Fear, and Loathing in Las Vegas

Biography

Fear, and Loathing in Las Vegas (Japanese: フィアー・アンド・ロージング・イン・ラスベガス, Hepburn: Fiā ando Rōjingu in Rasu Begasu) is a Japanese electronicore band from Kobe that was formed in summer 2008. The band currently consists of vocalist So, keyboardist Minami, guitarist Taiki, drummer Tomonori, and bassist Tetsuya. They are best known for their heavy use of vocoder and synthesizer blended with emo/metalcore music and rave beats.

History

Founded in 2008 summer, the band was originally formed by members of the bands Ending for a Start and Blank Time. A year later, after an extensive search, So (former member of Bombreligion) joined as the sixth member.
In 2010, PAC started using their song "Evolution (Entering the New World)" as his theme music when wrestling in Dragon Gate.
In 2011, the song "Jump Around" from the band's EP Nextreme×NEXTREME13 July 2011 · EPSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 7 tracks1Chase the Light!3:342Jump Around3:243The Answer for Unequal World3:524Shake Your Body3:455Believe Yourself3:396interlude2:277Short but Seems Long,Time of Our Life4:27 was selected to appear in the video game Pro Evolution Soccer 2012 (in Asia: World Soccer: Winning Eleven 2012) as the fourth track. The song "Chase the Light!" was used as the opening theme for Gyakkyō Burai Kaiji: Hakairoku-hen (逆境無頼カイジ 破戒録篇 lit. Suffering Outcast Kaiji: Maverick Arc). In late 2011, the band's song "Just Awake×Just Awake11 January 2012 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 2 tracks1Just Awake3:402Break Out Your Stained Brain3:32" was featured as the closing song in the Hunter × Hunter reboot anime; as a single it was released later in 2012.
On 22 June 2012, the band announced that they would be releasing their second studio album on 8 August, titled All That We Have Now×All That We Have Now8 August 2012 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 11 tracks1Acceleration3:092Scream Hard as You Can3:573Crossover3:124How Old You Are Never Forget Your Dream3:585Interlude Ⅰ2:016Just Awake3:397Defeat and Beat3:088In the End, the Choice Is All Yours3:539Ley-Line3:5110Interlude Ⅱ2:1111Don’t Suffer Alone3:43, with a tour in September.
In April 2013, the band announced the release of their first DVD, called The Animals in Screen, scheduled to be out on 26 June. On 26 October, they announced a new single, "Rave-up Tonight×Rave-up Tonight15 January 2014 · EPSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 6 tracks1Rave-up Tonight3:242The Courage to Take Action3:153Step of Terror3:294Ley-Line -BOOM BOOM SATELLITES REMIX-5:095My Dear Lady, Will You Dance With Me Tonight? -Takkyu Ishino’s Rave 1991 Remix-5:316Chase the Light! -ヒャダインのリリリリ☆リミックス-4:18", expected to be released on 15 January 2014, which is to be the theme song for Gundam Extreme VS. Maxi Boost. In September 2013, the founding bassist Mashu left the band, as a result, on their official website announced on 23 September 2013 that Kei replaced Mashu as the new bassist.
On 23 March 2014, the band announced that they would be releasing a new album that summer. The album release was announced at the Kobe World Memorial Hall live during their first headlining show. As a result, they began a new tour. The song "Virtue and Vice" is featured as the opening theme for Gokukoku no Brynhildr and the song "Thunderclap" was made by the band for the third anime season of Sengoku Basara, subtitled Judge End. Both songs are taken from their third album, Phase 2×PHASE 26 August 2014 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 11 tracks1Are You Ready to Blast Off?1:522Rave-up Tonight3:223Swing It!!3:384Thunderclap3:395Interlude2:176Virtue and Vice3:257Nail the Shit Down3:328Rain Inside Your Eyes3:509Counterattack by the Sesame Sized Bodies3:3910Flutter of Cherry Blossom3:3511Stay as Who You Are7:21. On 5 September, the band announced on their official site that they would release a new limited single on 7 January 2015 called "Let Me Hear×Let Me Hear7 January 2015 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 3 tracks1Let Me Hear3:442Sparkling Sky Laser3:463Abyss3:46". On 8 October, the short version of their new single premiered as the opening theme of Parasyte.
On 13 May 2015, the band released a new limited singles "Starburst×Starburst13 May 2015 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 2 tracks1Starburst3:302Struggle To Survive3:09" and "Struggle to Survive". A few days after the release of "Starburst", the band announced on their official site that they would be releasing their fourth studio album that autumn including the two main songs from their last two singles, "Starburst" and "Let Me Hear". On 12 August, the band released a new PV for the song "Cast Your Shell" which also was included to the album. On 16 August, they announced the title of the album as being Feeling of Unity×Feeling of Unity30 September 2015 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 11 tracks1Cast Your Shell3:072Meaning of Existence3:213Escape From the Loop3:484Starburst3:305Interlude1:426Party Boys3:477Gratitude3:578Ignite Your Frail Mind3:159The Demon Called Careless3:2710Let Me Hear3:4511Journey to Aim High4:40 which was released on 30 September 2015.
In 2017, the band signed onto a new label with Warner Music Japan. On 2 April 2017, the band announced on their official site the trailer for their new single, "Shine×SHINE14 June 2017 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 2 tracks1Shine3:552Something To Gain After The Pain3:32" on 23 June. On 26 May, they released a trailer for a PV for the song "Shine" with the full version being released the following month. The second single "Return to Zero" was released on 11 July. On 11 October, an PV was released for their new song "LLLD" which is featured on their newest fifth studio album New Sunrise×New Sunrise25 October 2017 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 11 tracks1Return to Zero3:432Before I Fail3:483Power of Life and Death3:224LLLD3:175To Catch the Right Way3:326Interlude2:057SHINE3:548Set Your Goal3:329Accept Each Other’s Sense of Values3:4710Fight Against the Limit3:4511The Sun Also Rises3:59. On 23 October, they released another new PV titled "The Sun Also Rises" which is the final track of the album. New Sunrise was released 25 October 2017 and includes the songs "Shine" and "Return to Zero".
On 31 January 2018, the band released a new PV for the song "Keep the Heat and Fire Yourself Up" which is also the opening for the anime Hakyū Hōshin Engi. The full single was released 2 May 2018. The band also provided "The Gong of Knockout" for the second opening for Netflix and TMS Entertainment's anime adaptation of Baki the Grappler in 2018. On 30 June, their official website announced that the guitarist, Sxun had left the band due to personal circumstances.

