Loudness (ラウドネス ,Raudonesu?) is a Japanese heavy metal band formed in 1981 by guitarist Akira Takasaki and drummer Munetaka Higuchi.They were the first Japanese heavy metal act signed in the United States, releasing seven albums (3 in America) by the end of 1987 and reaching the Billboard top 100.
In 1993,the band nearly split-up, with the departure of Higuchi and Sawada. However, much like Black Sabbath guitarist Tony Iommi, Takasaki never disbanded Loudness as the group - eventually featuring Anthem bassist Naoto Shibata and Ezo drummer Hirotsugu Homma in its lineup - continued to release material. This new incarnation of Loudness released 4 studio albums (Heavy Metal Hippies, Ghetto Machine, Dragon and Engine) and 1 live album (Loud 'n' Raw) between 1994 and 1998.
The original and classic line-up of the band reunited in 2001, at the request of Takasaki, to celebrate the band's 20th Anniversary. Although intended to be a one-off, the popularity of the band's reunion in its native Japan was overwhelming and the lineup decided to continue. At least one studio album and one DVD release have followed every year since the 2001 reunion, in addition to one-off recordings, like 2005's theme song for famed K-1 fighter Musashi ("The Battleship Musashi").
2006 brought the 25th Anniversary of Loudness.
In April 2008, just two months after releasing Metal Mad, they decided to go on hiatus, when drummer Munetaka Higuchi was diagnosed with liver cancer. They played with Motley Crue in October 2008 at the Greater Tokyo Area's Saitama Super Arena, with session drummer Kozo Suganuma (Fragile, Ded Chaplin) filling in for Munetaka. On November 30, 2008 Munetaka died from his illness at a hospital in Osaka. He was 49 years old.
The most popular song of Loudness,Heavy Chain.
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