Favorite Visual Kei Demo Tapes/Cassettes in general

[reiketsu]

heavy agree on missantroop, its the song that made me get into madeth's music!!
a personal favorite of mine is literally any of rain's DTs. their whole discography was only consisted of various small demos with simple covers and i feel like thats the most charming thing about them

[Takadanobabaalien]

This is by no means any groundbreaking vk demo, but whenever I specifically think of the tape format it's this one. One of the first tapes I bought by myself as a teenager. Big shame Misa isn't doing jack nowadays

[colorful人生]

FASCiSt - CONSCIOUSSNESS INVASION is my go-to.

[polarwizer]

Some of my faves:

CHILD - Aka
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wz1Euql7RZc&

WAIL - awake (and "fate" too, but I prefer "awake")
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A0joHiXolPA

Dear Loving - Identification Card
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3NEx4cBkeqU

Shinjuku Gewalt - Kaizou Tape
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gTEeeFVGI9s

Rebirth - 3P ~The three phrases~
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vl9-urWNUsg (This song has my vote for one of the best guitar solos in vkei)

[yukina]

Here are the one's I love the most that I have great attachment towards
My top 10
麗音 - 妖艶
Larm†Madul'e - 「呪縛葬劇」～九日目ノワタシへ…
Larm†Madul'e - 「呪縛葬劇」～九日目ノ貴女へ...
Lu†Sier - 異端児達の憂欝
de∞fy - 鎖...
Courrâges - Courrâges
ErecSia - ErecSia
Matir la verite - 禁断の懺悔
Raphir - 彷ゥ幻覚亡想
Lure＋Selene - 官能

[pairdog]

@yukina ErecSia tape is so good. I remember when Milphinne broke into the scene and if you told me then that the vocalist was in a dark gothic band I would've went nuts for that.

[yukina]

@pairdog they are phenomenal

[SATAN-GOTH-ZONE]

DEFLOWER, Kagrra and Lustair demo tapes.

I also love the art/design for all those early demo tapes. Close up of someone's eye(s) taken with a polaroid, moody dark art drawn by a friend or the extravagant KEY PARTY designs.

Demo tapes are really fun, they're definitely alive in well in DIY punk and synth scenes. I buy them at shows from bands all the time and I love how fun and crafty they are.

[pairdog]

I mean ... where do I start? I could make an hours-long playlist of demotapes that I've loved to death for years.

/ big loves

cali≠gari - 第1実験室, 洗脳, 第2実験室, 嘔吐/オヤスミナサイ
MUCC - 愁歌
CROW - 百夜絵
dueljewel - 白, 黒
Mercuro - 断崖景色
P∞L - アジアの灯
餞～ハナむケ。～ - 星の色
キナルラ - mask
しゃるろっと - 電波事情
After effect - ↑DOWN↓/Lies
Luinspear - white kiss, G-CROSS, Luvis

/ also loves

emmurée - 「　　　　」
gill'e cadith - 自虐妄想クランベリー
グルグル映畫館 - 三河湾純情ラプソディー
lamiel - 黒, 朱, 碧
SCISSOR - From 住人 to 色。
バロック - 否定デリカシー
Janne Da Arc's first tapes ... what I've heard
Pure FINALE - END 4 YOU
kra - brise

[biopanda]

It's really tough, but I'd say that Greece Grace's β and γ tapes are the ones that I go back to the most. They only ever released just a handful of tapes, but had a dreamy and ethereal atmosphere that I've never found elsewhere.

[disposable]

@SATAN-GOTH-ZONE said:

I also love the art/design for all those early demo tapes. Close up of someone's eye(s) taken with a polaroid, moody dark art drawn by a friend or the extravagant KEY PARTY designs.

It's very unfortunate that the transition to CD in visual kei was so comprehensive and that it coincided with what's arguably a decline in popular culture aesthetics that happened from around 2005 on. I know there's an element of kitschy appeal to how suddenly vk bands would have covers that looked like they were by Creed; but these decadent, gothic aesthetics whether full blown Aubrey Beardsley or just a fuzzy black and white photo of a church looming over rose petals were actually great, period. That's why this period of vk is getting increased attention in music circles outside of weebdom, while late 2000s vk is severely overlooked, because that whole world is an acquired taste.