LOVEBITES – Judgement Day [Japan Edition] (2023) *Exclusive*

LOVEBITES, one of Japan’s most important current names in metal, return from hiatus with a new member and a new album called ”Judgement Day”. Female band makes you think ‘less power’? Wrong: LOVEBITES is a killer metal machine.
Time away and a refresh in the line-up appears to have done LOVEBITES a lot of good as this new album finds the heavy head-bangers on energized form taking their epic melodic metal to even greater heights across ten tracks. Ten examples of their development and ten examples of why they have made such a name for themselves so far.
The grand introduction of ‘We Are the Resurrection’ is extremely telling regarding how refreshed LOVEBITES feel here dominated by screaming riffs and licks, powerful vocals and a crushing rhythm section. The cherry on top of this banging opener is a wild and blood-pumping guitar solo.

Building on the early hint of more power-orientation, ”Judgement Day” lets rip with some frenzied symphonic touches. It’s a notable element on some tracks. Before we get a vigorous blast that rises and rises through deeper metal territories with ‘The Spirit Lives On’. A thriller that keep you on the edge of your seat.
Though, there’s no let up when it comes to the pacing as the guitar team of Midori and Miyako continue to deliver punchy riff after riff, and the bass/drum duo of Fami and Haruna add the meaty weight that makes ‘Wicked Witch’ such a head-banger. The use of synths on this track is particularly delightful too.
‘Stand And Deliver (Shoot ’em Down)’, a screaming and screeching blast of metal, finds LOVEBITES at their most egregiously anthemic sounding. A track meant for the live environment through and through.

After the bombastic tone of ‘Victim of Time’, the band creates a tornado of rock and melody with the huge ‘My Orion’. A track with more ‘classic’ leanings and taking some of its tropes from the poppier side of hard rock music.
It’s back to a medley of frenzied guitars, pounding drums, thick bass hooks, and soaring vocals with ‘Lost in the Garden’. The end of the world has never sounded so necessary, especially when a penultimate track as Dissonance comes along – LOVEBITES sounding positively possessed here. Before closing their new record out with one last energised and heavy anthem in the form of the defiant call to arms that is ‘Soldier Stands Solitarily’.

LOVEBITES are back and better than ever with ”Judgement Day”. It’s vibrant, modern sounding melodic metal. Confident, powerful, and a danger to neck muscles everywhere, the album doesn’t skimp on the riffs or the melodies, many choruses instantly lodging themselves inside your brain forever. No ballads, no filler, just balls to the wall metal from the land of the rising sun.
Lovebites are the Queens of Power metal at this point. Consider this your proof.
Highly Recommneded

01 – We Are The Resurrection
02 – Judgement Day
03 – The Spirit Lives On
04 – Wicked Witch
05 – Stand And Deliver (Shoot ’em Down)
06 – Victim Of Time
07 – My Orion
08 – Lost In The Garden
09 – Dissonance
10 – Soldier Stands Solitarily

Asami – lead vocals
Haruna – drums
Midori – guitars, backing vocals
Miyako – guitars, keyboards, backing vocals
Fami – bass

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