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 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.
On the Prowl is the ninth studio album released by the Japanese heavy metal band Loudness. It is also their second and last album with American vocalist Mike Vescera, before his leaving to join Yngwie Malmsteen's band for the album The Seventh Sign (1994). On the Prowl is mainly a compilation of self-covers of songs from early Loudness' albums, containing only three new songs written by the band (♠). However, Mike Vescera translated and adapted the lyrics of the old songs written by former vocalist Minoru Niihara, to be sung in English.
The Law of Devil's Land is the third studio album by the Japanese heavy metal band Loudness. It was released in 1983 only in Japan and later distributed in Europe by Roadrunner Records. The CD reissue of 2005 contains two extra songs coming from the English version of the band's third single.
Hurricane Eyes is the seventh studio album by Japanese heavy metal band Loudness. It was released in 1987 worldwide with standard English lyrics. A "Japanese Version" was subsequently released only in Japan later in the year with Niihara singing most of the lyrics in Japanese. The album was produced by the famous producer and sound engineer Eddie Kramer, who had worked with the likes of The Rolling Stones, Led Zeppelin, Jimi Hendrix and Kiss. The song "So Lonely", a reprise of "Ares Lament" from the album Disillusion of 1984, was instead produced by Andy Johns, another world-famous producer. This was the last Loudness album to enter the US Billboard 200 chart, where it remained for 4 weeks, peaking at No. 190.
Jealousy is an EP by Japanese band Loudness. It was released in May 1988 only in Japan, a market that the band felt to have neglected in favour of American audiences. It would also mark the final recording with the classic line-up, until Spiritual Canoe in 2001. Singer Minoru Niihara left the band after the end of the domestic tour promoting this release. The song "Long Distance Love" would later be reworked for the On the Prowl album, with vocals by American singer Mike Vescera.
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. In addition, drummer and band co-founder Munetaka Higuchi was replaced by Hirotsugu Homma.
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. This was the first album to feature bassist Naoto Shibata. Only the instrumental "Katmandu Fly" was recorded in 1995 at ESP Guitars rehearsal studio.
Dragon is the thirteenth studio album by Japanese heavy metal band Loudness. It was released in 1998 only in Japan.
Engine is the fourteenth studio album by Japanese heavy metal band Loudness. Released in 1999, it was the third and final album to feature the lineup of guitarist Akira Takasaki, lead vocalist Masaki Yamada, bassist Naoto Shibata, and drummer Hirotsugu Homma before Takasaki reunited the original lineup in 2001.
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.
Racing is the nineteenth studio album by the Japanese heavy metal band Loudness. It was released in 2004 in Japan. On April 6, 2005, the band released the English version of the album, the first entirely sung in English since 2001. An international edition was released on August 9, 2005, published by Drakkar, with a different track listing, a different cover and little differences in the production of the solo parts. The album cover marks the return of the band's classic logo, which was originally used from 1985 to 1988. A special international release of the album contains as bonus tracks the entire Rockshocks album of self-covers from the 1980s.
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.
Rockshocks is an album of self-covers by the Japanese heavy metal band Loudness. The album, released in Japan in 2004, contains tracks taken from the first five studio album of the band from the 1980s, played again with a more modern sound and different musical arrangements than the originals. The album was published in the USA in 2006 by Crash Records, with three bonus tracks taken from the album Racing: "Exultation", "Lunatic" and "R.I.P.".
Tusk of Jaguar is the first solo studio album by Japanese guitarist Akira Takasaki, best known for his work in the bands Loudness and Lazy. It was released in 1982 only in Japan and reissued in 2005. The album is actually a joint effort of Takasaki and keyboard player Masanori Sasaji, who composed three tracks and arranged and co-produced the recording. A large contribution was given to the album by Takasaki's bandmates in Loudness, who play in most tracks and collaborated to the musical arrangements. However, the music of Tusk of Jaguar is much more varied than in any Loudness' album, with its music ranging from hard rock to progressive rock to jazz fusion, reminiscing of some Dixie Dregs' and Al Di Meola's works. The precise and fast guitar playing by Takasaki is anyway always present in every track and he even takes the lead vocal spot in the song "Ebony Eyes".
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.
