Jiluka
| Company type | Independent |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | May 2013 |
| Founder | Ricko, Sena, Boogie, JaiL |
| Headquarters | Japan |
Area served | Japan, International |
| Products | Music albums, singles |
, is a Japanese visual kei metal group that initially formed in May 2013 and resumed activities in February 2015. Functioning independently through their own label, Faizh Music, the members consist of Ricko, Sena (composer/songwriter), Boogie, and Zyean. Their body of work includes 8 releases—comprising one studio album, six EPs, and one greatest hits compilation—along with 12 singles. Originally known as "", they later embraced the "Electro Gothic Metal (EGM)" genre.
Jiluka's presence in the market steadily increased, climbing to 12th place on JRock News's list of top visual kei and Japanese rock artists in 2019. By 2021, they had advanced to third position and by 2024 secured second place, trailing only behind The Gazette.
2013–2016: Formation and initial phase
The band was founded in February 2013 by Ricko, Sena, Boogie, and JaiL, with their debut occurring on May 6, 2013. JaiL exited the group in June 2013 following a final performance in December, leading to a temporary halt in activities. The band made a comeback in 2015 with drummer Zyean joining the lineup. Their first single "Screamer" was followed by the EP Brave Agonistic Letters Under Segregation released on April 8. The second single "Lluvia" was issued on November 11. On April 20, 2016, their third single "Faizh" was launched ahead of their inaugural solo concert held on May 21 in Ikebukuro.
2017–2020: Debut album and Mad Pit Tours
In 2017, Jiluka unveiled their third EP titled Xenomorphic on June 28. The limited-edition single "Hellraiser" was exclusively available at their May 20, 2018 concert at Tsutaya-O West. Their first full-length album Metamorphose was released on September 12, 2018, achieving number eight on the Oricon Indies Albums chart. On December 16 of that year, they performed at the Metal Square vol. 4 festival in Shibuya alongside groups such as Dimlim and Deviloof.
During 2019, Jiluka took on sponsorship duties for the Mad Pit Tour alongside Deviloof, Dexcore, and Victim of Deception. On May 29, they issued the cover album Polyhedron, which included reinterpretations of tracks originally by Do As Infinity, Joe Yellow, and Hatsune Miku. Collaborating with breakin' holiday, they released a limited album B'H⇄JLK on August 3 featuring vocal exchanges between both bands. Their greatest hits compilation Xanadu came out on November 13 and featured a new song titled "Elice in Slow Motion" as well as a refreshed music video for "Screamer" from their debut EP.
Jiluka commemorated their fifth anniversary in February 2020 with a show at Tsutaya-O West. They had plans to host the Mad Pit Tour from June to July that year; however, it was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Starting October 3, they embarked on a nationwide tour with limited audience capacity to promote the EP Xtopia, which was released on October 14. Between August 30 and September 12, they toured alongside Leetspeak Monsters.
2021–present: Idola release and K4RMA world tour
On February 21, 2021, Jiluka performed a complimentary global online concert streamed via Twitch, hosted by Chaotic Harmony. Later that year, they announced their album Idola, which was released on September 15 following the August debut of the music video for "Kumari". The DVD Live: The Synergy was made available exclusively at the concluding show of the Idola tour held on March 18, 2022 in Tokyo. A collaborative tour with Leetspeak Monsters commenced May 1, 2022; it featured a joint CD titled Amphisbaena, sold solely during these performances. The digital single "Blvck", produced by Jeff Dunne, was released in September.
The Mad Pit Tour resumed in November of that year. Meanwhile, Zyean contributed support for Cazqui's (Nocturnal Bloodlust) solo project "The Button Eyes". Sena and Boogie—who serve as models for Mana's Moi-même-Moitié fashion line—participated in an event held in December. On February 18, 2023, Jiluka appeared at Dex Fest 2023 hosted by Dexcore. That same month saw the release of the single "Overkill", followed by "Venom" in September.
