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│ METAL CLASSICS ARCHIVE │
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│ P R E S E N T S │
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│ + Loudness - Thunder In The East 30th Anniversary Boxed-(B014O + │
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│╔═════════════════════╗ │
│║ Release Information ║ │
│╠═════════════════════╩══════════════════════════════════════════╗ │
│║ ║ │
│║ Release Date.Feb-09-2018 Encoder......L3.98.4 -V0 --lowpas ║ │
│║ Genre........Heavy Metal Graber.......EAC ║ │
│║ Year.........2015 Khz/Bitrate..44,1/ Br ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ Ripper.......anthem Songs........cd1: 10 cd2: 9 cd3: 10 │
│║ Covers.......Yes Url... www.loudnessjp.com ║ │
│║ ║ │
│╚════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╝ │
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│╔═════════════════════╗ │
│║ Release Notes ║ │
│╠═════════════════════╩══════════════════════════════════════════╗ │
│║ ║ │
│║ Artist : Loudness Rating : You Decide! ║ │
│║ Album : Thunder In The East 30th AnnivLabel : Columbia ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ ║ │
│╠════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╣ │
│║ ║ │
│║ Description : ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ First release to commemorate the 35th ║ │
│║ anniversary of LOUDNESS is special reissue of ║ │
│║ the album "THUNDER IN THE EAST" with remastering ║ │
│║ in 2015 and unreleased track(s) as bonus. This ║ │
│║ is a limited box edition consisting of three ║ │
│║ CDs, two DVDs, a vinyl, an EP, and a cassette ║ │
│║ tape. The two CDs contain unreleased tracks ║ │
│║ related to the album "THUNDER IN THE EAST. The ║ │
│║ two bonus DVDs featuring bonus videos ║ │
│║ exclusively included in this edition and same ║ │
│║ contents in other edition (COZP-1099 / ║ │
│║ documentary on them when they debuted in U.S. ║ │
│║ and live footage). The vinyl is reissue of the ║ │
│║ original LP, "THUNDER IN THE EAST." The 7-inch. ║ │
│║ EP is also reissue of "CRAZY NIGHT." The ║ │
│║ cassette tape contains unreleased tracks. ║ │
│║ Furthermore, the set comes with the following ║ │
│║ bonus: special booklet with rare photos, liner ║ │
│║ notes, and comments / reproduction of tour ║ │
│║ pamphlet(s) / "THUNDER IN THE EAST TOUR IN THE ║ │
│║ WEST 1985" T-shirt with logo / "TOUR IN THE ║ │
│║ WEST" laminated pass with logo / guitar pick x ║ │
│║ 4. ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ ------------------------------------------------ ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ In 1984, riding off the high of their recent ║ │
│║ albums Disillusion and The Law of Devil's Land ║ │
│║ with subsequent successful tours in Europe and ║ │
│║ America, it was with good reason that Loudness ║ │
│║ thought they had a shot at a breakthrough in the ║ │
│║ States. Under the management of Joe Gerber, ║ │
│║ Loudness' dream was set in motion when the band ║ │
│║ landed a deal with Atco records after which the ║ │
│║ quattro began work on their fifth full-length ║ │
│║ record and in January 1985, Loudness unleashed ║ │
│║ Thunder in the East, an album that quite simply ║ │
│║ revolutionized Japanese heavy metal. ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ Loudness were already well known on their home ║ │
│║ soil, with Takasaki and Higuchi famous even ║ │
│║ earlier when they were in the band Lazy, but ║ │
│║ nothing Loudness or any other Japanese band had ║ │
│║ made previously were quite as much of a game ║ │
│║ changer for Japanese metal as the success that ║ │
│║ Thunder in the East was. To put it in the ║ │
│║ perspective of the bands around Loudness back in ║ │
│║ Japan, all of a sudden here was this band from ║ │
│║ their own country cracking the American charts, ║ │
│║ getting their music played on MTV and performing ║ │
│║ alongside big names like Motley Crue and Stryper ║ │
│║ at venues such as Madison Square Garden (sorry X ║ │
│║ Japan, they were first), and better yet, they ║ │
│║ were experiencing this success without a forced ║ │
│║ change of musical style, Loudness were still ║ │
│║ pure, proud heavy metal, so why couldn't these ║ │
│║ other bands try it too? Of course nobody from ║ │
│║ there ever "made it" out west to the extent ║ │
│║ Loudness did, but for a portion of the 80s metal ║ │
│║ was a big deal in Japan, and it was in large ║ │
│║ part due to Loudness' effort right here on this ║ │
│║ album. ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ Thunder in the East springs into action with ║ │
│║ perhaps the band's most famous song in America, ║ │
│║ Crazy Nights, an infectiously catchy, thumping ║ │
│║ rocker with that will have you shouting along ║ │
│║ with the band "M-Z-A! M-Z-A!", and gives you an ║ │
│║ ear-full of what Loudness were all about, chock ║ │
│║ full of ridiculous little riffs, licks, and ║ │
│║ solos, you name it, courtesy of Akira Takasaki. ║ │
│║ Crazy Nights is followed immediately by what are ║ │
│║ to me two of the very finest songs Loudness ever ║ │
│║ penned, Like Hell and Heavy Chains, both very ║ │
│║ different tracks. Like Hell is a highly ║ │
│║ energetic metal track with a superb introductory ║ │
│║ riff setting the tone for the whole song, which ║ │
│║ is a rather fast-paced one, and is about as 80s ║ │
│║ as heavy metal can possibly get, without being ║ │
│║ cheesy. It also features riffing reminiscent of ║ │
│║ the main riff of Crazy Doctor from Disillusion, ║ │
│║ which I thought to be a cool touch. Heavy Chains ║ │
│║ is brilliant in its own right, starting as a ║ │
│║ slow semi-ballad, then exploding into a ║ │
│║ galloping, pounding heavy metal riff, with ║ │
│║ vocals as passionate as Minoru Niihara could ║ │
│║ possibly sing, and the song continues gradually ║ │
│║ picking up more and more, leading into an ║ │
│║ absolutely incredible guitar solo before winding ║ │
│║ to a close. ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ Also featured on Thunder in the East is a ║ │
│║ diverse selection of other songs, all of which ║ │
│║ are excellent, The Lines are Down, Clockwork ║ │
│║ Toy, No Way Out and Get Away are more signature ║ │
│║ Loudness tracks, with the expected mind blowing ║ │
│║ guitar of Takasaki and some excellent bass from ║ │
│║ Masayoshi Yamashita, especially his work on The ║ │
│║ Lines are Down. Run For Your Life is a very slow ║ │
│║ and very heavy song which has a really odd but ║ │
│║ good and somewhat funky opening riff and a ║ │
│║ pleasant chorus. Even the songs that aren't ║ │
│║ necessarily as well liked by many people as ║ │
│║ others on the album are very far from being bad, ║ │
│║ We Could Be Together I find to be ultra catchy ║ │
│║ and the solo section of the song is superb, due ║ │
│║ to the combined work of both Takasaki and ║ │
│║ Higuchi, and then Never Change Your Mind being ║ │
│║ one of the band's very rare ballads is probably ║ │
│║ the best one they ever attempted, despite it ║ │
│║ perhaps not being the greatest choice as album ║ │
│║ closer. ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ For a Japanese import band looking to make a ║ │
│║ statement overseas, they could have picked no ║ │
│║ better artwork to do so, the cover is very eye ║ │
│║ catching with the red and white of the Rising ║ │
│║ Sun flag in the background and Loudness' logo ║ │
│║ front and center with Thunder in the East ║ │
│║ spelled out in big bold metal studded letters. I ║ │
│║ also think the band's attempt at English is very ║ │
│║ respectable too, despite funny little instances ║ │
│║ where Niihara would blurt out goofy lines such ║ │
│║ as the many found in Get Away, gems like ║ │
│║ "Without switchblades you could die!" or ║ │
│║ "Without leather you could die!". It's really ║ │
│║ all just part of Loudness' charm though, as ║ │
