South East Wreck Metal<\/a> that there are plans for the long-running Japanese metallers to record a new album as a follow-up to 2021’s “Sunburst”<\/b>. Niihara<\/b> said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET<\/b>): “[Akira<\/b>] wants to make a new album for 45th-anniversary something\u2026 He’s got ideas, 30 songs already. And then he will make more. Yeah, we will [record] maybe 10 songs from 30 songs. But [it will be released] pretty soon. Maybe end of this year.”<\/p>\n“Sunburst”<\/b> was released outside Japan in July 2022 via earMUSIC<\/b>. The LP was originally made available in Japan in December 2021.<\/p>\n
“Sunburst”<\/b> was the first official double studio album in LOUDNESS<\/b>‘s impressive career, making it particularly special as it could be considered a celebration of the band’s rich musical history. The 16 songs were written mostly by Takasaki<\/b>, and the majority of the tracks were sung in Japanese.<\/p>\n
LOUDNESS<\/b> launched its 45th-anniverary celebrations in December 2025.<\/p>\n
Founded in 1981, LOUDNESS<\/b> toured North America and Europe in 1983 and made history the following year as the first Japanese band to sign with an international record label, Atlantic Records<\/b>. They were also the first Japanese act to play at the prestigious Madison Square Garden and opened for a M\u00d6TLEY CR\u00dcE<\/b> concert. Their first international release, “Thunder In The East”<\/b> (1985) and the single “Crazy Nights”<\/b> peaked at No. 4 in Japan and No. 74 on the U.S. Billboard<\/b> chart.<\/p>\n
LOUDNESS<\/b>‘s lineup has changed multiple times since 1981, with the current incarnation consisting of three original members \u2014 Niihara<\/b>, Takasaki<\/b> and bassist Masayoshi Yamashita<\/b> \u2014 along with drummer Masayuki Suzuki<\/b>, who joined the group in 2009.<\/p>\n
Original LOUDNESS<\/b> drummer Munetaka Higuchi<\/b> died in 2008 after a year-long battle with liver cancer.<\/p>\n
After Niihara<\/b>‘s 1988 departure from LOUDNESS<\/b>, the band brought in American singer Mike Vescera<\/b> as a replacement for a few years before recruiting former EZO<\/b> singer Masaki Yamada<\/b>. In 2001, Takasaki<\/b> reunited the original LOUDNESS<\/b> lineup, with Niihara<\/b>, Yamashita<\/b> and Higuchi<\/b>.<\/p>\n