the GazettE have shared demos of three unreleased songs from the album they were working on, an idea vocalist RUKI says came to him when his condition was at its worst following his collapse in September.
‘Koe’ (Voice), ‘Gudon no Sakura’ (Foolish Cherry Blossoms), and ‘Itan’ (Heresy) went live with their lyrics on the band’s official website on October 29th. An accompanying announcement says the members asked for the demos to be released, and that they will stay up for a limited time, with no end date set yet.
RUKI was taken to hospital on September 23rd after suddenly collapsing and losing consciousness. In an October 27th update, management company HERESY Inc. said his condition was improving, but that he remained in hospital for examinations and treatment. Out of respect for his privacy, the company has not disclosed his diagnosis or details of his condition.
RELATED: the GazettE vocalist RUKI hospitalised after collapsing and losing consciousness
In a lengthy post on X, RUKI said he would normally be unwilling to let anyone hear songs before they were finished. Facing the possibility that he might no longer be able to get them to fans made him reconsider.
“But more than that pride, what I’ve always truly wanted is to put what I’m feeling now and what I want to say into music and get it to you soon. When I seriously asked myself, ‘What if I could no longer do that?’ I thought I would regret it from the bottom of my heart.”
RUKI, translated from Japanese
With help from the other members, he was able to prepare the demos while recovering. He asked listeners to receive the recordings and lyrics as a letter to them, and said he wanted fans to hear how the songs would develop as part of the album.
RUKI also addressed those urging him to rest. He said he knew his physical and mental limits, but found that doing what he could for the band within them was healthier for him mentally, and that making the demos had helped him look forward again. He thanked fans for their encouragement and promised to let them know when he is discharged.
Guitarist URUHA said the band had kept him alive through difficult times, but admitted he regretted being unable to support his bandmates when they were suffering. Seeing them still fighting made him feel he could no longer stand still. He credited RUKI with creating the songs and said working on them together reminded him of the simple enjoyment of music they had always sought as a band.
For drummer KAI, receiving RUKI’s lyrics and hearing the demos felt like finding an answer within himself. In his own post, he thanked fans for messages that had encouraged the members and staff as well as RUKI. He said he hoped fans would look forward to the finished songs in the not-too-distant future, though RUKI’s recovery would continue to come first.
In ‘Koe’, RUKI sings about learning to cry without making a sound and hiding his pain, before deciding to live with it and sing without hiding his feelings. ‘Gudon no Sakura’ recalls someone’s final wish becoming a promise, alongside the image of a withering cherry tree at midnight. The band have not said whether the lyrics refer to specific people or events.
‘Itan’ takes a defiant turn and explicitly invokes itan geisha (heretic performers), from the Dai Nippon Itan Geisha concept the band adopted in their early years. They revived that concept for their 15th anniversary concert at Yoyogi National Gymnasium on March 10th 2017, titled Dai Nippon Itan Geisha “Boudouku Gudon no Sakura”.
URUHA and KAI both spoke about the difficulties the band has faced in recent years. Bassist REITA died on April 15th 2024, while the GazettE announced guitarist AOI’s removal in March 2026. RUKI, URUHA and KAI have since continued the band’s activities.
Their most recent studio album, ‘MASS’, came out on May 26th 2021. Neither a title nor a release date has been announced for the new album.
Members’ statements
RUKI
First of all, to all our fans and everyone we work with who has always supported us, I’m very sorry for causing you worry.
As the official announcement has said, I’m gradually recovering while continuing to undergo examinations and recuperate.
Although I’ve caused you a great deal of anxiety, I’ve received so much encouragement and so many words that give me courage. Every day, they give me the strength to keep going as I think about wanting to see you all soon.
The idea for these three demo tracks came to me when I collapsed and my condition was at its worst.
Perhaps it was instinct, but I kept thinking about whether there was some way I could get the songs we’re working on to all of you.
They’re still incomplete and at the demo stage. To be honest, I’ve always had my pride, and normally I wouldn’t want you to hear them until they were perfect.
But more than that pride, what I’ve always truly wanted is to put what I’m feeling now and what I want to say into music and get it to you soon. When I seriously asked myself, ‘What if I could no longer do that?’ I thought I would regret it from the bottom of my heart.
From there, I turned to the other members for help and entrusted them with my honest feelings. Although I’m still recovering, I was able to make something I could let you hear, as far as I was able, in the form of these demos.
These are still only demos, but I’ve put all my feelings into them. I’d be happy if you could receive them, including the lyrics, as a letter to all of you.
