Band of the week 19/2026
Origin: Seoul, Korea
Genre: Depressive Suicidal Blackened Pop
Hier geht’s zur deutschen Version.
The band about itself:
Madmans Esprit is making depressive suicidal blackened pop in Seoul, Korea and their second home, Berlin, Germany.
Editorial commentary:
Madmans Esprit describe their style as Depressive Suicidal Blackened Pop. Do not be scared by that since their style boils down to Depressive Suicuide with some heavy Visual-Kei and Gothic influences. If you’re looking for nice or easy listening music you’re looking in the wrong place. Their stylistic description is a summary of Kyuho’s musical influences, most notably bands like Shining, DIR EN GREY and Radiohead. The musical evolution of Madmans Esprit is incredibly fascinating and every album and EP has its own distinct sound.
The debut album Nacht, released in 2014, was the first album of theirs I happened to stumble upon, and it left a strong impression. It’s a solid Black Metal Album with Shoegaze and some dramatic Gothic influences and so mentally I made a note to keep an eye on the band and their future development. That decision was absolutely worth it as with each subsequent album they find more and more of their own musical identity, and the music keeps aging like fine wine. 2018 they released 무의식의 의식화 (Conscientization of Unconsciousness), in which some Visual-Kei influences finally managed to sneak in, and in 2022 나는 나를 통해 우리를 보는 너를 통해 나를 본다 Madmans Esprit as a solo project came to a close and Kyuho made the live musicians permanent members. The album rightfully won Best Metal and Hardcore Album at the 2023 Korean Music Awards.
Why did I list the first three albums in such detail? You might wonder, but Korea is a society that places great emphasis on conformity and avoiding standing out from the crowd. The first three albums were Kyuho’s journey to finding himself, and after spending several years in Berlin, it was time to bring all his musical influences together and say ’screw conformity‘. DSBM is a niche genre and stands out, but dressed entirely in black, you’re less noticeable than if you were nailed to a cross or had eyeballs slowly melting out of your skull. Lyrically, the themes of depression, suicide, sex, and Kyuho’s struggle with his mental health were now joined by texts opposing the pressure to conform and celebrity worship.
Kyuho is very clear that he shouldn’t be glorified or put on a pedestal just because he makes music that some people like. In my opinion, the EP Mismatch is one of their best releases, both musically and lyrically. The song Mismatch is a desperate struggle against suicide and the knowledge that it’s futile and no one makes it out alive. Kyuho growls and screams for his life—literally. Idon’tknowwhoIambutthesexgoeson is a middle finger to idol worship and conformity, because it forces the object of worship into a mold from which it’s hard to escape. Madmans Esprit leaves you feeling empty after listening to it but simultaneously comforted in the knowledge that you’re not alone. Their music creeps itself into your ear and never lets you go again.
Live impressions:
Music recommendation:
Upcoming live dates:
2026.05.30(Sat) Walpurgisnacht prismhall
2026.06.05(Fri) 「断絶」ONEMAN LIVE IN 大阪
2026.06.06(sat) DEVIFEST 2026 gorilla hall osaka
Links:
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YouTube
Band of the week is our weekly posting about a band we recommend and is posted every Tuesday at 8pm (CEST). These are bands that are just at the beginning of their career and that we think should receive more attention.
You can also find all the bands we’ve featured this year in our playlist on Spotify!
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