| A Will | ||||
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| Released | December 11, 2013 | |||
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| Length | 54:16 | |||
| Label | Universal | |||
| Producer | Luna Sea | |||
| Luna Sea chronology | ||||
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| Singles from A Will | ||||
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A Will is the eighth studio album by Japanese rock band Luna Sea, released on December 11, 2013. It is their first album of new material in over thirteen years, as they reunited in 2010 after disbanding in 2000. The album reached number 3 on both the Oricon Albums Chart and Billboard Japan. [1] [2]
Commenting on the fact that the band had not created an album in so long, Sugizo stated "Each of us have become accomplished artists on our own, and it is more like we are all coming together as solo artists to make a Luna Sea album." [3] He went on to compare A Will and the process of the band recording it to their first album and being a newly formed group; "You don’t make it to sell it; you do it as a pure expression of the self. What makes this album special is that it was born from that thought process." The band selected songs by going through those that each member had gathered through the years, writing them while living together. Many songs that did not end up being included on the album were partially recorded. [4] [5]
On the album's name, which Ryuichi suggested, [6] Sugizo explained:
"WILL" just by itself is a word in future tense, expressing intent to do something; however the words "A WILL" mean "a testament" or "last request". It also has the nuance of pointing toward the future, and although it has a positive meaning, it also means that things are at a place where everything could come to an end and there would be no regrets. [4]
Speaking of the opening track "Anthem of Light", Sugizo said "These are wild times, but there's no reason to release negative energy just because of that; we made this song with the thought that it's precisely because we live in our current world that it's necessary for rock music to be the thing that brings light to it." Additionally, he believes there is no reason for Luna Sea to give a political message, only to create music that will "stimulate our imagination." [4] J feels that "Anthem of Light" is an answer to their earlier song "Into the Sun", and that they both have similar rhythms and beats. He wrote "Glowing", which focuses on the "sexiness" of rock music, specifically for the current Luna Sea. He also remarked that despite it being a simple song, the band worked on it for months. [6]
"Both "Maria" and "Gin no Tsuki" were first unveiled in 2010 at separate concerts at the Tokyo Dome as part of the band's reunion world tour, although the lyrics and arrangements of both have been reworked and the latter's titled changed from "Days of Repetition". [7] The album version of "Ran" is slightly different from the single cut. Lead guitarist Sugizo described "Metamorphosis" as a "progressive piece in the form of hardcore/speed metal" where Shinya's drumming shines, and likened it to the band's earlier tracks "Fate" and "In Future". [4] J remarked that the string section at the end of the last track "Grace" connects back to the first song on the album. [6]
Three limited editions of A Will were produced: Limited Edition A includes the album on high-fidelity SHM-CD, a photobook, and a Blu-ray with the music videos for the four single tracks and their TV ads; Limited Edition B is a standard CD with the same video content on a DVD instead; the third contains the same contents as the prior edition but in a large case emulating the sleeve of an LP record. [8] In commemoration of the album's release, Tower Records in Shibuya hosted a special event from December 5–23, 2013, where the band's instruments, behind the scenes photos, and items used in the album's creation were displayed. Never before seen footage and a preview of the album were also featured. [9]
A Will and the band's other seven major label studio albums, up to Luv , were released on vinyl record for the first time on May 29, 2019. [10]
All tracks are written by Luna Sea.
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Anthem of Light" (Originally composed by J.) | 4:16 |
| 2. | "Rouge" (Originally composed by Sugizo.) | 4:29 |
| 3. | "The End of The Dream" (Originally composed by J.) | 4:00 |
| 4. | "Maria" (Originally composed by Inoran. [11] Originally written by Inoran and Ryuichi.) | 5:28 |
| 5. | "Glowing" (Originally composed by J.) | 4:27 |
| 6. | "Ran (「乱」, romanized as "Run" by the band)" (Originally composed by Sugizo.) | 4:28 |
| 7. | "Absorb" (Originally composed by Inoran. [5] ) | 6:18 |
| 8. | "Metamorphosis" (Originally composed by Sugizo.) | 5:47 |
| 9. | "Gin no Tsuki (銀ノ月)" (Originally composed by Sugizo.) | 5:32 |
| 10. | "Thoughts" (Originally composed by Inoran.) | 4:04 |
| 11. | "Grace" (Originally composed by J.) | 5:11 |
Luna Sea is a Japanese rock band formed in Kanagawa Prefecture in 1986. Due to the use of make-up and costumes early in their career and their widespread popularity, they are considered one of the most successful and influential bands in the visual kei movement. Throughout the mid-1990s they used significantly less make-up, and after a one-year break in 1997, came back with a more mainstream alternative rock style and toned down their on-stage attire. They disbanded in 2000. In 2003, HMV Japan ranked Luna Sea at number 90 on their list of the 100 most important Japanese pop acts.
Yūne Sugihara, born Yasuhiro Sugihara and better known by his stage name Sugizo, is a Japanese musician, singer-songwriter, composer and record producer. He is best known as the lead guitarist and violinist of the rock band Luna Sea since 1989.
Kiyonobu Inoue, better known exclusively by his stage name Inoran, is a Japanese musician, singer and songwriter. He is best known as the rhythm guitarist and co-founder of the rock band Luna Sea since 1986. He started his solo career in 1997. Luna Sea disbanded in 2000, and he formed Fake? with Oblivion Dust vocalist Ken Lloyd a year later. In 2005 he left Fake? and founded Tourbillon with Luna Sea vocalist Ryuichi Kawamura and Hiroaki Hayama. He rejoined Luna Sea when they reunited in 2010, and in 2012 formed Muddy Apes with bassist Taka Hirose and guitarist Dean Tidey, both from Feeder, and 8otto's vocalist Maeson.
Shinya Yamada, better known exclusively by his stage name Shinya (真矢), is a Japanese musician, media personality and entrepreneur. He is best known as drummer of the rock band Luna Sea since 1989.
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Luna Sea is the debut studio album by Japanese rock band Luna Sea, released on April 21, 1991 by Extasy Records. It sold over 30,000 copies by July 1992. After reuniting in 2010, Luna Sea re-recorded the whole album and released it on March 16, 2011 through HPQ.
"I for You" is the eleventh single by Japanese rock band Luna Sea, released on July 1, 1998. It reached number 2 on the Oricon Singles Chart and was the 49th best-selling single of the year. It was the third and last in a serial release after the band's hibernation from 1997 to early 1998.
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Dead End is a Japanese heavy metal/hard rock band formed in Tokyo in 1984. They were one of few Japanese metal bands who had international exposure in the United States during the eighties. Originally dissolved in 1990, Dead End reunited in 2009 after almost two decades. They have been inactive since 2015, and guitarist and main composer You died in June 2020.
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