On November 25th LOUDNESS played their 25th Anniversary show at the International Forum Hall A in Tokyo Japan, 25 years to the day they officially became a band. Vocalist Minoru Niihara and the band's management have confirmed that a live DVD of the show will be released on February 27th in Japan through Tokuma Communications.

The band's set on the night featured two medleys of some of their earliest works, which included Niihara tackling the songs 'Pray For The Dead' (originally sung by former vocalist Masaki Yamada) and 'Soldier Of Fortune' (orginally sung by former vocalist Mike Vescera).

The DVD tracklist will be as follows: 'Exultation', 'Lunatic', 'Crazy Doctor', 'The Winds Of Victory', Medley 1: ('Loudness', 'Street Woman', 'Lonely Player', 'Angel Dust', 'In The Mirror', 'Black Wall', 'Esper'), 'So Lonely', 'Cross', 'Crazy Samurai', Medley 2: ('Let It Go', 'Rock N' Roll Gypsy', 'Like Hell', 'Soldier Of Fortune', 'Pray For The Dead', 'Never Change Your Mind'), 'The End Of Earth', 'Stay Wild', 'Crazy Night', 'The Pandemonium', 'The Battlehsip Musashi', 'The Love Of My Life' (new song). 'S.D.I.', 'Speed' (new version).

As previously reported, Loudness' 25th Anniversary album, Breaking The Taboo, was released on December 27th in Japan via Tokuma Communications. An audio sample of the title track is currently available at the following links:

Real Player

Windows

The track list of the album is as follows: 'Breaking The Taboo', 'Brutal Torture', 'Sick World', 'Don't Spam Me', 'Damnation', 'The Love Of My Life', 'A Moment Of Revelation', 'Risk Taker', Dynamite', 'I Wish', 'Diving Into Darkness', 'Without You'. Niihara recently told BW&BK; that producer Eddie Kramer (JIMI HENDRIX, LED ZEPPELIN, ROLLING STONES, SANTANA, SMALL FACES, DAVID BOWIE, THE BEATLES) did not produce the album as was originally reported.

The album can be purchased online here.

Watch for a complete interview with Niihara in BW&BK; #102.