LOVEBITES Return with JUDGEMENT DAY a Brand New Album Out February 2023!

LOVEBITES, one of Japan’s most important names in heavy metal, return from their hiatus with a new member, a new music video and news of a fourth studio album coming in February 2023. The album is also available to preorder today from JPU Records, and is available physically in three editions.

JUDGEMENT DAY, the fittingly titled album will be the first to feature the band’s new line-up, which includes bassist Fami, who was selected after an audition process and is just 20 years of age. The fast, melodic and heavy metal sound that LOVEBITES has excelled at since their debut is still burning strong, but has been sublimated further. Newcomer Fami also brings an added charm to the quintet, including her signature slap technique. The album contains ten completely new songs, mixed and mastered by Finnish masterminds Mikko Karmila and Mika Jussila, who have worked on all of the band’s studio albums. Fans can get a taste of the new LOVEBITES today with the release of the digital single and music video to the album’s title track, available to download, stream and watch now:

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The cover art for the album features a wolf, an incarnation of the band that has appeared on all of LOVEBITES’ previous albums. This time, as the title suggests (JUDGEMENT DAY), the wolf clutches scales that weigh good and evil within its jaws, and is captured sprinting between the sun and the moon. Further meaning from the cover art can be discovered in the title track’s music video, and further details will likely be revealed in the future too.

The album will be released digitally worldwide on 22 February 2023, and released on CD from our friends at JPU Records from 24 February 2023. A video on Demand and CD bundle is also available directly from JPU Records’ website. It features a documentary of the bassist auditions which includes interviews with the members of the band, as well as Fami while she was still one of the finalists – all with English subtitles. It also includes four studio sessions; ‘The Hammer of Wrath’, ‘Golden Destination’ and ‘Shadowmaker’ from the audition finals, and ‘Bravehearted’, the first session with Fami as an official member of LOVEBITES. There is also a third edition that includes the CD, the video on demand content and a JUDGEMENT DAY T-shirt. Additionally, 50 orders of this latter bundle will randomly receive a sleeve case that has been signed by the members of the band.

LOVEBITES Becomes the Nameless Warrior with Latest Music Video!

In The Beginning -The Best of 2017-2021 Jacket Cover

Popular heavy metal band LOVEBITES have released the music video to their new song “Nameless Warrior”, taken from upcoming album In The Beginning – The Best of 2017-2021, which will be released from our friends at JPU Records on two CDs from 14 January 2022.

“Nameless Warrior” was written following bassist Miho’s decision to depart from LOVEBITES, and is the last song to be recorded with LOVEBITES’ original line-up, as well as Mao, who has been arranging and collaborating with the band for some time. The song’s lyrics have been written by Asami.

The music video is a chronological sequence of previously unreleased and rare live and off-the-record footage. It includes cuts from a secret gig the band did under the name POWERSLAVES in 2016, before they started their fully-fledged career, plus footage from various international festivals and tours.

This time, the band’s incarnation, the wolf, appears in the video in an animated form reminiscent of ink paintings or shadow puppets, running through the metaphorical world parallel to the history of the band’s activities. For example, the scene where the wolf takes a bit of a golden fruit represents LOVEBITES winning the Best New Band award at the 2018 Golden Gods Awards by Metal Hammer, the world’s biggest metal magazine. Also, for the first time ever, the video contains English and Japanese subtitles embedded in the video, with the lyrics expressing the band’s attitude towards their future activities.

Be sure to check out the music video in question below!

LOVEBITES' Bassist Miho to Withdraw & Band to go on Hiatus!

We have the unfortunate news of reporting that Miho, member of the popular five-member girls rock band LOVEBITES’ had announced that she will leaving the group and with the band being taking a hiatus from all activities. Miho, who has been with the band since 2016 had commented, “Over the past couple of years, I have been self-reflecting and reconsidering how I can be myself as a musician. When I look back, this period gave me an opportunity to broaden my perspective in both my professional and personal life. I'm parting ways with the band. However, my spirit for Heavy Metal never dies. Also, LOVEBITES will keep moving forward, so I really hope you all keep giving the same love for their future.” With the band commenting “Today we have to let you know that our bassist, Miho, is leaving LOVEBITES. We’re so sorry to be bringing such sad news to our fans and everyone who has supported us so far. When we think of and feel for our fans, we struggle to find the right words to say.

This is also a really tough one but we need to let you know that we will be suspending our activities as LOVEBITES for a while. However, we are definitely coming back. We kindly ask for your patience until then.”

We at OTY would like to thank Miho’s to her contributions to LOVEBITES’ and the Japanese music industry on a whole as well. We wish her the best of luck in her future endeavors.  

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Full comments

Miho Comment:

To all my loving and supportive fans,

It was really hard to make this decision, but I have to announce my departure from LOVEBITES as of August 17, 2021. Given the current state of the world, it has made it difficult for me to give my goodbyes in person, so I really apologize for those who are shocked by this sudden announcement.

Over the past couple of years, I have been self-reflecting and reconsidering how I can be myself as a musician. When I look back, this period gave me an opportunity to broaden my perspective in both my professional and personal life.

