GROOVY HEELS groovy heels EXP-HM286034

Stellar Lineup, Stellar Sound: Groovy Heels’ Self-Titled Debut (EXP-HM286034)

Today’s entry spotlights a fascinating release from the late 80s Japanese hard rock scene, featuring a truly impressive lineup of musicians: the self-titled debut album by Groovy Heels, carrying the catalog number EXP-HM286034.

Released in 1988 on the Explosion label (part of public records), this 12-inch vinyl LP brought together several highly respected figures from the Japanese metal and rock world. The band featured Hiroyuki Kaneko on vocals, the prodigious Norifumi Shima (later known for Concerto Moon) on guitar, Masashi Okagaki (Terra Rosa, Jill’s Project) on keyboards, Koichi Terasawa (Blizard, Sly) on bass, and Takayuki Kishimoto on drums. This collection of talent essentially made Groovy Heels a short-lived “supergroup” within the scene.

Given the pedigree of the members, the album delivers a high standard of polished, melodic hard rock and heavy metal. Listeners can expect powerful and clean vocals from Kaneko, Shima’s technically brilliant and often neoclassical-tinged guitar work, Okagaki’s prominent and skillful keyboard layers adding depth and atmosphere, and the rock-solid rhythm section anchored by the experienced Terasawa. The sound is characteristic of the more sophisticated, keyboard-infused melodic metal popular in the late 80s.

EXP-HM286034, “Groovy Heels,” stands as a unique snapshot, capturing a collaboration between some of Japan’s finest rock musicians. Though the band itself might not have achieved long-term fame, their sole album remains a highly regarded piece for collectors and fans who appreciate top-tier musicianship within the melodic hard rock genre.