KIZU announce “1st last album”, drop single ‘R/E/D/’, celebrate 8th anniversary

Visual kei band KIZU have just dropped the video for latest single ‘R/E/D/’, as well as announcing their “first last album” titled ‘Gokuraku Yori Gokujou no Ame’.

KIZU have begun celebrations for their 8th anniversary, starting with the release of their 16th single, ‘R/E/D/’. Released digitally on April 9th, the track’s music video dropped on April 18th.

Lyrically, the song is dark and cathartic, and challenges society, religion, and more. There are also references to other visual kei bands such as X Japan (“Even the endless rain will stop, and no blue blood will flow”, “If you say Kurenai, then stain yourself in crimson”). It was also confirmed in a recent interview in Barks with vocalist LiME and DIR EN GREY guitarist and leader Kaoru that the song features strong nods to Diru. ‘R/E/D’ has some surreal and almost despairing lyrics like “I want to have sex with the universe and die”, and the final lines leaning into nihilism:

“So hey, maybe I’ll get a face tattoo tomorrow and try regretting it
Might make life more fun than it is now—maybe I’ll find something more. Even if I punch someone tomorrow and get locked up, I don’t care. Still cursed by a dream that’s more like a curse”

The video features nightmarish AI imagery of various deities being created or tested on, while Lovecraftian monsters attack the world. LiME eventually becomes a monster himself.

In addition to this, KIZU have announced their very first album, being referred to as their “first last album”. Titled ‘Gokuraku Yori no Gokujou Ame’ (‘Rain More Exquisite Than Paradise’), it’s slated for release on December 10th. Whilst the “first last album” moniker has alarmed fans, the band have not announced a disbandment. No other details have been revealed.

KIZU also showed off new looks alongside the announcement.

Plus, today, April 19th, the band will be holding a free live event titled KIZUATO at AEON MALL in Makuhari New City to celebrate their 8th anniversary. This isn’t their first free show- last year they held a guerrilla show outside of the iconic Shibuya 109. More information about today’s show can be found on KIZU’s official website.

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