Fact (band)
 |
FACT | |
|---|---|
| Origin | Ibaraki Prefecture, Japan |
| Genres | Post-hardcore, melodic hardcore, melodic metalcore, mathcore |
| Years active | 1999 - 2015 |
| Labels | Maximum10 (Japan) Bullion Records (a sublabel of Wave Master) Hassle Records (United Kingdom) Vagrant Records (United States; Fact album only) |
| Members | Hiro Onose Kazuki Sakurai Takahiro Onose Adam Graham Tomohiro Takayasu Eiji Matsumoto |
| Past members | Takahiro Nakinashi |
| Website | factjapan |
FACT was a Japanese post-hardcore band, formed in December 1999 in Ibaraki Prefecture.
Clean and screamed singing styles are both used, and gang vocals are present in many choruses. Even though a Japanese band, the lyrics to most of the band's songs are written in English.
The members have hidden their faces during every video since 2009 wearing traditional Japanese Noh masks during the time they supported their second album, Fact (2009), but abandoned the imagery in videos the next year[clarification needed] in favor of either partially or fully concealing their faces.
They were signed to Maximum10, an indie-rock imprint of the Avex Group until they disbanded in 2015.
History
The band was formed from members of other bands in the Tokyo area. They then began to tour the local music scene in and around Chiba, Mito and Tokyo. Originally, Tomohiro played bass and sang with support from Kazuki and Takahiro but, in 2002, main vocal duties as well as a third guitar were added when Hironobu joined. Hironobu had been a member of the band Second Base along with Kazuki before either of them joined Fact.[1]
Continuing onward as a group, the band traveled to the United States, specifically California for a short tour in 2003.
In 2006, they released their first full-length album Never Turn Out the Light to Keep Myself on Japan's Bullion Records (a sublabel of Wave Master).[2]
The band later signed a record deal sometime between 2008 and 2009 with Vagrant Records to release Fact, their worldwide début album. A single from the album, "A Fact of Life", was released with an accompanying video in early 2009. In support of the album, the band toured the U.S. accompanying American bands, including post-hardcore A Skylit Drive, metalcore Greeley Estates, metal Iwrestledabearonce, metal Memphis May Fire and post-hardcore Senses Fail. Their tour was abruptly cut short after a car collision early on, injuring drummer Eiji, but another U.S. tour was rescheduled soon after.
Their third full-length album, In the Blink of an Eye, was released on 13 January 2010, and its first single, "Slip of the Lip" was released online with an accompanying music video. The album débuted at number six on the Japanese Oricon weekly charts, becoming their first album to reach the top ten.[3]
The band returned[clarification needed] to the UK in support of In The Blink of an Eye for a second tour of the country between 24 May and 4 June 2010, with a headlining show at London's O2 Academy Islington and then playing as the support act for the American electronic-rock duo Breathe Carolina during the rest of the dates.[4]
Their single "A Fact of Life" was featured in Konami's rhythm music game Jubeat.
In 2011, they released the singles "Attack Me If You Dare", "Error" and "The Shadow of Envy", all of which were later featured in their extended-play album Eat Your Words.
On 11 January 2012, the band released their fourth album, Burundanga, which features their newest member, Adam (from the United Kingdom), on guitar.[citation needed]
On 27 January 2014 the band released a new single titled Disclosure.[5] The song is the first single off fifth record titled, Witness, available in Japan on 5 March 2014 and worldwide shortly after.[5] And over a year later, their sixth and final record titled KTHEAT was released. This continued their hardcore punk stylistic direction present on Witness. However, after the release the band decided to go on permanent hiatus. From the hiatus formed two bands, with Hironobu Onose fronting the melodic hardcore band "Shadows" and Adam Graham fronting the dark alternative rock band "Joy Opposites."
Members
All band members are credited by either their first name or stage name.
