Igniting a new Era: JILUKA live in Cologne 2024

Visual-kei is not dead. The heydays for V-kei artists succeeding overseas seemed long over, with the pandemic cutting off the last threads that held the scene together. Sure, long-established artists are capable of drawing significant numbers of people. Yet, for a band setting foot on European grounds for the first time now and attracting hundreds of people? I thought it would be unfeasible—and boy, was I wrong!
JILUKA K4RMA WORLD TOUR Club Volta Cologne Germany 2024/06/23 © Wanda Proft
No other than Japanese Metalcore powerhouse JILUKA made the seemingly impossible possible. Not only did they run a successful world tour this spring, but all five European shows were sold out. They are already back with six concerts for their JILUKA K4RMA WORLD TOUR – THE RETURN, starting in Helsinki tonight. This being said it’s about damn time to share some impressions of their first appearance in Europe. So, without further ado, here we go.
JILUKA K4RMA WORLD TOUR Club Volta Cologne Germany 2024/06/23 © Wanda Proft

The audience bursts into jubilation as soon as the four-piece band enters the stage of the Club Volta in Cologne, Germany. JILUKA are opening with their latest song, S4VAGE, and with it, setting the pace for the evening. Their music is fast and vigorous, demanding everything from the willing audience.

Performing in Germany for the first time, JILUKA hit it off with their fans from the get-go. Skillfully, vocalist Ricko, guitarist Sena, bassist Boogie, and drummer Zyean are charming their fans. Most of all with their powerful music and performance, as well as their looks and personality, they incite their fans to join in enthusiastic shouts and multiple walls of death, absolutely killing it that night.

JILUKA K4RMA WORLD TOUR Club Volta Cologne Germany 2024/06/23 © Wanda Proft
After the introduction, BLVCK and OVERKILL come next and are welcomed with exploding rapture. With these two singles from 2022 and 2023, respectively, JILUKA redefined their signature sound, labeling it as ›Electronic Gothic Metal‹ or ›EGM‹ for short. The fans are captivated by the show, eating up everything they are offered, recent songs and older ones alike.
JILUKA K4RMA WORLD TOUR Club Volta Cologne Germany 2024/06/23 © Wanda Proft
With songs like Faizh (2016) and Raison d’etre (2015), JILUKA share some of their earlier repertoire as well. Compared to the recent material, these songs tend to be a bit softer, with more clear vocals and fewer electronic elements. Instead, the songs have more of the typical swift changes between crushing headbanging parts and melodic hooks that many Visual-kei bands incorporate in their music.
JILUKA K4RMA WORLD TOUR Club Volta Cologne Germany 2024/06/23 © Wanda Proft
And JILUKA, pros in their craft, know how to use this to their advantage very well. Even the rather recent KUMARI has harsh blast beats, racing guitar riffs, a heavy electronic base, and deep growls, but also eerily calming parts with only Ricko singing along an electronic backtrack. It gives the illusion of a break for the necks of the fans, only to go wild again right after, letting the fans go crazy.
JILUKA K4RMA WORLD TOUR Club Volta Cologne Germany 2024/06/23 © Wanda Proft

After all, in all the harshness and heaviness of the music lies also a softness and catchiness, making evenings like this so wonderful. The four bandman also connect very well with their fans.

Ricko bridges the language barrier with a charming mix of vicious shouts, vibrant clear vocals, and a friendly smile. Sena, the creative head of the band, augments JILUKA’s strengths with his diverse guitar, which leads many songs, and, well, the spiciest stage costume of the band. Boogie grounds the songs with a deep, buzzing bass and a mysterious appeal, while Zyean adds his superb drumming and presents one of the highlights of the evening, an extended, expressive drum solo.

JILUKA K4RMA WORLD TOUR Club Volta Cologne Germany 2024/06/23 © Wanda Proft
JILUKA’s music gives me the best Crossfaith vibes, reflecting that despite the typical Visual-kei manner, the band can also fill stages outside the typical V-kei realms. In this intersection of the Visual-kei world and the Metalcore scene, they are setting themselves apart from their peers and, simultaneously are exemplary for the modern Visual-kei scene. Rounding up the European tour leg with appearances at Resurrection Fest in Spain and Evil Live Festival in Portugal is only more proof of that.
JILUKA K4RMA WORLD TOUR Club Volta Cologne Germany 2024/06/23 © Wanda Proft
This night in Cologne, the concert lasts wonderfully long with 14 songs in the main set and two additional ones in the encore, yet it still feels like it’s over way too soon. The concert ends with JILUKA playing S4VAGE another time, coming full circle to where they picked up pace in the beginning, leaving fans blissfully satisfied yet still craving for more. But the fans’ hopes should not go unheard! As Boogie promised in a last message to the fans: »I am so happy to see so many people. We promise we will come back soon!« And here they are back, not even three months after hitting Europe the first time.
JILUKA K4RMA WORLD TOUR Club Volta Cologne Germany 2024/06/23 © Wanda Proft
JILUKA’s first concert in Germany was a feast and a fun night, and it was beautiful to see the scene flourish. By summoning long-standing fans and drawing new, young ones, JILUKA introduces a new era, revitalizing and reforming the European scene. Much more seems possible now, and I can’t wait to experience where this will lead us. Thank you, JILUKA, and thank you to the wonderful audience for opening new horizons!

SETLIST
01. S4VAGE
02. BLVCK
03. OVERKILL
04. VENΦM
05. BaLa-DeDa
06. Obliterator
07. Eclipse
08. Faizh
09. KUMARI
10. Drum solo
11. Raison d’etre
12. Hellraiser
13. Twisted Pain
14. SUZAKU

ENCORE
E1. Last Faith
E2. S4VAGE

Picture of Wanda Proft

Wanda Proft

The visionary and head of EN.CORE ROCKS. A devoted, multi-talented creative, music addict, enthusiastic traveler calling Tōkyō her second home, and explorer of contemporary as well as traditional culture of Japan. [Illustration: Lisa Röntsch]