Vamps

The Japanese rock duo Vamps was formed in Tokyo in 2008. Both band members had already established their credentials in the music industry, with frontman Hyde charting a long line of Number 1 hits in Japan (both as a solo artist and with the alt-rock act L'Arc-en-Ciel) and lead guitarist K.A.Z. performing with the grunge-influenced act Oblivion Dust. Together, they made their debut as Vamps with the gold-certified single "Love Addict," which peaked at Number 2 on the Oricon Singles Chart in 2008, and releasing their self-titled debut album, Vamps, the following year. Featuring the additional singles "I Gotta Kick Start Now" and "Evanescent," both of which cracked the Top 10, the album peaked at Number 3 and went gold. Beast, the duo's second album, followed in 2010 and also climbed to Number 3, with the lead single "Sweet Dreams" climbing to Number 2. Having already toured internationally, the group targeted an overseas market with 2013's Sex Blood Rock n' Roll, which featured Vamps' older hits re-recorded in English. Nonetheless, the album fared the best at home in Japan, where it reached Number 2. The double-sided single "Ahead/Replay" was released that same year and later appeared on Bloodsuckers, Vamps' third Japanese release, in 2014. The album was a hit, climbing to Number 5 and spawning the Top 10 singles "Get Away," "The Jolly Roger," and "Vampire's Low." After collaborating with the Finnish act Apocalyptica on a stand-alone single, "Sin in Justice," in 2015, Vamps released Underworld in 2017, scoring hits with "Inside of Me" and "Calling."