Tag: loudness
1 Hard Rock Hideout’s Black Friday Giveaway!
Hard Rock Hideout has a great giveaway for this Black Friday! Hard Rock Hideout has three copies of the CD, Bad Decisions from The Last Vegas, as well as the brand new Loudness CD, Eve to Dawn. All you have to do is enter you name, email address, the CD of your choice to enter the drawing, and LIKE us on Facebook!
Can’t make up your mind which one you want? Check out the video clips below!
Enter the Drawing below!
1 Loudness – Eve To Dawn (2012)
Heavy, powerful, dominate: all are good adjectives to describe Eve To Dawn, the latest record from Japan’s Loudness. This album is like a fresh kick to the groin in a world of stagnant metal. This is Iron Maiden meets Anthrax turned up to eleven! Even though they have been rocking the masses since 1981, Loudness proves that they still know how to make the hair on the back of your neck stand up while blowing out your eardrums in style.
If you haven’t followed Loudness in a while, Eve To Dawn is a good record to get you back into the band. If you’ve never listened to Loudness, Eve To Dawn is a great record to get you interested in the band (you may even seek out their back catalog after listening to this record). Innovation and style paint this disc in a musical landscape that is amazing to the ears of even the most seasoned heavy metal lover.
Songs like “Gonna Do It My Way” showcase how superb Eve To Dawn is. With smart lyrics, exceptional guitar solos, and gritty vocals from lead singer Minoru Niihara, “Gonna Do It My Way” reminds us all how much fun hard rock music can be. Blistering solos and fantastic finger work on “Hang Tough” are reminiscent of Nuno Bettencourt in his prime. “Hang Tough” is a hard and heavy rocker complete with some great rock screams, dark riffs, and mesmerizing guitar solos.
Guitarist Akira Takasaki provides chops that would put most modern guitar players to shame. The lead guitar work is some of the best that I’ve heard on any album released in 2012. Takasaki’s fret work is simply astonishing. If you are a fan of guitars, guitar solos, and a crisp thrash metal sound, Eve To Dawn should be added to your “must own” list.
The instrumental track, “Emotions” may be one of the best overall tracks on Eve To Dawn. Once again, it is Akira Takasaki’s guitar work that makes this song stand out. His playing is simply mind blowing on “Emotions.” Throughout Eve To Dawn, I continued to be amazed at the ability of Takasaki as a guitar player. The guitar work, changes, and musical prowess really helps solidify Eve To Dawn and raise it from mediocre levels to outstanding.
Eve To Dawn is a terrific record that I highly recommend for any fans of the hard rock/sleaze metal genre. It could be the biggest surprise of 2012. Just as I was blown away by the band’s M3 performance, I am once again blown away by their latest CD release. Hard rock has been made fun again thanks to Loudness and Eve To Dawn.
Rating: 
Out of 10
Track Listing
- A Light In The Dark
- The Power Of Truth
- Come Alive Again
- Survivior
- Keep You Burning
- Gonna Do It My Way
- Hang Tough
- Emotions
- Comes The Dawn
- Pandra
- Crazy! Crazy! Crazy!
Loudness Is:
Masayoshi Yamashita – Bass
Akira Takasaki – Guitar
Minoru Niihara – Vocals
Masayuki Suzuki – Drums
1 New Hard Rock & Metal Releases for 8/14/2012
It is another massive release day, and plenty of cool hard rock and metal picks to chose from. Brand new releases from In This Moment, Fozzy, and Loudness will make our shopping list, and there are many more that are too cool to miss. Check below for the full list!
