D’espairsRay, one of Japan’s best known rock bands in Europe and the United States, are appearing at Klub Progresja Sept. 28.

D’espairsRay was formed in Tokyo in 1999. The lineup, which has remained constant, consists of Hizumi on vocals, Karyu on guitar, Zero on bass and Tsukasa on percussion. They initially identified with Japan’s “visual kei,” the then prevailing aesthetic among Japanese musicians. Visual kei emphasized androgyny, makeup, and flamboyant hairstyles and clothing. Their music was made to fit—hard driven with a heavy Gothic feel and a dark ambiance.

The music D’espairsRay are pumping out these days would be classified as electro-industrial tinged rock. They have also had an image makeover, adopting a pared-down post-visual kei style and abandoning the theatrics to their fate.

The band released several maxi singles and EPs before their first studio album Coll:set was released in Japan in 2005 and in Europe and the United States a year later. They now have four studio albums to their credit. The latest, Monsters, came out at the end of July.

M.B.

Sept. 28 at 6 p.m. (doors open 5 p.m.), Klub Progresja
15a Kaliskiego St., Warsaw
For more information, go to www.progresja.com
Tickets (zl.95 advance and zl.110 on the day) available from www.ticketpro.pl