:Anthem (band)
{{Short description|Japanese heavy metal band}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2021}}
{{About|the rock band|other uses|Anthem (disambiguation)}}
{{More citations needed|date=June 2013}}
{{Infobox musical artist
| name = Anthem
| image =
| caption =
| image_size =
| alias =
| origin = Tokyo, Japan
| genre = Heavy metal
| years_active = 1981–1992, 2000–present
| label = Victor, King, Universal, Nuclear Blast
| website = {{URL|heavymetalanthem.com}}
| current_members = Naoto Shibata
Akio Shimizu
Isamu Tamaru
Yukio Morikawa
| past_members = Takamasa Ohuchi
Hiroya Fukuda
Eizo Sakamoto
Toshihito Maeda
Akifumi Koyanagi
Hideaki Nakama
Hirotsugu Homma
}}
{{Nihongo|Anthem|アンセム|Ansemu}} is a Japanese heavy metal band that was formed during the early 1980s in Tokyo. They are among the many heavy metal bands founded in Japan during that time and are considered to be one of the most successful and influential, alongside Loudness and Earthshaker.
History
===Early years (1981–1985)===
Anthem was founded in Tokyo during 1980 as a quartet, composed of singer Toshihito Maeda, guitarist Akifumi Koyanagi, bass player Naoto Shibata (also known as "Ski") and drummer Takamasa Ohuchi. Koyanagi left in late 1983 to be replaced by Hiroya Fukuda. In December 1984, vocalist Toshihito Maeda also left and Anthem drafted Eizo Sakamoto for their debut eponymous album, issued in July 1985 by Nexus and licensed to Europe via Roadrunner Records.
===Success (1985–1992)===
Their first studio release featured classic songs like "Wild Anthem" and "Warning Action". Their first EP single in 1986, entitled "Xanadu", was the first known song to be used for promotion of a brand new video game, namely Nihon Falcom's computer RPG Dragon Slayer II: Xanadu. Their second album, Tightrope, released 21 April 1986, showcased a more catchy, melodic sound with an improved vocal performance by Sakamoto. Bound to Break was to be the last album featuring Eizo Sakamoto for nearly two decades. The album was full of classics ("Empty Eyes", "Bound to Break", "Soldiers") and introduced the band's long-time world-famous producer, Chris Tsangarides (perhaps best known for producing Judas Priest's classic 1990 album, Painkiller). With the departure of Sakamoto in 1988, Shibata recruited Yukio Morikawa to the band's vocal position. With Morikawa came the album Gypsy Ways, considered the band's most popular album. Morikawa's voice made the band a great success at that time and he was similar in style, vocal range and ability to Graham Bonnet. In 1989, the album Hunting Time was released and the song "The Juggler" was used as a PV. In the beginning of 90s, Anthem dealt with another departure: after the album No Smoke Without Fire was completed, this time without the band's staple producer / engineer Chris Tsangarides, Hiroya Fukuda (guitar) left and was replaced by Hideaki 'Shadow Walker' Nakama. Hideaki Nakama left the band after the tour was done and the search for a new guitarist began.
===Disbandment (1992–2000)===
After many auditions, the young Akio Shimizu joined the band to replace Nakama. In 1992, the band released Domestic Booty. However, classic-style heavy metal was out of fashion in the early 90s, and with the explosion of grunge in the U.S. and the visual kei movement in Japanese music, Shibata decided to put an end to the band. The members of Anthem followed the album's release with a tour covering many cities of Japan and released the VHS/CD Last Anthem: Live recorded at Nissin Power Station, which was the band's last show for nearly eight years.
===Reform (2000–2011)===
After the long hiatus, Anthem returned in 2000, with the album Heavy Metal Anthem which featured the vocalist Graham Bonnet (former lead singer of Rainbow and Alcatrazz). The album is entirely composed by classic songs of the band rearranged with English lyrics. The lineup on Heavy Metal Anthem was: Graham Bonnet (vocals), Naoto Shibata (bass), Akio Shimizu (guitar) and Takamasa Oouchi (drums).
