The band was notable for their music and their live shows, featuring lavish historical costumes and stage sets, short silent theater pieces preluding various songs.

At their peak with singer Gackt and drummer Kami, they were considered one of "the big four of visual kei" alongside La'cryma Christi, Fanatic Crisis and Shazna.

After leaving Matenrou, guitarists Mana and Közi formed Malice Mizer in August 1992 with Tetsu on vocals, Yu~ki on bass and Gaz on drums.

In 1994, after a couple more demos, the band released their debut album Memoire on Mana's newly founded independent record label Midi:Nette.

[1] After almost a year of inactivity, Mana recruited Gackt from a band Cains:Feel,[4] as their new vocalist,[5] with first performance in October 10 and released the single "Uruwashiki Kamen no Shoutaijou" on December 10, 1995.

[1] Malice Mizer released their second album, Voyage Sans Retour, in 1996,[1] and their first home video in 1997; Sans Retour Voyage "Derniere" (Encore Une Fois), a concert video recorded at Shibuya Public Hall featuring an elaborate stage and dance routines.

[6] The band became increasingly popular and signed with major record label Nippon Columbia that same year,[1] where they released a number of successful singles ("Bel Air", "Au Revoir", "Gekka no Yasōkyoku") and a short film, Bel Air (Kuuhaku no Toki no Naka de) de L'image.

[12] The band had their own radio show around this time and played a two-day live at the Nippon Budokan,[1] which involved a large building as a stage prop and elaborate theatrics; each member performing a skit with another member on their own (including [on "Le Ciel"] the aforementioned skit in which Gackt fell to the stage [to sing the song] and returned to "Heaven" by song's end).

In July 1998, the Yokohama Arena's stage would be the last for Gackt, although in September 1998 was released their most successful single "Le Ciel" and participated in its promotion (peaked at 4th place on the Oricon Singles Chart,[13] selling over 100,000 copies[12]), because in January 1999, at the height of Malice Mizer's success, he would suddenly leave the band and start a solo career.

[5] Later he recalled that by that time became main coordinator of band's activities, and did not receive composing credits when deserved, but did not complain about it.

In the second half of 1999 and the beginning of 2000, Malice Mizer, still without an official vocalist, released a number of singles and began to work on a new album.

[12] On August 31 and September 1, they gave a theatrical two-day live at the Nippon Budokan, featuring pyrotechnics, a choir of veiled nuns and a scaled-down cathedral as a stage prop.

In 2001, Malice Mizer starred in a feature-length vampire movie (Bara no Konrei (Mayonaka ni Kawashita Yakusoku)), and released three more singles: "Gardenia", "Beast of Blood" and "Garnet ~Kindan no Sono e~"; "Gardenia" and "Garnet" being of a considerably lighter tone than their previous album, suggesting another new era for the band.

After his departure in 1994, Tetsu released one solo album, and has subsequently taken part in a series of bands such as Zigzo, Mega 8 Ball, Nil; his most recent being The JuneJulyAugust.

[20] Klaha started a solo career as well in December 2002, but in the middle of 2004 it was announced that his fan club would be closing down, and after that there have been long periods of silence, only broken by rare updates on his site.

Közi formed the industrial duo Eve of Destiny with Haruhiko Ash (ex:The Zolge) and also started a solo career.

He also continues to run his indie record label Midi:Nette, and has produced for artists such as Schwarz Stein and Kanon Wakeshima.

On September 8 and 9, 2018, Mana, Közi, and Yu~ki reunited as Malice Mizer to perform two shows for the band's 25th anniversary special at Tokyo Toyosu Pit.

Deep Sanctuary VII was scheduled to take place at Mynavi Blitz Akasaka on June 7, 2020, but was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Japan.