^___^ D'espairsRay ^___^

D'espairsRay is a Japanese rock band formed in 1999 by Hizumi, Karyu, Zero and Tsukasa. The lineup has since remained the same and as of February 2008, the group has released several singles and EPs, as well as a two full-length records. Besides Japan, D'espairsRay have also toured Europe and North America in recent years, along with domestic releases in these territories.

They performed at the Wacken Open Air festival in 2006, and a second album, titled Mirror was released on April 11, 2007. They also performed during Jrock Revolution 2007 held on Memorial Weekend in Los Angeles, California.

Their most recent appearance in the USA was during the Taste of Chaos tour in 2008. On March 11th a new album REDEEMER was released.

D'espairsRay was formed on September 9, 1999, by Hizumi, Karyu, Zero and Tsukasa. They started out as a visual kei band, and released their first demotape, [Ao] in December of that year.
2000 began with the release of two more demotapes, and during the rest of the year they gained popularity, eventually leading to the release of their first maxi-single in October, Kumo. With only 1000 copies pressed, the CD sold out in no-time.
In April 2001, they released their second maxi-single, Genwaku, along with a second press of their first maxi-single. Because Genwaku had sold out through web-ordering, a second press was released the same day as the first press release.
This was followed by the release of their first EP, Terrors, in July. Their popularity rose after the release of this album and they started to move out of the local scene.

Following the success of their previous releases, D'espairsRay wanted to give their fans an insider's look into their music, so they released their final demotape, Ura Mania Theatre, which was sold at several stores only. After this they released their second EP, Sexual Beast in June 2002, along with a second press of their first EP. Once again the CD had sold out, so another 2000 copies of their second EP were pressed in July.
At the end of 2002, they released another single, titled Ori no Naka de Miru Yume, which came in two editions: A regular edition and a special edition with a bonus track by their alter-ego band "Animalmania", which was only available through web-ordering. In January 2003, they gave out a "secret CD" titled Itanji, with an unnamed song, to the people who attended to one of their lives. The song would later be renamed Maverick, which was also their next maxi-single, released in February. The CD was reissued in March because of high sales. At the end of 2003, yet another maxi-single was released, called Garnet.
In April 2004, the band released their third EP, Born. It featured a DVD with the video for the song Garnet. In July, a second press of the album was released, but without the DVD.
Two months later, they released another maxi-single, called Gemini. A limited edition of the CD came with a DVD with the video for the song Born.
In 2004 they also played outside of Japan for the first time, in Berlin and Paris. All of this made them known throughout Japan and gained them some international fans. Footage for their first live DVD was also shot at the end of 2004.

2005 began with the release of their first live DVD, Murder Day Live. A video for the song Reddish -diva version- was included as a bonus.
Soon after, they released their first full-length album: Coll:set. This was the breakthrough they had been working for all along. It contained two previously released songs, Fuyuu Shita Risou and Garnet, which were not on the initial limited edition of the album. Their maxi-single Garnet was reissued for promotion of their album later that year.
In 2006, they went international with the European release of Coll:set in January. 2006 also marked the start of their international career, as they began touring in Europe and the United States afterwards.
A documentary-DVD was released in March, with the title The World Outside the Cage (as a reference to their song "The World in a Cage"), with footage from their last tour. Soon after that, they released another single, Kogoeru Yoru ni Saita Hana, which came in an A and B types. At the end of 2006, they released their second live DVD: Liquidize, which would also be released in Europe in 2007.
2007 began with the release of their latest maxi-single, Squall, in March. One month later, they released their second full-length album, Mirror, which was also released in Europe in June.
2007 ended with the release of yet another live DVD, Spiral Staircase #15, with footage from their latest tour. The DVD was also released in Europe in January 2008.

In 2008, D'espairsRay participated in the Taste of Chaos 2008 tour, along with fellow-visual band Mucc and The Underneath. Their album Mirror was released in the United States, and their new single Brilliant was released on 14 May.[3] A new single titled Kamikaze was released August 6th, followed by their "88-99" anniversary tour in Japan. The band announced a winter tour and a new release titled "HORIZON", which was released December 3rd. During the same month, D'espairsRay also announced a new album titled Redeemer, through Delicious Deli Records, a label under Universal Music Japan.[4] The first reported release date was March 4th 2009, however the date was pushed back one week, and was released March 11th. The band embarked on a Japanese nationwide tour in promotion of the album named "Psychadelic Parade". European tour dates were announced firstly from the band's overseas tour organiser, Gekido Tour, and then by D'espairsRay themselves.

Membrii

Hizumi – vocals
Karyu – guitar , Backing Vocals
Zero – bass guitar , Backing Vocals
Tsukasa – drums

Discografie

Albums

Coll:set (June 29, 2005)
Mirror (April 11, 2007)
Redeemer (March 11, 2009)

EPs

Terrors (July 21, 2001)
Sexual Beast (June 5, 2002)
Born (April 28, 2004)

Singles

"Kumo" ( October 21, 2000 )
"Genwaku" ( April 1, 2001 )
"Ori no Naka de Miru Yume" ( September 8, 2002 )
"Maverick" ( February 12, 2003 )
"Garnet" ( November 12, 2003 )
"Gemini" ( September 1, 2004 )
"Kogoeru Yoru ni Saita Hana" ( April 5, 2006 )
"Squall" ( March 14, 2007 )
"Brilliant" ( May 14, 2008 )
"Kamikaze" ( August 6, 2008 )
"Horizon" ( December 3, 2008 )

Videography

Ura Video ( January 29, 2002 )
Murder Day Live ( September 23, 2004 )
The World Outside the Cage ( March 8, 2006 )
Liquidize ( Live Tour 06 ) ( December 20, 2006 )
Spiral Staircase #15 ( September 5, 2007 )

Demotapes

[Ao] ( December 12, 1999 )
｢S｣yste｢M｣ ( January 28, 2000 )
Sakura ( January 29, 2000 )
Razor ( September 26, 2000 )
Sixth Terrors ( August 29, 2001 )
Ura Mania Theater ( January 21, 2002 )
Itanji ( January 20, 2003 )