In This Moment – Blood
Incubus – Incubus HQ Live Special Edition
Fozzy – Sin and Bones
Lynch Mob – Revolution Deluxe Collection
Loudness – Eve to Dawn
Korpiklaani – Manala
Doro – Under My Skin (Import)
Doro – Raise Your Fist in the Air (Import)
Mondo Generator – Hell Comes To Your Heart
Anvil – Anthology of Anvil
Anvil – Past & Present
Anvil – Still Going Strong
Anvil – Back to Basics
Soulicit – Parking Lot Rockstar
Deep Purple – Last Concert in Japan
Downspirit – Bulletproof
Kottonmouth Kings – Mile High
Crystal Viper – Metal Nation (Import)
Black Light Burns – The Moment You Realize You’re Going To Fall
Steve Vai – The Story of Light
1 Three Bands Added To The Monster’s of Rock Cruise
The Monsters of Rock Cruise has added three bands to its 2013 Voyage. Bang Tango, The London Quireboys, and Rhino Bucket join a jam packed lineup which has KIX, Tesla, Lita Ford, Y&T, Great White, Dangerous Toys, Nelson, Loudness, Lynch Mob, TNT, L.A. Guns, JSRG, KEEL, Helix, Faster Pussycat, Enuff Z’Nuff, XYZ, Femme Fatale, Black N’ Blue, Alcatrazz and more.
The Monsters of Rock Cruise takes place March 16th – 20th, 2013.
Check out the Monsters of Rock Cruise website to book your cabin now!
2 Vie’s Verses – Reflections on M3 2012 – Part Three: The Pleasant Surprises
The Pleasant Surprises
Every year when I attend the M3 music festival, there is always one or two unexpected surprises, and this year was no exception. Last year the biggest and best surprise to me was the performance given by Pretty Boy Floyd. It turned me into a huge fan of the band and has me seeking them out in concert whenever I can. The 2012 incarnation of M3 came with its own pleasant surprises that made me a very happy metal head.
NIGHT RANGER
As part of the Friday night KIX-off party, M3 recruited the likes of Night Ranger to take the stage just before Kix would headline the show. I had never seen Night Ranger perform live before, so I was curious. I also didn’t expect much from them. Their new album wasn’t the greatest and while I loved their early material, I hadn’t listened to much Night Ranger since 1992. I figured they would put on a decent set and I would sing along to some nostalgic songs from my yesteryears.
Holy heck was I wrong! Night Ranger gave one of the best performances of the entire festival. The only band that I think edged them out was Stryper. Night Ranger came out onstage filled with a ton of energy. Jack Blades was running around like a mad-man trading jabs with Kelly Keagy and having the time of his life. Keagy’s drums were set in a unique fashion as well. They were arranged to sit stage left, facing the band as opposed to facing the audience. Where the drums would normally be centered was a ramp that the guitarists used to their advantage, running around and having fun.
Night Ranger was flat out awesome in concert. In addition to playing their best known hits such as Sentimental Street, Don’t Tell Me You Love Me, You Can Still Rock In America, and Sister Christian, Night Ranger also gave a terrific performance of the Damn Yankees classic, High Enough. Jack Blades mentioned how Night Ranger had taken that song and really made it their own. It showed in their performance, because Night Ranger’s version of High Enough was even better than the Damn Yankees version that I recall.
This exceptional M3 surprise left me wanting even more Night Ranger. I can guarantee that if Night Ranger goes on tour and stops anywhere near my town, I will definitely be attending that show.
LOUDNESS
I will be totally honest here. Prior to last Saturday, I knew almost nothing about Loudness. I knew that they were a Japanese glam metal band. I think I may have heard one of their songs back in the day. Other than that, I knew nothing. So, it was a great surprise to see them give such an amazing performance on the second stage. And while I did not know any of the songs that they performed, it didn’t matter. The band’s stage presence and professionalism, combined with the crowd reaction, was enough to make seeing Loudness live a tremendous experience.
Lead vocalist Minoru Niihara has an incredible voice and sings in perfect English. Guitarist Akira Takasaki is a true showman, playing blistering guitar solos and really cutting loose during his performance. Takasaki was so much fun to watch that it wouldn’t have mattered if his guitar playing was subpar. However, his playing was as amazing as his stage presence. Loudness was definitely one of the highlights of the day for me.
And I have to give props and credit to Hard Rock Hideout’s esteemed owner/editor Rob Rockitt. He told me that Loudness was going to put on one hell of a show. He was right.
