Anthem - Gypsy Ways (1988) [2010, Japan SHM-CD, KICS-91175]

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Anthem - Gypsy Ways (1988) [2010, Japan SHM-CD, KICS-91175]

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This album, released in 1988, was the first album for the new lineup of the band. After the shock departure of (due to stress and pressure to perform mounting on) vocalist Eizo Sakamoto, the band looked set to either disband or take a nosedive in terms of popularity. They did neither. Vocalist Yukio Morikawa, who had previously auditioned when previous vocalist Sakamoto Eizo got the job after the band narrowing it down to these two, was called back to see what would have happened had he joined.

At the time, Yukio Morikawa was known as ‘the local Graham Bonnet’, who, as we all know, has contributed vocals to some of the best Heavy Metal bands in history. Rainbow, Michael Schenker Group (MSG), his own band Alcatrazz, Impelliteri, and also, as it turns out, in 2000, Anthem (on their self-cover comeback collection, also highly recommended, ‘Heavy Metal Anthem’)! Anyway, back to the point. Yukio Morikawa, working at a Sushi restaurant at the time, had been compared to Bonnet. And rightly so. But we’ll get back to that.

This album would have shut up any critics who wanted Eizo back. Although as the first generation of Anthem (with Eizo) went on, the music style hardly changed, the quality of the songs had undoubtedly improved, from the self-titled album of ’85, through ‘Tightrope’ (’86) and finally ‘Bound to Break’ (’87). They even made a break in America, playing a tour with Racer X (!) in support. Eizo’s singing had also matured to a very impressive level, from an amateuristic attempt on the debut. He would be sorely missed.

The songs on this album are melodic but heavy, dramatic but catchy, and very atmospheric, a clear turn away from the out-and-out aggression of the first 3 albums. You could even say that the band came closer to achieving the sound of Bonnet-era Rainbow. From the first song to the last, however, the songs are heavy and with good riffs. Song by song:

1. Gypsy Ways (win, lose or draw) – a great opener, heavy, cool riff, with mournful, emotional singing from Morikawa. Nope, Eizo could not have pulled this off. A
2. Love in Vain – This song is even more melodic than the first, and what a melody! It’s a minor key song, heart-wrenchingly sad, and Morikawa makes you wonder why they ever chose Eizo over him (although Eizo’s aggressive singing does have it’s place on the aggressive previous albums) A+
3. Bad Habits Die Hard – This song is HEAVY! Although not as strong as the first two songs (lamentably, it’s a little repetitive and the melody is not that great), still a good song. B
4. Legal Killing – This song is heavy but aggressive too, with pretty heavy lyrics. B+
5. Cryin’ Heart – This is amazing stuff. Cool Japanese lyrics, great backing guitar and solo! Melody is good, really catchy. A great song, one of the best on the album. A+
6. Silent Child – Second great track in a row, intro sounds a little like ‘Will you be home tonight’ by Alcatrazz, although that wouldn’t be released for another 3 years. The melody on the bridge is so good, as well as the harmonized chorus. A
7. Midnight Sun – This is a good mid-tempo song, a new kind of song for Anthem, since Eizo was not suitable for ballads. Good song. A
8. Shout It Out! – Catchy, fun song. Good. B+
9. Final Risk – A speedy number, the obligatory ‘car song’, but with a twist. The chorus is really sorrowful, not the usual happy 'Highway Star' stuff, and Morikawa is really emotional. A
10. Night Stalker – Heavy, plodding rhythm on top of which Morikawa lays down a most impressive vocal track, powerful like Dio or Graham Bonnet. A

All in all, a great album, so right for the time too, as had Eizo not left at the time, he may not have performed as well as he could have, and the lineup of albums have produced not a single dud between ‘Tightrope’ and the last album of Morikawa-era, ‘Domestic Booty’ (what the hell were they thinking when they named that album?)

If you understand Japanese (or even if you don’t you can enjoy the impressive singing and brilliant songwriting) and like Metal in the vein of Accept or Bonnet-era Rainbow (bar ‘All Night Long’ and ‘Since You Been Gone’, ‘Down to Earth’ is so much more than those two tracks), you will really like this. Expertly executed Heavy Metal with a really great singer.

Special mention must be made of guitarist Hiroya Fukuda, whose guitar solos on this are special, irresistibly melodic and a real improvement over his previous efforts. And he doesn’t resort to neoclassical shred for impact, it’s just classic metal-style shredding all the way through from him, often with palm-muted riff sections in the solos, to add emphasis. Some of the soaring melodies remind you of Wolf Hoffman (Accept) or Michael Schenker (UFO, MSG).

~ maidenpriest, Metal-Archives

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Anthem - Gypsy Ways (1988) [2010, Japan SHM-CD, KICS-91175]

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Anthem (アンセム, Ansemu) is a Japanese heavy metal band that was formed during the early 1980s in Tokyo. They are among the handful of heavy metal bands founded in Japan during that time and are considered to be one of the most successful and influential, alongside Loudness and Earthshaker.

Early years (1981–1985)
Anthem was founded in Tokyo during 1981 as a quartet, composed of singer Toshihito Maeda, guitarist Akifumi Koyanagi, bass player Naoto Shibata(also known as "Ski") and drummer Takamasa Ohuchi. Koyanagi left in late 1983 to be replaced by Hiroya Fukada. In December 1984 vocalist Toshihito Maeda also left and Anthem drafted Eizo Sakamoto for their debut eponymous album, issued in July 1985 by Nexus and licensed to Europe via Roadrunner Records.

Success (1985–1992)
Their first studio release featured classic songs like 'Wild Anthem' and 'Warning Action'. The next release, Tightrope showcased a more catchy, melodic sound with an improved vocal performance by Eizo. Bound to Break was to be the last album featuring Eizo Sakamoto for nearly two decades, and was by far his most impressive vocal performance to that point. The album was full of classics (Empty Eyes, Bound to Break, Soldiers) and introduced the band's long-time world-famous producer, Chris Tsangarides (Perhaps best known for producing Judas Priest's classic 1990 album, Painkiller). With the departure of Eizo in 1988, Naoto recruited Yukio Morikawa to the band's vocal position. With Yukio came the album Gypsy Ways, considered the band's most enduringly popular album. Yukio's voice made the band a great success at that time and he was similar in style, vocal range and ability to Graham Bonnet. In 1989, the album Hunting Time was released and the song "The Juggler" was used as a PV. In the beginning of 90's Anthem dealt with another departure, this time Hiroya Fukuda (guitar) left and was replaced by Hideaki 'Shadow Walker' Nakama which recorded the album No Smoke Without Fire, this time without the band's staple producer / engineer Chris Tsangarides. Hideaki left the band after recording just the one album and the search for a new guitarist began.

Disbandment (1992–2000)
After many auditions, the young Akio Shimizu joined the band to replace Hideaki. In 1992, the band released Domestic Booty, one of their best albums, with amazing technical songs (courtesy of Akio): Venom Strike, Renegade, and The Dice of No Mercy. Unfortunately, classic-style heavy metal was out of fashion in the early 90's, and with the explosion of grunge in the U.S. and the Visual Kei movement in Japanese music, Naoto decided to put an end to the band. The members of Anthem followed the album's release with a very big tour covering many cities of Japan and finally they released the VHS/CD Last Anthem - Live recorded at Nissin Power Station, which was to be the band's last show for nearly eight years.

Reform (2000–present)
After the long hiatus, Anthem returned in 2000, with the album Heavy Metal Anthem which featured the vocalist Graham Bonnet (from Rainbow), the album is entirely composed by classic songs of the band rearranged with English lyrics. The lineup on Heavy Metal Anthem was: Graham Bonnet (vocals), Naoto Shibata (bass), Akio Shimizu (guitar) and Takamasa Oouchi (drums).

Later, Hirotsugu Homma (who had briefly played together with Shibata in Loudness replaced Takamasa on drums and Eizo returned to the vocals. In 2001, they released Seven Hills, showcasing an entirely new musical direction for the band, although still firmly rooted in 80s heavy metal. In 2002 came Overload, which is considered by most critics to be much more aggressive than Seven Hills. In 2003, the band recorded Live' Melt Down in Citta Club Kawazaki, with a setlist full of classics and an amazing[peacock term] performance by Eizo. In 2004 the band released the single "Onslaught" followed by the album Eternal Warrior, which continued in the same sound direction as Overload. In 2005, Anthem celebrated their twentieth year anniversary with a special tour, where all members of the band since 1985 played the band songs in their respective formations. At the final show of this tour was filmed the DVD "20th Anniversary Tour" (again at Club Citta in Kawazaki).

In 2006 Anthem released Immortal, followed by the single and PV of "Immortal Bind". The most recent output has seen Anthem push even further into the Power Metal-tinged style showcased on 'Domestic Booty' and Eternal Warrior with 2008's Black Empire. A PV of 'Heat of the Night' was released shortly after the album hit in November 2008 and has thus far garnered even more positive critical reviews than Immortal.

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Anthem - Gypsy Ways (1988) [2010, Japan SHM-CD, KICS-91175]

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Anthem - Gypsy Ways (1988) [2010, Japan SHM-CD, KICS-91175]

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