Labels Musea Active until 1982 Origin Japan (1976) | Years active 1976–1982 Genre Progressive rock | |
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Past members Makoto KitayamaHaruhiko TsudaAkira HanamotoShizuo SuzukiNaoya Takahashi Albums Akai Me No Kagami, Night Collector, Shingetsu Similar Bi Kyo Ran, Novela, Katsuya Yokoyama, Kenso, Watazumi Doso | ||
Shingetsu fragments of the dawn japanese progressive rock
Shingetsu (Japanese: 新月) was a Japanese progressive rock band from the 1970s. A band with a short career, they have typically been categorised as one of the most notable exponents of progressive rock music.
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Shingetsu ('new moon') arrived in the Japanese music scene on the late 1970s. Led by the "Japanese Peter Gabriel", Makoto Kitayama (recognized for his deep, wavering, mournful vocals), Shingetsu's cinematic progressive sound gained comparisons to peak-time Genesis and recognition overseas.
Consisting of Kitayama, Akira Hanamoto, Naoya Takahahi, Shizuo Suzuki and Haruhiko Tsuda, the band only lived long enough to produce one studio album, followed in later years by two live albums, which nevertheless featured some unreleased performances.
Their studio album, the eponymous Shingetsu, often considered as a masterpiece of symphonic prog, is abundant in musical arrangements: the tasteful use of soft organ/synth soundscapes, Mellotron, and 12-string guitar passages reminiscent of the UK bands of the 1970s, while Kitayama's vocals give Shingetsu a distinctive edge from western bands.
Disambiguation and meaning
Disambiguation for the word shingetsu:
Shingetsu is a shakuhachi honkyoku piece from the Dokyoku repertoire. The word shin means heart, mind, or spirit. The word getsu means moon, which is a symbol for enlightenment or perfection. Thus, the name of the piece can be taken to mean heart moon or spirit perfection or enlightenment of the mind. The piece is the slowest and most quiet in the Dokyoku repertoire.
"Shingetsu" has been recorded by many shakuhachi artists, including Watazumi Doso, Yokoyama Katsuya, and Alcvin Takegawa Ramos.
Songs
Night CollectorAkai Me No Kagami · 1979
Return Of The Night1985
Fragments Of The DawnAkai Me No Kagami · 1979