"Matenrou Opera" Japanese visual kei metal band was formed in October 2006 by Sono, former vocalist of the short-lived Jeniva. Shortly thereafter he was joined by guitarist Mika, bassist You, keyboardist Karen, and another former member of Jeniva, drummer Yuu. They spent six months writing, rehearsing, and designing costumes before playing their first gig at the tiny Urawa Narciss club just north of Tokyo, and released their debut single "Alkaloid Showcase." The band's name means "Skyscraper Opera" and was intended to represent a fusion of the classical and the modern. Inspired equally by genre giants X Japan and Luna Sea, and classic European heavy metal acts like Helloween and Yngwie Malmsteen, their powerful, driving, melodic sound and technical proficiency earned them fans from the outset. They attracted additional attention not only for having a full-time keyboardist — almost unheard of in visual kei despite the heavy use of synthesizers on the recordings — but also that she was a woman; despite their feminine appearance, virtually all of the bands in the scene are comprised exclusively of males.
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