Leetspeak Monsters
{{Short description|Japanese visual kei rock band}}
{{Infobox musical artist
| name = Leetspeak Monsters
| image =
| image_size =
| landscape = yes
| caption =
| alias =
| origin = Japan
| genre = {{hlist|Rock|gothic rock|{{nowrap|rap rock}}}}
| label = GLK Music
| website = {{URL|https://leetspeak-monsters.com/}}
| current_members = D13
Yo’shmeer
Euskyss
DieWolf
| past_members = Mattünurg
}}
Leetspeak Monsters (stylized as Leetspeak monsters) is a Japanese visual kei rock band whose songs and appearance are centered around Halloween and dark fantasy themes. The band members perform as characters from the fictional city of "Gravetown", with each adopting an archetypal "monster" persona.
History
Leetspeak Monsters released their first single "Monster's Party" with label GLK Music in 2017,{{Cite web|url=http://v-kei.jp/news/?newsId=4951|title=2017 年 GLK Music より異色で斬新な新感覚バンド Leetspeak monsters 登場！ ViSULOG|last=|first=|date=|website=ヴィジュアル系ポータルサイト ViSULOG|language=ja|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=2020-04-15}} following band leader D13's concept of creating a "crossover of rock and hip hop within the imagery of a haunted house."{{Cite web|url=https://jrocknews.com/2019/11/interview-leetspeak-monsters.html|title=Interview: Leetspeak monsters welcome ghosts to enjoy music with them|last=|first=|date=2019-11-19|website=jrocknews.com|language=en-US|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=2020-04-15}} In the same year, the band released a mini-album Storyteller in the Strange Night, followed by their first full-length album Monster's Theater, which ranked in the top 100 on the Oricon album chart.{{Cite web|url=https://www.oricon.co.jp/prof/690632/rank/|title=Leetspeak monsters Oricon ranking|last=|first=|date=|website=Oricon News|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=2020-04-15}}
The band's subsequent releases continued to expand the mythology of Leetspeak Monsters' fictional home of "Gravetown", with lyrics in English and Japanese about normal people having scary encounters. D13 insists that the true meaning of the band's name will remain a secret, saying that he enjoys hearing different interpretations from their audience.{{Cite web|title=Leetspeak monsters stage a scary celebration for "Beltane" (Interview)|url=https://j-generation.com/2020/04/leetspeak-monsters-stage-a-scary-celebration-for-beltane-interview/|date=2020-04-29|website=J-Generation|language=en-US|access-date=2020-05-01}}
In 2018, Leetspeak Monsters released the mini-album Mixtured night between Life and Death and a single covering The Nightmare Before Christmas theme song "This is Halloween", resulting from D13's admiration of filmmaker Tim Burton and composer Danny Elfman.{{Cite web|url=https://www.jame-world.com/en/article/152169-interview-with-leetspeak-monsters.html|title=Interview with Leetspeak monsters|date=2019-11-25|website=JaME|access-date=2020-04-15}}
On May 26, 2018, Leetspeak Monsters began their one-man tour of Japan called "Leetspeak monsters 1st Oneman Tour Life and Death Tour - Seija to sisya no yoru". The tour went across 3 cities with the final performance at Takadanobaba CLUB PHASE on June 3.{{Cite web|url=http://www.visunavi.com/news/273121/|title=Leetspeak monsters コメント動画到着！1st Oneman Tour 大阪公演、Sold Out！|last=|first=|date=|website=びじゅなび|language=ja|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=2020-04-17}}
In 2019, the band released the maxi-single 13th Friday Night and their second full album Monster's Theater II. They also contributed an original song, "Gekkouin -Moonlight Shadow", to the album Bad Ass Temple Funky Sounds from seiyuu rap project Hypnosis Mic.{{Cite web|url=http://j-generation.com/leetspeak-monsters-create-new-song-for-hypnosis-mic/|title=Leetspeak monsters create new song for Hypnosis Mic|last=|first=|date=2019-11-26|website=J-Generation|language=en-US|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=2020-04-16}}
In 2020, Leetspeak Monsters released the maxi-single "Beltane", named after the Gaelic bonfire ritual.{{Cite web|url=http://j-generation.com/leetspeak-monsters-journey-into-the-forest-for-new-single-beltane/|title=Leetspeak monsters journey into the forest for new single "Beltane"|date=2020-03-24|website=J-Generation|language=en-US|access-date=2020-04-15}}
Band members
Current members
- D13 (skeleton cemetery guide) - vocals (2009–present)
- Euskyss (vampire prince) - bass (2011–present)
- Yo’shmeer (Frankenstein's monster) - guitar (2017–present)
- DieWolf (werewolf) - drums (2011–present)
Former members
- Mattünurg - guitar
Discography
= Studio albums =
= Singles and EPs =
| class="wikitable"
!Year !Single and EP details |
| rowspan="2" |2017
|"Monster's Party" (maxi-single)
| align="center" |— |
"Storyteller in the Strange Night" (mini-album)
| align="center" |— |
| rowspan="2" |2018
|"Mixtured night between Life and Death" (mini-album)
| align="center" |112 |
"This is Halloween" (maxi-single)
| align="center" |53 |
| 2019
|"13th Friday Night" (maxi-single)
| align="center" |64 |
| 2020
|"Beltane" (maxi-single)
| align="center" |44 |
Videography
= Music Videos =
- 2017: "Monster's Party"
- 2017: "Black Owl"
- 2018: "This is Halloween"
- 2018: "Wonderland"
- 2018: "Greenman"
- 2019: "13th Friday night"
- 2019: "Gothic"
- 2020: "Beltane"
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- {{Official website|https://leetspeak-monsters.com/}}
Category:Visual kei musical groups
Category:Japanese rock music groups