On 16 January 2019, the band's official website announced the bassist, Kei, had died due to acute heart failure at his home on the night of January 12th. This led to them cancelling the upcoming release of their next album and their spring tour, although they announced that it wouldn't be a permanent end to the band's activities.
On 19 March, the band's official website announced to hold a tribute concert "Thanks to You All" in the memory of Kei on 7 June 2019 at the "Namba Hatch". The reason they chose "Namba Hatch" was because it was Kei's first live performance for the band. On 29 June, the band's official website announced that Tetsuya replaced Kei as the new bassist. On 4 December, the band released their sixth studio album titled Hypertoughness×HYPERTOUGHNESS4 December 2019 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 11 tracks1The Stronger, The Further You'll Be3:412The Gong of Knockout3:303CURE3:104Great Strange3:235Interlude2:116Keep the Heat and Fire Yourself Up3:247Treasure in Your Hands3:268Karma3:219Thoughtless Words Have No Value But Just a Noise3:2410Where You Belong3:4011Massive Core3:34 in Japan with an announcement that the worldwide release date is set on 15 January 2020.

Musical style

The band's musical style has been described as electronicore, post-hardcore, metalcore, dance-metal, and screamo.

Band members

Current
Minami – unclean vocals, keyboards, programming (2008–present)
Taiki – rhythm guitar (2008–present); backing vocals (2012–present); lead guitar (2018–present)
Tomonori – drums (2008–present)
So – clean vocals, programming (2009–present)
Tetsuya – bass, backing vocals (2019–present)
Former
Mashu – bass (2008–2013)
Sxun – lead guitar (2008–2018); clean vocals (2008–2009); backing vocals (2009–2018)
Kei – bass (2013–2019; his death); backing vocals (2018–2019)

Japanese tours

Summer Sonic Festival with Various Artists (2011)
Punkspring with Various Artists (2012)
Summer Sonic Festival with Various Artists (2012)
Punkspring with Various Artists (2013)
Ozzfest Japan with Various Artists (2013)
Summer Sonic Festival with Various Artists (2014)
Monster Energy Outburn Tour with Various Artists (2014)
Rising Sun Rock Festival with Various Artists (2015)
Ozzfest Japan with Various Artists (2015)
Summer Sonic Festival with Various Artists (2017)
Fall Out Boy "Mania Tour" with Fear, and Loathing in Las Vegas as supporting act (2018)

World tours

Ultra Korea in South Korea with Various Artists (2014)
Heart-Town Festival in Taiwan with Various Artists (2015)
Pentaport Rock Festival in South Korea with Various Artists (2015)
Fear, and Loathing in Las Vegas – Live in Paris in France (2015)
Megaport Music Festival in Taiwan with Various Artists (2017)