DEATHGAZE (typeset as simply d… Read Full Bio ↴Nagoya, Japan (2003-2007) (2007-2014)
DEATHGAZE (typeset as simply deathgaze from 2004 to 2006) was a Japanese alternative metal band formed in July of 2003 in Nagoya. The band's final line up came in 2009, when only vocalist Ai and drummer Naoki were the remaining founding members still in the band.
Final line-up:
藍 (Ai) - Vocals (2007-present), guitar (2010-present), bass (2003-2008)
貴樹 (Takaki) - Guitar, backing vocals (2009-2014)
孝介 (Kosuke) - Bass, backing vocals (2008-2014)
直樹 (Naoki) - Drums (2003-2014)
DEATHGAZE plays a style of alternative metal with some elements of hard rock (mostly in more recent releases) and some ballads can also be found on albums. They can also be grouped in nagoya kei which is a subgenre of visual kei focusing on a darker sound and appearance, usually with more prominent bass as well.
Before DEATHGAZE had formed, vocalist 葉月 (Hazuki) played in ベリィ with drummer 直樹 (Naoki). 藍 (Ai), then bassist for KeiL, also provided guest backing vocals for the band. After ベリィ had disbanded, the three met up and were joined by guitarist 柑那 (Kanna) and formed DEATHGAZE.
The band started their career with a few small performances and in February of 2004 released their first EP, 「294036224052」. After a brief tour from March-April 2004, Hazuki left to become the vocalist of lynch. and shortly after, Kanna left to play guitar for Puppet Mammy. The remaining two DEATHGAZE members contacted KeiL‘s 直人 (Naoto), who had also provided support guitar for ベリィ, and 宗 (Sou), ex-Be≒Luna and DEATHGAZE was complete again.
After the release of an album, several singles and EPs, vocalist Sou decided to leave the band to get married in the fall of 2006, leaving DEATHGAZE without a frontman once again. The band finished what concerts they had planned, without a vocalist, and announced a hiatus in March of 2007, after going on a coupling tour with ギルガメッシュ (girugämesh) called "Girugaze&Deathgamesh". For this tour, vocal duties were shared by bassist Ai and girugämesh' vocalist Satoshi.
In November 2007, the band returned, with bassist Ai having become the vocalist. They announced 孝介 (Kousuke) as bassist in the beginning of 2008.
The band announced that guitarist Naoto would leave the band for personal reasons after their one-man show at April 26, 2009. On their website it said that the band will continue activities with a support guitarist, 貴樹 (Takaki), who officially became a member at their tour final on December 20, 2009. In 2009 they also held a coupling tour with cocklobin named "Deathlobin".
DEATHGAZE have since released their third full-length album, BLISS OUT, on December 8, 2010. The limited deluxe edition of that album contains a bonus disc with re-recordings of some older songs from around the time of genocide and mass murder.
Since 2010 Vocalist Ai has also taken up the guitar for several songs, and has played an 8-string guitar since 2012.
Ex-members:
葉月 (Hazuki) - Vocals (2003-2004) (now in lynch.)
宗 (Sou) - Vocals (2004-2006)
柑那 (Kanna) - Guitar (2003-2004)
直人 (Naoto) - Guitar, backing vocals (2004-2009)
DEATHGAZE official homepage: www.deathgaze.jp
Memento Mori
DEATHGAZE Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Dekisokonai wa iranai no
To ni kaku jiyuu ki mama ni keisan sureba ii
Bakuhatsu-teki na egoist i hate my life.
Nankai kurikaeshitara itami wo oboeru no
Wazawaza namida wo nagasu no
Zannen nagara mirai wa saishuu wo mukaeru
Broke human world.
No human world.
Kono mama hikari ga kiete mo kakusanakute mo ii
Waruagaki nado niai sugiru kara
Ore no koe ga todoku nara sono mama soko* ni iro yo
Muda ni atama ga ii kara wakatta tsumori na no
Wazawaza nikushimi seou no
Zannen nagara mirai wa saishuu wo mukaeru
Kichi nante hitsuyou nai no
Broke human world.
No human world.
Kono mama hikari ga kiete mo kakusanakute mo ii
Waruagaki nado niai sugiru kara
Ore no koe ga todoku nara sono mama soko* ni iro
Kono saki hikari ga kiete mo hazukashii egao de
Satsutaba no niku wo hoobari nagara
Ore no koe ga todoku nara sono mama soko* ni iro yo
The lyrics of "Memento Mori" by DEATHGAZE talk about the agony and frustration of a person who is unable to understand their own foolishness. The lines "Baka ni wa wakaranai kara kurushimanakute ii/Dekisokonai wa iranai no" express the idea that it's okay not to suffer due to one's inability to understand foolishness and not needing to be capable of everything. The following lines "To ni kaku jiyuu ki mama ni keisan sureba ii/Bakuhatsu-teki na egoist i hate my life" suggest that one can live freely if they are good at calculating their options, but the singer is too self-centred and hates their life.
The song continues with the chorus, "Broke human world/No human world," which could be interpreted as the singer feeling separated from society, feeling that they do not belong there. The next stanza, "Nankai kurikaeshitara itami wo oboeru no/Wazawaza namida wo nagasu no/Zannen nagara mirai wa saishuu wo mukaeru/Buki nante hitsuyou nai no," expresses the idea that sometimes we hurt ourselves over and over again, and while it's unfortunate, it doesn't require any weapons. It's just a personal feeling-suffering.
The final verse has the same message as the first verse: "Kono mama hikari ga kiete mo kakusanakute mo ii/Waruagaki nado niai sugiru kara/Ore no koe ga todoku nara sono mama soko* ni iro yo." The singer accepts that, even if they disappear along with the light, they do not need to hide anything because their voice will always be there. Ultimately, "Memento Mori" is a song about feeling disconnected from the world, but it also suggests that personal voice can still have an impact and that life and death are two sides of the same coin.
Line by Line Meaning
Baka ni wa wakaranai kara kurushimanakute ii
It's okay not to suffer because of what fools don't understand
Dekisokonai wa iranai no
I don't need to be capable
To ni kaku jiyuu ki mama ni keisan sureba ii
I should calculate according to my own sense of freedom
Bakuhatsu-teki na egoist i hate my life.
I'm an explosive egoist, and I hate my life
Nankai kurikaeshitara itami wo oboeru no
How many times do I have to go through pain to remember it?
Wazawaza namida wo nagasu no
I intentionally shed tears
Zannen nagara mirai wa saishuu wo mukaeru
Unfortunately, the future faces its end
Buki nante hitsuyou nai no
I don't need any weapons
Broke human world.
The human world is broken
No human world.
There's no human world
Kono mama hikari ga kiete mo kakusanakute mo ii
It's okay if the light goes out and I can't hide anything
Waruagaki nado niai sugiru kara
Because my complaints are too much
Ore no koe ga todoku nara sono mama soko* ni iro yo
If my voice can reach, then let it stay there as it is
Muda ni atama ga ii kara wakatta tsumori na no
I didn't intend to realize that my head is useless
Wazawaza nikushimi seou no
I intentionally bear hatred
Kichi nante hitsuyou nai no
I don't need any fortresses
Kono saki hikari ga kiete mo hazukashii egao de
Even if the light goes out from here, I'll smile in embarrassment
Satsutaba no niku wo hoobari nagara
While I'm carving meat at the execution ground
Ore no koe ga todoku nara sono mama soko* ni iro yo
If my voice can reach, then let it stay there as it is
Contributed by Callie C. Suggest a correction in the comments below.