Deviloof was formed in Kansai on August 31, 2015 and the band members were revealed on October 1. They were vocalist Keisuke, bassist Daiki and drummer Hiroto, who were former members of the non-visual kei band called All Must Die. They joined up with guitarists Seiya (晟也) and Ryuya (竜弥) to form Deviloof.
On October 1, 2015, the music video for their 1st single, "Ruin," was released ahead of the single. It garnered attention not only in Japan but also from around the world. Their live debut was in Osaka on December 6, alongside the bands D.I.D. and By:ARLANT. Their first single, "Ruin", was also released at that live.
They released their sophomore single "Ishtar" on April 1, 2016 and revealed their next song Aishitekudasai (愛してください) on an omnibus album released on July 20.
In August 2016 the group participated in Wacken Open Air, the world's largest metal festival, and in "Metal Battle Japan" where they advanced to the final round. On August 31 of the same year, they released their 1st mini-album, "PURGE."
On October 22, 2016 guitarist Ryuya left the band and eventually formed the band DIMLIM in April 2017. On April 27, Deviloof announced a temporary hiatus following their performances at Meguro Live Station on May 3.
They later welcomed Ray on September 9 and resumed activities on October 1. On November 15, they released their 1st full album, "Devil's Proof," with a revamped logo designed by Toshihiro Egawa. In January 2018, they announced a contract with 9thRecords under DANGER CRUE.
On August 31, 2018, the band announced that guitarist Seiya and drummer Hiroto would be departing from the group, but the band said they would continue activities. Aisaku and Kanta would join the band first as support members, but as official members as of February 1, 2019.
On May 23, 2019, they began offering downloads and streaming for their works other than "Ishtar." On June 19, they released their 2nd full album, "Oni" (鬼), with a theme centered around "wa" (和 - Japanese harmony). They also planned a one-man tour and an EU tour in conjunction with this release.
On July 12, 2020, due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, their spring EU tour and summer domestic one-man tour were postponed. In response, they decided to hold their first no-audience streaming live event, "I HATE COVID-19," with the aim of delivering something to listeners around the world. On July 22, they also released a mail-order exclusive double A-side single, "Devil's Calling/Angel's Cry," which was originally scheduled for release in March. It's worth noting that "Angel's Cry" features Ray as the main vocalist, and RYOJI from GYZE handled the guitar solo and orchestral arrangements.
On December 17, 2021, their 3rd album, "DYSTOPIA," which was released on December 8 of the same year, achieved 1st place on both the iTunes Japan Metal Chart and the Apple Music Japan Metal Chart.
On December 16, 2022, they announced that they will make their major debut in the spring of 2023 under Tokuma Japan Communications. On February 10, 2023, due to Keisuke's chronic pharyngitis, the release date of their major debut single EP, "DAMNED," was postponed but the music video for "Damn" from the EP was released. Eventually, the EP "Damned" was released on April 19, 2023. Speaking about the EP in a video, Keisuke said that the band was preparing a world tour for 2023. In July it was announced that they will play three shows in Latin America in 2024: on May 25th in Mexico, on the 31st in Santiago and on June 2nd in Brazil.
The name Deviloof is an abbreviation of "devil's proof". Vocalist Keisuke has said that he imagines a scenario where there's no proof that Satan showed to Christ, and that thought invokes an omimous feeling.
Deviloof has strong influences from Japanese visual kei bands such as X Japan and Dir En Grey, vocalist Keisuke also cites Megadeth, and Elvis Presley as influences. Some of the senior Japanese rock bands influenced Deviloof to embrace the visual kei look, and that for Keisuke, these influences come from his great respect for X Japan and Dir En Grey who is his words "We are Japanese and would like to follow them."
Current members
Keisuke - vocals (2015–present)
Ray - guitar (2017–present)
Aisaku - guitar (2018–present)
Daiki - bass (2015–present)
Kanta - drums (2018–present)
Former members
Ryuya - guitar (2015-2016)
Seiya - guitar (2015-2018)
Hiroto - drums (2015-2018)
Ruin
DEVILOOF Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Kisei bakari de riaru mie zu
Odorasare te iru nōnashi domo
Gisei bakari fue te ku nikushimi no rensa
All fucking ... All shall die!
