Animetal
| Company type | Band |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1996 |
| Founder | Eizo Sakamoto |
| Defunct | 2006 (indefinite break) |
| Headquarters | Japan |
| Products | Heavy metal renditions of anime and tokusatsu theme songs |
was a Japanese band specializing in heavy metal renditions of theme songs from both classic and contemporary Japanese anime and tokusatsu series.
The group included notable personalities from the Japanese metal community, most prominently vocalist Eizo Sakamoto, recognized for his contributions to Anthem, the pop rock ensemble Nerima, the JAM Project, as well as his solo endeavors involving singing and lead guitar.
Since 2006, Animetal has been on an indefinite break. Following this hiatus, Sakamoto initiated a related project named Eizo Japan and later, in 2013, announced the revival of Animetal under the name , featuring She-Ja.
Style
Their sound fuses elements of speed metal and power metal, highlighting exceptional instrumental skill, particularly from guitarists She-Ja (featured on the first four albums) and subsequently Syu, alongside bassist Masaki. Beginning with Animetal Marathon IV, Masaki’s dynamic bass work incorporates smooth solos, slapping, popping techniques, lively fills, and powerful chord progressions. The albums are crafted as uninterrupted medleys composed of brief tracks that flow continuously with minimal overdubbing.
A distinctive feature is their nostalgic use of well-known rock-metal instrumentals; for instance, their rendition of "Choujuu Sentai Liveman" employs the melody from Judas Priest’s "Breaking the Law."
The lyrics are mainly delivered in Japanese with sporadic English phrases, which somewhat restricts their international appeal and targets a specific audience segment. For a time, they collaborated with Pink Lady’s Mie under the moniker "Animetal Lady," releasing two albums that showcased her melodic vocal style aimed at a wider commercial market.
Although predominantly celebrated for covers, Animetal also produced original compositions such as the ballad featured in the Rurouni Kenshin film.
Animetal USA
Formed in 2011 as a tribute to Sakamoto’s band, Animetal USA performs English-language heavy metal covers of popular anime and tokusatsu themes. The ensemble consisted of lead singer Michael Vescera, guitarist Chris Impellitteri, bassist Rudy Sarzo, and drummer Scott Travis. Their self-titled debut album was released on October 12. A year later, Travis departed to concentrate on touring with Judas Priest and was succeeded by Jon Dette before the release of their second album Animetal USA W on June 6.
Animetal the Second
Initiated in 2015, Animetal the Second (二代目アニメタル) revolves around an anonymous female vocalist known as Queen.M to carry forward the Animetal tradition. Their self-titled debut album was launched on March 25 through Gr8! Records and includes collaborations with renowned musicians such as Akira Takasaki and Masayoshi Yamashita from Loudness, Warren DeMartini, and George Lynch. In April 2016, they released Blizzard of Animetal the Second, featuring guest appearances by Scotti Hill, Paul Gilbert, Richie Kotzen, Luke Takamura, and Saki. Animetal the Second also performed at Ozzfest Japan 2015.
Core members
- Eizo Sakamoto – lead vocals (1996–2006)
- Syu – guitar (2003–2006)
- Masaki – bass guitar (1997–2006)
Past members
- Katsuji – drums (1997–2006)
- Mie – lead vocals for Animetal Lady (1997–1998, 2002)
- Kouichi Seiyama – keyboards (1997–1998, 2002)
- She-Ja – guitar (1997–2002)
- Yasuhiro Umezawa – drums (1997–1998)
Guest contributors
- Yasufumi Shinozuka – guitar on "Animetal" (1996)
- Yō Okamura – bass on "Animetal" (1996)
- Devil Miyamoto – drum programming on "Animetal" (1996)
- Take-Shit – bass on "This is Animetal" (1997)
- Munetaka Higuchi – drums on "Animetal Summer" and "Sentimetal" (1997)
- Rei Atsumi – keyboards on "Animetal Lady Kenzan!" (1997) and Animetal Lady Marathon (1998)
- Hiroyuki Namba – keyboards on "Towa no Mirai" (1997)
- Shinki – drums on Animetal Lady Marathon and "Yuuki no Akashi" (1998)
- Nov – vocals on "Ai o Torimodose!!" (2001)
- Mitsuo Takeuchi – vocals on "Galactic Gale Baxinger" (2001)
- Marty Friedman – lead guitar featured on a track in Animetal Lady Marathon II (2002)
Timeline
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Discography
- Animetal Marathon (1997)
- Animetal Marathon II (1998)
- Animetal Lady Marathon (1998)
- Animetal Marathon III (1998)
- Animetal Marathon IV (2001)
- Animetal Lady Marathon II (2002)
- Animetal Marathon V (2003)
- Animetal Marathon VI (2004)
- Animetal Marathon VII (2005)
- Decade of Bravehearts (2006)
External links
- (Animetal Lady)
- (Animetal the Second)