LYNCH MOB
Yes, I definitely had high expectations for Lynch Mob. Their last album (Smoke & Mirrors) was fantastic and with Oni Logan fronting the band, Lynch Mob was one of the acts that I could not miss during this year’s M3. I actually left Warrant’s set early to get as close to the second stage as I could for Lynch Mob. It was certainly one of the best decisions that I made.
George Lynch was in fantastic form and his guitar playing sounded better than ever. Add in the fact that this was my first time seeing Lynch Mob live and it’s easy to guess that I was a really happy metal head. Oni Logan’s voice was in fine shape, still hitting the notes just right and putting the perfect amount of inflections where needed.
The Lynch Mob performance consisted mostly of songs from their debut album, Wicked Sensation, with one song form Smoke & Mirrors thrown in. George Lynch also got a solo spotlight, giving a rousing rendition of Mr. Scary. It sounded as good as it does on the album, and it was a real treat to see him perform it live. Overall, the Lynch Mob set made me yearn to see the band at a full length concert. I can only hope that they have plans to hit New Jersey as a headliner sometime in the near future.
CHEESE STEAKS
All right, this isn’t really a surprise. Every year I eat the cheese steaks at the Merriweather Post Pavilion and every year they taste better than the year before. This year’s cheese steak was the best yet.
Ahhh, another year of M3 has come and gone. I am already starting to save for next year, which I hope will be even bigger and better than ever.
Follow RyoVie on Twitter at Twitter.com/RyoVie
1 INTERNATIONAL METAL GIANTS LOUDNESS SIGN TO FROSTBYTE MEDIA TO RELEASE NEW ALBUM: “EVE TO DAWN” SLATED FOR SUMMER
International metal giants Loudness have signed to FrostByte Media to release their new album EVE TO DAWN worldwide, ex-Japan; the offering is slated for a summer release, with exact dates per territory to be announced. This marks the legendary Japanese band’s 26th studio album since their inception in 1981 (Loudness just celebrated their 30th anniversary). Please see below for the complete track listing. In advance of an extensive North American tour around the release of EVE TO DAWN, Loudness will play select American dates this month, with a special appearance at this year’s M3 Festival on Saturday, May 12th at the Merriweather Post Pavilion in Columbia, MD and a headlining gig at BB King’s in New York City on Monday, May 14th.
Known for their blistering technical ability, Loudness was formed in Japan in 1981 by guitarist Akira Takasaki and late drummer Munetaka Higuchi. With four very successful and critically-acclaimed albums under their belt in their native Japan, Loudness became the first Japanese heavy metal band to sign to a major label in the United States. In 1985, the band cracked the Billboard Top 100 Album chart with their fifth album, THUNDER IN THE EAST arriving at #74. With an astonishing 26 studio albums, numerous EPs, live albums and videos, Loudness show no signs of slowing down as the band continues to tour the world extensively in support of their new set. To date, Loudness has sold upwards of one million albums worldwide. Loudness is: Minoru Niihara (vocals), Akira Takasaki (guitars), Masayoshi Yamashita (bass guitar) and Masayuki Suzuki (drums).
About FrostByte Media
FrostByte Media Inc. is a full service media and entertainment company based in Toronto. With worldwide physical and digital distribution via eOne Entertainment, FrostByte is committed to breaking its diverse roster of artists onto the world stage. In addition to traditional music services, the aggressive newly-founded organization and its international partners can also provide song-writing collaboration, production and engineering, sponsorships and video production, as well as film and television licensing.
EVE TO DAWN track listing:
1. A Light In The Dark
2. The Power Of Truth
3. Come Alive Again
4. Survivor
5. Keep You Burning
6. Gonna Do It My Way
7. Hang Tough
8. Emotions
9. Comes The Dawn
10. Pandra
11. Crazy! Crazy! Crazy!
For more information, please visit:
1 Set Times Announced for the M3 Rock Festival
The set times have been announced for the 4th Annual M3 Rock Festival in Columbia, MD. Check below for bands and start times. Good Tickets are still available for the M3 Rock Festival at this link.