And I want you to hear how they’ll develop further as part of the album. All I want is to get the finished songs to you soon.
When I’m safely discharged from hospital, being able to make music again with the bandmates who mean so much to me and have supported me from the heart would make me so happy.
My feelings had sunk into complete darkness, but I can finally look forward again. I have to look forward if I’m going to see you all soon. Making these demos helped me feel that I wanted to live with all my strength and give everything I can, and it was only possible by working together with the other members.
Some people have told me to rest more. Of course I know the limits of my mind and body and won’t push myself too hard, but I’ve lived my life always thinking about this band, the GazettE.
I’ve come to realise that, as long as I don’t overdo it, being able to focus on doing what I can for the band like this is healthier for me mentally.
I’ve come to understand that in my own way because I’ve also experienced times when so many things happened at once that I couldn’t bring myself to face music at all.
Once again, I want to thank everyone who means so much to me, and I’m truly sorry for making you worry.
I’ve caused you so much concern, but I hope you’ll keep watching over the GazettE from here on.
Even if I keep you waiting, I want to make sure I deliver our music to you in the best possible form, without any regrets.
I know I’ve said it many times, but I’m truly grateful. Thank you.
I’ll let you know when I’m discharged from hospital.
Thank you for your continued support.
RUKI, translated from JapaneseURUHA
Today, we shared three demo recordings on our official website.
No matter how difficult things have been up to this day, this band has kept me alive, and the other members have been there to support me.
But over the past few years, I’ve felt so much regret at not being able to support those same members when they were all suffering.
Seeing the members beside me still fighting desperately, even with their minds and bodies wounded, made me feel strongly that I couldn’t stand still any longer. I felt that now, of all times, I had to take an important step forward.
Now was the time to support RUKI and KAI’s wish to convey through music, above all else, what we’ve been feeling and what we’ve wanted to share with everyone. We’ve worked to give shape to these three songs RUKI created, even though they’re still at the demo stage.
Being able to layer the sounds one by one with the other members is so precious, and making these recordings was very important to us. Even in circumstances that were far from normal, we were able to face the same direction and put our feelings into these songs together. It made me realise that this was the simple enjoyment of music we’d been seeking through being in a band all along.
Being able to bring music like this to everyone who has been waiting feels, more than anything, like what gives my life meaning. I’m honestly happy.
That’s how deeply it moved me, and I sincerely want you to hear the GazettE’s music as it is now, with nothing hidden.
I can never thank you enough for always supporting us from the heart. Please continue to support the GazettE.
URUHA, translated from JapaneseKAI
First of all, thank you so much for all your messages of concern and encouragement for RUKI.
They’ve encouraged not only RUKI himself but all the members and staff as well.
Even now, the GazettE and all of you fans continue to save me.
As for these demos, even though the music is unfinished, when I received the lyrics from RUKI and listened to the songs, I felt they were full of feelings I wanted to express.
It felt like an answer within myself.
I’m deeply grateful to the members who always give me such strong support.
Over the past few years, the members and staff have walked on with me, carrying so many feelings we couldn’t put into words and trying desperately to look ahead, even a little at a time. I’m very happy we could take this big step together today.
I hope everyone who continues to love the GazettE will listen to these songs, and that they’ll reach all of you.
I also hope you’ll look forward to hearing these three songs as finished works in the not-too-distant future.
RUKI’s recovery will continue to come first for now, but I want to move forward again from here, even a little at a time.
Please continue to support the GazettE.
KAI, translated from JapaneseAbout the GazettE
the GazettE are a Japanese visual kei rock band formed on March 10th 2002. Originally known as ガゼット (Gazetto), the group was founded by vocalist RUKI, guitarists URUHA and AOI, bassist REITA and drummer YUNE, who was replaced by KAI in 2003. They built a following through Tokyo's live-house circuit and a series of independent releases before issuing their debut album 'DISORDER' in 2004, and making their major-label debut with single 'Cassis' in 2005. The band's 2010 single 'SHIVER' served as the opening theme for anime Black Butler II. the GazettE made their Nippon Budokan headline debut in 2006 and performed at Tokyo Dome in 2010. Their first world tour followed in 2013, with further international tours in 2016 and 2019 taking them across the Americas, Europe and Asia. REITA passed away on April 15th 2024. The band held a memorial concert on May 27th and returned to touring in 2025 with a 23rd-anniversary tour and a series of concerts produced by individual members. In March 2026, the GazettE announced AOI's removal from the line-up. RUKI, URUHA and KAI remain the active members, although RUKI has described the band as four members including REITA.
