Ethereal Metal

Ryan Murray | Co-Owner | Chief Editor | Contributor | Photographer

r.m.music84@gmail.com

Japanese power metal has never been shy about spectacle—but few bands embody precision, fire, and theatrical triumph quite like LOVEBITES. Now, the Tokyo-born quintet are charting their boldest course yet, officially signing a worldwide deal (excluding Asia) with Austria’s powerhouse metal imprint Napalm Records and unleashing their fifth full-length, Outstanding Power, into the digital wild.

On May 8, 2026, the album lands in striking physical formats: a marble translucent yellow/orange/black 2-LP gatefold (Napalm Records mailorder exclusive), a translucent turquoise 2-LP gatefold, and a CD digisleeve featuring a 16-page booklet. Still, the fire has already been lit — this chapter is underway. PRE-ORDER HERE!

For a band that formed in 2016 and wasted no time ascending the ranks, this partnership feels less like a breakthrough and more like destiny aligning. From commanding stages at Europe’s most revered festivals—Wacken, Hellfest, Download, Bloodstock—to earning recognition at Metal Hammer’s Golden Gods Awards, LOVEBITES have long operated with global ambition. Their upcoming debut at Budokan in March 2026 is simply the next logical triumph.

But what makes Outstanding Power feel different isn’t just the scale—it’s the sharpened identity.

Opening track and lead single The Castaway wastes no time. Galloping riffs surge forward like a ship cutting through violent waters, while Asami’s voice rises with crystalline authority above Miyako and Midori’s dueling guitars. It’s a statement of intent: faster, fiercer, yet refined. The band’s signature neoclassical flourishes remain intact, but there’s an added muscularity—an urgency that feels forged on the road.

And that road has been relentless.

LOVEBITES’ recent North American run proved exactly why this signing matters. Touring alongside their now-label mates Edge of Paradise, the band delivered a series of performances that weren’t just technically impressive—they were commanding. In New York City, the crowd didn’t simply watch; they surrendered. Tight, explosive, and unwavering, the quintet demonstrated the kind of live precision that separates skilled musicians from true heavy metal lifers.

That tour felt like a tipping point. The chemistry was undeniable, the audiences larger, louder, more devoted with each passing night. You could feel the momentum building—and now, with Napalm Records behind them, the infrastructure finally matches the ambition.

Outstanding Power lives up to its name not only in velocity but in versatility. Silence The Void locks into a hook-driven charge, while Forbidden Thirst channels inner turmoil into heroic narrative arcs. Blazing Halo leans into classic dual-guitar architecture with a nod to vintage hard rock swagger, while Dream Of King begins restrained before erupting into one of the album’s most emotionally resonant climaxes.

Elsewhere, Phoenix Rises Again embraces mythic symbolism with unapologetic grandeur, and Reaper’s Lullaby ventures into rougher terrain, threading thrash textures and gang shouts into their polished power metal framework. Even the emotionally stirring ballad Eternally refuses to drift into softness without purpose—Asami’s controlled vibrato building toward sweeping, cinematic release.

Throughout it all, the sea imagery the band references in their own words feels apt. There is motion here. Force. Forward propulsion. LOVEBITES aren’t content to stand still on solid ground—they are pushing into deeper waters, navigating storms, daring bigger horizons.

Signing with Napalm Records isn’t just a business move, but a signal of things to come. The global stage isn’t a distant dream anymore, rather, it’s the next battlefield.

And if their North American run proved anything, it’s this: LOVEBITES don’t just belong in the conversation, they’re here to dominate it.

With Outstanding Power, they aren’t asking for a seat at the table. They’re building their own throne on deck—and daring the metal world to try and keep up.

Verdict: 4.5/5