Japanese power metal act Lovebites recently announced Memorial For The Warrior Souls, a live Blu-ray/2DVD/2CD set which features the live show from Hitomi Memorial Hall. The set will be released on August 28 via Victor.
A limited edition of the set will include a rerecorded edition of the band’s debut EP – titled Lovebites EP II. A music video for the opening track of the EP - "Unchained" - is available below.
All of the songs from the latest full-length album Judgement Day, which was ranked at position #5 on Oricon weekly chart, was made after bassist Fami joined the band, therefore Lovebites EP II is the true first work by the current lineup. As its title suggests, this second installment of the band's 2017 debut, The Lovebites EP, is a truly "Lovebites 2.0" album from the band that has continued to update their selves since its debut. While The Lovebites EP featured a photo of a denim battle jacket, the cover art for Lovebites EP II features a photo of a white leather jacket in the band's signature color, adorned with gold studs and band logo patch, creating a striking impact.
In creating the five completely new songs that will be included, the band listened to their 2017 debut, The Lovebites EP, over and over again. It was a magical work of four simple, yet very different types of songs, each with its own distinct personality, yet somehow consistent when viewed as the EP as a whole. With a renewed sense of that initial impulse, the now grown-up Lovebites have succeeded in swallowing the atmosphere of the songs from their debut and creating this work that is unbalanced in a good way, yet miraculously balanced.
The limited edition A comes with the Re-Lovebites EP, a 4-song CD re-recorded from The Lovebites EP with the current lineup. (*The English version of "Bravehearted" is used.) The B and C come with a Blu-ray and DVD, respectively, consisting of a music video of the lead track and a making-of video showing the filming of the music video.
On the other hand, the latest live Blu-ray/2DVD/2CD Memorial For The Warrior Souls are a complete recording of the live performance at Showa Women's University Hitomi Memorial Hall in Tokyo on September 24 during the Judgement Day Tour held in 2023. The video was edited completely differently from the livestreamed performance on that day, allowing the viewer to see the detailed movements and facial expressions of each member.
The live audio has also been mixed by Mikko Karmila and mastered by Mika Jussila at legendary Finnvox Studio. And it includes five songs from their fourth album Judgment Day that have never been performed live before. The BR & DVD include a bonus one-hour documentary that follows the band on their seven-city tour of Fukuoka, Sendai, Sapporo, Osaka, Nagoya, Tokyo, and Yokohama. Fans outside of Tokyo will also be able to relive their memories of the shows.
Find preorder details at victor-store.jp.
Tracklisting:
“Call For Justice”
“We Are The Resurrection”
“Judgement Day”
“When Destinies Align”
“My Orion”
“Signs Of Deliverance”
“Rising”
“Dissonance”
“Above The Black Sea”
Piano Solo
“Lost In The Garden”
Drum Solo
“Stand And Deliver (Shoot ‘Em Down)”
“Don’t Bite The Dust”
“M.D.O.”
“Edge Of The World”
“Soldier Stands Solitarily”
“The Hammer Of Wrath”
“We The Unite”
“Under The Red Sky”
“Call For Justice (Reprise)”
Lovebites will perform a handful of dates in the U.S. this September.
Dates:
September
6 – Atlanta, GA – ProgPower USA
8 – Dallas, TX – The Echo Lounge & Music Hall (Venue upgrade)
10 – Los Angeles, CA – Echoplex (Venue upgrade)
12 – San Francisco, CA – Café Du Nord