- Hironobu "Hiro" Onose (小野瀬 広宣, Onose Hironobu) – lead vocals (since 2002)
- Kazuki Sakurai (櫻井 一樹, Sakurai Kazuki) – rhythm guitar, backing vocals (since 1999)
- Eiji Matsumoto (松本 英二, Matsumoto Eiji) – drums, percussion, backing vocals (since 1999)
- Tomohiro Takayasu (高安 朝浩, Takayasu Tomohiro) – bass, backing vocals (since 1999); lead vocals (1999–2002)
- Takahiro Onose (小野瀬 孝弘, Onose Takahiro) – lead guitar, backing vocals (since 1999)
- Adam Graham – guitar, backing vocals (since 2012)
Past members
- Takahiro Nakinashi (中西 高広, Nakinashi Takahiro) – drums
Style
FACT has typically been described as Post-hardcore. However with the release of their second album, their style seemed to follow elements of melodic hardcore much more than the precursor. They often incorporate elements of metalcore and mathcore, with latter especially appearing after the release of their third album "In the Blink of an Eye." Their fourth record saw an incorporation of much more electronic elements. On their fifth and sixth records, Witness and KTHEAT, they approached their sound from a more traditional hardcore punk perspective. Most of their compositions consist of melodic lead vocals accompanied by gang vocals, rhythmically complex guitar riffs, technical drumming with emphasis on double bass, changing time signatures, and fast upbeat tempos ranging from 180-220 bpm.
Discography
Albums
| Year | Album details | Peak chart positions | |
|---|---|---|---|
| JPN [6] | |||
| 2006 | Never Turn Out the Light to Keep Myself
|
— | |
| 2009 | Fact
|
18 | |
| 2010 | In the Blink of an Eye
|
6 | |
| 2012 | Burundanga
|
6 | |
| 2014 | Witness
|
7 | |
| 2015 | KTHEAT
|
10 | |
| "—" denotes a title that did not chart or was not released. | |||
Remixes
| Title | Year | Label |
|---|---|---|
| "Nivan Runder Soundrugs" | ||
| "Co3" |
Extended plays
| Title | Year | Label |
|---|---|---|
| The Fine Day Never Last | 2004 | independent release |
| This Day, This Means (in collaboration with emocore band Nature Living) | 2005 | independent release |
| Eat Your Words | 2011 | Maximum10 |
Singles
| Year | Title | Album |
|---|---|---|
| 2006 | "Resident in My Room" | Never Turn Out the Light, to Keep Myself |
| 2009 | "A Fact of Life" | Fact |
| 2009 | "Slip of the Lip" | In the Blink of an Eye |
| 2010 | "Behind a Smile" | In the Blink of an Eye |
| 2011 | "Error" | Eat Your Words |
| 2012 | "Foss" | Burundanga |
| 2012 | "Pink Rolex" | Burundanga |
| 2013 | "Polyrhythm Winter" | Burundanga |
| 2014 | "Disclosure" | Witness |
| 2014 | "Miles Away" | Witness |
| 2015 | "Wait" | KTHEAT |
| 2015 | "The Way Down" | KTHEAT |
Videography
| Title | Year | Album | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Deviation | This Day, This Means | ||
| Start from Here | This Fine Day Never Last | ||
| Reborn | This Fine Day Never Last | ||
| Resident in My Room | 2006 | Never Turn Out the Light, to Keep Myself | |
| A Fact of Life | Fact | ||
| A Fact of Life | Fact (United States edition) | remix by Boom Boom Satellites | |
| Chain | Fact | ||
| Letter to... | |||
| Slip of the Lip | In the Blink of an Eye | ||
| Rise | remix by Steve Aoki | ||
| Behind a Smile | In the Blink of an Eye | ||
| The Shadow of Envy | 2013 | Eat Your Words | |
| Error | Eat Your Words | ||
| Attack Me If You Dare | Eat Your Words | ||
| Foss | Burundanga | ||
| Pink Rolex | Burundanga | ||
| Polyrythm Winter | Burundanga | ||
| Disclosure | Witness | ||
| Miles Away | Witness | ||
| Ape | Witness | Lyric Video | |
| Wait | KTHEAT | ||
| The Way Down | KTHEAT |
See also
References
- ^ "Bullion". Hsatworks.s134.coreserver.jp. 15 December 2010. Archived from the original on 22 July 2011. Retrieved 2 January 2011.
- ^ "Bullion". Hsatworks.s134.coreserver.jp. 15 December 2010. Archived from the original on 22 July 2011. Retrieved 2 January 2011.
- ^ [clarification needed] Kameda, Seiji (2010). "感度のいい音楽ファンにアピールする FACTの"アップデート"感" (in Japanese). Oricon. Retrieved 2 March 2010.
- ^ [dead link] Smith, Tom (8 March 2010). "Fact Return for 2010 UK Tour and Album". Neo. Archived from the original on 11 March 2010. Retrieved 29 March 2010.
- ^ a b [1]
- ^ FACTのランキング | ORICON STYLE (in Japanese; retrieved 4 November 2015)
External links
- factjapan
.com, the band's official website - Fact at AllMusic
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| Artists | |
