Kizu Ring in the New Year with HANGEKI

Fans of visual kei band Kizu are likely familiar with their session project "ICHIGEKI" by now. The video series involves frontman LiME performing one take only covers of Kizu songs live in the studio together with various guest vocalists. To ring in the New Year, Kizu launched a special "spin-off" of the project called "HANGEKI" where LiME instead joins the guests in covering songs from their own projects.

The project stretched from January 1st to 4th, with a new video upload each day.

First up was NoGoD vocalist Dancho, who also took part in the first season of "ICHIGEKI", joining LiME for a rendition of Kizu's Kizuato.

For this project, he and LiME covered NoGoD's 2010 major debut single Kakusei.

Dancho commented:

"LiME told me 'I listened to this song a lot when I was a student', which made me think 'I'm glad I'm doing shironuri*'. Everyone, let's do more shironuri!"
*A make-up style based on the traditional white face paint of geishas and stage actors, which both LiME and Dancho use onstage


The second guest was solo artist and ex-Blu-BiLLioN frontman Mike.

He and LiME performed Blu-BiLLioN's 2013 single Aqua.

Mike commented:

"This is Mike. First of all, this time, thank you LiME from the bottom of my heart for inviting me to 'HANGEKI'. This has helped to reaffirm that Blu-BiLLioN's music continues to live on after its disbandment and that it's still part of me.

Please enjoy watching my voice and LiME's splendidly swimming through Aqua."


The third guest was another veteran from the first season of "ICHIGEKI", BugLug vocalist Issei. He first joined LiME for a cover of Kizu's 0.

This time, he and LiME performed Saru, a staple of BugLug's live shows featured on their 2015 album HAPPY BIRTHDAY KILL YOU.

Issei commented:

"I had fun thinking 'There are no borders in music!'

There is truly NO BORDER NO BORDER, so we chose Saru, so everyone join us and let's do the monkey dance!"


The fourth and final guest was An Cafe vocalist Miku.

He and LiME covered An Cafe's 2006 single Snow Scene.

Miku commented:

"When I received the invitation to 'HANGEKI', I made a triumphant pose right from my heart, since I really like Kizu's music myself.

While it was my own song, honestly, I was a bit nervous about doing the recording in one take, but the anxious feeling that I got while I was in the booth with LiME that was so unlike normal was really stimulating, and I couldn't get enough. I think I'll be very happy if lots of people listen to the thrilling recording that was created in that space."