High And Mighty Color

The origins of High and Mighty Color trace back to an Okinawa-based Metallica cover outfit that performed regularly in southern Japanese clubs during the early 2000s, drawing audiences from the area’s prominent U.S. military installation. Meg and Sassy, the eventual core of the group, connected through those gigs and began collaborating. Exposure to Western rock material sharpened their grasp of contemporary Anglo-American styles, prompting them to compose original material and broaden their set lists. They completed the lineup soon afterward, though screamo vocalist Yuusuke required four months of persuasion before agreeing to participate. The musicians adopted the playful name Anti-Nobunaga, secured a deal with a modest imprint, and steadily widened their performance circuit. In 2003 a Sony talent scout discovered them at an Okinawa rock festival, resulting in a contract with one of the company’s subsidiaries; the same scout, who had also caught Maki’s set at a separate event that year, proposed uniting the two acts by adding her as lead vocalist. Initially hesitant because she intended to focus on academics, Maki relented after repeated entreaties and entered the newly renamed High and Mighty Color.

The band soon advanced to a major label. Their debut single, “Over,” held the top spot on the indie Oricon chart for an entire month. Follow-up “Pride” served as a theme for the anime Gundam Seed Destiny, and the resulting momentum carried their first full-length, Goover, to a 2005 Rookie of the Year honor. Two subsequent albums, Gou on Progressive (2006) and San (2007), achieved limited commercial traction, yet continued singles and an additional contribution to the Bleach soundtrack sustained the group’s visibility within Japan’s rock landscape. Their fourth studio effort, Rock Pit, appeared in March 2008 and posted the weakest sales figures to date; later that year Maki disclosed her impending exit. Early in 2009 the remaining members announced that Halca had been chosen as her successor, and she debuted on the summer single “XYZ.” The band’s fifth album, swamp man, followed in September.