Jiluka made their United States debut at Anime Weekend Atlanta in October 2023. In November, they became the first visual kei act to perform in Portugal at Lisbon’s Evil Live Festival. Building upon this momentum, they announced their inaugural world tour K4RMA featuring five sold-out solo concerts across Europe—Bratislava, Warsaw, Cologne, Paris, and London—as well as appearances at Resurrection Fest in Spain and Los Angeles scheduled for July. Following K4RMA’s success, they returned to Europe in September for K4RMA - The Return adding Italy and Finland dates before concluding with a show in China. A four-date US tour commenced late October.
On February 16, 2025 Jiluka released the single "KVLT", supported by two concerts named "Dominvant" held in Osaka and Tokyo; physical copies were sold at the latter show. Beginning March 8, they joined Imminence alongside Landmvrks for a North American tour. In June, Jiluka will embark on their expansive world tour The KVLT covering South America and Europe with opening and closing performances scheduled for Tokyo. Their itinerary includes an appearance at Anime Summit in Brazil.
Musical style
Jiluka's sound is predominantly rooted in metalcore. The track "Twisted Pain" showcases powerful drumming with double bass pedals, intricate guitar solos, and fry scream vocals. According to Barks, the band delivers a "technical and intense sound," with "Divine Error" characterized as a "melody-heavy" composition. Their music also blends elements from hip hop and electronic dance music genres.
Influences
The Japanese group X Japan serves as a core inspiration for all Jiluka members. Sena shifted from hip-hop to rock after experiencing X Japan's "Kurenai", drawing particular influence from guitarists hide and Pata. His musical tastes also include artists such as Kansas, Rixton, Boston, and Hikaru Utada. Ricko has a preference for rap and bands like Linkin Park, while he previously enjoyed listening to L'Arc-en-Ciel. Boogie's influences span from Luna Sea to Korn and Slipknot, the latter of which introduced him to metal music. Zyean is an avid listener of various metal subgenres, citing bands like Metallica, Bullet for My Valentine, Rhapsody of Fire, and Behemoth.
Originally, the members occupied different positions within the band: Ricko moved from guitar to vocals due to the absence of a singer; Sena initially played drums before switching to guitar; Zyean, a self-taught vocalist who also handled guitar and bass, was encouraged by a classmate to take up drums; Boogie joined to fill the role of bassist when it was needed.
Members
- Ricko (リコ) – vocals (2013–present)
- Sena (セナ) – guitar (2013–present), backing vocals, rapping (2023–present)
- Boogie (ブギー) – bass guitar (2013–present)
- Zyean (ジェーン) – drums (2015–present)
Former members
- JaiL – drums (2013)
Albums
- Brave Agonistic Letters Under Segregation (April 8, 2015)
- Destrieb (August 5, 2015)
- Xenomorphic (June 28, 2017) (Oricon Albums Chart: 257)
- Metamorphose (September 12, 2018) (Oricon: 67; Indies Albums: 8)
- Polyhedron (May 29, 2019) (Oricon: 102)
- Xanadu (November 13, 2019) (Oricon: 83)
- Xtopia (October 14, 2020) (Oricon: 88)
- Idola (September 15, 2021) (Oricon: 125)
Singles
- "Screamer" (February 4, 2015)
- "Lluvia" (November 11, 2015)
- "Faizh" (April 20, 2016) (Oricon Singles Chart: 157)
- "Divine Error" (December 21, 2016) (Oricon: 110)
- "Ajna -SgVer-" (October 25, 2017) (Oricon: 186)
- "Hellraiser" (May 20, 2018)
- "Ignite" (July 1, 2020)
- "Blvck" (September 28, 2022)
- "Venom" (October 27, 2023)
- "Overkill" (March 8, 2023)
- "S4vage" (October 10, 2024)
- "Kvlt" (February 8, 2025)