This Week in Visual Kei: Anniversaries, Reunions & New Chapters — September 21, 2026
What a week for Visual Kei. We’ve witnessed legacy acts reclaiming the spotlight, fresh chapters unfolding for established bands, and the kind of nostalgia-fueled energy that reminds us why this scene keeps reinventing itself after three decades.
The biggest story? GLAY’s unstoppable momentum. The legends dropped their 18th album, “Tabisuru Riyuu wo Machininagara,” proving they’re far from a nostalgia act. Even better, guitarist HISASHI made his first guest appearance on いじくりROCKS, sitting alongside MUCC and NoGoD—a legendary guitarist moment that had the streaming community buzzing. Meanwhile, SHAZNA celebrated 30 years of existence the right way: “Melty Love” returned for an anniversary single release, including game soundtrack work. Thirty years. Let that sink in.
The touring circuit is heating up. INORAN’s return to Asia after a decade-long absence marks a genuinely significant moment for longtime LUNA SEA fans and solo project followers alike. His grand final looms, and every show carries weight. On a different scale, DEXCORE announced December extra shows ahead of their own 10th anniversary milestone—the heavy Visual Kei outfit continues to prove their staying power.
On the lineup front, Paledusk welcomed John as an official member and celebrated with the single “GOLDEN GOAL,” signalling a reinvigorated chapter for the band. It’s the kind of fresh energy that balances out all the anniversary reflection happening elsewhere in the scene this week.
And then there’s MUCC’s YUKKE, whose birthday live embraced ’90s VK nostalgia so hard it felt like a time capsule performance. That throwback aesthetic isn’t ironic anymore—it’s become its own legitimate subgenre within Visual Kei, and fans are absolutely here for it.
This was a week about legacy meeting momentum: established acts like GLAY and INORAN proving they’ve still got it, classic bands hitting milestone anniversaries, and newer outfits like DEXCORE and Paledusk staking their own claims on the scene’s future. It’s the balance that keeps Visual Kei alive.
Keep an eye on those December dates and watch for what GLAY does next—they’re clearly in a creative sweet spot right now.
This Week’s Posts
