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Lovebites (band)

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Not to be confused with Love Bites (band).
Lovebites
Lovebites performing at Wacken Open Air on August 4, 2018.
Lovebites performing at Wacken Open Air on
August 4, 2018.
Background information
OriginTokyo, Japan
GenresPower metal[1]
Years active2016–present
LabelsVictor Entertainment (JP), JPU (UK), Sliptrick (NA), Arising Empire (EU, AUS)
MembersMiho
Haruna
Midori
Miyako
Asami
WebsiteOfficial site

Lovebites (stylized as LOVEBITES) is a Japanese all-female heavy metal band, formed in 2016 by former Destrose members Miho and Haruna. They derived their name from the song "Love Bites (So Do I)" by Halestorm.[2][3]

History

Lovebites was formed in Tokyo in 2016 by bassist Miho and drummer Haruna. The two met while members of Destrose, another all-female metal band that disbanded in 2015.[4] After recruiting guitarist Midori and support guitarist and keyboardist Miyako (then known as Mi-Ya), the four chose vocalist Asami based on a demo she made.[5] Midori was in the band Gekijo Metalicche, Miyako was a member of A Drop of Joker and is currently also in 21g, while Asami was a backup singer for Vamps and Uverworld.[6] They had their first concert on November 18, 2016 at Tsutaya O-West.[5][6]

Lovebites released their self-titled debut EP in May 2017 via Victor Entertainment. Miho explained that it was more of a demo to get the band signed, but the label liked it so much they had it properly mastered and released.[7] It was mixed by Mikko Karmila and mastered by Mika Jussila, who have worked with acts like Nightwish, Children of Bodom, and Stratovarius, at Finnvox Studios in Helsinki, Finland. The EP was released in the United Kingdom on August 25 by JPU Records and in North America by Sliptrick Records on August 31.[8]

Support member Miyako became a full member of the band in August 2017.[9] Their first full-length album Awakening from Abyss was released in Japan and North America on October 25,[9] and in the UK two days later.[10] It was again mixed and mastered by Karmila and Jussila and includes re-recordings of the four tracks from their debut EP.[4][10] The group played just a handful of shows before their first gigs outside Japan: two nights at Hyper Japan Christmas and one show at Camden Underworld, both in London at the end of November 2017.[4]

In 2018, Lovebites performed on the Japanese leg of Warped Tour and released their second EP Battle Against Damnation on June 6.[11][12][13] Days later, they won the 2018 Metal Hammer Golden Gods Awards for Best New Band.[14] They performed at Wacken Open Air on August 4,[15] becoming the first Japanese all-female rock band to appear at the German festival.[16] They also performed on the main stage at Bloodstock Open Air on August 10, 2018.[17] In November, Lovebites held their first European tour that saw them visit the Netherlands, Germany, France and the UK.[18] The band released their second album Clockwork Immortality on December 5 in Japan. Limited editions of the album include a DVD or Blu-ray of their first concert video Battle in the East, which was recorded on June 28, 2018 at Tsutaya O-East.[19] It was released in Europe, Australia, and New Zealand two days later by Arising Empire/Nuclear Blast, and in the UK by JPU Records on January 18, 2019.[20]

In June 2019, Lovebites performed at Download Festival in Donington, UK, and were cited by the festival organizers and Metal Hammer as one of the festival's highlight performances,[21][22] including vocalist Asami's appearance on stage with Halestorm to sing the band's namesake song, "Love Bites (So Do I)".[23]

Music and influences

Guitarists Midori and Miyako performing at Wacken Open Air 2018.

Although hailing from Tokyo, Lovebites' music is heavily influenced by the new wave of British heavy metal which led their music to be compared to Iron Maiden and Rage.[4][24] Miho said she always wanted to play a combination of power metal and "a little bit of old school [heavy metal]."[4] She also noted that their decision to wear all-white clothing, as opposed to the genre's stereotypical black, was made to contrast with their old school sound and have them stand out.[4] Their lyrics are written in English, with an exception being the Haruna-penned song "Bravehearted" on their debut EP, which was written in Japanese and intended for Destrose.[5][25] The musicians have the desire to write songs in English even though they do not speak the language fluently.[5] The group frequently collaborates with former Light Bringer keyboardist Mao on composing and arranging songs.[5][26]

Miho likes Iron Maiden, Pantera, Mötley Crüe and Anthrax. She referred to her playing as more showmanship than technical, and cited Steve Harris as a particular influence alongside the style of Nikki Sixx.[25]

Haruna has played drums since she was thirteen years old, but bought a twin drum pedal after seeing a metal band use it during her first visit to a live house. Helloween's Master of the Rings was the first metal music she heard.[25]

Midori's playing on Lovebites' debut EP was influenced by Kiko Loureiro.[25]

Miyako has played classical piano since she was three and guitar since high school.[25] At first she listened to Yngwie Malmsteen, but she was inspired by Disarmonia Mundi's Ettore Rigotti to begin composing and arranging songs.[25][27]

Asami comes from a R&B and soul music background and likes artists such as Alicia Keys and Aretha Franklin.[25]

Band members

  • Miho – bass, backing vocals, bandleader (2016–present)
  • Haruna – drums (2016–present)
  • Midori – guitars, backing vocals (2016–present)
  • Miyako – guitars, keyboards, backing vocals (2017–present) as a support musician (2016–2017)
  • Asami – lead vocals (2016–present)

Discography

Lovebites discography
Studio albums2
Video albums1
Music videos4
EPs2
Studio albums
Year Album details Oricon[28] Billboard Japan
2017 Awakening from Abyss 18 33[29]
2018 Clockwork Immortality
  • Released: December 5, 2018
  • Label: Victor Entertainment, JPU Records, Arising Empire
 21 23[30]
EPs
Year EP details Oricon[28] Billboard Japan
2017 The Lovebites EP
  • Released: May 24, 2017
  • Label: Victor Entertainment, JPU Records, Sliptrick Records
 27 40[31]
2018 Battle Against Damnation
  • Released: June 6, 2018
  • Label: Victor Entertainment, JPU Records
 20 24[32]
DVDs
  • Daughters of the Dawn - Live in Tokyo (July 10, 2019)

Awards and nominations

Metal Hammer Golden Gods Awards

Year Nominee / work Award Result
2018 Lovebites Best New Band[33] Won

References

  1. ^ "Album review: Lovebites' Clockwork Immortality is the sound of power metal's future". Loudersound. 2019-01-22. Retrieved 2019-01-23.
  2. ^ "はるぴー@LOVEBITES on Twitter". Twitter (in Japanese). 2017-09-26. Retrieved 2018-03-18.
  3. ^ "Asami on Twitter". Twitter (in Japanese). 2017-09-26. Retrieved 2018-03-18.
  4. ^ a b c d e f "New Band Of The Week: Lovebites". Loudersound. 2017-12-18. Retrieved 2018-03-18.
  5. ^ a b c d e "LOVEBITES – Interview (2017)". JRock247. 2017-08-10. Retrieved 2018-03-18.
  6. ^ a b "LOVEBITES プロフィール・バイオグラフィ・リンク". Barks (in Japanese). Retrieved 2018-08-23.
  7. ^ "INTERVIEW: Lovebites". Distorted Sound. 2018-06-06. Retrieved 2018-08-23.
  8. ^ "LOVEBITES - All Girl Japanese Band To Release Debut EP In North America Next Month; "Don't Bite The Dust" Music Video Streaming". BraveWords. 2017-07-27. Retrieved 2018-08-23.
  9. ^ a b "LOVEBITES Release More Details For Their Debut Album". BraveWords. 2017-09-04. Retrieved 2018-03-18.
  10. ^ a b "LOVEBITES Unleash Shadowmaker Music Video". MusicJapanPlus. 2017-09-27. Retrieved 2018-08-23.
  11. ^ "超豪華！「Vans Warped Tour Japan」出演アーティストをまとめてチェック". AndMore! (in Japanese). 2018-03-13. Retrieved 2018-03-17.
  12. ^ "LOVEBITES "Battle Against Damnation" for demonic mini-album". JRock News. 2018-02-27. Retrieved 2018-03-18.
  13. ^ "LOVEBITES - Battle Against Damnation erscheint in Europa". Otaji (in German). 2018-02-28. Retrieved 2018-03-18.
  14. ^ "LOVEBITES Named Best New Band at The Metal Hammer Golden Gods Awards 2018". JaME World. 2018-06-12. Retrieved 2018-06-12.
  15. ^ "WACKEN OPEN AIR mit Neuzugängen". Powermetal.de (in German). 2018-02-21. Retrieved 2018-03-18.
  16. ^ "LOVEBITES zu Gast auf dem Wacken Open Air 2018!". Sumikai (in German). 2018-02-22. Retrieved 2018-03-18.
  17. ^ "Bloodstock festival 2018: The big review". Loudersound. 2018-08-11. Retrieved 2018-08-11.
  18. ^ "LOVEBITES to tour Europe in Autumn this year". JRock News. 2018-08-21. Retrieved 2018-08-23.
  19. ^ "LOVEBITES、「進化が凝縮された」2ndフルアルバムをリリース". Barks (in Japanese). 2018-09-26. Retrieved 2018-09-26.
  20. ^ Munro, Scott (15 November 2018). "Lovebites return with video for blistering new single Rising". Loudersound. Retrieved 2018-11-16.
  21. ^ Hammer, Metal; Hammer, Classic Rock2019-06-17T14:22:36Z Metal. "Download Festival 2019: Highlights from this year's Drownload!". Metal Hammer Magazine. Retrieved 2019-06-18.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  22. ^ "Download Festival 2019 - Saturday Highlights". Download Festival. Retrieved 2019-06-18.
  23. ^ Blabbermouth (2019-06-17). "HALESTORM Joined By LOVEBITES Singer For 'Love Bites (So Do I)' Performance At U.K.'s DOWNLOAD (Video)". BLABBERMOUTH.NET. Retrieved 2019-06-18.
  24. ^ "Lovebites - Awakening From Abyss album review". Metal Hammer. 2017-12-07. Retrieved 2018-03-18.
  25. ^ a b c d e f g "男勝りのヘヴィ・メタルを掻き鳴らす！　ガールズ・メタルの新星、LOVEBITESの1st EP". EMTG Music (in Japanese). 2017-05-31. Retrieved 2018-05-20.
  26. ^ "LOVEBITES 激ロック インタビュー". Geki-Rock (in Japanese). 2017-10-20. Retrieved 2018-09-28.
  27. ^ "Lovebites: "We're not here to be cute, we're here to be heavy"". Loudersound. 2018-03-05. Retrieved 2019-01-23.
  28. ^ a b "LOVEBITESのランキング". Oricon (in Japanese). Retrieved 2018-03-31.
  29. ^ "Billboard Japan Hot Albums│Charts│Billboard JAPAN". Billboard Japan (in Japanese). Retrieved 2018-03-31.
  30. ^ "Billboard Japan Hot Albums│Charts│Billboard JAPAN". Billboard Japan (in Japanese). Retrieved 2018-12-17.
  31. ^ "Billboard Japan Hot Albums│Charts│Billboard JAPAN". Billboard Japan (in Japanese). Retrieved 2018-03-31.
  32. ^ "Billboard Japan Hot Albums│Charts│Billboard JAPAN". Billboard Japan (in Japanese). Retrieved 2018-06-26.
  33. ^ "Golden Gods 2018: Judas Priest, Code Orange, Maynard James Keenan amongst winners". Metal Hammer. Retrieved 2018-06-12.
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