Dollhouse In Black

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Band Bio

Dollhouse in Black was actually formed years ago in 2004 in Daejeon, South Korea.

Vocalist Kyeung-Son Kim and guitarist Hyeun-Sok Mang formed as a duo after high school, forsaking their parents' desired college/business future. Angry after a month of playing bars and low pay, Kyeung seeked out extra members. Female bassist Seuong-Min Hwang, an eccentric girl who tended to scare people she was around with her shocking make-up, and drummer Ikiyo Hiroshito, an albino Japanese exchanged student, were quickly found.

Because of the band's flashy attire, the band was thought to be part of Japan's "visual kei" movement, muck like the Japanese band Dir en Grey, from which the band draws heavy influence. In spite of their Korean lyrics, font, and names, the band was thought to be Japanese until Kyeung explained the whole thing at a gig in Seoul. Even so, they received quite a following in Asia, but never made it to Europe or America. They became the only known Korean Visual Kei band.

One day in 2009 the president of Fallen Records was in Japan with the Rey sisters of The Forgotten Falling. At a random gig he went to see, he stumbled upon Dollhouse in Black. As he watched the spiky-haired, eye-linered vocalist drink blood on stage, he knew the band was perfect for Fallen Records.

Upon his request to sign the band, he realized that the band had released three albums on an independent, Asia-only label. When he offered to market the band's albums in America and Europe as well as Asia, they accepted.

In typical Visual Kei fahion, Dollhouse in Black's sound is difficult to describe. Songs can range from soothing yet haunting melodies, to all-out death attacks, to even taking on pop-rock hooks, all complimented by vocals in Korean and English, slight techno touches, and aggressive instrumentation.

As the band grew, and joined a metal record label, their sound took on more metal traits such as more screams, faster beats, and more riff-oriented stylings.

The first album, "Scarlet", had a Nu-Metal flavor comparable to a more melodic Slipknot, while the second, untitled one had a more alt rock style. The third, "Somber", evolved to sound like melodic nu, blending the first two seamlessly. Once the band joined Fallen Records, the fourth album, "Haunted", was produced by Hayden Frasco, the frontman of one of Fallen's most prestigious bands. Sporting more screams, more technicality, and more syncopation, "Haunted" was confirmation that Dollhouse had found their niche in dark, alternative metal.

The band's 5th record was a concept album about a soldier in an unnamed war known as "Zombie." The nickname had a deeper meaning having to do with the storyline of the album. It took a much more technical metal approach, as to better illustrate the chaos of the storyline and emotional element.

INFLUENCES: Dir en Grey, Girugamesh, Phantasmagoria, Mors Principium Est, A.F.I., H.I.M., Motionless in White, Evanescence, My Chemical Romance, Blinded Colony.

SOUND: Varies. Instruments sound natural. Vocals are mostly melodic and the driving melody, while screams are high.

Members:
Kyeung-Son Kim- Vocals, programming (keyboard melodies, beats)
Hyeun-Sok Maeng- Guitars
Seuong-Min Hwang- Bass
Ikiyo Hiroshito- Drums and percussion

Frontman Kyeung-Son graduated from high school at the top his English class, allowing him to write compelling lyrics in both Korean and English. They're backed up by his haunting voice, which spans three octaves and sports a killer falsetto. His vocals are described as haunting, compelling, and hypnotic, and his screams as demonic and caustic. Because of this, his masochistic stage antics, orange contact lenses, and fountain-like blue hair, some say he's possessed.

Guitarist Hyeun-Sok was Kyeung's long time friend since elementary school. The most quiet member of the band, he can seemingly write guitar lines to Kyeung's lyrics without much effort at all. It is also rumored that he took lessons from the same teacher as Miyako Rey of the Forgotten Falling. His phrygian solos speak for themselves.

Bassist Seuong-Min is a shocking girl. In a society where most girls are expected to act feminine and be studious, she was wasn't afraid to flaunt black studded clothing and eye-makeup that resembled tears of black blood. When the "bassist needed" add appeared on the bus, it was a dream come true. Many people will also know that if you can stand 15 minutes of Seuong's company, you'll find that she's actually a thoughtful and perceptive individual.

