For those unaware, Imari Tones is a rock band from Japan that started out life as a Tak “Tone” Nakamine’s personal recording project circa 1998. It evolved into an actual band in 2004.

Tak Nakamine found his faith in Jesus Christ in early 2008, and decided to play Christian music and since then, Imari Tones has declared themselves as “The first Christian heavy metal band from Japan” and been playing internationally, touring the United States and Japan with other Christian musicians.

Although they are primarily known to play 1980’s style classic heavy metal, Imari Tones’ music is fairly diverse, combining the elements of Progressive, Alternative and J-Pop.

They might be another indie band in the world, but they are devoted to one special mission: Spreading God’s Love among people in Japan, and the world.

And now the ultimate Japanese Christian metal album from Imari Tones is upcoming for release, the 2CD set Nabeshima.

CD 1:
1. Passion
2. Lord’s Prayer
3. Sakura Day
4. Atomic Jam
5. 123,4&5
6. Sakura Night
7. Extravaganza
8. Chanbara
9. Yamagoya3
10. Jidai
11. Bloodthirsty
12. God Anthem

With the new lineup consisting of singer/guitarist Tak, bassist Marie, and drummer Shinryu, this brand new 2CD album Nabeshima opens on the polarizingly layered rock brilliance of Passion and the melodic Lord’s Prayer and backs those up seamlessly with the soft rock of both Sakura Day and Atomic Jam, the Scorions-esque 123,4&5 and then we get the brilliant Sakura Night.

The foot to the floor rocker Extravaganza and the gently frenetic Chanbara are then in turn followed by the gentle ballad Yamagoya3, with the first disc rounding out on the 80’s-imbibed rocker Jidai, closing on the heavier rock milieu of both Bloodthirsty, and the screeching guitar work of the almost-instrumental God Anthem.

CD 2:
1. Crucified Boy
2. Sonic Soldiers
3. The Garden
4. Who Are You
5. Sengoku Christians
6. Screaming Sin
7. Matsuo
8. Once In A Lifetime
9. Redemption
10. Tsukuru
11. Not Of This World
12. Utage

The fusion of Christianity, Japanese traditional music, and heavy metal lovingly continues onward with the expressive Crucified Boy and more 80’s-imbibed rockers in the form of both the upbeat Sonic Soldiers and the melodic balladry of The Garden, and then comes the pop-rock of Who Are You, and the foot-pounders Sengoku Christians and Screaming Sin.

Next up is the rhythmic, mid-tempo soft rock of both Matsuo and the drum-led Once In A Lifetime which are in turn backed by the low key rock of Redemption, more gorgeous balladry in the form of Tsukuru, with the second CD rounding out on the pop-rock, Europe-esque of Not Of This World, closing on their guitar rock at its finest on the breathtakingly excellent Utage.

Simply put, this is Japanese traditional Christian metal at its finest and something the world has never heard before!

Buy The Album on Spotify

CD Purchase via Dead Pulse

Official Website

Imari Tones @ Facebook

Imari Tones @ Twitter