King of Pain (album) explained

King of Pain
Type:	Album
Artist:	Loudness
Cover:	Loudness king of pain.jpg
Released:	May 19, 2010
Recorded:	2009 – March 2010
Studio:	Village Studio and Rojam Studio, Tokyo, Japan
Genre:	Heavy metal, progressive metal
Length:	60:53
Label:	Tokuma Japan Communications
Producer:	Akira Takasaki, Kiyomasa Shinoki, Keiichi Oriuchi
Prev Title:	Live Loudest at the Budokan '91
Prev Year:	2009
Next Title:	Eve to Dawn
Next Year:	2011

is the twenty-third studio album by Japanese heavy metal band Loudness. It was released on May 19, 2010 only in Japan and marks the full-length debut of drummer Masayuki Suzuki. Guitarist Akira Takasaki would later say King of Pain was focused on featuring Suzuki.^[1] The album reached number 21 on the Oricon chart.^[2]

The album shows a return to standard-tuned guitars and bass, and according to some fans, a return to their 1980s sound.^[3]

Track listing

All music written by Akira Takasaki, lyrics as indicated

1. "Requiem" (instrumental) - 2:59
2. "The King of Pain" (Minoru Niihara, Bob Dyer) - 5:30
3. "Power of Death" (Niihara, Takashi Kanazawa) - 4:21
4. "Death Machine" (Niihara, Kanazawa) - 5:42
5. "Doodlebug" (Niihara, Kanazawa) - 5:07
6. "Rule the World" (Niihara, Kanazawa) - 3:11
7. "Straight Out of Our Soul" (Niihara, Ken Ayugai) - 3:51
8. "Where Am I Going?" (Niihara, JJ) - 3:50
9. "Emma" (Niihara, Kanazawa) - 5:25
10. "Naraka" (Niihara, Kanazawa) - 3:34
11. "Doctor from Hell" (Niihara, Ray Higa) - 4:32
12. "Hell Fire" (Niihara, Bob Dyer) - 4:19
13. "#666" (Niihara, Kanazawa) - 3:30
14. "Never Comes" (Niihara, Kanazawa) - 5:02

Personnel

Loudness

• Minoru Niihara – vocals
• Akira Takasaki – guitar, uncredited vocals on "Where Am I Going?"
• Masayoshi Yamashita – bass
• Masayuki Suzuki – drums

Production

• Masatoshi Sakimoto - engineer, mixing
• Yuki Mitome - assistant engineer
• Kazuhiro Yamagata - mastering
• Kiyomasa Shinoki, Keiichi Oriuchi - executive producers

Notes and References

1. Loudness Reveal Release Date, Track Listing for New Album, 'Eve To Dawn' . 2012-04-14 . Guitar World.
2. Web site: LOUDNESSのアルバム売り上げランキング . 2012-04-14 . Oricon.
3. Encyclopedia: Loudness- King of Pain . 2011-07-13 . Encyclopaedia Metallum.