CONCERTO MOON

Japanese neoclassical power metal ensemble Concerto Moon, was formed in Autumn, 1995 by guitarist Norifumi Shima and vocalist Takao Ozaki. The band debuted with a concert in Osaka in July 1996, followed by a performance in Tokyo two weeks later. Their inaugural album, Fragments Of The Moon (1997), received high praise upon its release in the following summer, leading to a successful Japanese tour and in April 1998, they embarked on their second album, From Father To Son, which hit the shelves in July. In December, Concerto Moon embarked on a tour alongside Finnish superstars Stratovarius before focusing on their third studio album, Rain Forest. Internal tensions led to a hiatus after Ozaki's departure in 1999 leading Shima to release Gate of Triumph as a solo project in 2000. However, the band reunited in 2002, re-recording tracks from their earlier albums, as well as Gate of Triumph, to commemorate their fifth anniversary. The resulting album, Destruction and Creation, dropped in 2002, followed by Life on the Wire in January 2003. After several line-up changes, Concerto Moon returned in 2004 with a new bassist and drummer for their self-titled EP, followed by the Double Cross album the same year, making another comeback with the aptly named Rise from Ashes in 2008. In 2010, the band transitioned back to indie labels, unveiling Angel of Chaos, Black Flame (2013), Between Life and Death (2015), and Tears of Messiah (2017). Following yet another line-up change, the band opted to re-record tracks from their first six albums and Ouroboros was released in 2019, followed by Tears of Messiah in 2020. In 2022, Concerto Moon commemorated twenty-five years since the release of Fragments of the Moon with live performances, followed by a similar celebration for From Father to Son in 2023. In May 2024, their 17th album Back Beyond Time, debuted at number 88 on Japan's Top 100 Albums Chart.