Dragon | ||||
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Studio album by Loudness | ||||
Released | August 5, 1998 | |||
Recorded | TML Studios, Hayward, California, USA, Mod Studio Being, Tokyo, Japan | |||
Genre | Heavy metal, speed metal | |||
Length | 56:03 | |||
Label | Rooms | |||
Producer | Akira Takasaki, Masao Nakajima | |||
Loudness chronology | ||||
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Dragon is the thirteenth studio album by Japanese heavy metal band Loudness. It was released in 1998 only in Japan. [1]
An album is a collection of audio recordings issued as a collection on compact disc (CD), vinyl, audio tape, or another medium. Albums of recorded music were developed in the early 20th century as individual 78-rpm records collected in a bound book resembling a photograph album; this format evolved after 1948 into single vinyl LP records played at 33 1⁄3 rpm. Vinyl LPs are still issued, though album sales in the 21st-century have mostly focused on CD and MP3 formats. The audio cassette was a format used alongside vinyl from the 1970s into the first decade of the 2000s.
Heavy metal is a genre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s, largely in the United Kingdom. With roots in blues rock, psychedelic rock, and acid rock, the bands that created heavy metal developed a thick, massive sound, characterized by highly amplified distortion, extended guitar solos, emphatic beats, and overall loudness. The genre's lyrics and performance styles are sometimes associated with aggression and machismo.
Loudness is a Japanese heavy metal band formed in 1981 by guitarist Akira Takasaki and drummer Munetaka Higuchi. They were the first Japanese metal act signed to a major label in the United States, releasing twenty-six studio albums and nine live albums by 2014 and reaching the Billboard Top 100 in their moment of maximum international popularity, as well as charting on Oricon dozens of times. Despite numerous changes in their roster, with Takasaki the sole constant member, the band continued their activities throughout the 1990s, finally reuniting the original line-up in 2001. This incarnation released a further seven albums until November 30, 2008, when original drummer Munetaka Higuchi died from liver cancer at a hospital in Osaka at age 49. He was replaced with Masayuki Suzuki.
All music by Akira Takasaki except "Babylon" by Hirotsugu Homma. All Lyrics by Masaki Yamada.
Akira Takasaki is a Japanese musician and songwriter. He is best known as the lead guitarist and sole constant member of the heavy metal band Loudness. He is also the guitarist of the band Lazy, with which he first rose to prominence in the 1970s.
Masaki Yamada is a Japanese singer, songwriter, guitarist and bassist known for being the frontman of EZO from 1986 to 1991 and Loudness from 1992 to 2000. He currently plays bass and sings duet and backing vocals, with occasional guitar in the New York City-based band FiRESiGN. He was vocally trained by Donald Lawrence, and moved to New York City in 1986. He has a daughter, born in 1992.
EZO is the American self-titled debut album from the Japanese metal band Ezo. It was released in 1987 on Geffen Records and co-produced by Gene Simmons of KISS fame. Songwriters from the Kiss’ entourage, such as Adam Mitchell and Jaime St. James, contributed heavily to the songs of the album. Jody Gray, co-writer of the song "Destroyer", co-wrote and co-produced the band's second album, Fire Fire.
Disillusion is the fourth studio album by Japanese heavy metal band Loudness. It was recorded, mixed and mastered in London, England, in 1983 and released at the beginning of 1984. The sound engineer chosen for the recording sessions was the expert Julian Mendelsohn, who had previously worked with acts like Yes, Elton John, Jimmy Page and Bob Marley. The original Japanese version was licensed and released by Music for Nations in the UK and Roadrunner Records in Europe. Attention by major US labels for the band and the need to make their work accessible to Western audiences, prompted a new release of the album with vocal tracks sung in English on July 1, 1984. The English version opened the album with the instrumental "Anthem " by Akira Takasaki, which was missing in the original Japanese release.
Odin is an EP by Japanese band Loudness. It was released in 1985 only in Japan in two versions, with and without the instrumental tracks. All the tracks were used for the soundtrack of the Japanese anime movie Odin: Photon Sailer Starlight.
