Metal band DEVILOOF celebrated their major debut with the release of their new EP DAMNED on April 19th. To mark the occasion, they held a show titled -RUIN- in Tokyo on April 29th, which was
their first performance since their major label debut.
The show was a huge success, with a packed house witnessing the band’s explosive sound and evolution. In addition, recently, DEVILOOF’s vocalist Keisuke shared a video message expressing the band’s
strong desire to embark on an international tour and connect with their fans overseas.
Watch the English-subtitled video message from Keisuke:
-RUIN- began with Damn, the opening track from DAMNED, setting the tone for the rest of the set. The band followed it up with Libido from their previous album Dystopia, Dusky-Vision from their album Oni, and
the brutal song ISHTAR. A few tracks from the new EP were also played live for the first time, including The Blackened Sun, which had the audience dancing in a circle pit, Afterlife, an aggressive song that built a sense of unity between the band and crowd through its call-and-response moments, and Terpsichore,
an instrumental yet tense track. The band then performed Newspeak, which featured a distinctly Japanese sound, and HERO=MURDERER, which heightened fans’ participation, before
False Self, another track from DAMNED, for which a music video was released on the same day as the EP. The lyrics of False Self are said to express the band’s unwavering belief in being true to themselves and moving forward following their own beliefs.
DEVILOOF closed the concert with Ruin, a track from their first record and the title of the show they had been planning for over a year. This was a deliberate nod to their roots, as guitarist and vocalist Ray expressed the band’s intention to
continue pursuing unprecedented endeavours. Vocalist Keisuke also reflected on the band’s past, noting that they had been labelled as unorthodox at times, as people questioned whether they were visual kei or metal, although these two genres are often considered
inseparable in the history of Japanese music. Keisuke spoke passionately to the crowd, saying that with their continued effort, he was sure DEVILOOF would no longer be seen as unorthodox.
Despite the growing recognition DEVILOOF has been receiving, the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic had disrupted the band’s path to further progress, forcing them to cancel their domestic and overseas tours. However, through DAMNED and the -RUIN- one-man, fans were once again able to witness their talent and the impressive energy level of their performances. As DEVILOOF are also committed to connecting with their fans overseas, one can only hope that they will continue expanding their activities and striving to reach new heights in the future.
