A compilation album titled “VERSUS FATE” is now available for order at Beta Music WEB SHOP. The release of this compilation album is a charity project to support the Himeji live house Beta. The proceeds from the sale of the album, excluding production costs and mail order fees, will be donated to support the operation of Beta in Himeji.

“VERSUS FATE” is a compilation album based on the concept of “We have an important place that we must protect even if we have to fight against fate.” This compilation album contains the music of five bands that created the Himeji visual-kei scene in the 1990s, MASCHERA, ILLUMINA, TRANSTIC NERVE, DEVELOP FRAME, and Psycho lé Cemu, and is a project to support their local live house, Himeji Beta.

The album is produced by seek (Psycho le Cému), titled by michi. (ALICE IN MENSWEAR), art direction by MASATO (defspiral), with Naruse Shuhei (DEVELOP FRAME) and RYO (defspiral) in charge of mastering. Orders can be placed at Beta Music Web Shop. Orders will be accepted until May 31.

The producer, seek (Psycho lé Cemu), explains “Beta, a live house in our hometown of Himeji, has been going through a tough time, and as band members from Himeji, we wanted to do something about it, so we planned and produced this project.” Below are some comments from the participating artists and Beta.

Due to the spread of the new coronavirus, many events have been cancelled or postponed, and our hometown live house, Beta, in Himeji is still in a difficult situation.
At the end of last year, when we performed at Beta, we had a chance to talk directly with the staff team, and we were wondering if there was a way we could support them while bringing happiness to everyone. We decided to make a compilation album of the visual-kei scene that was born in Himeji in the 90’s, with the five artists who created that scene.
The album title “VERSUS FATE” is named by michi. who has been at the forefront of the Himeji scene with MASCHERA, and is currently active as a member of ALICE IN MENSWEAR. The CD jacket was designed by MASATO, a member of TRANSTIC NERVE and active in defspiral. The mastering will be done by Naruse Shuhei, a member of DEVELOP FRAME who is currently active in providing music for the Kamen Rider series, and defspiral’s RYO.
The proceeds from the sale of the CD, excluding production costs and mail-order fees, will be donated to Himeji Beta for their operational costs.
As a member of Psycho le Cému and a former staff member of the venue, I wanted to protect Beta, a place that has been an important part of our lives for many years, so I planned this and asked each band to participate.
I would like to thank MASCHERA, ILLUMINA, TRANSTIC NERVE, DEVELOP FRAME, and the members of Psycho le Cému for their support.
As a fan of the Himeji visual-kei scene, I’m excited to be involved in the creation of this work.
Some things change and some things disappear in the flow of time.
However, there are important places that we must protect even if we have to fight against fate.
I would be very happy if you all could lend me your support. Please help us out.

─seek (Psycho le Cému)

Himeji Beta has been like a parent to us, shaping us into the people we are today. We have learned a lot from them not only in music but also as human beings. It is a live house with a long history where not only us but many talented artists have passed through. This history and philosophy should be passed down from generation to generation.
The world will probably enter a new era. Our way of life will also change. It is our duty as children to support them until they reach the edge. It is the duty of parents to support their children until they reach the brink, and when they do, promise them that you will guide them strongly again. I hope that you will all support the struggle of this great parent and their children.

─michi. (MASCHERA/ALICE IN MENSWEAR)

These are two songs from our first CD, “sha-la-la-la”, which we made in 1997, almost as if we were living at Beta.
This work was created by a small group of talented people, including the members, Sanshiro-san, the manager at the time, and Tanaka-san, the president, through trial and error with limited equipment.
The performance and recording techniques may not be professional, but you can feel the power of the songs, which are as strong as the later major label re-recordings.
It even contains the sad and blue atmosphere of us and our fans at that time.
I’ve had hundreds of opportunities to record this song since then, but this is the most memorable one, and it’s my starting point.
I’m glad to have the opportunity to share my work with you again.
I think it’s all thanks to the continued presence of Beta Music.
Beta is my home, both physically and spiritually.

