BACK-ON and FLOW release new collab! ‘TV size’ short version of ‘KAMEN RIDER GOTCHARD’ opening theme song ‘CHEMY×STORY’ out now!

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CHEMY×STORY Jacket Cover

Performed by rock band BACK-ON, ‘CHEMY×STORY’ is the opening theme song to KAMEN RIDER GOTCHAR’. At a press conference held back in August, BACK-ON stated in a video message that they plan to evolve the song through collaboration with other artists, echoing the fusion seen in KAMEN RIDER GOTCHARD. And now, in 2024, they have followed up on that promise with the release of a new collaboration version of the theme song!

 For this new version, BACK-ON have joined forces with fellow rock band FLOW, teaming up under the name BACK-ON × FLOW! And from Sunday, January 7, when the first new episode of KAMEN RIDER GOTCHARD of 2024 was broadcast, the theme song has been updated to the two bands’ new version of ‘CHEMY×STORY’! The “TV size” short version of the song is also out now on download and streaming services, following its release on January 7.

Look out for this new version of ‘CHEMY×STORY’ arranged by FLOW on your favorite music service or during the TV show’s opening here!

▼ Comment from BACK-ON

“We can finally announce this! The story in Gotchard is filled with twists and turns, and this seemed like the perfect timing to add a surprise twist to the opening theme song as well. We thought of this band as soon as this project first came along, and we wanted to go further than all the Rider collaborations of the past, so we crashed through the boundaries to bring this track to life!

“I personally have admired FLOW since I was a teenager, and I had always wanted to have the opportunity to perform together with such a great band on a Rider collaboration... Through this song, which has great chemistry with Gotchard, we want to convey each Sunday morning that dreams can come true if you keep pursuing them!

“We hope you enjoy the new ‘CHEMY×STORY’!”

▼ Comment from FLOW

“This collaboration was made possible when we were approached by the two members of BACK-ON. As fans since childhood, it was a pleasure to work on a song for our hero Kamen Rider. This is a song that could only have been made together with BACK-ON, so we hope you enjoy this unique chemical reaction, just like the fusion in Kamen Rider Gotchard.

“Let’s all join together to enjoy Kamen Rider Gotchard!”

BACK-ON Bring Summery Pop-punk Vibes with the New Single ‘NOT ENOUGH’ Featuring Anime Anthem Heroes FLOW!

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‘NOT ENOUGH’ Jacket Cover

Rock veterans BACK-ON bring summery pop-punk vibes with the new single ‘NOT ENOUGH’, featuring anime anthem heroes FLOW. The two-track single was released worldwide, and is the first single from BACK-ON during their 20th anniversary year.

Music from BACK-ON and FLOW, who are both no strangers to performing at anime and Japan festivals around the globe, has been streamed upwards of a mind-blowing 500 million times. Their songs have appeared in some of Japan’s most well-known anime franchises, including Naruto, Dragon Ball Z and Gundam, and featured in memes and viral videos around the globe.

Despite sharing a similar history and experiences in Japan and overseas, ‘NOT ENOUGH’ is the first time BACK-ON and FLOW have worked together on a track.  “As we were celebrating our 20th Anniversary, I felt honored to have KOHSHI and KEIGO from FLOW join us on this track,” states TEEDA of BACK-ON.  “We have so much in common as we have both done theme songs for various anime and have both been active overseas, I felt there was a good fusion of FLOW and BACK-ON's unique, refreshing and energetic feeling captured in the production of this track.  We really had a great time talking about the good old days and how we met, too.”

‘NOT ENOUGH’ featuring FLOW follows in the footsteps of BACK-ON’s 2021 single ‘Kill the Beat’ featuring JESSE, a rock icon known for shaping a whole generation of youth culture in Japan and whose band RIZE represented Japan on a global scale with performances at Live 8, Live Earth and the Vans Warped Tour.  The track was featured in numerous playlists across DSPs, including Deezer’s ‘Heavy New Rock’ and Spotify’s ‘J-Rock Now’ and ‘Loud Rock Japan.’  It’s also the follow-up to BACK-ON’s 2021 summer track ‘WAVES’, which was featured in one of Spotify’s ‘Pop Punk’s Note Dead’ playlists, its largest for the genre. 