Later, Hirotsugu Homma (who had played together with Shibata in Loudness) replaced Takamasa Oouchi on drums and Eizo Sakamoto returned to the vocals. In 2001, they released Seven Hills. In 2002 came Overload, which is considered by most critics{{By whom|date=November 2015}} to be much more aggressive than Seven Hills. In 2003, the band recorded Live' Melt Down at Citta Club Kawasaki. In 2004 the band released the single "Onslaught" followed by the album Eternal Warrior, which continued in the same sound direction as Overload. In 2005, Anthem celebrated their twentieth anniversary with a special tour, where all members of the band since 1985 played the band songs in their respective formations. The Kawasaki show of this tour was filmed and released on DVD as "20th Anniversary Tour".
In 2006 Anthem released Immortal, followed by the single and PV of "Immortal Bind". The most recent output has seen Anthem push even further into the Power Metal-tinged style showcased on Domestic Booty and Eternal Warrior with 2008's Black Empire. A PV of "Heat of the Night" was released shortly after the album hit in November 2008 and has thus far garnered even more positive critical reviews than Immortal.
Their much anticipated album Heraldic Device was released in 2011. This was their last album with record label company JVC.
===2012–present===
As of 2012, Anthem has signed with record label Universal Music and has released a new single "Evil One" in September 2012 and following with an album, Burning Oath, that was released in October 2012.
On 10 January 2013, the band announced it was on hiatus after Shibata was diagnosed with stomach cancer.{{cite web|url=http://www.blabbermouth.net/news.aspx?mode=Article&newsitemID=184687 |title=Anthem Bassist Diagnosed With Stomach Cancer; Japanese Tour Postponed |publisher=Blabbermouth.net |date=10 January 2013 |access-date=15 November 2015}} The bassist declared that he was cancer-free and healthy as of 2021. {{cite web|url=http://www.metallian.com/anthem.php |title=Anthem interview with Shibata Naoto |publisher=metallian.com |date=27 June 2021 |access-date=25 September 2021}} After the recovery of Shibata the band played a couple of return shows in July 2013 with the Live Circus Tour following these again in September and October 2013.
In February 2014 singer Eizo Sakamoto left the band for a second time and was replaced by former singer Yukio Morikawa. The group also announced that drummer Isamu Tamaru, who had been filling in as a guest drummer for the band since 2012, would replace Homma as the permanent member. Production of a new album will start in the spring. A kick off tour with the new line-up was also undertaken: 7/19 Nagoya, 7/26 Osaka, 8/2 Kawasaki.
Absolute World, Yukio Morikawa's first album as the band's vocalist since Domestic Booty in 1992, was released on 22 October 2014.{{cite web |url=http://thunderball667.jp/release/2014/10/absolute_world.php |title=ABSOLUTE WORLD | Thunderball667 |publisher=Thunderball667.jp |access-date=15 November 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151117014915/http://thunderball667.jp/release/2014/10/absolute_world.php |archive-date=17 November 2015 |url-status=dead }} The band toured throughout November in support of the album.{{cite web |url=http://www.heavymetalanthem.com/news/2014/10/23/410 |title=Anthem"Absolute World"トレイラー公開!! |publisher=HeavymetalAnthem.com |access-date=15 November 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170526214642/http://www.heavymetalanthem.com/news/2014/10/23/410 |archive-date=26 May 2017 |url-status=dead }}
On 17 April, the band announced through its website, the title of their next album, Engraved, which was released 21 June 2017. A video was released for the single, "The Artery Song."
