HIGH and MIGHTY COLOR have often been referred to as the "sister band" of popular Japanese band Orange Range. This is because both come from the Okinawa area of Japan and both bands were discovered at the same music festival. The band started with members MEG and SASSY, who were continuously performing in a Metallica cover band. They soon sought to make music beyond covers and decided to form a new band. They recruited fellow classmates Kazuto, mACKAz and Yuusuke who all used to be in their own bands. Together they formed the band ANTI-NOBUNAGA and started to impress the Okinawan rock scene with their impressive musical talents.
In the summer of 2003, ANTI-NOBUNAGA eventually got the audience's notice with a outstanding performance in a rock festival hosted by Spice Records (The label who had formerly introduced ORANGE RANGE to the Okinawan audience) and earned themselves a spot in the "Okinawa 2003 Compilation". At another festival known as the "Music Picnic Festival" vocalist Maki also grabbed the attention of record labels. Eventually Maki met the band through their respective labels and joined them. With the addition of Maakii into the band, the members felt that the band's formation has changed too much to continue as ANTI-NOBUNAGA. So with that, a new name for the band was sought. SASSY suggested the name "High Color" or "HAIKARA", which in Japanese also means to be "stylish" or "fashionable". However Yuusuke thought it was missing something and came up with "High and Mighty", which felt close to the kind of music they were going to be making. They combined the two suggestions to make HIGH and MIGHTY COLOR, and thus the first incarnation of the band was born: Maki (lead vocals), Yūsuke (vocals), Kazuto (guitar), Meg (guitar), Mackaz (bass), and Sassy (drums).
Being newly formed, the band spent the best part of 2004 tuning-up and perfecting their music style with pre-recordings and studio rehearsals. Spice Records kept the doors tightly shut to protect their newly-found secret weapon. In September of that year, Spice Records hosted the "Music Picnic" rock festival. HIGH and MIGHTY COLOR was unleashed in this festival and took the music industry by storm. The new combination certainly proved to create an extravagant and electrifying performance.
In that way, HIGH and MIGHTY COLOR started their career as J-Rock Indie artists. In November 2004, Spice Records brought Haikara to their debut CD single OVER. Although the single was sold only at Tower Records' main branches and major CD stores in Okinawa, all 1,500 copies were sold out in just about a month. This was huge success for an indie artist and proved that Haikara wasn't there to play games. As a result of this momentum, H&MC soon found themselves enjoying massive media exposure. The single, only existing in those 1,500 sold out copies, is now dubbed The Phantom Record among fans because of its rarity.
Seeing the huge success of Haikara's debut, Sony Music Entertainment took action and licensed HIGH and MIGHTY COLOR in December 2004 as their label's newest rock group. With their Indie days flying past them just like that, HIGH and MIGHTY COLOR were on their way to becoming professional artists. While planning the release of their 1st official single, PRIDE, samples of the song found its way to the animation studio behind Gundam SEED Destiny and the song was chosen to become the anime's second Opening Theme because the lyrics fit with the storyline of the series perfectly. On January 26 2005, PRIDE was released and marked HIGH and MIGHTY COLOR's major debut. The single reached #2 in the Oricon sales charts, making HIGH and MIGHTY COLOR one of the very few artists who have managed to reach the Top 3 of the charts within their first appearance in the industry. The success of PRIDE showed that HIGH and MIGHTY COLOR was rapidly gaining recognition all over Japan.
After their debut, the band was determined more than ever to show everyone what they are made of. 2005 saw a steady flow of releases from HIGH and MIGHTY COLOR: the hit indies single OVER was re-recorded in Sony's studios and re-released in April as Haikara's second single. Following that, H&MC wanted to show everyone that they have the potential to do a wide range of songs, not just the heavy-rock they've been known for. Their singles RUN RUN RUN and Days proved them to be versatile in all kinds of music, from rock to up-tempo to slow ballads. Less than a month after their fourth single release, the band unveiled their first album, G∞VER, which again emphasized the range of musicality within the band. The album was welcomed warmly by the fans, sailing up to the #5 position in the Oricon charts, but apart from the strong singles within the album, the full potential of HIGH and MIGHTY COLOR was yet to be seen.
A mere 2 weeks after the release of G∞VER, everyone was caught off-guard when Haikara opened the curtains announcing their fifth Single, STYLE~get glory in this hand~. With a brand-new music video airing as an MTV-exclusive; only a few days had passed when news came that Haikara's sixth Single 一輪の花 was also about to air as BLEACH anime's third Opening Theme. Piling releases on top of one another, HIGH and MIGHTY COLOR came to grab the attention of everyone in the music industry; fans grew ecstatic from the amount of new releases they were going to get.
Both STYLE and 一輪の花 brought H&MC back to their hard-edge roots, displaying powerhouse performances and expressive vocals. As HIGH and MIGHTY COLOR busied themselves promoting their newest singles, STYLE came into stores in November as the year 2005 came to a close. 一輪の花 saw huge success once again as the publicity and anticipation from the hit anime BLEACH led to a whole new wave of fans because of its large base of viewers. The single marked the #2 spot on the Oricon charts once again, just like its predecessor PRIDE, making this their second most successful single.
Meanwhile, the release of HIGH and MIGHTY COLOR's 1st DVD titled Video G∞VER was drawing near. It featured all the music videos from the singles of G∞VER and extras such as a DIRECTOR'S CUT version of Days as well as a never-before-seen music video of OVER (Indies Version) showcasing H&MC's indie days and performances.
February 2006 came as the wave of new-releases finally came to an end, and the fans were thinking that H&MC would take a short break before releasing their next single. Despite how hard the band worked in 2005, H&MC came out to surprise everyone again with a 2-week countdown on their site to the announcement of their second full-length album. On April 2006, the second Album, Gou On PROGRESSIVE was released, along with a music video for the song "Here I am" to help promote the album.
In late July, the band released its newest single entitled "DIVE into YOURSELF". It shows a more poppish side of the band, but at the same time provided the same rock sound the band is known for. That October, the band release their 8th single 'Enrai~Toku ni Aru Akari~', which was used for the ending of 'Mobile Suit Gundam SEED Destiny SPECIAL EDITION'. The B-side Kaerimichi no Orenji was used in the commercial for the Bleach WII game. After another single (Tadoritsuku Basho and Okizarisu), the band announced the release of their third studio album 'San'. Despite initially promising sales in earlier times, San did not prove to be as popular with the fanbase as the previous two albums were and at the time became their lowest selling album.
Undeterred, the band continued their steady stream of releases. In March, it was announced that Yuusuke would work with former Porno Graffitti bassist, Masami Shiratama. Yūsuke provided vocals for the joint single entitled "Honnō"; the single was released on May 23 featured Yūsuke using what the band describes as his machine gun vocals. The 10th single from the band was released on August 1, 2007. The title track of the single, titled "Dreams", was used as the second ending theme to the anime Darker Than Black. During its first week, the single entered the Oricon charts at the 24th spot. Curiously, this single was never included on any of the band's subsequent studio albums.
On November 4, 2007, it was announced that the band would be releasing a single collection album entitled 10 Colored Singles featuring the first 10 singles and a bonus track titled "Ichirin no Hana (Live Studio Version)".[10] It also includes a DVD with music videos that never made it to DVD like "Style", "Dreams", "Here I Am", and the new music video for "Mushroom". The band also contributed to a Luna Sea memorial album, performing the song "Rosier", which was released in December of 2007 alongside their eleventh single, Amazing.
The 12th single, and the second double A-side "Flashback" was released on February 27, 2008 and was used in promotion with the anime Hero Tales. Following this was the release of their 4th album Rock Pit, which was released on March 19 and became their lowest selling album to date. The band began the fourth volume of their Live Bee Loud tour on March 17, 2008 at the famous Club Quattro in Japan. They then went on to perform at 13 other venues across the country, with the final venue being in their hometown of Okinawa.
