the GazettE to Unleash Eighth Album DOGMA in the UK & Europe

the GazettE, one of Japan’s leading heavy rock bands, returns with eighth album DOGMA, released on CD in the UK and Europe through JPU Records on 2 October, and digitally from 26 August, one week ahead of its digital release in Japan (2 September) and the rest of the world (4 September).

DOGMA is mastered by one of the world’s most in-demand engineers, Ted Jenson (Bring Me The Horizon, Deftones, Pantera) of Sterling Sound. It follows 2013’s BEAUTIFUL DEFORMITY release, which peaked at number five in Japan’s Oricon Weekly Album chart, as well as making top ten in global iTunes charts as the band conducted their first world tour.

The first proper taste of DOGMA came in early August 2015 with the lyric video to album track OMINOUS, leading to Metal Injection hailing the song as “Japan’s answer to bands like Katatonia… and Porcupine Tree”. A week later the GazettE followed it up by revealing a sampler of the entire album on their YouTube channel.

Since 2002, the GazettE has risen to become one of Japan’s most successful rock bands. They’ve refined and redefined the boundaries of rock music, achieving continual chart success despite their often heavy, ominous sound.

In the last decade, the GazettE have earned top-ten chart success with all 20 of their major label albums and singles. Their music has taken them all over Japan on massive, sold-out tours and seen them perform at some of the country’s most prestigious venues. Highlights include sold-out “one man lives” (a Japanese term for shows with a single band on the line-up) at the mighty Nippon Budokan, Saitama Super Arena and Japan’s 55,000-seat Tokyo Dome – not to mention packed-out tours across the globe. The band even managed to bring Shinjuku Station – the world’s busiest transport hub – to a halt when a guerrilla gig got out of hand and tens of thousands of fans arrived within minutes of the news breaking on social media.

the GazettE emerged from the depths of “visual kei”, a Japanese cultural music and fashion phenomenon. Originally part of its underground scene, preforming at tiny venues and self-releasing CDs, they now fill stadiums and have become known as one of the most significant names of the genre, effortlessly rewriting its rulebook with every release.

The mid-2000s saw the group turn heads when their independent, self-produced EPs began ranking in the top three of Japan’s official indie charts, even making top 30 of the official album chart. By 2005 the band had broken into the top ten of the official singles chart with indie single Reila, and followed it up with their first major album “Nil (Nameless Liberty Underground)”, entering at number four. The rest is history.

Ten years on, and the GazettE maintain their independent ethos by remaining completely self-produced, despite being backed by a major record label – a rare feat in the Japanese music industry. Their energy, artistic vision and power has made the GazettE a serious force in spearheading Japanese rock to the world, and reignited interest in “visual kei” on a global scale.

To celebrate the release, JPU Records has also re-released the GazettE’s first three major-label albums NIL, STACKED RUBBISH and DIM, out now on CD with exclusive new translation booklets. Also out digitally on iTunes and Spotify, amongst others.

DOGMA TRACKLIST
01. NIHIL
02. DOGMA
03. RAGE
04. DAWN
05. DERACINE
06. BIZARRE
07. WASTELAND
08. INCUBUS
09. LUCY
10. GRUDGE
11. PARALYSIS
12. DEUX
13. BLEMISH
14. OMINOUS (Lyric Video)

the GazettE