Lovebites at Zepp DiverCity
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.
Lovebites at Zepp DiverCity, Odaiba, Tokyo, Japan on 13th March 2025
Lovebites returned to Tokyo and Zepp DiverCity for the final show of their Eternal Phenomenon Tour. A band in top form and a sold-out venue was a combination that meant my expectations were high. Lovebites, founded in 2016, released their debut EP and first full-length studio album “Awakening from Abyss” in 2017. They have toured extensively in Japan and internationally since the band was formed. They have played at festivals such as Wacken, Download, Bloodstock, Graspop, Roskilde, ProgPower, Rock Imperium, Resurrection Fest and Hellfest. The band has grown to become one of the best Japanese metal bands of today. The band’s signature sound is a great combination of classic heavy metal and power metal. They have added some thrash metal guitar bits here and there. Their metal is often fast and furious while still melodic with a never-ending assault of guitar solos.
The band consists of Haruna on drums, Midori and Miyako on guitars, Asami on lead vocals and the latest addition, bassist Fami, who joined in 2022. While all of them are excellent musicians, it is the twin-guitar attack which makes this special. The two lead guitarists in the band trade solos, with Midori’s style being more aggressively metal while Miyako’s style is slower and more melodic. They are two vastly different guitarists but they complement each other so well musically. I dare to say that no other Japanese metal band has this kind of twin attack. There are plenty of Japanese bands with one guitar hero or with a great lead guitarist backed up by a rhythm guitarist. But not two excellent lead guitarists that duel like Midori and Miyako. It sets this band apart. Fami’s bass has also added a new dimension to the band’s music. Haruna is a rock behind the drum kit and Asami’s mezzo-soprano vocals have been built on a diet of R&B influences.
Just ahead of this final stop of their Eternal Phenomenon Tour, they flew off to Mexico to do a quick festival appearance at Titans of Metal Fest. It was an experience that seemingly fired up the girls to deliver a splendid show in Tokyo. In front of a packed Zepp DiverCity, Lovebites gave it their all. The setlist included songs from all the band’s four albums and four EPs. They played all five songs from their most recent EP, “Lovebites EP II”. With such a vast catalogue of music created in a few years, the band now has to be choosy about which songs to include in their live shows. My favourite, “Stand and Deliver (Shoot ‘em Down)” was sadly missing this evening. But the girls performed plenty of excellent songs. They opened with “Glory to the World” followed by “Unchained”. An early highlight in the show came in the form of “Scream for Me”. Other standout songs included “Soul Defender”, “Judgement Day”, “Don’t Bite the Dust” and “Holy War”. The flawless encore consisted of “Bravehearted”, “We the United” and “Someone’s Dream”. Simply wow!
At the end of the show, a video revealed that Lovebites will do a headline show at Budokan in March 2026. Celebrating their first decade as a band with a Budokan show is quite a statement by this terrific band.
Photo by Hajime Kamiiisaka.
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