Lovebites (band)
Japanese power metal band formed by ex-Destrose members.
Lovebites (stylized as LOVEBITES) is a Japanese power metal band formed in 2016 by former Destrose members Miho and Haruna. The group quickly gained international attention, winning the 2018 Metal Hammer Golden Gods Award for Best New Band. Their fourth album, Judgement Day (2023), became their highest-charting record, reaching number 5 on both the Oricon and Billboard Japan charts.
Quick Facts
- Origin
- Tokyo, Japan
- Genre
- Power metal; heavy metal
- Years active
- 2016–present
- Label
- Victor
- JPU
- Sliptrick
- Arising Empire
- Red River
- Napalm
- Associated acts
- Destrose
- Current members
- Asami
- Midori
- Miyako
- Haruna
- Fami
- Past members
- Miho
Facts from the source article.
History
Lovebites formed in Tokyo in 2016 when bassist Miho and drummer Haruna, both former members of the all-female metal band Destrose (which disbanded in 2015), recruited guitarist Midori and support guitarist and keyboardist Miyako (then known as Mi-ya). The four chose vocalist Asami based on a demo she made. Midori had been in Gekijo Metalicche, Miyako in A Drop of Joker and 21g, and Asami a backup singer for Vamps and Uverworld. During a rehearsal, the musicians performed Halestorm's "Love Bites (So Do I)"; the song fit Asami's voice and left an impression, leading them to name the band Lovebites. Their first concert was on November 18, 2016, at Tsutaya O-West as part of the Girls Band Next Generation event, with support guitarist Sena. They had earlier played a secret gig on August 4, 2016, at Shibuya O-Crest under the pseudonym "POWERSLAVES". Their debut EP, The Lovebites EP, was released in May 2017 via Victor Entertainment; Miho described it as a demo to get signed, but the label had it mastered and released. Mixed by Mikko Karmila and mastered by Mika Jussila at Finnvox Studios in Helsinki, it was released in the UK on August 25 by JPU Records and in North America on August 31 by Sliptrick Records. Support member Miyako became a full member in August 2017. Their first full-length album, Awakening from Abyss, was released on October 25, 2017, in Japan and North America, and two days later in the UK, including re-recordings of the debut EP's tracks. The album was supported by the sold-out three-date Awakening from Abyss Tour 2017 from November 17 to December 7, during which the band played their first overseas gigs: two nights at Hyper Japan Christmas and one show at Camden Underworld, all in London.
Music and influences
Lovebites' music is influenced by the new wave of British heavy metal, with Sophie Maughan of Metal Hammer comparing their sound to Iron Maiden and Rage. Miho stated she always wanted to play a combination of power metal, old school heavy metal, and fast thrash metal; Asami noted that the thrash element is indispensable to the band's sound. The group wears all-white clothing to contrast with their old school sound and stand out from the genre's stereotypical black. Their lyrics are in English, though the musicians are not fluent; lyrics are usually written in Japanese and then translated. An exception is "Bravehearted" on their debut EP, written by Haruna for Destrose and sung in Japanese. The band frequently collaborates with former Light Bringer keyboardist Mao on composing and arranging songs. All releases have been mixed and mastered by Finnish engineers Mikko Karmila and Mika Jussila, and all album cover illustrations since Awakening from Abyss have been created by Spanish artists David López Gómez and Carlos Vincente León. These covers feature a wolf, a mascot symbolizing the band as a "lone wolf" in the music scene, similar to Eddie for Iron Maiden or Vic Rattlehead for Megadeth. Miho, who has been into hard rock and heavy metal since junior high and started bass in high school, cited Steve Harris and Nikki Sixx as influences and described her playing as more showmanship than technical. Haruna, who began drums at thirteen and songwriting at fourteen, became interested in heavy metal after hearing Helloween's Master of the Rings and stated her basic drumming style is that of Uli Kusch.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which record labels has Lovebites (band) released music on?
Lovebites has released music on Victor, JPU, Sliptrick, Arising Empire, Red River and Napalm.
Who are the current members of Lovebites (band)?
The current members of Lovebites are listed as Asami, Midori, Miyako, Haruna and Fami.
More in All-female Metal Bands
Spotted an error? Know more?
Reader corrections go straight into our review queue. Suggest an edit · How this site is sourced