1 Five Great Reasons to Attend the M3 Rock Festival This Week – Reason # 5 – Loudness!!
Japan’s Loudness makes a rare U.S. Appearance this weekend at the M3 Rock Festival in Columbia, MD. If you have never seen Loudness before, this is a great opportunity to check the band out! This is the first appearance from Loudness at M3, and it is going to rock!! You can still get tickets here!!
Check out the band’s video clips, “Heavy Chains”,”Let It Go”, “Crazy Nights” and “You Shook Me”below!
2 New Loudness Album Coming in September
LOUDNESS has announced a new album, Eve To Dawn, which is scheduled to be released September 14th. The complete track list is below. You can check out audio samples at the band’s website at this location.
0 Dirty Passion To Tour With Loudness!
Swedish rockers Dirty Passion is booked for a month long, coast to coast USA tour supporting Japanese heavy metal band Loudness on their 30th Anniversary Tour. Between May 6 and June 5 Dirty Passion will play 22 concerts in 14 different states. Check below for tour dates, and check out the band’s video clip, “1,000,000 Voices” below!
0 LOUDNESS US TOUR Begins in MAY
Loudness is kicking off their 30th Anniversary Tour in the United States this May! Check below for Tour Dates!
May 06 – The Boardwalk – Orangevale, CA
May 07 – Dante’s – Portland, OR
May 08 – Studio Seven – Seattle, WA
May 10 – Avalon – Santa Clara, CA
May 11 – Key Club – Los Angeles, CA
May 12 – Club Red – Tempe, AZ
May 13 – Galaxy Concert Theatre – Santa Ana, CA
May 14 – 4th & B – San Diego, CA
May 15 – Cheyenne Saloon – Las Vegas, NV
May 17 – Summit Music Hall – Denver, CO
May 20 – Token Lounge – Westland, Michigan , US
May 21 – Reggie’s Rock Club – Chicago, IL
May 22 – Beachland Ballroom – Cleveland, OH
May 23 – Mercy Lounge – Nashville, TN
May 26 – Samurai’s – Oklahoma, OK
May 27 – Trees – Dallas, Texas, USA, TX
May 28 – BackStage Live – San Antonio, TX
May 29 – Warehouse Live-Ballroom – Houston, TX
Jun. 01 – B.B. King Blues Club & Grill – New York,
Jun. 03 – Jaxx – West Springfield, VA
Jun. 05 – Crazy Donkey – Farmingdale, NY
Check out the video clip for the song “King of Pain” below!
2 New Loudness CD “King of Pain” Coming Soon!
Japanese metal veterans LOUDNESS will release a new album, “King Of Pain”, in Japan on May 19 via Tokuma Japan Communications. The CD will include a 32-page booklet, a LOUDNESS original pick, and application card (valid only in Japan).
“King Of Pain” track listing:
01. Requiem
02. The King Of Pain
03. Power Of Death
04. Death Machine
05. Doodlebug
06. Rule The World
07. Straight Out Of Our Soul
08. Where Am I Going?
09. Emma
10. Naraka
11. Doctor From Hell
12. Hell Fire
13. #666
14. Never Comes
LOUDNESS has scheduled the following European tour dates:
July 16/17 – Bang Your Head!!! – Balingen, Germany
July 18 – Zwarte Cross – Lichtenvoorde, Netherlands
July 19 – Dynamo Club – Eindhoven, Netherlands
July 20 – Knust – Hamburg, Germany
July 22 – On Stage Club – Athens, Greece
July 23 – Matrix – Bochum, Germany
July 24 – Colos-Saal – Aschaffenburg, Germany
LOUDNESS released a CD+DVD set entitled “Live Loudest At The Budokan ’91” on December 23, 2009 via Warner Music Japan. The album was recorded on May 31, 1991 in Tokyo, Japan and features Mike Vescera (OBSESSION, YNGWIE MALMSTEEN) on vocals.
