Japanese rock band ‘MAN WITH A MISSION’ announces a new album titled ‘The Circus’, set to be released on December 23rd via Sony Music and Century Media.
The Wolf Pack Returns: MAN WITH A MISSION’s First Album in 5 Years
Japanese superstars ‘MAN WITH A MISSION’ have announced their eighth studio album, The Circus, for release on December 23rd via Sony Music and Century Media.
The Circus is the band’s first studio album in five years, offering an inquisitive reflection on the passage of time and its impact on MAN WITH A MISSION’s “half man, half wolf” band members: Tokyo Tanaka (vocals), Jean-Ken Johnny (vocals, guitar, rap), Kamikaze Boy (bass), Spear Rib (drums) and DJ Santa Monica.
“We’re focusing a lot more on the fact it’s been 16 years since we started this band,” explains Jean-Ken Johnny. “We’ve done songs in the past that have been about life’s struggles, but these days we are focusing on how the band has changed over the years, our lives, and our view of the world.”
90s Alt-Rock Roots & Sonic Evolution: Exploring ‘The Circus’ Tracklist
THE CIRCUS TRACK LIST
1. Against the Kings and Gods
2. Firestarter
3. Highlights
4. ISSEN
5. Kizuna no Kiseki
6. Nothing to Lose
7. ONE
8. The Animals
9. Turn the Table
“Against the Kings and Gods” was released last August and marked a shift in tone from the band’s previous work, highlighting a diverse range of sources while embracing lifelong influences. The song is about an individual fighting against “an all-powerful force – be it lords, kings or gods – perhaps supernatural in strength”, and details the mental fortitude you need to stand up against overwhelming odds.
90s Hip-Hop, Punk, & Legendary Sound Engineering
“We wanted to do things differently. We wanted to experiment a lot more and try new things – digging into sounds based on the 90s music we are heavily influenced by. I think it’s a lot more natural for us to dig into our roots” said Jean-Ken Johnny, when speaking about the album.
These influences are celebrated in the new song, “Nothing to Lose”, which blends 90s hip hop and alt-rock. “Turn The Tables” weaves riffs reminiscent of The Stone Roses, while the track “The Animals” is a raging punk track opening with a punchy bounce that’s reminiscent of Bad Religion and early Green Day.
The band’s unique musical signature has continued to be honed on The Circus while working with GRAMMY-winning engineer Chris Lord-Alge (Green Day, Madonna, My Chemical Romance).
Anime Themes & Pop Culture Anthems: Featured Hits on ‘The Circus’
The Circus’s exceptional melodies have been celebrated in popular media, with “The Animals” being featured in the Japanese film BEASTS CLUTCHING AT STRAWS (“Wara nimo Sugaru Kemono tachi”).
The techno stomp-heavy track “ONE” was created as the anthem for the Japanese football team Cerezo Osaka, the powerful rock song “ISSEN” soundtracked the trailer for CAPCOM’s Onimusha: Way of the Sword, and the uplifting song “Highlights” appeared in a Monster Energy promotional film starring Japanese Olympic snowboarder, Kokomo Murase.
Jean-Ken Johnny explained how the band sought to convey an uplifting message that could match the Olympic snowboarder’s pursuit of greatness, stating, “We wanted it to have a message… It’s about a person battling to reach the top in their field and it’s a great inspirational story.”
The album also features the previously released single, “Kizuna no Kiseki”, made in collaboration with Japanese alt-pop star milet that can be heard in the opening of Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba –Swordsmith Village Arc.
‘Firestarter’ Music Video Release & Upcoming World Tour Dates
MAN WITH A MISSION’s latest explosive rock single, “Firestarter” appeared as the theme song for the anime series The Vermilion Mask. The band has released a music video for the song, taking a humorous and playful approach to using “spice” as a metaphor for excitement and stimulating music.
Watch the “Firestarter” music video.
MAN WITH A MISSION has announced Japanese headline tour dates, with international tour dates to be revealed soon. For more information and to pre-order the album, please visit their official website and follow the band on Instagram, X, Facebook, and TikTok.
Note: The information above was sourced from a press release.
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