Baroque (band)

BAROQUE (previously stylized as Baroque and baroque) was a Japanese rock band originally formed in 2001. Originally signed to S'Cube, a sub-division of the independent record label Free-Will, the band later switched to the company's Firewall Division, with distribution handled by Sony Music Entertainment Japan. After releasing two albums, along with a greatest hits compilation, several singles and home video releases, baroque disbanded in 2004. They became the newest band to play at the prestigious Nippon Budokan after just two years and three months into their career. They have also been credited as one of the bands that started oshare kei, a subgenre of visual kei that features more colorful outfits and utilizes upbeat and "happy" music. baroque reunited for a free concert in 2011 and fully restarted activities in January 2012. That same month, baroque became the first independent band to have three of the top five positions on Oricon's main chart. However, bassist Bansaku left the group several months later and guitarist Akira followed in 2013, leaving only the duo of vocalist ryo and guitarist Kei.