LOVEBITES has been my life since 2016, and it always holds my best memories, especially performing at WACKEN OPEN AIR made one of my dreams come true even though it's still unreal to me.

I couldn’t have done any of these without my bandmates, crew, staff and the undying love and support from fans all across the globe. My words cannot describe how much I want to thank you all for everything.

I'm parting ways with the band. However, my spirit for Heavy Metal never dies. Also, LOVEBITES will keep moving forward, so I really hope you all keep giving the same love for their future.

Thank you so much again for all your love and support.

Hope to see you again one day soon.

Miho

LOVEBITES Comment:

To our dear fans,

Firstly thank you all for always supporting LOVEBITES.

Today we have to let you know that our bassist, Miho, is leaving LOVEBITES. We’re so sorry to be bringing such sad news to our fans and everyone who has supported us so far.

After Miho told us she was thinking of leaving, the band and our staff have had countless meetings to find a way for her to stay. But in the end, we decided to respect Miho’s wish.

When we think of and feel for our fans, we struggle to find the right words to say.

This is also a really tough one but we need to let you know that we will be suspending our activities as LOVEBITES for a while. However, we are definitely coming back. We kindly ask for your patience until then.

Thank you all for your continued support for LOVEBITES’ future and for Miho’s future.

LOVEBITES

Asami, Midori, Miyako, Haruna

LOVEBITES to Release Special Edition of GLORY, GLORY, TO THE WORLD EP on CD & Vinyl!

LOVEBITES, one of the most important Japanese heavy metal bands, will release their thunderous new EP GLORY, GLORY, TO THE WORLD in the UK on CD and vinyl from May 28 from our friends at JPU Records. It will be an extended EP featuring the award-winning band's first theme song from anime as a bonus track. This will be the first time the LOVEBITES EP has been set to vinyl in the world.

The new EP was released digitally worldwide today and entered metal charts around the world, including all five tracks taking the top five positions of iTunes Japan's Metal Song rankings. All five tracks were recorded under the darkness of the coronavirus pandemic, including bonus track “Winds of Transylvania”, the theme song to vampiric anime VLADLOVE from visionary directors Mamoru Oshii and Junji Nishimura (Ghost in the Shell, Urusei Yatsura). Opening track “Glory to the World” had its video released on YouTube last week and has already received pages of reaction videos. Many comment on the band's immense power and metal prowess.

On creating the EP LOVEBITES comments, "On one hand, working on this album during the spread of coronavirus has been mentally draining. On the other, the music created in such darkness has managed to become full of feelings of salvation and light. This body of work is full of a positive power unlike anything else in the history of LOVEBITES".

Iconic director Mamoru Oshii comments, "When I happened to see a LOVEBITES music video, I could immediately see parallels between the five members and the main character of VLADLOVE. They are like a heretic of heavy metal, wearing bright white outfits while playing intense music, they are the perfect choice to take charge of a theme song to an anime not bound by convention or common sense. And above all, their name couldn’t be more fitting!".

As we look forward to the upcoming release be sure to check out the music video for “Glory to the World” below!

GLORY, GLORY, TO THE WORLD Jacket Cover

LOVEBITES「GLORY, GLORY, TO THE WORLD」

01. Glory To The World

02. No Time To Hesitate

03. Paranoia

04. Dystopia Symphony

05. Winds Of Transylvania

LOVEBITES Brings GLORY TO THE WORLD with Upcoming EP

LOVEBITES, one of Japan's most important heavy metal bands, have today revealed plans to release new EP GLORY, GLORY, TO THE WORLD on March 10.

The four-track beckon of heavy metal hope was recorded under the darkness of the ongoing pandemic. All four tracks will be exclusive to the EP and will not feature on or be rerecorded for future albums, like 2018 EP BATTLE AGAINST DAMNATION. On creating the EP the band comments, "On one hand, working on this album during the spread of coronavirus has been mentally draining. On the other, the music created in such darkness has managed to become full of feelings of salvation and light. This body of work is full of a positive power unlike anything else in the history of LOVEBITES".

GLORY, GLORY, TO THE WORLD follows critically acclaimed album ELECTRIC PENTAGRAM, which made its debut on Japan’s Oricon Album chart at number nine. It also follows news that the band has sold out its 2021 national tour and that new song “Winds of Transylvania” will be the theme song to the anime VLADLOVE from visionary directors Mamoru Oshii and Junji Nishimura (Ghost in the Shell, Urusei Yatsura). The EP will drop with three editions: a CD-only standard edition and two limited editions simply called Type A and B. Type A will include a DVD which will have a bonus DVD, while Type B will include a bonus CD. 

Be sure to check out their latest music video “Golden Destination”, along with the pre-order links for GLORY, GLORY, TO THE WORLD below!

Standard edition

Limited edition Type A

Limited edition Type B

GLORY, GLORY, TO THE WORLD Jacket Cover

LOVEBITES「GLORY, GLORY, TO THE WORLD 」

1. Glory to the World

2. No Time to Hesitate

3. Paranoia

4. Dystopia Symphony