│║ they're all superbly talented men outside minor ║ │
│║ linguistic difficulties. ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ Minoru Niihara has always been to me the weakest ║ │
│║ link in Loudness, but when he truly got going as ║ │
│║ he was on this album, he was a perfectly fine ║ │
│║ vocalist, and his sheer energy was vital to ║ │
│║ Loudness' sound during this era (they would ║ │
│║ regret losing him in the late 80s big time). ║ │
│║ Masayoshi Yamashita does a great job on bass, he ║ │
│║ doesn't do anything super fancy, but is very ║ │
│║ steady and reliable, and most importantly ║ │
│║ audible, not hidden in the back as many bassists ║ │
│║ tend to be. If you want an album to best ║ │
│║ demonstrate the abilities of guitarist Akira ║ │
│║ Takasaki though, this album is a great choice as ║ │
│║ it features many of his most iconic riffs and ║ │
│║ complex solos, and he's supported beautifully at ║ │
│║ all key moments by the drumming of the late ║ │
│║ great Munetaka Higuchi. ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ It goes without saying that this is pretty ║ │
│║ easily the most internationally famous heavy ║ │
│║ metal album to ever come from a Japanese band, ║ │
│║ and very deservingly so, Loudness showed they ║ │
│║ were more than ready to take a stab at the North ║ │
│║ American metal scene at this point in their ║ │
│║ careers and Thunder in the East was an ║ │
│║ incredibly respectable effort in doing so, aging ║ │
│║ gracefully in the many years since its release. ║ │
│║ If I were asked to name the one album that best ║ │
│║ embodies Japanese metal as a whole, this is it, ║ │
│║ without question. Very highly recommended to all ║ │
│║ fans of traditional heavy metal. ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ ║ │
│╚════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╝ │
│ │
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│╔═════════════════════╗ │
│║ Release Tracklist ║ │
│╚═════════════════════╩══════════════════════════════════════════ │
│ │
│ - CD1 [ ] │
│ - [ ] │
│ 01 - Crazy Night [04:05] │
│ 02 - Like Hell [03:48] │
│ 03 - Heavy Chains [04:20] │
│ 04 - Get Away [03:56] │
│ 05 - We Could Be Together [04:50] │
│ 06 - Run For Your Life [03:59] │
│ 07 - Clockwork Toy [03:58] │
│ 08 - No Way Out [04:03] │
│ 09 - The Lines Are Down [04:52] │
│ 10 - Never Change Your Mind [04:10] │
│ - [ ] │
│ - CD2 [ ] │
│ - [ ] │
│ 01 - The Lines Are Down (Unreleased Demo-M3-) [05:14] │
│ 02 - We Could Be Together (Unreleased Demo-M2-) [04:56] │
│ 03 - Get Away (Unreleased Demo-M5-) [04:23] │
│ 04 - Run For Cover (Unreleased Demo-M6-) [04:02] │
│ 05 - Crazy Nights (Unreleased Demo-M4-) [03:44] │
│ 06 - Firestorm (Unreleased Demo-M7-) [03:55] │
│ 07 - Heavy Chains (Unreleased Demo-M11-) [04:54] │
│ 08 - Never Change Your Mind (Unreleased Demo-M1 [03:58] │
│ 09 - Eruption (Unreleased Demo-M9-) [02:23] │
│ - [ ] │
│ - CD3 [ ] │
│ - [ ] │
│ 01 - Heavy Chains (Unreleased Demo-M11-) [04:21] │
│ 02 - Get Away (Unreleased Demo-M5-) [04:06] │
│ 03 - No Way Out (Unreleased Demo-M15-) [04:05] │
│ 04 - Clockwork Toy (Unreleased Demo-M17-) [03:55] │
│ 05 - The Lines Are Down (Unreleased Demo-M3-) [04:54] │
│ 06 - Crazy Nights (Unreleased Demo-M4-) [04:08] │
│ 07 - Like Hell (Unreleased Demo-M13-) [03:48] │
│ 08 - Never Change Your Mind (Unreleased Demo-M1 [04:10] │
│ 09 - Run For Your Life (Unreleased Demo-M6-) [03:58] │
│ 10 - We Colud Be Together (Unreleased Demo-M2-) [04:39] │
│ │
│ Total Length : [121:3] min │
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│ ╔═════════════════════╗ │
│ ║ Greetings To: ║ │
│ ╚═════════════════════╝ │
│ │
│ Too all people who contributes to make this │
│ archive of good music in a exceptional conditions │
│ │
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│ │
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└───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