X Japan is a Japanese rock band from Chiba, formed in 1982 by drummer and pianist Yoshiki and lead vocalist Toshi. Starting as a predominantly power/speed metal band with heavy symphonic elements, they later gravitated towards a progressive sound with an emphasis on ballads. Besides being one of the first Japanese acts to achieve mainstream success while on an independent label, the group is widely credited as one of the pioneers of visual kei, a movement among Japanese musicians comparable to Western glam.
Dir En Grey is a Japanese heavy metal band formed in February 1997 and currently signed to Firewall Div., a sub-division of Free-Will. With a consistent lineup of guitarists Kaoru and Die, vocalist Kyo, drummer Shinya and bassist Toshiya, they have released eleven full-length albums. Numerous stylistic changes have made the genre of their music difficult to determine, though it is generally considered to be a form of metal. Originally a visual kei band, the members later opted for more subtle attire, but have continued to maintain a dramatic image on stage.
Luna Sea is a Japanese rock band formed in Kanagawa Prefecture in 1986. Due to the use of makeup 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 makeup, 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.
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. Loudness subsequently released 26 studio albums and nine live albums by 2014 and reached the Billboard Top 100 during their heyday as well as charting on Oricon dozens of times. Despite numerous changes in its line-up, with Takasaki the sole constant member, the band continued their activities throughout the 1990s, finally reuniting the original line-up in 2000. 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.
Anza Ohyama, also known as simply Anza, is a Japanese singer and theater actress best known as vocalist of the heavy metal band Head Phones President and for playing Sailor Moon in thirteen separate musical productions.
Takamasa Ishihara, better known by his stage name Miyavi, is a Japanese guitarist, singer-songwriter, record producer, and actor known for his finger-slapping style of playing a guitar.
Galneryus is a Japanese power metal band, formed in Osaka in 2001 by guitarist Syu and vocalist Yama-B. Originally the only official members, the two utilized several support musicians until bassist Tsui, keyboardist Yuhki, and drummer Jun-ichi officially joined for the release of their debut album in 2003. Yama-B left the group in 2008 citing musical differences, and Yu-To, who replaced Tsui in 2006, left the following year. Galneryus recruited Sho on vocals and Taka on bass, and released the album Resurrection in 2010. Jun-ichi left in 2016, and the following year the band released their highest-charting studio album, Ultimate Sacrifice, which reached number 13. In 2017, Loudwire named Galneryus one of the 10 Best Japanese Metal Bands.
D'erlanger is a Japanese rock band from Kyoto Prefecture, formed in 1983 by guitarist Cipher and bassist Seela. While they originally played speed and power metal, after recruiting drummer Tetsu and vocalist Kyo they switched to a punk rock sound for their debut album La Vie En Rose in 1989. Although it was on an indie label, it sold out and was reissued three times that year, earning them a major label record deal with BMG Japan the following year. They released Basilisk in March 1990 and it reached the top five on the charts. However, in December the group suddenly announced their disbandment.
Outrage is a Japanese thrash metal band, formed in Nagoya in 1982. They made their debut in 1987 with a lineup of Yosuke Abe on guitar, Yoshihiro Yasui on bass, Shinya Tange on drums and Naoki Hashimoto on vocals. Hashimoto left the band in 1999, but the group continued as a three piece and he returned in 2007. With a career spanning over four decades, Outrage are one of few Japanese metal bands to have never disbanded or paused activities.
Coldrain are a Japanese rock band from Nagoya, Japan, who were formed in 2007. The band combines melodic singing with screams typical of the post-hardcore genre. Although the band is Japanese, all of their songs are written in English. The lineup consists of lead vocalist Masato Hayakawa, guitarists Ryo Yokochi (Y.K.C.) and Kazuya Sugiyama (Sugi), bassist Ryo Shimizu (RxYxO) and drummer Katsuma Minatani. Hayakawa has a Japanese father and an American mother and speaks both Japanese and English fluently.
