Album Review: deadman — genealogie der moral

Verdict: ★★★★☆ (4/5)  •  Style: Dark VK / Post-punk / Minimal, moody  •  For fans of: cali≠gari, MUCC (early), Kuroyume

genealogie der moral.

Context

deadman occupy a special corner of Visual Kei: stark, literary, and nocturnal. Rather than maximal theatrics, they lean into claustrophobic atmosphere—close-miked vocals, nervy guitar figures, and a rhythm section that stalks rather than sprints. genealogie der moral captures that mood like a dim bar light: everything is intimate, a little dangerous, and strangely beautiful.

Sound & Songs

The record anchors itself in tight, skeletal grooves—bass at the front, drums dry and precise, guitars cutting in shards. Arrangements leave plenty of space for breath and tension; when the band does open up, it feels earned.

• 「静かな口づけ (Shizukana Kuchizuke)」 — the heart of the release: whispered menace that blooms into a bruised lullaby. The hook feels like a secret shared in a dark room.
• Other standouts: note how the guitar lines act like counter-melodies rather than pure riffing; the vocal phrasing dips between spoken cadence and soft croon, always a step from unraveling.

Lyrics & Aesthetic

deadman write in images: bodies as metaphors, silence as confession. You get VK’s performative drama, but stripped of fireworks—more noir theatre than circus. The visuals (simple silhouettes, muted palettes) serve the songs rather than eclipse them.

Impact & Why It Matters

• Cult gravity: A touchstone for VK’s darker, art-house lane—bands chasing mood over bombast cite releases like this.
• Timeless minimalism: The less-is-more production keeps it from aging the way glossy 2000s mixes often do.
• Scene texture: Reminds newcomers that VK contains multitudes: not just symphonic grandeur, but hushed confessionals too.

Pros & Cons

• + Pros: atmosphere for days; memorable vocal lines; economical arrangements that reward close listening.
• – Cons: if you want big anthems, the restraint here might feel too subdued.

Verdict

A midnight record—intimate, unsettling, and quietly addictive. genealogie der moral is deadman at their most distilled: the kind of release that pulls you back not with hooks, but with atmosphere you can’t shake.

Listen & Buy

▶ Search on Spotify
▶ “静かな口づけ” on YouTube
💿 Search on CDJapan

Tags: Reviews, deadman