The band announced that their greatest hits album, Nucleus, which will feature English-language versions of their songs, will be released on 29 March 2019 by Nuclear Blast Records. On 17 December 2018, the band released "Black Empire", originally sung by Eizo Sakamoto and now by Yukio Morikawa, as the first single off the album.{{cite web|url=http://www.blabbermouth.net/news/japanese-metallers-anthem-release-black-empire-single-from-nucleus-album/|title=Japanese metallers ANTHEM Release 'Black Empire' Single From 'Nucleus' Album|publisher=Blabbermouth.net |date=17 December 2018|access-date=20 December 2018}} Anthem announced an Anthem 2001 vs. Anthem 2021 tour for 2021 in which old and current members appeared on stage. {{cite web|url=http://www.metallian.com/anthem.php |title=Anthem biography |publisher=metallian.com |date=25 September 2021 |access-date=25 September 2021}}
==Members==
=Current members=
- Yukio Morikawa: lead vocals (1988–1992, 2014–present)
- Akio Shimizu: guitars, backing vocals (1991–1992, 2000–present)
- Naoto Shibata: bass, backing vocals (1981–1992, 2000–present)
- Isamu Tamaru: drums (2012–present)
=Former members=
- Toshihito Maeda: lead vocals (1981–1984)
- Eizo Sakamoto: lead vocals (1984–1988, 2000–2014)
- Akifumi Koyanagi: guitars (1981–1983)
- Hiroya Fukuda: guitars (1983–1990)
- Hideaki Nakama: guitars (1990–1991)
- Takamasa Ohuchi: drums (1981–1992)
- Hirotsugu Homma: drums (2000–2012)
=Timeline=
{{#tag:timeline|
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Period = from:01/01/1981 till:{{#time:d/m/Y}}
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Colors =
id:vocals value:red legend:Lead_Vocals
id:guitar value:green legend:Guitar
id:bass value:blue legend:Bass
id:drums value:orange legend:Drums
id:Lines value:black legend:Studio_Album
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ScaleMajor = unit:year increment:4 start:1981
ScaleMinor = unit:year increment:1 start:1981
LineData =
at:21/07/1985 color:black layer:back
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at:21/05/1988 color:black layer:back
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at:21/03/1990 color:black layer:back
at:06/03/1992 color:black layer:back
at:22/08/2001 color:black layer:back
at:09/10/2002 color:black layer:back
at:21/07/2004 color:black layer:back
at:30/08/2006 color:black layer:back
at:29/10/2008 color:black layer:back
at:06/07/2011 color:black layer:back
at:24/10/2012 color:black layer:back
at:22/10/2014 color:black layer:back
at:21/06/2017 color:black layer:back
at:29/03/2019 color:black layer:back
at:07/09/2020 color:black layer:back
at:21/04/2023 color:black layer:back
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bar:Maeda text:"Toshihito Maeda"
bar:Sakamoto text:"Eizo Sakamoto"
bar:Morikawa text:"Yukio Morikawa"
bar:Akifumi text:"Akifumi Koyanagi"
bar:Fukuda text:"Hiroya Fukuda"
bar:Nakama text:"Hideaki Nakama"
bar:Shimizu text:"Akio Shimizu"
bar:Shibata text:"Naoto Shibata"
bar:Ohuchi text:"Takamasa Ohuchi"
bar:Homma text:"Hirotsugu Homma"
bar:Tamaru text:"Isamu Tamaru"
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bar:Morikawa from:01/02/1988 till:01/10/1992 color:vocals
bar:Sakamoto from:01/10/2000 till:01/02/2014 color:vocals
bar:Morikawa from:01/02/2014 till:end color:vocals
bar:Akifumi from:start till:01/07/1983 color:guitar
bar:Fukuda from:01/07/1983 till:01/01/1990 color:guitar
bar:Nakama from:02/01/1990 till:01/06/1991 color:guitar
bar:Shimizu from:02/06/1991 till:01/10/1992 color:guitar
