MAKE-UP howling will AF-7271
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Artist = MAKE-UP
Title = howling will
Label = COLUMBIA
Catalog# = AF-7271
Barcode = none
Release = JAPAN
Year = 1984
RPM = 33rpm
Disc Size = 12"
Number of Discs = 1
Mono/Stereo = stereo
9trk, produced by munetaka higuchi(loudness)
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Let’s focus on the stunning debut album from the Japanese heavy metal band Make-Up, titled “Howling Will.” Released on April 1, 1984, via the Columbia label (Nippon Columbia), this 12-inch vinyl LP carries the catalog number AF-7271. This particular copy includes the original obi strip.
Arriving during the height of the Japanese heavy metal boom, “Howling Will” made an immediate impact, largely due to the band’s polished sound and the incredible, powerful vocals of Nobuo Yamada (known as “Nob”). The album was produced by the legendary Munetaka Higuchi, drummer of Loudness, ensuring a powerful, professional, and driving heavy metal sound.
The album is hailed by many fans as a masterpiece of the genre, a “miraculous chemical reaction” of talent. It perfectly blends skillful, melodic guitar work, dramatic keyboard soundscapes, a tight rhythm section, and Yamada’s soaring, passionate vocals. It’s often described as an album with no filler, packed with classic tracks like “Salvation Army,” “Lightning Flash,” “Through The Night,” and “Injured Doll.”
Despite its high quality, some contemporary listeners felt the focus on Higuchi’s production sometimes overshadowed the band’s songs. However, the sheer talent, particularly Yamada’s, was undeniable. Yamada, of course, later gained massive international fame as the singer for the theme songs of the legendary anime “Saint Seiya” (Knights of the Zodiac), a fact that sometimes, much to the chagrin of rock fans, eclipsed the band’s own fantastic work.
AF-7271 stands as a landmark debut in Japanese melodic heavy metal. “Howling Will” remains a quintessential classic, showcasing a band arriving fully formed with a collection of powerful, dramatic, and timeless anthems.