Loudness is the tenth studio album by Japanese band Loudness. It was released in 1992 only in Japan, after the band had terminated the recording contracts with US labels. Original bass player Masayoshi Yamashita was replaced with Taiji Sawada and the American vocalist Mike Vescera with former Ezo singer Masaki Yamada.
Heavy Metal Hippies is the eleventh studio album by Japanese heavy metal band Loudness. It was recorded and mixed by Chris Tsangarides and released in 1994 only in Japan. After the defection of bassist Taiji Sawada, Akira Takasaki played both the lines of bass and guitar on the album.
Ghetto Machine is the twelfth studio album by the Japanese heavy metal band Loudness. It was released in 1997 only in Japan and recorded at the famous Fantasy Studios in Berkeley, California. Only the instrumental "Katmandu Fly" was recorded in 1995 at ESP Guitars rehearsal studio.
Engine is the fourteenth studio album by Japanese heavy metal band Loudness. It was released in 1999.
Spiritual Canoe is the fifteenth studio album by Japanese heavy metal band Loudness. It was released in 2001 only in Japan. It also marked the first time since 1988's Jealousy that the original and classic line-up recorded together.
Pandemonium is the sixteenth studio album by Japanese heavy metal band Loudness. It was released in 2001 only in Japan. All music is credited to Loudness and all lyrics to Niihara.
Biosphere is the seventeenth studio album by the Japanese metal band Loudness. It was released only in Japan, in 2002.
Breaking the Taboo is the twentieth studio album by Japanese Heavy metal band Loudness. It was released in 2006 only in Japan.
Metal Mad is the twenty-first studio album by Japanese heavy metal band Loudness. It was released in 2008 only in Japan. It would be the last album before Munetaka Higuchi's death in November 2008.
The Everlasting is the twenty-second studio album by Japanese heavy metal band Loudness. It was released in 2009 only in Japan, after the death of original drummer Munetaka Higuchi, whose pre-recorded drum tracks were used on this album. It was also 15th and last album recorded by the original line-up. The song "I Wonder" introduces new drummer Masayuki Suzuki. The album also features a quasi-return to their 80's sound in "Flame of Rock" and "I Wonder". The cover artwork is inspired by a Thailand's sculpture called "Budda Head in Tree".
Live-Loud-Alive: Loudness in Tokyo is the first live album by the Japanese band Loudness. It was recorded and released in 1983. The instrumental track "Tusk of Jaguar" appears on Akira Takasaki's first solo album with the same name. The opening theme is taken from "The Planets" by Gustav Holst, performed by the Orchestre National de l'Opera de Montecarlo, conducted by Antonio de Almeida. The home video release of another concert of the same tour was released as the band's first live VHS/Beta and Laserdisc at almost the same time of the double LP and with the same title. The video was remastered and re-released in DVD in 2005.
Once and for All is the third live album by the Japanese band Loudness. It was released in 1994 and is the only live album with the formation that recorded the album Loudness in 1992. "House of 1.000 pleasures" is a song of the band Ezo, which singer Yamada was a member of, before joining Loudness.
Loud 'n' Raw is the fourth live album by the Japanese band Loudness. It was released in 1995 only in Japan. "Speed King" is a cover of the Deep Purple's song from the album Deep Purple in Rock.
King of Pain is the twenty-third studio album by Japanese heavy metal band Loudness. It was released on May 19, 2010 only in Japan and marks the full-length debut of drummer Masayuki Suzuki. Guitarist Akira Takasaki would later say King of Pain was focused on featuring Suzuki. The album reached number 21 on the Oricon chart.
Eve to Dawn is the twenty-fourth studio album by Japanese heavy metal band Loudness, released on September 14, 2011. The album reached number 36 on the Oricon chart.
2012 is the 25th studio album by the Japanese heavy metal band Loudness, released on August 22, 2012. "The Voice of Metal" is about and dedicated to the late Ronnie James Dio.
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