(アニメタル Animetaru?) is a Japanese novelty heavy metal band who specialize in metal covers of the theme songs of classic and modern Japanese anime and tokusatsu television series.
They are comprised of several luminaries of the Japanese metal scene, most notably vocalist Eizo Sakamoto, who has been involved off and on with Anthem (one of the first heavy metal bands to achieve name recognition outside of Japan in the 1980s alongside Loudness)as well as participating in various other projects including the pop-rock group Nerima, the JAM Project, and a successful solo career where he also plays lead guitar as well as vocals.
Their music can be classified as high-energy melodic speed metal with a very high level of musical virtuosity, especially on the guitarists'(initially Shi-Ja for the first four albums, then Syu from Animetal Marathon V to the present) and bassist's (band constant Masaki) part. Masaki in particular from Animetal Marathon IV on onward has shown an intensely active and aggressive approach to his instrument with fluid soloing, manic slapping and popping, energetic fills, and crashing chords for punctuation. The albums are structured as nearly seamless barrages of short songs woven into well-structured medleys that sound as though the band simply enters the studio and lays down virtually the entire album from start to finish in one go, with occasional overdubs and breaks in the action here and there.
The lyrics are almost entirely in Japanese with occasional lines of "Engrish", which may partly account for why they are virtually unknown outside of Japan, aside from the fact they admittedly are playing to a very small niche market. For a short time, they incorporated Pink Lady vocalist Mie into the band, hence the name change to "Animetal Lady", and recorded two albums with her distinctive and melodic vocals that are much more commercially accessible (almost what one would call pop-metal) than the rest of the Animetal discography.
While they're known more for their covers, the band has a few original songs including the ballad Towa no Mirai from the Rurouni Kenshin soundtrack.
Track Listing:
- Theme of Animetal (アニメタルのテーマ Animetaru no Tēma?)
- Song of Gatchaman (ガッチャマンの歌 Gacchaman no Uta?)
- Triton of the Sea (海のトリトン Umi no Toriton?)
- Song of Tekkaman (テッカマンの歌 Tekkaman no Uta?)
- Fight! Casshan (たたかえ！キャシャーン Tatakae! Kyashān?)
- Fight! Polymar (戦え！ポリマー Tatakae! Porimā?)
- Let's Go! Godam (行くぞ！ゴーダム Ikuzo! Gōdamu?)
- Babel II (バビル２世 Babiru Nisei?)
- Theme of Combattler V (コン・バトラーVのテーマ Kon Batorā Bui no Tēma?)
- Song of Voltes V (ボルテスVの歌 Borutesu Bui no Uta?)
- Arise! Brave Leader Daimos (立て！闘将ダイモス Tate! Tōshō Daimosu?)
- Brave Raideen (勇者ライディーン Yūsha Raidīn?)
- Space Dragon Gaiking (大空魔竜ガイキング Daikūmaryū Gaikingu?)
- We Love You, Dangard Ace (すきだッ ダンガードA Suki da Dangādo Ēsu?)
- Dash! Machine Hayabusa (ダッシュ！マシンハヤブサ Dasshu! Mashin Hayabusa?)
- Hawk of the Grand Prix (ランプリの鷹 Guranpuri no Taka?)
- Tiger Mask (タイガーマスク Taigā Masuku?)
- Glacier Knight Gaislaggar (氷河戦士ガイスラッガー Hyōga Senshi Gaisuraggā?)
- For Whom? (誰がために Dare ga Tame ni?, Cyborg 009)
- Galaxy Express 999 (銀河鉄道９９９ Ginga Tetsudō Surī Nain?)
- Captain Harlock (キャプテンハーロック Kyaputen Hārokku?)
- Space Battleship Yamato (宇宙戦艦ヤマト Uchū Senkan Yamato?)
- Fly! Gundam (翔べ！ガンダム Tobe! Gundamu?)
- Ideon of Rebirth (復活のイデオン Fukkatsu no Ideon?)
- Macross (マクロス Makurosu?)
- Go! Zanbot 3 (行け！ザンボット３ Ike! Zanbotto Surī?)
- Come Here! Daitarn 3 (カムヒア！ダイターン３ Kamu Hiya! Daitān Surī?)
- Gale Wind Xabungle (疾風ザブングル Shippū Zabungaru?)
- Dunbine Flies (ダンバインとぶ Danbain Tobu?)
- Farewell, Gentle Days (さらばやさしき日々よ Saraba Yasashiki Hibiyo?, Fang of the Sun Dougram)
- Tragedy of Fire (炎のさだめ Honō no Sadame?, Armored Trooper Votoms)
- Mazinger Z (マジンガーZ Majingā Zetto?)
- I am Great Mazinger (おれはグレートマジンガー Ore wa Gurēto Majingā?)
- Fight! Grendizer (とべ！グレンダイザー Tobe! Gurendazā?)
- Getter Robo! (ゲッターロボ！ Gettā Robo!?)
- Song of Steel Jeeg (鋼鉄ジーグのうた Kōtetsu no Jīgu no Uta?)
- Song of Devilman (デビルマンのうた Debiruman no Uta?)
- Theme of Animetal (Reprise) (アニメタルのテーマ(Reprise) Animetaru no Tēma (Reprise)?)
