Animetal

Animetal (Japanese: アニメタル, Hepburn: Animetaru) was a Japanese heavy metal band who specialized in metal covers of theme songs from classic and modern Japanese anime and tokusatsu television series.

Animetal
OriginJapan
Genres
Years active1996–2006
LabelsSony Music Japan
Cutting Edge
VAP
Associated acts
WebsiteOfficial website at Sony Music Japan
Past membersEizo Sakamoto
Masaki
Syu
She-Ja
Mie

They were composed of several luminaries of the Japanese metal scene, most notably vocalist Eizo Sakamoto, who has been involved off and on with Anthem as well as participating in various other projects including the pop rock group Nerima, the JAM Project, and a successful solo career where he also plays lead guitar as well as vocals.

As of 2006, the band is currently on indefinite hiatus.[1] Sakamoto has since begun a similar project called Eizo Japan,[2] but in 2013 he announced that he and She-Ja were reforming Animetal as Aisenshi (哀旋士).[3]

Style

Their music can be classified as speed metal and power metal with a very high level of musical virtuosity, especially on the guitarists' (initially She-Ja for the first four albums, then Syu from Animetal Marathon V to the present) and bassist Masaki's 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 of Judas Priest's "Breaking the Law".

The lyrics are almost entirely in Japanese with occasional lines of "Engrish", which may partly account for why they are virtually unknown outside Japan, except that they admittedly are playing to a very small niche market. For a short time, they incorporated Pink Lady member 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 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 "Eternal Future" (永遠の未来, Towa no Mirai) from the Rurouni Kenshin film.

Animetal the Second

A project titled Animetal the Second, centered around anonymous female vocalist Queen.M, was started in 2015 to continue the Animetal tradition.[4] Its self-titled debut album was released on March 25 by Gr8! Records and features musicians such as Akira Takasaki, Masayoshi Yamashita and George Lynch.[4][5] It was followed up in April 2016 with Blizzard of Animetal the Second, which features Paul Gilbert, Luke Takamura and Saki (Mary's Blood).[6]

Personnel

Timeline

Discography

Studio albums
#TitleLabelRelease date
1Animetal MarathonSony Music Entertainment Japan1997 March 21
2Animetal Marathon II1998 February 21
3Animetal Marathon III1998 October 21
4Animetal Marathon IVCutting Edge Records2001 September 12
5Animetal Marathon VVAP2003 June 25
6Animetal Marathon VI2004 September 22
7Animetal Marathon VII2005 October 21
8Decade of Bravehearts2006 August 02

Live albums
#TitleLabelRelease date
1Complete First LiveSony Music Entertainment Japan1999 October 01
2Complete Last Live1999 October 01
3The Animetal -Re-Birth Heroes-VAP2004 June 23

Compilations
#TitleLabelRelease date
1This Is Japanimetal MarathonSony Music Entertainment Asia1998 April 7
(Asia only)
2Best of AnimetalSony Music Entertainment Japan1998 May 21
3And Then... The Legend of Animetal2011 October 12

Singles
  • "Animetal" (アニメタル, Animetaru)
  • "This Is Animetal"
  • "Tokusatsu de Ikō!" (特撮でいこう！, Let's Go With Tokusatsu!)
  • "Animetal Summer" (アニメタル・サマー, Animetaru Samā)
  • "Sentimetal" (センチメタル, Senchimetaru)
  • "Shukuteki Kenzan!" (宿敵見参！, Meeting the Old Enemy!) from Rurouni Kenshin: Requiem for the Ishin Patriots
  • "The Juppongatana" (The 十本刀, The Ten Swords) from Rurouni Kenshin: Requiem for the Ishin Patriots
  • "Towa no Mirai" (永遠の未来, Eternal Future) ending theme of Rurouni Kenshin: Requiem for the Ishin Patriots
  • "Yūki no Akashi" (勇気の証, Proof of Courage)
  • "For The Bravehearts Only!"

Videos
  • Animetalive
  • Animetal Live at Nissin Power Station 1998
  • The Fourth Marathon
  • The Psycho Marathon
  • Songs for Everlasting Future

Albums
#TitleLabelRelease date
1Animetal Lady MarathonSony Music Entertainment Japan1998 February 21
2Animetal Lady Marathon IICutting Edge Records2002 April 10

Singles
  • "Animetal Lady Sanjō!" (アニメタル・レディー参上！, Animetaru Redī Sanjō!, Animetal Lady Has Arrived!)
  • "Animetal Lady Kenzan!" (アニメタル・レディー見参！, Animetaru Redī Kenzan!, Animetal Lady Has Been Found)

References
  1. Animetal Official Site
  2. Eizo Japan Official Site
  3. "【ピックアップ！】哀旋士…声明文！ - Web Rock Magazine BEEAST". Beeast69.com. 2013-01-18. Retrieved 2013-02-05.
  4. "二代目アニメタル、歌うのは謎の女性Queen.M". Natalie (in Japanese). 2020-02-04. Retrieved 2020-09-25.
  5. "二代目アニメタルとLOUDNESS高崎＆山下「アクエリオン」カバー". Natalie (in Japanese). 2020-02-14. Retrieved 2020-09-25.
  6. "ANIMETAL THE SECOND、新アルバムに二井原実作詞のオリジナル曲". Natalie (in Japanese). 2016-04-04. Retrieved 2020-09-25.
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