LOUDNESS live loud alive AZ-7173

A definitive snapshot of early Japanese heavy metal in its most potent form—live—is the focus here: Loudness’ first official live album, “Live-Loud-Alive (Loudness In Tokyo).” Released on November 21, 1983, this 2LP gatefold set (catalog number AZ-7173~4) was issued by Columbia (Nippon Columbia). This particular copy includes the original obi strip.

Recorded just two months prior, on September 24, 1983, at Tokyo’s famed Nakano Sun Plaza hall, this album captures the classic lineup at a peak of raw power. It follows their first three groundbreaking studio albums, drawing heavily from the material on “The Law of Devil’s Land.”

Produced by the band themselves, “Live-Loud-Alive” is a sonic assault. After the dramatic orchestral intro (“Mars, The Bringer Of War”), the band tears through blistering live versions of their early anthems, including “In The Mirror,” “Road Racer,” “Loudness,” “Sleepless Night,” “Speed,” and “Burning Love.” The album also features extended solos, highlighting Munetaka Higuchi’s drumming and Akira Takasaki’s guitar virtuosity.

Crucially for fans and collectors, this live album includes two excellent tracks not available on their original studio LPs: “I Was The Sun” and “Fly Away.” This release stands as an essential document of early Loudness, preserving the intense energy that defined their concerts just before they launched their international career.