All fucking ... All shall die!
Tasū ha ni zokusuru koto de ando
Seikai nado sonzai shi nai world end
Tenbin kakerareru ningen ni kaserareru
DEATH GAME
Kireigoto jinrui mina byōdō
Itami o kanjiro
Jiko gisei niyoru gukō, yuiitsu utsukushiku hakanaku chiru
Agameru beki wa kami de mo futsu de mo nai hazu da
Stay hungry, stay foolish
All fucking ... All shall die!
All fucking ... All shall die!
Kusatta kansei masani sekai no Owari Tasū-ha ni
Zokusuru koto de ando Seikai nado sonzaishinai world end
The lyrics of DEVILOOF's song Ruin convey a sense of chaos and devastation. The first two lines, "Mezamashi gawari no jūsei/Kisei bakari de riaru mie zu" can be interpreted as a symbol of awakening to a world that is not what one expected it to be. The following two lines, "Odorasare te iru nōnashi domo/Gisei bakari fue te ku nikushimi no rensa" suggest a feeling of being controlled and manipulated by unseen forces, leading to a chain of hatred and resentment.
The chorus, "All fucking ... All shall die!" repeats the grim message that everyone will eventually meet their demise. The lyrics then shift to describe a world in ruin, "Kusatta kansei masani sekainoowari/Tasū ha ni zokusuru koto de ando/Seikai nado sonzai shi nai world end." The use of the word "ruin" suggests that everything has fallen apart and is beyond repair. The lines also imply the idea that the world will end due to the proliferation of deviant and immoral behaviors.
The rest of Ruin's lyrics describe how humanity is being pitted in a death game that no one can escape, driven by a sense of purposelessness and despair. However, the final lines, "Agameru beki wa kami de mo futsu de mo nai hazu da/Stay hungry, stay foolish" suggest that even in the face of despair, one can find meaning by staying true to themselves and their passions, and by continuing to strive for excellence.
Line by Line Meaning
Mezamashi gawari no jūsei
A cursed existence constantly awakened prematurely
Kisei bakari de riaru mie zu
Unable to see reality due to constant restrictions
Odorasare te iru nōnashi domo
Being made to dance like empty shells
Gisei bakari fue te ku nikushimi no rensa
The chain of hatred only growing due to constant sacrifices
All fucking ... All shall die!
A proclamation of inevitable death
Kusatta kansei masani sekainoowari
A decaying end to the world
Tasū ha ni zokusuru koto de ando
Feeling anxiety due to constantly increasing numbers
Seikai nado sonzai shi nai world end
The end of a world where the concept of truth no longer exists
Tenbin kakerareru ningen ni kaserareru
Humans put on a scale and judged
DEATH GAME
A game where death is the only outcome
Kireigoto jinrui mina byōdō
All humans being equal in their hypocrisy
Itami o kanjiro
Feel the pain
Jiko gisei niyoru gukō, yuiitsu utsukushiku hakanaku chiru
The lone beautiful and fleeting life sacrificed to oneself
Agameru beki wa kami de mo futsu de mo nai hazu da
Something to be aimed for, whether it be a god or something ordinary
Stay hungry, stay foolish
A call to remain passionate and curious
Writer(s): 桂佑, 晟也
Contributed by Hannah I. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@marsmma
So is nobody gonna talk about how good the drums are?
@davidtocon2417
And bass, they're actually really good
@N3KROMANZ3R
Everything is good, but the drums are amazing!
@piou3996
For fk sake, please stop with this comment about drums. They are special
@LebazardeShiroro
They're awesome
@titorus_music
Perfect drums
@medamia
Мне нечего добавить. Это шедевр. Лично мне ваша музыка помогает переживать трудные эмоции. Хочется просто сказать спасибо, что вы делитесь своим творчеством с нами.
@AnnaTan445
Я под них только и живу 😅
@denisdemin6984
Иди выпились на хуй ахахахахахахах
@gyounce1
Deviloof is as good as they've always been, except that they've become even better with each year and each release. Visual kei is my passion and this band has brought an even bigger and necessary variety to the genre. I'm so grateful for Deviloof.