Origin: Japan  
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Last update/review: July 4, 2014

Loudness

Loudness was formed by Akira Takasaki and Munetaka Higuchi, the duo leaving their previous band (Lazy, often described as a pop-rock band though apparently some of their material is quite accomplished) to explore a heavier style of music. The band followed in the footsteps of Bow Wow (the first Japanese metal band ever?) and proceeded to have a profound influence on practically every Japanese metal band of the 80's. They were at their heaviest and most distinctive in their early days, as their first three albums are bonafide classics. By the mid-eighties they had acheived quite a bit of worldwide acclaim and their style drifted towards a more Westernized metal, and with the arrival of American vocalist Mike Vescera the shift was even more noticeable. During the 90's the lineup and style continued to shift, but in 2001 the original lineup was back together, and they are still going strong, now one of the more prolific metal bands ever. Sadly, the original foursome is no longer together, as founding drummer Munetaka Higuchi passed away in November 2008 after an extended bout with liver cancer.

Current Members

Minoru Niihara

vocals

Akira Takasaki

guitars

Masayoshi Yamashita

bass

Masayuki Suzuki

drums

Former Members/Guests

Mike Vescera

vocals (ex-Killing Machine, ex-Yngwie Malmsteen, Obsession)

Masaki Yamada

vocals (ex-EZO)

Taiji Sawada

bass (ex-X-Japan) RIP: July 17, 2011, suicide, age 45

Naoto Shibata

bass (Anthem)

Munetaka Higuchi

drums RIP: November 30, 2008, liver cancer, age 49

Hiro Homma

drums (ex-Anthem, ex-EZO)


Discography



The Birthday Eve  
1981 Columbia
  1. Loudness
  2. Sexy Woman
  3. Open Your Eyes
  4. Street Woman
  5. To Be Demon
  6. I'm On Fire
  7. High Try
  8. Rock Shock (More And More)
  • Minoru Niihara
  • Minoru Niihara
  • Akira Takasaki
  • Akira Takasaki
  • Masayoshi Yamashita
  • Masayoshi Yamashita
  • Munetaka Higuchi
  • Masayuki Suzuki


Devil Soldier  
1982 Columbia
  1. Lonely Player
  2. Angel Dust
  3. After Illusion
  4. Girl Hard Workin'
  5. Loving Maid
  6. Rock The Nation
  7. Devil Soldier
  • Minoru Niihara
  • Akira Takasaki
  • Masayoshi Yamashita
  • Munetaka Higuchi
1982 BNR Top Ten Album



Law Of Devils Land  
1983 Columbia
  1. Theme of Loudness (Part II)
  2. In the Mirror
  3. Show Me the Way
  4. I Wish You were Here
  5. Mr. Yes Man
  6. The Law of Devil's Land
  7. Black Wall
  8. Sleepless Night
  9. Speed
  • Minoru Niihara
  • Akira Takasaki
  • Masayoshi Yamashita
  • Munetaka Higuchi


Live Loud Alive  LIVE
1983 Columbia
  1. Opening Theme (Mars, the Bringer of War)
  2. In the Mirror
  3. Road Racer
  4. I Was the Sun
  5. Fly Away
  6. Black Wall
  7. Tusk of Jaguar/Drum Solo
  8. Mr. Yes Man
  9. Exploder - Heavenward
  10. Loudness
  11. Sleepless Night
  12. Speed
  13. Shinkiro
  14. Burning Love
  15. Ending Theme (Theme of Loudness)
  • Minoru Niihara
  • Akira Takasaki
  • Masayoshi Yamashita
  • Munetaka Higuchi


Disillusion  
1984 Music For Nations
  1. Crazy Doctor
  2. Esper
  3. Butterfly
  4. Revelation
  5. Exploder
  6. Dream Fantasy
  7. Milky Way
  8. Satisfaction Guaranteed
  9. Ares' Lament
  • Minoru Niihara
  • Akira Takasaki
  • Masayoshi Yamashita
  • Munetaka Higuchi


Thunder In The East  
1985 Atlantic
  1. Crazy Nights
  2. Like Hell
  3. Heavy Chains
  4. Get Away
  5. We Could Be Together
  6. Run for Your Life
  7. Clockwork Toy
  8. No Way Out
  9. The Lines are Down
  10. Never Change Your Mind
  • Minoru Niihara
  • Akira Takasaki
  • Masayoshi Yamashita
  • Munetaka Higuchi