─Nao (ILLUMINA)

DEVELOP FRAME from Kyoto is an outlier for Himeji Beta. Before Beta was even established as a live music venue, we came into contact with MASCHERA, and Beta became our home. At that time, I felt that other bands had a strong connection with each other, but we were like relatives who could talk to each other, which is interesting to think about now. And now, as time has passed, we have become friends who shared the time we spent running around with all our might. I am now working for the place where those friends allowed me to spend such a time. I’d like to thank seek for starting this project. For Beta, and for the future of live music.

─Naruse Shuhei (DEVELOP FRAME)

A miracle compilation album revived in Reiwa under the name of the Himeji Beta Support Project. It all started here. Please feel the heat and atmosphere of the early days of the Himeji visual scene.

─TAKA (TRANSTIC NERVE / defspiral)

The late 90s. The time after the bubble economy burst. A small local live-house called Himeji Beta.
As I descended from the square in front of the castle to the basement, I found a different space that was certainly different from the one above ground. Artist posters. Unique flyers. A practice studio. A dark, narrow stage. “Something interesting might happen if you go there.” The Heretics gather. It was the chaos before the creation of the heavens and the earth. There was a chaos of integrated art.
Eventually, the clouds of chaos gradually settled and the “Five Gods” emerged.
This “VERSUS FATE” is a collection of the early “essence” of these gods.
I don’t want you to listen to this work from a nostalgic or sentimental point of view.
It is the initial impression of God. I want you to genuinely feel the energy of art.
As the history of mankind has proven, after a pandemic, there is always a revival of art.
I think the world of After Corona may have a clue hidden in the myth of VERSUS FATE.

─Sugata “Sanshiro” Tsutomu (Former manager of Himeji Beta/REC engineer)

“VERSUS” was an omnibus CD project that was launched shortly after the opening of Live House Beta. We wanted to support bands that were working hard on their music. I wanted to push them forward. That was my driving force.
Generally, when contemplating what to do in the future, I think back on my various mistakes and answer my own question by thinking about what I should have done, but when I look back on the last quarter of a century, I think about what kind of feelings I had at that time.
I am grateful to seek for initiating this compilation album project.
Thank you to all the members who brought out this title again and gathered together for Beta.

─Tanaka Katsunori (President of Beta Music)

「VERSUS FATE」
01:ラー/MASCHERA
02:サヨナラ/MASCHERA
03:忘れないで/ILLUMINA
04:maybe tomorrow/ILLUMINA
05:metaphor/DEVELOP FRAME
06:OD/DEVELOP FRAME
07:Whisper/TRANSTIC NERVE
08:Parallel trip/TRANSTIC NERVE
09:聖~excalibur~剣/Psycho lé Cemu
10:クロノス/Psycho lé Cemu

Contents:
CD+12P booklet in jewel case
3,500yen (tax included)
Shipping and Handling Fee: 1,000yen (tax included)

SWIM-0006
Published by: スイミーレコード
Distributed by: Beta Music
Sold by: Beta Music WEB SHOP

Himeji Beta Support Project/Compilation Album “VERSUS FATE
A compilation album of 10 songs by 5 artists from Himeji Beta, songs that are currently unavailable.

MASCHERA: “Ra” and “Sayonara” from “Akutoku no sakae” and “tales”
ILLUMINA: “Wasurenaide” and “maybe tomorrow” from “Sha-la-la”
DEVELOP FRAME: “metaphor” and “OD” from “metaphor”
TRANSTIC NERVE: “Whisper” and “Parallel Trip” from “TRANSONIC VISION”
Psycho lé Cemu: “Hijiri~excalibur~ken” and “Kronos” from “Self Analysis” and “Kronos”

Album Producer: seek (Psycho le Cému)
Title: michi. (ALICE IN MENSWEAR)
Art Director: MASATO (defspiral)
Mastering Engineer:
Shuhei Naruse
RYO (defspiral)
Rec & Mixing Engineer: Tsutomu “SANSHIROU” Sugata

All proceeds from the sale of the CD, excluding production costs and mail order fees, will be donated to Himeji Beta for operating costs.
Orders will be accepted at Beta Music WEB SHOP.
The order period is from April 1 to May 31.
Orders will be shipped after July 1st.

For oversees orders, here’s a list of shopping services that can help you:
FromJapan: https://www.fromjapan.co.jp/en/
Tenso: https://www.tensojapan.com/en
ZenMarket: https://zenmarket.jp/en/
Buyee: https://buyee.jp/?lang=en