Ikiyo was an exchanged student from Shinjuku, Japan. An ardent Minagoroshi fan, he took up the drums at age ten and never looked back. His four previous bands all met in disaster, but he struck gold with Dollhouse in Black. He is also the band's primary album artist, having taken a class in anime in high school. He is an albino, making his hair white, his skin white, and his eyes red. It is common knowledge that many albinos go blind at some point in their lives. In preparation for the day, Ikiyo has committed his drumset flawlessly to memory.

Band Gear

This band doesn't own any gear!

Albums / EPs

Murder Date Released: 9/30/2011   Tracks: 10 Sales: 13   Listens: 28 The sixth album of Korean Visual Kei rockers Dollhouse In Black takes more influence from "Somber" and "Haunted" than the technical death metal approach of "I Am Zombie". The Reasons for the delay were many, but amongst the worst was a tragedy the band saw coming. Japanese albino drummer Ikiyo Hiroshito had gone blind. "I woke up one day... I had been having eye troubles the week before... and then... I opened my eyes, I could feel my eyelids open, but all I saw was blackness... I couldn't even look at my girlfriend whom I thought was laying next to me... Once I found her, she asked me what was wrong and I tried to find the words. When she said 'I'm right here', I broke..." -Ikiyo Foreseeing this event, as most albino humans exhibit vision-problems, Ikiyo spent countless hours committing his drumset to memory. But once the reality of the situation hit him, he was on the verge of suicide. Only constant support from his bandmates, his girlfriend, and the fans convinced him to live, and continue drumming for Dollhouse In Black. "This album is for the fans, and for Ikiyo. Kamsa Hamnida." -Dollhouse In Black

I Am ZOMBIE Date Released: 10/3/2010   Tracks: 17 Sales: 10   Listens: 24 A soldier protagonist, "Zombie", goes off to war. He is a hero. He faces impossible odds, and kills countless enemy troops. Upon returning home, he is given a hero's welcome. But in Zombie's dreams, the war is still raging. His enemies won't stop screaming; his friends won't stop crying; the bombs keep exploding. In body he is a hero, but in mind he has become a zombie; doomed to fight forever in the battlefield of his shattered mind. From the masters of macabre, Dollhouse in Black.

Haunted Date Released: 5/27/2010   Tracks: 11 Sales: 9   Listens: 19 The fourth album from Korean goth rockers Dollhouse in Black is their first album to be recorded on U.S. shores at Fallen® Records. Without a doubt the darkest album yet, the lyrics are aggressive, confusing, and at times sadistic (For Dollhouse in Black). Produced and mixed by Hayden Frasco of the Forgotten Falling at Fallen® Records.

Somber Date Released: 4/17/2010   Tracks: 11 Sales: 6   Listens: 17 The third album from Dollhouse in Black and the last album to be recorded and marketed under Cybercandi® records back in 2009. Widely regarded as the perfect blend of the harder sound of Scarlet mixed with the cleaner stylings of the untitled album, somber is the work of a band firmly planted behind their identity.

Self-titled Date Released: 3/17/2010   Tracks: 12 Sales: 10   Listens: 14 Referred to as "That Album" by fans. Maybe because it was untitled. Maybe because it's Dollhouse in Black's "Different" album. Instead of the dark, nu-metal sound of "Scarlet" the band's 2007 sophomore album has a more alternative sound, albeit still dark. Many fans claim that the following album took the best of both previous efforts and meshed them. Fallen® is currently localizing the third album, as well as recording the all-new fourth album.

Scarlet Date Released: 2/15/2010   Tracks: 13 Sales: 11   Listens: 15 The debut release of Korean hard rock outlet Dollhouse in Black, originally released under Cybercandi® records in 2005 in Asia. U.S. and European 2010 re-release courtesy of Fallen®. The album shows the then fledgling band experimenting and evolving. The songs are varied, dark, sometimes even creepy, and aren't afraid to innovate when needed.