Lightning Strikes  
1986 Atlantic
  1. Let it Go
  2. Dark Desire
  3. 1000 Eyes
  4. Face to Face
  5. Who Knows
  6. Ashes in the Sky
  7. Black Star Oblivion
  8. Street Life Dream
  9. Complication
  • Minoru Niihara
  • Akira Takasaki
  • Masayoshi Yamashita
  • Munetaka Higuchi


8186 Live  LIVE
1986 War
  1. Loudness
  2. Rock Shock
  3. Dark Desire
  4. Streetlife Dreams
  5. Crazy Doctor
  6. Geraldine
  7. Bass-Drum Solos
  8. Ashes in the Sky
  9. Let it Go
  10. 1000 Eyes
  11. Face to Face
  12. Ares' Lament
  13. In the Mirror
  14. Guitar Solo
  15. Crazy Night
  16. Speed
  17. Farewell
  • Minoru Niihara
  • Akira Takasaki
  • Masayoshi Yamashita
  • Munetaka Higuchi


Hurricane Eyes  
1987 Atlantic
  1. S.D.I.
  2. This Lonely Heart
  3. Rock 'N' Roll Gypsy
  4. In My Dreams
  5. Take Me Home
  6. Strike of the Sword
  7. Rock This Way
  8. In This World Beyond
  9. Hungry Heart
  10. So Lonely
  • Minoru Niihara
  • Akira Takasaki
  • Masayoshi Yamashita
  • Munetaka Higuchi


Jealousy  
1988 War
  1. Jealousy
  2. Long Distance Love
  3. Good Things Going
  4. Die of Hunger
  5. Heavier than Hell
  6. Dreamer And Screamer
  • Minoru Niihara
  • Akira Takasaki
  • Masayoshi Yamashita
  • Munetaka Higuchi


Soldier Of Fortune  
1989 Atlantic
  1. Soldier of Fortune
  2. You Shook Me
  3. Danger of Love
  4. Twenty-Five Days
  5. Red Light Shooter
  6. Running for Cover
  7. Lost Without Your Love
  8. Faces in the Fire
  9. Long After Midnight
  10. Demon Disease
  • Mike Vescera
  • Akira Takasaki
  • Masayoshi Yamashita
  • Munetaka Higuchi


On The Prowl  
1991 Atlantic
  1. Down 'n' Dirty
  2. Playing Games
  3. Love Toys
  4. Never Again
  5. Deadly Player
  6. Take It or Leave It
  7. Girl
  8. Long Distance
  9. In the Mirror
  10. Sleepless Nights
  11. Find a Way
  • Mike Vescera
  • Akira Takasaki
  • Masayoshi Yamashita
  • Munetaka Higuchi


Loud & Rare  
1991 War
  1. The Night Beast
  2. Risky Woman
  3. Silent Sword
  4. Long Distance Love (Super Mix)
  5. Mr. Yes Man (Live)
  6. Farewell


Loudness  
1992
  1. Pray for the Dead
  2. Slaughter House
  3. Walking the Dead
  4. Black Widow
  5. Racing the Wind
  6. Love Kills
  7. Hell Bites (from the edge of Insanity)
  8. Everyone Lies
  9. Twisted
  10. Firestorm
  • Masaki Yamada
  • Akira Takasaki
  • Taiji Sawada
  • Munetaka Higuchi


Once And For All - Live  LIVE
1992 WEA
  • Masaki Yamada
  • Akira Takasaki
  • Taiji Sawada
  • Munetaka Higuchi
1992 Readers' Album #60



Heavy Metal Hippies  
1994 War
  1. Howling Rain
  2. Freedom
  3. 222 -
  4. Eyes of a Child
  5. Electric Kisses
  6. House of Freaks
  7. Paralyzed
  8. Desperation Desecration
  9. Light in the Distance
  10. Broken Jesus
  • Masaki Yamada
  • Akira Takasaki
  • Hiro Homma
1994 Readers' Album #50



Ghetto Machine  
1997 Rooms
  1. Ghetto Machine
  2. Slave
  3. Evil Ecstacy
  4. San Fransisco
  5. Love and Hate
  6. Creatures
  7. Katmandu Fly
  8. Hypnotized
  9. Dead Man Walking
  10. Jasmine Sky
  11. Wonder Man
  • Masaki Yamada
  • Akira Takasaki
  • Naoto Shibata
  • Hiro Homma


