Personally, I’ve been trying to keep the original sound and image of La’veil MizeriA intact, while keeping my personality a secret from the members (laughs). The place where I was born was Soukoku (葬刻).

[渚月-nazuki-] This time I wrote all of the songs, but they’re well-balanced in tone.

Décadence has a bit of a gimmick, and Nostalgia is brighter than typical La’veil MizeriA, so it was a challenge to push ourselves.

[ミリア-miria-] This is the first work after 魔琴-makoto- joined.

I hope you’ll listen to it and get a feel for it.

• Recently, new guitarist 魔琴-makoto- joined. Has the new lineup affected your process of making new music? Has the band’s dynamic changed?

[祈狂-kikyo-] It’s become easier on me mentally. I’m happy to have more friends that I can trust, because both my musical work and my lives have a strong influence on my mental state. His joining is a good change for the band because it’s helped bring into view our future developments.

[魔琴-makoto-] I hope it’s had a good influence on the other members.

[渚月-nazuki-] There was definitely a good influence (laughs)

As for live performances, we’ve yet to see, but he’s been coming up with all kinds of ideas, so we can definitely rely on him as a member and partner!

[ミリア-miria-] With the addition of 魔琴-makoto-, I’ve been able to express things that I couldn’t before. As you’ll soon get a sense of when you listen to Soukoku (葬刻), I hope.

• Which song is your favorite to perform, and why?

[祈狂-kikyo-] ××××, and Zetsubou Sato (絶望郷). Because you can get rid of your negative emotions to them.

[魔琴-makoto-] Décadence. I’ve come up with an arrangement that fuses fierceness and sadness very well.

[渚月-nazuki-] Usobeni NO Sou (薄紅ノ葬). It’s a song that’s full of who I am.

[ミリア-miria-] Sakuran Fuka (錯乱孵化), ××××, Zetsubou Sato (絶望郷), deep[SLAY]. Because I can run amok...

• What’s been your most memorable live, and why?

[祈狂-kikyo-] Shinjuku (新宿) BLAZE. I’d say it was like the utopia that I’ve seen through the gaps in the lattice in my dreams.

[魔琴-makoto-] At the moment, I can only say 2/18 at Shinjuku (新宿) BLAZE, because I can’t remember anything from before the moment I died.

[渚月-nazuki-] On November 20th of last year, at Shibuya (渋谷) asia. The first 47-prefecture tour. And the tour final.

Because what we did there was a good experience!

[ミリア-miria-] The 47-prefecture tour final. It’s the longest tour I’ve been on, and it was a lot of hard work all across Japan; but that hard work was rewarded with good memories because so many people gathered at the tour final.

• What makes La’veil MizeriA unique? What are your strong points?

[祈狂-kikyo-] Essence. That’s how I understand it.

[魔琴-makoto-] This band has always been quintessential visual kei. That’s our greatest strength.

[渚月-nazuki-] Worldview.

[ミリア-miria-] It’s everything. We’re the one-and-only...

• What has been your biggest challenge as a band so far?

[祈狂-kikyo-] It’s also the title of our spring tour, but 廻煌蝙聲.

[魔琴-makoto-] The birth of 魔琴-makoto-.

[渚月-nazuki-] 47-prefecture tour.

[ミリア-miria-] 47-prefecture tour.

• Please tell us your goals as a band for 2020.

[祈狂-kikyo-] The creation of paradise.

[魔琴-makoto-] I want to carve out moments where I can truly empathize with and resonate with our “desperate slaves.”

[渚月-nazuki-] The growth of the new regime of La’veil MizeriA.

[ミリア-miria-] It would be nice to be able to perform overseas.

I hope you’ll come to our live and feel real visual kei. I’m sure this message will reach everyone...

• Lastly, please give a message to everyone.

[祈狂-kikyo-] Let’s bury them together・・・ In this moment of grief...

[魔琴-makoto-] No matter how lonely you become, we’ll continue to make songs that will support you in the future; so please come by if you’re having a hard time.

[渚月-nazuki-] The new regime of La’veil MizeriA has started. I’m sure we’ll show a new side with the addition of 魔琴-makoto-, so please look forward to it.

Of course, we’ll continue to refine the same La’veil MizeriA style as before, so stay tuned!

[ミリア-miria-] Thank you so much for the opportunity to be interviewed.

I would like to run as fast as I can in 2020, and I would like to ask for your continued support in the future for La’veil MizeriA.

If you have a chance, please come and visit us live. We look forward to seeing you there.

---

La'veil MizeriA will release their new single, Soukoku (葬刻), on April 15th.

The band was scheduled to start a nationwide sponsored event tour, Tanpen Dokusai Junrei~Kaikouhenshou~ (短篇独裁巡礼~廻煌蝙聲~), but all lives in April were postponed due to COVID-19 concerns.

---

To La'veil MizeriA, thank you so much for allowing us to do this interview! We wish you luck.

Thank you to Kiwamu of Starwave Records for allowing us to do this interview. Thanks to @Ryu and OmoideNoKage for coordination and @vkeijonas for translation help.

If you liked this interview, please support us by liking, sharing, and commenting! You can also support us at Patreon. If you have questions or comments, feel free to contact us at vkgy.official@gmail.com!