Japanese Metal

is heavy metal music from Japan. The country's first metal bands formed in the mid-to-late 1970s. The number of acts increased significantly in the next decade, but only a few saw their material released internationally, including Europe and North America with their pre-established metal bases. Domestic metal saw its commercial peak in Japan in the late 1980s and early 1990s, with the top acts selling millions of records. Many metal bands from the visual kei scene toured and gained recognition in the West in the 2000s. The 2010s saw a boom of all-female metal bands form and gain mainstream attention.

1970s: Early acts

Originally formed in 1967 as a cover band of British and American psychedelic rock titled " Yuya Uchida & the Flowers," Japan's Flower Travellin' Band have been credited as one of the progenitors of heavy metal music. After changing their name, having almost a complete personnel change and moving to Canada, they produced their first album of original material in 1971. ''Satori'', which was released a little over a year after Black Sabbath's debut album, has been called "proto-metal" and noted as having "traces of early heavy metal." Their previous album, '' Anywhere'' (1970), included what is believed to be the first recorded cover of a Black Sabbath song, the self-titled "Black Sabbath". Additionally, ''Satori'' and Flower Travellin' Band vocalist Joe Yamanaka and guitarist Hideki Ishima's work on Kuni Kawachi's first solo album '' Kirikyogen'' (1970) have been credited as "honing the formidable and ominous sound that would become the essence of doom metal." Another 1971 Japanese album that has been described as proto-metal, is '' Demon & Eleven Children'' by Blues Creation.

Japanese heavy metal bands started emerging in the late 1970s, pioneered by Bow Wow (1975), 44 Magnum (1977) and Earthshaker (1978).

In 1977, Bow Wow supported Aerosmith and Kiss on their Japanese tours. They performed at both the Montreux Jazz Festival in Switzerland and the Reading Festival in England in 1982. After some member changes resulted in a more commercial sound, they changed their name to Vow Wow and relocated to England. Their 1989 album ''Helter Skelter'' reached number 75 on the UK Albums Chart.

Although formed by schoolmates in 1977, Lazy saw a rift between their managers/producers, who wanted to create a pop rock idol band, and the musicians themselves who slowly took control and moved the band to the hard rock and heavy metal they always desired to play by their final album ''Earth Ark'' in 1980.

1980s

In the 1980s, a plethora of Japanese heavy metal bands formed. Loudness was formed in 1981 by former Lazy members Akira Takasaki and Munetaka Higuchi. In 1983, they toured the United States and Europe and soon started focusing more on an international career. In a 1985 deal with Atco Records, Loudness became the first Japanese metal act signed to a major label in the United States. Their albums '' Thunder in the East'' (1985), '' Lightning Strikes'' (1986) and '' Hurricane Eyes'' (1987) reached numbers 74, 64 and 190 on the ''Billboard'' chart. Loudness replaced singer Minoru Niihara with American vocalist Michael Vescera in 1988, in an unsuccessful attempt to further their international popularity.

Seikima-II, with their kabuki-inspired makeup, and X Japan, who pioneered the movement known as visual kei, both formed in 1982. In 1985, Seikima-II's debut album ''Seikima-II - Akuma ga Kitarite Heavy Metal'' was released, reached number 48 on the Oricon Albums Chart and made them the first Japanese metal band to sell 100,000 copies. Its follow-up, ''The End of the Century'' (1986), reached number 5 and sold twice that amount. Seikima-II's 1989 compilation album ''Worst'' made them the first Japanese metal band to reach number one on the chart. In April 1989, X Japan's second album '' Blue Blood'' reached number 6 and has sold 712,000 copies. Their third and best-selling album ''Jealousy'' was released in July 1991, topped the charts and sold over 1 million copies. They released two more number one studio albums, '' Art of Life'' (1993) and ''Dahlia'' (1996), before disbanding in 1997. X Japan actually signed an American record deal with Atlantic Records in 1992, but an international release never happened.

In the eighties few heavy metal bands had female members, like all-female band Show-Ya and Terra Rosa with Kazue Akao on vocals, both formed in 1982. Heavy metal solo artist Mari Hamada, who released material produced by Loudness drummer Munetaka Higuchi, also saw popularity. In September 1987, Show-Ya organized, produced and presented the first Naon no Yaon rock festival, featuring strictly all-female Japanese musicians and bands.

Ezo's two studio albums, the self-titled '' EZO'' (1987) and '' Fire Fire'' (1989) were released in America by Geffen Records, with the first produced by Gene Simmons. Dead End had their albums ''Ghost of Romance'' (1987) and ''Shambara'' (1988) released in the United States by Metal Blade Records.

Extreme metal

The 1980s also saw Japan's first extreme metal bands. The first thrash metal bands formed in the early 1980s. United, who formed in 1981 as a straightforward heavy metal band before adopting thrash, later incorporated death metal elements as well. United's first international performance took place in Los Angeles at the metal festival Foundations Forum in 1995 and they had a few albums released in North America. Other thrash metal bands include Outrage (1982) and Aion (1983). Formed in 1985, Doom played a gig in the United States in 1988 at CBGB.

Sabbat (1983) and Bellzlleb (1985), whose original lineup included female vocalist Atsuko Koizumi, both formed concurrent with the first wave of black metal. Another notable act is Sigh, whose debut album '' Scorn Defeat'' (1993) was released by Deathlike Silence Records, founded by Euronymous of infamous Norwegian band Mayhem.

1990s and 2000s

Notable doom metal acts including Boris and Church of Misery, both of whom have gained exposure outside Japan, formed in the 1990s. Bands with influence from nu metal also began to form such as Rize

HOME


Content is Copyleft
Website design, code, and AI is Copyrighted (c) 2014-2017 by Stephen Payne


Consider donating to Wikimedia



As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases