A new album from LOUDNESS!

Sander · **on:** February 18, 2008, 08:48:44 AM

A new album, titled Metal Mad will be released by LOUDNESS on 20th February. The price will be around 2857YEN.

Tracklisting:
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

cdjapan link

Hollywood · **Reply #1 on:** February 18, 2008, 07:11:47 PM

Awesome!

...or should I say: MZA! :twisted:

What's Loudness' sound like lately, by the way? I keep meaning to pick up their new albums but then always get distracted and buy something else. I don't think I've even heard any of the stuff where they reunited with the original members (despite how it's been like seven years now...).

Arucard · **Reply #2 on:** February 18, 2008, 07:21:05 PM

I knew about this album for a while now... There's a video from ther title track available on Youtube already...

I don't really like Loudness reunion albuns... "Spiritual Canoe" and "Breaking The Taboo" are in my opinion the best ones... But it looks like "Metal Mad" is gonna be similar to "Breaking The Taboo", so I expect it to be a really good album...

Hollywood · **Reply #3 on:** February 18, 2008, 08:22:54 PM

Cool, I'll check it out on Youtube when I can.

So I guess their reunion stuff sounds a lot different than their previous stuff with the original lineup?

I know it's considered an Americanized sell-out album but I really like Hurricane Eyes. SDI and especially This Lonely Heart are amazing.

Arucard · **Reply #4 on:** February 18, 2008, 08:30:38 PM

Quote from: "Hollywood"

Cool, I'll check it out on Youtube when I can.

So I guess their reunion stuff sounds a lot different than their previous stuff with the original lineup?

I know it's considered an Americanized sell-out album but I really like Hurricane Eyes. SDI and especially This Lonely Heart are amazing.

Yeah, the reunion material sounds completely different from classic 80's Loudness... I'm not good with labels and stuff like that, but I guess you could call the reunion material to be something like Modern Thrash Metal...

I like Hurricane Eyes too... It's not my favorite album from the classic line-up (my favorites are The Law Of Devil's Land/Disillusion/Thunder In The East), but it's still a great album... SDI is still performed live on Loudness concerts...

VioletCamicat · **Reply #5 on:** February 18, 2008, 11:31:23 PM

:oops: One question: Can someone tell me, what the hell they mean with that MZA?
I never found a description and would like to know what that means before I decide whether to shout it or not.

Arucard · **Reply #6 on:** February 18, 2008, 11:51:28 PM

Minoru said on an interview that MZA has no fuckin' meaning at all! Looks like they chose this letters cuz' the sounded cool... xD

Hollywood · **Reply #7 on:** February 19, 2008, 05:50:36 AM

Thunder in the East is another favorite of mind-- a real classic! And for some reason I also like Soldier of Fortune, probably due to fond memories of it being my first Loudness album. I would actually not recommend it to anyone as a first taste of Loudness... but it worked for me somehow.

Really, they still play SDI? Cool, I had no idea. Speaking of abbreviations... what does SDI stand for, anyway?

And on the topic of M!! Z!! A!!...

I too have heard that Minoru now says it has no meaning, but I also remember a rumor that years ago, he said it meant... my zebra ass, because he liked to wear tight zebra-stripe pants. I don't know if it's true that he said that but I remember it was accepted as truth at the time.

Somehow, I think Camicat will appreciate the "ass" part... and I'll start running now before she hits me with towels again! :twisted:

Maverick · **Reply #8 on:** February 19, 2008, 08:55:49 AM

New Album? Greeeaat!

Hehe - hope it will be better than the 'Racing'... and anyhow... I think it may be possible that it will be released here, as well, since Loudness of all Japanese metal bands is the most famous here :roll:

So far:

VioletCamicat · **Reply #9 on:** February 19, 2008, 10:44:24 AM

ö.ö Hm... *kisses Mavi's ass*
*then runs to catch Hollywood* maybe I should make a zebra ass of yours! :twisted: *waves with towel*

XD But nice explanation! I wouldn't wonder, if he one said that. When I remember another interview: "I never said crap your hands ebulibody! Who do you think I am? I'm a fuckin' Lock'n'Loll star!"

Arucard · **Reply #10 on:** February 19, 2008, 10:18:18 PM

Quote from: "Hollywood"

Thunder in the East is another favorite of mind-- a real classic! And for some reason I also like Soldier of Fortune, probably due to fond memories of it being my first Loudness album. I would actually not recommend it to anyone as a first taste of Loudness... but it worked for me somehow.

I'm also a big fan of Soildier Of Fortune... I think Mike Vescera is an awesome singer, and the songs on that album really match his voice... "Demon Disease" is my favorite track of that album...

And I have no idea what SDI means...

And if MZA meant "My Zebra Ass" than probably Masayoshi Yamashita wrote this... He was the one with the zebra pants on old Loudness, not Minoru...

Hollywood · **Reply #11 on:** February 19, 2008, 10:32:40 PM

Quote from: "Maverick"

Loudness of all Japanese metal bands is the most famous here :roll:

Here too. In fact I would say Loudness is the most famous Japanese band here, period. Personally that suits me just fine. I'd much rather it's Loudness than Malice Mizer. :twisted:

Example: whenever I say "I like X, they're a metal band from Japan" to anyone over 30, they say: "Are they like Loudness?"

@Arucard, cool, didn't know anyone else liked that album! My favorites are the title track and "Red Light Shooter".

@Camicat, that towel of yours... is that what happened to Minoru and/or Masayoshi?

Arucard · **Reply #12 on:** February 19, 2008, 10:39:46 PM

Quote from: "Hollywood"

Example: whenever I say "I like X, they're a metal band from Japan" to anyone over 30, they say: "Are they like Loudness?"

I get that answer all that time too... Here in Brazil EZO had some repercussion as well in late 80's, but not nearly as much as Loudness did...

"Soldier Of Fortune" and "Red Light Shooter" are great tracks too... I also like the new songs on the "On The Prowl" album, like "Down 'N' Dirty" or "Playin' Games"... Because of Loudness I became a fan of Vescera, and started searching for more material from he... That's how I realized he sung on one album from brazilian Hard Rock group Dr. Sin...

VioletCamicat · **Reply #13 on:** February 20, 2008, 10:57:23 AM

Quote from: "Hollywood"

@Camicat, that towel of yours... is that what happened to Minoru and/or Masayoshi?

You mean their zebra ass? Or their high voices? Or what? Don't ask me, I'm innocent in these cases! :twisted: Maybe ask their wifes? And now bend down please, honey! :twisted:

Quote from: "Arucard"

Because of Loudness I became a fan of Vescera, and started searching for more material from he... That's how I realized he sung on one album from brazilian Hard Rock group Dr. Sin...

That's cool! Makes me curious, hehe! how do they sound with Mike?

Arucard · **Reply #14 on:** February 20, 2008, 09:08:21 PM

Dr. Sin is a great Hard Rock group, and the album with Mike Vescera is in my opinion their best... The album is called "Dr. Sin II", and was released in 2000... Once again, if you guys want I can upload it so you check it out since I think this album is out of print...

Hollywood · **Reply #15 on:** February 20, 2008, 10:18:04 PM

Quote from: "Arucard"

Here in Brazil EZO had some repercussion as well in late 80's, but not nearly as much as Loudness did...

Here too-- their albums were released here and you can sometimes find them in used record shops (either as CDs or LPs). Dead End and Vow Wow seem to have had some releases here too, but Loudness is WAY better-known here than any of those. EZO is a somewhat distant second, I would guess.

That's cool about Vescera, I never knew he sang for a Brazilian hard rock group! Yeah, I'd be curious to hear that one too... but I really don't want to trouble you with all this uploading.

@Camicat, Mike Vescera had a higher voice than Minoru-- should I blame you for that?

Envenom · **Reply #16 on:** February 21, 2008, 12:10:54 AM

The brother of a friend of mine is really into Loudness. I like their early stuff, but the newer albums don't really do it for me. That dude put on Racing for me a couple of months ago. Needless to say I wasn't impressed. I'd take Headlight over them any day.

Arucard · **Reply #17 on:** February 21, 2008, 10:02:06 PM

Quote from: "Envenom"

That dude put on Racing for me a couple of months ago. Needless to say I wasn't impressed.

In my opinion "Racing" was Loudness' worst album ever... As I said before, the only albums I can stand from the "reunion" ones are "Spiritual Canoe" and "Breaking The Taboo"...

VioletCamicat · **Reply #18 on:** February 21, 2008, 11:33:00 PM

Quote from: "Hollywood"

@Camicat, Mike Vescera had a higher voice than Minoru-- should I blame you for that?

No! Blame it on the very tight pants or what ever! I never touched those guys - not even with a towel, hahaha! (You know, the BeeGees had the tightest pants ever!

)

And I agree that Racing is pretty much disappointing for a Loudness fan. Till now I only like their old stuff - all the things where the sound isn't so dirty or distorted or whatever that is. They sounded much clearer back in the 80s and early 90s.
*tries desperately to stay on topic*

:shock: Hollywood, you're a teasing, little badass!

Maverick · **Reply #19 on:** February 22, 2008, 09:33:29 AM

As for EZO - I think the reason why they're not that popular is because they didn't exist that long and only released two albums.
But anyway... there once was a time when 50% of EZO were members of Loudnes :lol: ...and Taiji bassist.... Akira guitarist... Was that still Loudness...? Well LOL Akira remained the same... I don't bother.

And I don't like racing either - but since I've seen them reuniting in the original lineup again, and releasing that best of... to me there's yhope they turn back to the roots again... that is, that the songs are also getting better okay... since I really prefer the old 80ies and beginning of 90ies stuff... i.e. Pandemonium is another album (released 1996, I think) I don't like that much either...

Arucard · **Reply #20 on:** February 22, 2008, 10:22:24 PM

"Pandemonium" was released in 2001 or 2002... Not a good album either... Very similar to "Racing" in my opinion...

I like everything Loudness did all the way to 1997 when they released "Ghetto Machine"... The following albuns with Masaki Yamada ("Dragon" and "Engine") were very... Experimental... They weren't bad albuns though...

Then the reunion happened, and they released "Spiritual Canoe" which is worst thaen everything before it, but better then anything after it all the way to 2006 "Breaking The Taboo", which has some songs that reminds more of the 80's material...

Hollywood · **Reply #21 on:** February 27, 2008, 07:29:25 PM

So I finally found the time to hear (most of) the Metal Mad song on YouTube. The video was very average but the song was pretty good!

Has anyone heard the rest of the album yet? Is it all like that? If it is then I plan on buying it this month for sure.

Arucard · **Reply #22 on:** February 27, 2008, 08:57:04 PM

Quote from: "Hollywood"

Has anyone heard the rest of the album yet? Is it all like that? If it is then I plan on buying it this month for sure.

That's the only song I've heard so far... I'd like to hear some more songs before planning on buying the album, because I've already got some big deceptions buying albums I only knew one or two songs of...

Hollywood · **Reply #23 on:** February 27, 2008, 10:30:30 PM

Quote from: "Arucard"

That's the only song I've heard so far... I'd like to hear some more songs before planning on buying the album, because I've already got some big deceptions buying albums I only knew one or two songs of...

Yeah, I know what you mean. For me it depends mostly on price-- if somehow I can find it used and cheap I'll just buy it anyway, but if I'm going to pay full import price I want to know some more about it first.

Well, if somehow I end up being the one who hears it first, I'll be sure to let you know how it is.

Maverick · **Reply #24 on:** February 28, 2008, 09:44:48 AM

Quote from: "Arucard"

"Pandemonium" was released in 2001 or 2002... Not a good album either... Very similar to "Racing" in my opinion...

:oops: Oops... sorry... somehow i got 1996 stuck in my mind... no idea why...

Arucard · **Reply #25 on:** February 28, 2008, 10:50:53 PM

Quote from: "Maverick"

Quote from: "Arucard"
"Pandemonium" was released in 2001 or 2002... Not a good album either... Very similar to "Racing" in my opinion...

:oops: Oops... sorry... somehow i got 1996 stuck in my mind... no idea why...

Haha, don't worry mate, I suck at remebering dates too... Numbers sucks... :twisted:

Hollywood · **Reply #26 on:** March 06, 2008, 07:51:31 PM

Yesterday I was at a Japanese bookstore which also carries CDs, especially new releases. So I decided to see if they had Metal Mad and asked an employee who was about my age (and she was Japanese by the way, you'll see later why I mention this):

Me: "Excuse me, do you have the new Loudness album?"
Her: "What's the name of the band?"
"Loudness."
"Loudness...? I've never heard of them before... let me look in the computer... when did it come out?"
"A couple days ago."
"OK... I don't think we have that... it's not Metal Mad, is it?"
"Yeah, Metal Mad."
"Um... no... I guess we don't have it."

And yet they had shelves full of trendy new visual bands and I felt like saying, "YOU KNOW ABOUT THIS CRAP BUT YOU'VE NEVER EVEN HEARD OF LOUDNESS???"

Of course I didn't 'cause, you know, I'm a gentleman.

But what the hell? She's my age, she's Japanese and she sells Japanese CDs, and she's never even HEARD of them? What is the world coming to, huh? Made me sad. :?

VioletCamicat · **Reply #27 on:** March 06, 2008, 07:55:13 PM

:shock: WTF?! These guys are even popular among non-Japanese.

Okay, maybe it's simply not her interest at all and she only works ther jsut because? But still... :shock: OUCH!

Hollywood · **Reply #28 on:** March 06, 2008, 08:23:09 PM

Quote from: "VioletCamicat"

Okay, maybe it's simply not her interest at all and she only works ther jsut because? But still... :shock: OUCH!

Yeah, probably she works there just because and isn't really into it.

And I swear that that same store even used to carry Loudness albums a couple years ago (though maybe she didn't work there at the time). And if the new visual stuff sells really well for them then I can see why they stock it rather than metal, but... but...

As you said, OUCH!

Arucard · **Reply #29 on:** March 06, 2008, 08:47:10 PM

Let me second that OUCH... :cry: