Gig Reviews

Already summer-hot Tokyo got even hotter when H.E.A.T returned to perform in front of its Japanese fans.

Silent Winter showed Japan they can compete with the best of the world’s power metal bands.

Crystal Viper’s Marta Gabriel proved that she is a world-class performer with her solo shows in Japan.

Finland is a heavy metal superpower and Insomnium is one of its finest ambassadors. The band’s return to Japan after an eight-year absence was triumphant.

Deadtide came out of the rabbit hole to perform its modern metal for the band’s Japanese fans.

This is what heavy metal is all about. Accept grabbed Tokyo by the balls, ripped out its metal heart and delivered a heavy metal show as fast as a shark.

Saxon proved to its Japanese fans that the band is not only still relevant, it commands the world’s metalheads from the front.

American thrash metal band Mindwars’ return to Japan became a victory lap.

Former Loudness and Yngwie Malmsteen vocalist Mike Vescera showed Tokyo he still got it.

Mark Zonder brought his new version of Warlord to Japan. They did the legacy justice and proved that there is a future and not just a past for this terrific band.

Left to Die breathed new life into Death’s old-school Florida death metal. What a smashingly face-melting Death tribute this was!

Lovebites has become one of Japan’s best metal bands with its trademark twin lead-guitar attack. Their tour finale in Tokyo was a glorious homecoming.

Gothenburg’s melodic death metal pioneers Dark Tranquillity returned to Japan a decade after their last shows here.