The single also includes a new version of ‘SKY WALKER’, which originally appeared on BACK-ON’s latest album 'Still B/O'.  This new version, named ‘SKY WALKER (TEEDA’s BEAT JACK)’ takes the original’s high-energy electro-rap rhythm, that featured J-rock riffs, chilled beats and massive pop melodies, and reworks the lyrical content entirely to bring a fresh hip hop and urban flavour to the track.

“It might be a bit surprising, but this was actually my first time doing a solo all-rap tune, and doing it over an existing track,” explains TEEDA.  “I think it's impossible to make something better than the original track, so I tried to keep the concept of rapping in a different style than BACK-ON, and look back over the last 20 years until now.  I actually really enjoyed writing the lyrics and it was interesting how some words in the lyrics ended up being removed from the final version. I personally thought 'this kind of track ain't that bad too'.  Hopefully, you can figure out which part was censored and changed.”

Be sure to check out ‘NOT ENOUGH feat. FLOW” lyric video below, with the streaming link of the track here!

FLOW Shows Fans A New World In Latest Music Video!

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Five-member rock band FLOW released the music video for “新世界 (Shinsekai)” on their YouTube channel to promote their thirty-fifth single, "Shinsekai,” that will be releasing on January 13. “Shinsekai” is currently being used as the opening theme for the anime Shadowverse, broadcasting on TV Tokyo. The music video for “Shinsekai” was created with the concept of “Love as it is!! New World Wrestling” and showcases FLOW challenging professional wrestlers and fighting a hot battle.

“Shinsekai” will release in two editions: a limited edition with bonus Blu-ray and gloves as well as a CD-only standard edition. Each edition will contain four tracks total, however, the last two tracks vary between the Limited edition and standard edition releases, so make sure to check out the full track listing as well as cover artwork, pre-order links, and the music video for “Shinsekai” below!

Standard edition

Limited edition

FLOW「Shinsekai」

CD:

Standard edition:

  1. 新世界 (Shinsekai)

  2. 衝動 (Shodo)

  3. 新世界 (Shinsekai)-Instrumental-

  4. 衝動 (Shodo)-Instrumental-

Limited edition:

CD:

  1. 新世界 (Shinsekai)

  2. 衝動 (Shodo)

  3. 新世界 (Shinsekai) -TV Size-

  4. 新世界 (Shodo) -TV Size Inst.-

Blu-ray:

  1. 新世界 (Shinsekai)-Music Video-

  2. 新世界 (Shinsekai)-Music Video Making-

  3. ＜TVアニメ「シャドウバース」＞ノンクレジット オープニング映像 (TV Anime -Shadowverse- No Credit Opening Animation

FLOW Returns to Anime Shibari with Upcoming Concert Exclusively on Funimation!

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Sony Music Labels Inc. is excited to announce that video contents owned by Sony Music will be streamed across the world through services from Funimation, an animation distribution company based in the United States. The first content will be the FLOW’s special concert FLOW Chokaigi 2020 -Anime Shibari Returns-. The concert will air exclusively beginning at 8 pm CST, November 13, 2020 on Funimation.com by Funimation in the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom; Wakanim.TV by Wakanim in France, Russia, Denmark and Scandinavia; and AnimeLab by Madman in Australia and New Zealand. The concert will also stream on Funimation in Mexico and Brazil when the service launches later this year.

■Comments from FLOW

Anime Shibari Returns was a live performance that we definitely want to carry out to appreciate fans around the world who love our songs through anime works. The concert was held just before the coronavirus outbreak in February. The staff and voice actors from each anime work cooperated beyond the boundaries of different works and together we made a miracle night like no one else had ever made. I am glad that we can share this experience with people all over the world through Funimation.

For now, we cannot meet you directly, but we’ll definitely perform live in front of you guys again. Please look forward to that time and enjoy Anime Shibari Returns! The highlight is from the beginning to the end, so rock out!

Be sure to check out a trailer for the concert below!

FLOW Sing About A New World In Latest Single

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Rock band FLOW has announced they will be dropping their thirty-fifth single titled “Shinsekai” which is set to be released on January 13. The new song will be used as the upcoming opening theme for the card battle anime, Shadowverse. According to the band, “I thought that it would be possible to combine the original game world view and the majesty of the card design, as well as the feeling of opening and excitement as an OP, so I layered a classical choir. I think I was able to express the solemnity in it."

“Shinsekai” is being released in two editions total: a standard CD-only edition, and a limited edition that will come with a bonus Blu-ray. Pre-orders are up and posted below, along with the preview for the upcoming season which features the upcoming song.

Standard Edition

Limited Edition