- Animetal
Infobox musical artist
Name = Animetal
Img_capt =
Img_size =
Landscape = Yes
Background = group_or_band
Origin =Japan
Genre = Heavy metal
Years_active = 1996 - 2006
Label = VAP
Sony Music Entertainment
Avex
Associated_acts = Anthem
Galneryus
JAM Project
Pink Lady
URL = http://www.compozila.co.jp/iron/
Current_members =Eizo Sakamoto
MasakiSyu
Past_members =Shi-Ja
Mienihongo|Animetal|アニメタル|Animetaru was a
Japan ese noveltyheavy metal band who specialized in metal covers of theme songs from classic and modern Japaneseanime andtokusatsu television series.They were comprised of several luminaries of the Japanese metal scene, most notably vocalist
Eizo Sakamoto , who has been involved off and on with Anthem (one of the first Japanese heavy metal bands to achieve name recognition outside of Japan in the 1980s alongside Loudness) as well as participating in various other projects including the pop-rock group Nerima, theJAM Project , and a successful solo career where he also plays lead guitar as well as vocals.Their music can be classified as high-energy melodic
thrash metal , power andspeed metal with a very high level of musical virtuosity, especially on the guitarists' (initially Shi-Ja for the first four albums, then Syu from "Animetal Marathon V" to the present) and bassist's (band constant Masaki) parts. Masaki, in particular from "Animetal Marathon IV" onward, has shown an intensely active and aggressive approach to his instrument with fluid soloing, manic slapping and popping, energetic fills, and crashing chords for punctuation. The albums are structured as nearly seamless barrages of short songs woven into well-structured medleys that sound as though the band simply enters the studio and lays down virtually the entire album from start to finish in one go, with occasional overdubs and breaks in the action here and there.Part of the band's nostalgic factor is their incorporation of popular rock/metal instrumentals into some of the songs. For instance, their version of "
Choujuu Sentai Liveman " is played to the tune ofJudas Priest 's "Breaking the Law ." [ [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JHLIM_k1qrM YouTube - Animetal Custom Marathon] ]The lyrics are almost entirely in Japanese with occasional lines of "
Engrish ", which may partly account for why they are virtually unknown outside of Japan, aside from the fact they admittedly are playing to a very small niche market. For a short time, they incorporated Pink Lady vocalist Mie into the band, hence the name change to "Animetal Lady", and recorded two albums with her distinctive and melodic vocals that are much more commercially accessible (almost what one would call pop-metal) than the rest of the Animetal discography.While they're known more for their covers, the band has a few original songs, including the ballad "
Towa no Mirai " from the "Rurouni Kenshin " soundtrack.As of 2006, the band is currently on indefinite hiatus. [ [http://www.compozila.co.jp/iron/ Animetal Official Site] ]
Eizo Sakamoto has stated in a recent interview that Animetal is alive and well and is recording a new album to be released in 2009.
Personnel
Final Line-Up
*
Eizo Sakamoto (1996-2006) - lead vocals
*Syu (2003-2006) - guitar
*Masaki (1997-2006) - bassFormer Members
*
Shi-Ja (1997-2001) - guitar
*Mie (1997-1998, 2002) - lead vocals (as Animetal Lady)
*Katsuji (1997-2006) - drums
*Yasuhiro Umezawa (1997-1998) - drums
*Kouichi Seiyama (1997-1998, 2002) - keyboards
*Muntetaka Higuchi (1997) - drums ("Animetal Summer", "Sentimetal")
*Shinki (1998) - drums ("Yuuki no Akashi")
*Take-Shit (1997) - bass ("This is Animetal")Discography
Albums
*nihongo|"
Animetal Marathon "|アニメタル・マラソン|Animetaru Marason
*nihongo|"Animetal Marathon II :Tokusatsu Collection"|アニメタル・マラソンⅡ ～特撮編～|Animetaru Marason Tsū ~Tokusatsu Hen~
*"This is Japanimetal Marathon " (Asia-only release)
*nihongo|"Best of Animetal "|アニメタルのベスト|Animetaru no Besuto
*nihongo|"Animetal Marathon III :Tsuburaya Productions Collection"|アニメタル・マラソンⅢ ～円谷プロ編～|Animetaru Marason Surī ~Tsuburaya Puro Hen~
*"Complete First Live "
*"Complete Last Live "
*nihongo|"Animetal Marathon IV "|アニメタル・マラソンⅣ|Animetaru Marason Fō
*nihongo|"Animetal Marathon V "|アニメタル・マラソンⅤ|Animetaru Marason Faibu
*nihongo|"Animetal Marathon VI "|アニメタル・マラソンⅥ|Animetaru Marason Shikkusu
*nihongo|"Animetal Marathon VII : Fight! The Metal Heroes"|アニメタル・マラソンⅦ ～戦え!メタル・ヒーロー～|Animetaru Marason Sebun ~Tatakae! Metaru Hīrō
*"Decade of Bravehearts "ingles
*nihongo|"Animetal"|アニメタル|Animetaru
*"This Is ANIMETAL"
*nihongo|"Let's Go WithTokusatsu !"|特撮でいこう！|Tokusatsu de Ikō!
*nihongo|"Animetal Summer"|アニメタル・サマー|Animetaru Samā
*nihongo|"Sentimetal"|センチメタル|Senchimetaru
*nihongo|"Meeting the Old Enemy"|宿敵見参！|Shukuteki Kenzan! from the "Rurouni Kenshin : Requiem for the Ishin Shishi" Motion Picture
*nihongo|"The Ten Swords"|The 十本刀|The Jūppon Gatana from the "Rurouni Kenshin : Requiem for the Ishin Shishi" Motion Picture
*nihongo|"Eternal Future"|永遠の未来|Towa no Mirai ending theme for the "Rurouni Kenshin : Requiem for the Ishin Shishi" Motion Picture
*nihongo|"Proof of Courage"|勇気の証|Yūki no Akashi
*"THE ANIMETAL ～RE-BIRTH HEROES～"
*"For The Bravehearts Only!"Animetal Lady
*nihongo|"Animetal Lady has Arrived!"|アニメタル・レディー参上！|Animetaru Redī Sanjō!
*nihongo|"Animetal Lady has been Found!"|アニメタル・レディー見参！|Animetaru Redī Kenzan!
*nihongo|"Animetal Lady Marathon "|アニメタル・レディー・マラソン|Animetaru Redī Marason
*nihongo|"Animetal Lady Marathon II "|アニメタル・レディー・マラソンⅡ|Animetaru Redī Marason TsūReferences
External links
* [http://www.compozila.co.jp/iron/ Animetal (official site)] ja icon
* [http://www.shoutimpact.com SHOUT IMPACT !!] English Eizo Sakamoto fan site
* [http://musicbrainz.org/artist/08874e35-f5de-4864-88aa-cdc4248a7138.html MusicBrainz entry]
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