Dragon  
1998 Rooms
  1. 9 Miles High
  2. Dogshit
  3. Wicked Witches
  4. Crazy Go Go
  5. Voodoo Voices
  6. ??
  7. Babylon
  8. Crawl
  9. Forbidden Love
  10. Mirror Ball
  11. Taj Mahal
  12. Night Creepers
  • Masaki Yamada
  • Akira Takasaki
  • Naoto Shibata
  • Hiro Homma


Engine  
1999 Rooms
  1. Soul Tone
  2. Bug Killa
  3. Black Biohazard
  4. Twist of Chain
  5. Bad Date (Nothing I Can Do)
  6. Apocalypse
  7. Ace in the Hole
  8. Sweet Dreams
  9. Asylum
  10. Burnin' Eye Balls
  11. Junk His Head
  12. 2008 Candra Getten
  13. Coming Home
  • Masaki Yamada
  • Akira Takasaki
  • Naoto Shibata
  • Hiro Homma


Spiritual Canoe  
2001
  1. The Winds of Victory
  2. The Hate That Fills My Lonely Cells
  3. The End of Earth
  4. Stay Wild
  5. The Seven Deadly Sins
  6. Picture Your Life
  7. How Many More Time
  8. Touch My Heart
  9. Climaxxx
  10. A Stroke of Lightning
  11. Never Forget You
  12. Spiritual Canoe
  13. The Power of Love
  • Minoru Niihara
  • Akira Takasaki
  • Masayoshi Yamashita
  • Munetaka Higuchi


Pandemonium  
2001
  1. Ya Stepped on a Mine
  2. Bloody Doom
  3. The Pandemonium
  4. Vision
  5. What's the Truth?
  6. Suicide Doll
  7. Chaos
  8. The Candidate
  9. Real Man
  10. Inflame
  11. Snake Venom
  • Minoru Niihara
  • Akira Takasaki
  • Masayoshi Yamashita
  • Munetaka Higuchi


Biosphere  
2002
  1. Hellrider
  2. Biosphere
  3. Savior
  4. My Precious
  5. Wind From Tibet
  6. System Crush
  7. The Night Is Still Young
  8. Shame On You
  9. Break My Mind
  10. So Beautiful
  11. For You
  • Minoru Niihara
  • Akira Takasaki
  • Masayoshi Yamashita
  • Munetaka Higuchi


Terror  
2004
  1. Pharaoh
  2. Cyber Soul
  3. Life After Death
  4. Let's Free Our Souls
  5. Detonator (Fire and Thunder)
  6. Cross
  7. About to Kill
  8. Double-Water
  9. The City Of Vampire
  10. Seventh Heaven
  11. Terror
  • Minoru Niihara
  • Akira Takasaki
  • Masayoshi Yamashita
  • Munetaka Higuchi


Live Terror 2004  VIDEO
2004


Rockshocks  
2004
  1. Loudness
  2. Crazy Doctor
  3. In the Mirror
  4. Crazy Night
  5. Esper
  6. Like Hell
  7. Lonely Player
  8. Street Woman
  9. Angel Dust
  10. Rock Shock
  11. The Lines Are Down
  12. Milky Way
  13. Mr. Yesman
  • Minoru Niihara
  • Akira Takasaki
  • Masayoshi Yamashita
  • Munetaka Higuchi


Racing  
2005
  1. Racing
  2. Exultation
  3. Lunatic
  4. Believe it or Not
  5. Power Generation
  6. Speed Maniac
  7. Live for the Moment
  8. Crazy Samurai (Album Version)
  9. Telomerase
  10. Tomorrow is not Promised
  11. Misleading Man
  12. R.I.P. (Album Version)
  13. Don't Know Nothing
  14. Unknown Civilians
  • Minoru Niihara
  • Akira Takasaki
  • Masayoshi Yamashita
  • Munetaka Higuchi


Loudness Live DVD: Rock-Shocking The Nation  VIDEO
2005


Loudness Live - Limited Edit At Germany  VIDEO
2005


Breaking The Taboo  
2006
  1. Breaking The Taboo
  2. Brutal Torture
  3. Sick World
  4. Don't Spam Me
  5. Damnation
  6. The Love Of My Life
  7. A Moment Of Revelation
  8. Dynamite
  9. Risk Taker
  10. I Wish
  11. Diving Into Darkness
  12. Without You
  • Minoru Niihara
  • Akira Takasaki
  • Masayoshi Yamashita
  • Munetaka Higuchi


Metal Mad  
2008
  1. Fire Of Spirit
  2. Metal Mad
  3. High Flyer
  4. Spellbound #9
  5. Crimson Paradox
  6. Black And White
  7. Whatsoever
  8. Call Of The Reaper
  9. Can't Find My Way
  10. Gravity
  11. Transformation
  • Minoru Niihara
  • Akira Takasaki
  • Masayoshi Yamashita
  • Munetaka Higuchi


The Everlasting  
2009 Tokuma
  1. Hit The Rails
  2. Flame Of Rock
  3. I Wonder
  4. The Everlasting
  5. Life Goes On
  6. Let It Rock
  7. Crystal Moon
  8. Change
  9. Rock Into The Night
  10. I'm In Pain
  11. Thunder Burn
  12. Desperate Religion
  • Minoru Niihara
  • Akira Takasaki
  • Masayoshi Yamashita
  • Munetaka Higuchi


Munetaka Higuchi - Forever Our Hero  VIDEO
2009


Live Loudest At The Budokan '91  LIVE
2009 Warner
  1. Down N' Dirty
  2. Playin' Games
  3. In The Mirror
  4. Never Again
  5. Crazy Night
  6. So Lonely
  7. Crazy Doctor
  8. Loudness
  9. Find A Way
  10. Sleepless Night
  11. Soldier Of Fortune
  12. Slap In The Face
  13. Love Toys
  14. Take It Or Leave It
  15. Never Again
  16. Sleepless Night
  17. Down N' Dirty
  18. In The Mirror
  19. You Shook Me


King Of Pain  
2010 Tokuma
  1. Requiem
  2. The King Of Pain
  3. Power Of Death
  4. Death Machine
  5. Doodlebug
  6. Rule The World
  7. Straight Out Of Our Soul
  8. Where Am I Going?
  9. Emma
  10. Naraka
  11. Doctor From Hell
  12. Hell Fire
  13. #666
  14. Never Comes
  • Minoru Niihara
  • Akira Takasaki
  • Masayoshi Yamashita
  • Masayuki Suzuki


Eve To Dawn  
2011
  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. [Japanese Title]
  9. Comes The Dawn
  10. Pandora
  11. Crazy! Crazy! Crazy!
  • Minoru Niihara
  • Akira Takasaki
  • Masayoshi Yamashita
  • Masayuki Suzuki


2.0.1.2  
2012 Tokuma
  1. The Stronger
  2. 2012~End Of The Age
  3. Break New Ground
  4. Driving Force
  5. Behind The Scene
  6. Bang'em Dead
  7. The Voice Of Metal
  8. Who The Hell Cares
  9. Spirit From The East
  10. Memento Mori
  11. Out Of The Space
  12. Deep-Six The Law (bonus track)


The Sun Will Rise Again  
2014
  1. Nourishment of the Mind
  2. Got to Be Strong
  3. Never Ending Fire
  4. The Metal Man
  5. Mortality
  6. The Best
  7. The Sun Will Rise Again
  8. Rock You Wild
  9. Greatest Ever Heavy Metal
  10. Shout
  11. Not Alone
  12. y/tracks//loud-y
  13. Street Woman
  14. The Law of Devil's Land
  15. Loudness
  16. In the Mirror
  17. Black Wall
  18. Rock Shock (More and More)
  19. Lonely Player
  20. Devil Soldier
  21. Burning Love
  22. Angel Dust
  23. Road Racer
  24. Rock the Nation
  25. To Be Demon


Samsara Flight  
2016


Rise To Glory  
2018 earMUSIC
  1. Soul On Fire
  2. I'm Still Alive
  3. Go For Broke
  4. Until I See The Light
  5. The Voice
  6. Massive Tornado
  7. Kama Sutra ()
  8. No Limits
  9. Bad Loser
  10. Rise To Glory
  11. Rain
  12. Who And For Whom
  • Minoru Niihara
  • Akira Takasaki
  • Masayoshi Yamashita
  • Masayuki Suzuki


Sunburst  
2021 Katana



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