The Underneath (band)
| Company type | Band |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1995 |
| Headquarters | Japan |
| Products | Music albums, singles, extended plays |
The Underneath, previously known as Transtic Nerve, was a Japanese visual kei rock ensemble established in 1995. Under the Transtic Nerve name, they produced four albums, followed by two more releases as The Underneath. Initially centered on straightforward rock music, the group transitioned to a heavier and darker sound in 2007 when they adopted their new identity. In 2010, the band dissolved but soon reassembled without guitarist Tal under the name Defspiral.
History
Transtic Nerve came together in November 1995 with founding members Tal (guitar), Ryo (bass), and Masaki (drums), later joined by vocalist Taka and guitarist Masato. Their first album, Transtic Vision, was released in August 1996.
In 1998, they signed with Lemoned, a label founded by hide, but were dropped following his passing. Subsequently, the band launched their debut single "Shindou" along with their major label album Cell Flash through Unlimited Records in July 1999.
From 2000 to 2001, singles such as "Into Yourself" and "Manazahi no Mukou e" were accompanied by extensive touring. The album Recall was issued in March 2001, followed by additional tours and the single "Manatsu no Yoru no Highway Star". Between 2002 and 2004, their output slowed considerably, with only the album Raise a Flag appearing in 2004. That year also marked a shift towards metal influences, highlighted on the 2005 EP Hole in the Wall.
In 2007, without any lineup alterations, the band rebranded as The Underneath and embraced a heavier musical style. Their debut performance under this name was during the 2008 Taste of Chaos tour in the United States alongside D'espairsRay and Mucc. They conducted extensive touring across America before releasing their album Moon Flower in March 2008 via JShock, a label co-founded by Yoshiki of X Japan.
After completing Taste of Chaos, The Underneath made their Japanese live debut at the hide memorial summit alongside notable bands including X Japan and Luna Sea. Their first headline concert in Japan took place on June 13, 2008 at Shibuya O-West.
They also appeared at Otakon 2008 performing with MarBell and Daizystripper. In November 2009, they issued their sophomore album Us. within Japan.
The band declared plans to disband on May 3, 2010, releasing a final single titled "Diamond" on March 17 and embarking on a farewell tour named Last Live 2010 "Last Scene".
All five members reunited as Transtic Nerve for a special 15th anniversary show held at Akasaka Blitz on December 28, 2014.
Members
- Taka – vocals
- Tal – guitar
- Masato – guitar
- Ryo – bass
- Masaki – drums
As Transtic Nerve
Albums
- Transonic Vision (1997)
- Shell (1998) – Limited/Sonic Strider
- Cell Flash (1999) – Unlimited/Massive
- Recall (2001) – Unlimited/Massive
- Raise a Flag (2004) – Master Tune
Extended plays
- Metabolism – Master Tune
- Metabolism No. 2 (2002) – Master Tune
- The Moment of Metabolism (2002) – Master Tune
- Metabolism No. 3 (2003) – Master Tune
- Hole in the Wall (2005) – Master Tune
Singles
- "Shindou" (1999)
- "Wake Up Your Mind's "Jesus"" (1999)
- "Overhead Run" (1999)
- "Into Yourself" (2000)
- "Binetsu" (2000)
- "Manazashi no Mukou e" (2001)
- "Manatsu no Yoru no Highway Star" (2001)
As The Underneath
Discography
- Moon Flower (2008) – Released under JShock in the United States and Stirring/Def Spiral in Japan
- Us. (2009)
Singles
- "Diamond" (2010)