Aldious is a Japanese heavy metal band from Osaka, formed in 2008 by guitarist Yoshi and vocalist Rami. After a few member changes, they released their debut EP Dear Slave the following year and soon after formed their own record label, Bright Star Records. A stabilized line-up including guitarist Toki, bassist Sawa and drummer Aruto was established by 2010. Their first album Deep Exceed (2010) reached the top 15 on the Oricon chart, as did their second Determination (2011). However, Rami announced she was leaving the group in June 2012 and new vocalist Re:NO joined Aldious just one month later. They produced their third album District Zero in 2013 and it became their highest-charting release to date, reaching number 7.
Teru is a Japanese visual kei metal musician, songwriter and artist. He is best known as guitarist for the symphonic metal band Versailles. He is also a member of Jupiter. Before Versailles he was previously in Aikaryu and supported his future bandmate Hizaki in his solo project.
Motoyuki Ōtsuka, known mononymously as Morrie, is a Japanese singer-songwriter. He is best known as vocalist and co-founder of the influential heavy metal band Dead End, active from 1984 to 1990, and Morrie's distinctive visual appearance and rough vocal style inspired many later prominent musicians in Japan's visual kei movement. When they disbanded, he began a solo career for five years, before moving to New York City and going into hiatus. He reemerged in 2005 with the solo project Creature Creature, which utilizes several well-known Japanese musicians, reunited with Dead End four years later, and released his first solo album in twenty years in 2015.
Fate Gear is a Japanese female heavy metal band from Tokyo, formed in 2015 by guitarist Mina.
Mary's Blood was a Japanese all-female heavy metal band from Tokyo, formed in 2009 by four former members of Destrose. It consisted of vocalist Eye, drummer Mari, guitarist Saki and bassist Rio since 2012. After releasing three EPs as an independent band, they signed to Nippon Columbia for their first album, Countdown to Evolution (2014). Mary's Blood then switched to Victor Entertainment for the release of Bloody Palace (2015) and Fate (2016). They signed to Tokuma Japan Communications in 2018 and released three further studio albums, including their highest-charting, Confessions (2019). Mary's Blood began an indefinite hiatus on April 9, 2022.
Ryujin is a metal band originated in Hokkaido, Japan. Coming from the very north of Japan the members of the band label themselves as "Northern Nostalgic Metal band".
Lovebites is a Japanese power metal band, formed in 2016 by former Destrose members Miho and Haruna. Its lineup currently consists of Haruna on drums, Midori and Miyako on guitar, Asami on vocals, and Fami on bass. After signing to Victor Entertainment, the group released both their debut EP and their first album in 2017, The Lovebites EP and Awakening from Abyss, before performing their first overseas concerts at the end of the year. With another EP and album released in 2018, Battle Against Damnation and Clockwork Immortality, Lovebites quickly garnered international attention and won that year's Metal Hammer Golden Gods Award for Best New Band. Following the releases of Electric Pentagram (2020) and Glory, Glory, to the World (2021), bassist Miho left the band in August 2021. After a year-long hiatus, Lovebites recruited Fami on bass and released Judgement Day, their fourth album, in February 2023. It is their highest-charting record to date, reaching number 5 on both the Oricon and Billboard Japan charts.
Rami is a Japanese heavy metal singer and lyricist. She first rose to prominence as vocalist and co-founder of the all-female power metal band Aldious from 2008 to 2012. After a hiatus, she resumed musical activities in 2015 as the vocalist of the group Raglaia, before starting a solo career in 2016.
Destrose was a Japanese heavy metal band formed in 2007. The group remained an independent band their entire career and experienced frequent line-up changes until going on indefinite hiatus in 2015. Although considered pioneers of the Girls Metal Band Boom, Destrose never achieved commercial success and is best known for the subsequent bands later formed by its many members.
Saki is a Japanese heavy metal musician and songwriter. She is best known as guitarist of the all-female band Mary's Blood from 2012 until they began an indefinite hiatus in 2022. She is currently a member of the all-female band Nemophila and one-half of the duo Amahiru with Frédéric Leclercq. Saki has been sponsored by Killer Guitars for over ten years, and often uses custom-made Fascist models. In 2021, they released her signature model, the seven-string KG-Fascinator Seven the Empress.
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