LOUDNESS drummer Munetaka Higuchi passed away on November 30, 2008 following a seven-month battle with liver cancer. He was 49 years old. Higuchi was also the drummer of the rock band LAZY, going by the nickname of Davy. The group disbanded in 1981 and Higuchi co-founded LOUDNESS the same year. LAZY reunited in 1998. Higuchi was also active as a producer, handling artists such as Mari Hamada.
3 Rest In Peace – Munetaka Higuchi 1958 – 2008
Drummer Munetaka Higuchi of veteran Japanese metallers Loudness passed away today (Sunday, November 30) around 10:00 a.m. (Japan Standard Time) at a hospital in Osaka, Japan. He was 49 years old.
Higuchi was diagnosed with liver cancer (Hepatocellular Carcinoma) in April 2008. He had reportedly undergone two rounds of chemotherapy treatment and an operation to remove part of his liver.
In an October 18, 2008 statement released via the band’s official web site, Munetaka wrote about his condition (translated from Japanese), “It has been half a year since I was diagnosed with liver cancer. I am really sorry that the fans are worried. The cancer has become worse despite the fact that I have been taking care of my health, and I will need more time for my treatment. [Even after undergoing the] big operation to remove half of my liver, I still need more treatment. There are various risks and dangers involved with my condition, but I’ll do my best to keep my spirits up and maintain my physical strength to fight this illness. I know it is still the middle of my treatment, but I just wanted inform you about my progress since the operation. Thank you very much for all the support.”
Rest In Peace Munetaka, you will be missed!
3 New Video – Loudness – Metal Mad
Loudness has released a new video, for their up and coming CD, Metal Mad.
Check it out!!
9 Loudness to Return in 2008 with Metal Mad!
According to a posting on the Tokuma Communications web site, veteran Japanese metallers LOUDNESS will release their new album, “Metal Mad”, through the label on February 20 in Japan. Release dates for other territories have not yet been announced.Metal Mad features the following tracklist: ‘Fire Of Spirit’ (instrumental), ‘Metal Mad’, ‘High Flyer’, ‘Spellbound #9’, ‘Crimson Paradox’, ‘Black And White’, ‘Whatsoever’, ‘Call Of The Reaper’, ‘Can’t Find My Way’, ‘Gravity’, ‘Transformation’.
6 Loudness – Thunder in the East (Release Year – 1985)
While strolling through my local music store, I found this lost gem that I once had in my collection several years ago. Before, I picked this up again, it had been well over 10 years since I have last heard Loudness, so I didn’t remember their music at all.
Thunder in the East was originally released in 1985 and reissued in 2003. This was the first album released in the U.S. in the english language. After a little digging, I found that this disc peaked at #74 on the Billboard charts. Quite an accomplishment for a virtually unknown Japanese metal band.
How does this music stand up today? Pretty well. This is still a pretty good metal disc. I can hear Stryper and Iron Maiden like elements. (It sounds nuts, but it works for this band.)
The opening track Crazy Nights is a catchy heavy rocker with an excellent guitar riff to open the song.
There are a bunch of other quality tracks on this disc including Like Hell, Heavy Chains, Get Away, and The Lines are Down.
Lead singer, Minoru Niihara does an pretty good job vocally on this disc. Lead Guitarist, Akira Takasaki reminds me of Oz Fox quite a bit, but plays much heavier than that.
I enjoyed this disc quite a bit. This band may look like a 80’s big hair band but they were actually quite heavy for their time. Metal fans who haven’t heard this should certainly give this a look. There are some above average metal tracks that are worth discovering!
Enjoy the videos I found from Thunder in the East! If these don’t take you back 20 years, nothing will. 🙂
Crazy Nights
Like Hell
Heavy Chains
Get Away
Rating: 
Out of 10
Track Listing:
- Crazy Nights
- Like Hell
- Heavy Chains
- Get Away
- We Could Be Together
- Run For Your Life
- Clockwork Toy
- No Way Out
- The Lines are Down
- Never Change Your Mind
Hard Rock Hideout 