bar:Shimizu from:01/10/2000 till:end color:guitar
bar:Shibata from:start till:01/10/1992 color:bass
bar:Shibata from:01/10/2000 till:end color:bass
bar:Ohuchi from:start till:01/10/1992 color:drums
bar:Homma from:01/10/2000 till:01/02/2012 color:drums
bar:Tamaru from:01/02/2012 till:end color:drums
}}
Discography
=Studio albums=
| class="wikitable"
! rowspan="2" |Year ! rowspan="2" |Title ! colspan="4" |Member |
| Vocals
!Guitars !Bass !Drums |
|---|
| rowspan="2" |1985
|Anthem | rowspan="4" |Eizo Sakamoto | rowspan="7" |Hiroya Fukuda | rowspan="21" |Naoto Shibata | rowspan="9" |Takamasa Ohuchi |
| Ready to Ride EP |
| 1986
|Tightrope |
| 1987
|Bound to Break |
| 1988
|Gypsy Ways | rowspan="4" |Yukio Morikawa |
| 1989
|Hunting Time |
| 1990
|No Smoke Without Fire |
| 1992
|Domestic Booty | rowspan="14" |Akio Shimizu |
| 2000 |
| 2001
| rowspan="7" |Eizo Sakamoto | rowspan="7" |Hirotsugu Homma |
| 2002 |
| 2004 |
| 2006 |
| 2008 |
| 2011
|Heraldic Device |
| 2012
|Burning Oath |
| 2014
|Absolute World | rowspan="3" |Yukio Morikawa | rowspan="5" |Isamu Tamaru |
| 2017
|Engraved |
| 2019
|Nucleus |
| 2020
|Explosive!!: Studio Jam |Graham Bonnet Yukio Morikawa |
| 2023
|Crimson & Jet Black |Yukio Morikawa |
=Live albums=
| class="wikitable"
! rowspan="2" |Year ! rowspan="2" |Title ! colspan="4" |Member |
| Vocals
!Guitars !Bass !Drums |
|---|
| 1987
|The Show Carries On! |Eizo Sakamoto |Hiroya Fukuda | rowspan="7" |Naoto Shibata | rowspan="2" |Takamasa Ohuchi |
| 1992
|Last Anthem |Yukio Morikawa | rowspan="2" |Akio Shimizu |
| 2003
| rowspan="4" |Eizo Sakamoto |Hirotsugu Homma |
| rowspan="2" |2005
|The Show Carries On! – Complete Version |Hiroya Fukuda |Takamasa Ohuchi |
| Prologue Live Boxx
| rowspan="3" |Akio Shimizu | rowspan="2" |Hirotsugu Homma |
| 2010
|Prologue Live Boxx 2 |
| 2015
|Trimetallic |Yukio Morikawa |Isamu Tamaru |
=Compilations=
- 1990: Best 1981–1990
- 1992: Best II 1981–1992
- 1998: The Very Best of Anthem
- 2001: Anthem Ways
- 2005: Official Bootleg (CD version)
- 2005: Official Bootleg (boxed set)
- 2007: Core: Best of Anthem 2000–2007
- 2015: Anthems 2000–2011 (2CDs + DVD)
- 2019: Nucleus
=Singles=
| class="wikitable"
!Year !Title !Album |
| 1986
|Non-album Single |
| 1990
|Love on the Edge |No Smoke Without Fire |
| 2000
|Gypsy Ways (Win, Lose or Draw) |Heavy Metal Anthem |
| 2001
|Grieve of Heart |Seven Hills |
| 2002
|The Voices |Overload |
| 2004
|Onslaught |Eternal Warrior |
| 2006
|Immortal Bind |Immortal |
| 2008
|Heat of the Night |Black Empire |
| 2012
|Evil One |Burning Oath |
| 2013
|Blast |Non-album Single |
| 2014
|Shine On |Absolute World |
| 2017
|The Artery Song |Engraved |
| 2019
|Black Empire |Nucleus |
= Video/DVD =
- 1987: The Show Carries On
- 2001: Back Then
- 2003: Live' Melt Down: The Show Still Carries On
- 2005: Anthem 20th Anniversary Tour 2005
- 2009: Live Immortal
- 2013: Live Unbroken
- 2016: 30+
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [http://www.universal-music.co.jp/anthem/ Anthem at Universal Music]
- [http://www.heavymetalanthem.com/ Official Homepage]
{{Anthem}}
{{Authority control}}
Category:Japanese heavy metal musical groups
Category:Musical groups from Tokyo
Category:Musical groups established in 1980
Category:Musical groups disestablished in 1992
Category:Musical groups reestablished in 2000
Category:Japanese musical quartets
Category:Universal Music Japan artists
Category:Victor Entertainment artists
Category:King Records (Japan) artists