The 13th single of the band is a cover of one of T.M. Revolution's early singles, "Hot Limit". The visual style of both the music video and the promotional images is meant to mimic that of the original. This was also the first time since "Dive into Yourself" that Sony Music Entertainment had produced a commercial for advertisement of a single from the band. The single went on to garner the best sales for the band in nearly two years and ranked at number 20 on the Oricon charts in the weekly rankings for its first week.
On July 1, 2008, it was announced that Mākii had married Dreams Come True singer Masato Nakamura on June 22, 2008 and would be leaving the band by the end of 2008. In her parting message, Mākii thanked her fellow band members and all of their fans for supporting her and the group for such a long time. A special event was planned for Mākii's graduation from the band and the 14th single from the band, "Remember", was released on October 15, 2008 and is the final single featuring Mākii as a band member.
A new member, Halca (vocals), was added to the HIGH and MIGHTY COLOR line-up after multiple auditions were held in 2009. This birthed the second incarnation of High and Mighty Color. With this incarnation, the band sought to create a unified image: that is, no one member of the band stood out. The band released their fifth and last studio album, Swamp Man, on September 2, 2009 and took the #25 spot on the Oricon charts on its release date. Their new ideaology was reflected in the music video for 'good bye' - in it not one member can be seen clearly but the whole band can be seen performing as a unit, showing a sharp contrast to the Maki-focused videos of the first era. Following the release of their fifth album, High and Mighty Color released a tribute song for two popular manga named Red. The song was released digitally in Japan on December 9, 2009 and re-released December 23, 2009 on iTunes Japan and Japan Files.
Sadly, the new incarnation of High and Mighty Color was not to last. It was announced on May 19 2010 that on August 11 High and Mighty Color will release a new single, "Re:ache", which will be the band's final single. Speaking of the reason for the break up, band members cited "musical differences" and "future opportunities".
Energy
High And Mighty Color Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
感じる夜明けの眩しさに
壊れかけてた時計の針
動き出そうとまた疼き始めてる
I'm gonna survive
Even it is hard
I'm gonna survive as far as
I see the flicker of hope
Even it is hard
I'm gonna survive as far as
I see the flicker of hope
矛盾だらけな大人の言い訳
過ちばかりを繰り返しながら
正義なんだと
振りかざしてる平気な顔で
抑制されてる安らぎはもう
先延ばした明るい
未来なんてあるわけ無いと
あざ笑うけど僕らはまだ生きてる
energy もしもこの世界が
終わるとしても
rise against かすかでも光が
見えたなら
それは僕の中に生まれた
確かな energy
鮮やかな日々を取り戻したくて
I'm gonna survive
Even it is hard
I'm gonna survive as far as
I see the flicker of hope
輝きなくした子供の目には
何が映って何を考えてるの
巨大なビルに削られてゆく空には
何も見えない
energy 僕たちの使命は
どこにあるの rise against
このままの世界じゃ終われないよ
それはひとりひとりが
重ねてく energy
ためらわずに今動き出して
閉ざされた時代ならその目開いて
間違いだらけの世の中
だけどそらさず
let me go に行こうそれでもまだ
僕らは生きてるから
言いなりになって
その先に見えたのは光か闇か
巨大な圧力で抑えつけられ
生まれたのは怒りや涙
何が正義で何が大事か
誰かに任せきりじゃ見えはしないさ
Never give up
出口がないトンネル
なんてないからと信じて向かえ今
energy 君が抱いてる
やり場のない気持ち
rise against
渦巻く闇の中隠せないよ
たとえこのままの世界が
続くとしても
恐れずに今を変えて行こう
energy もしもこの世界に
終わりが来ても
rise against かすかでも光を
望むなら
それは僕たちに生まれた
確かな energy
力のないもの壊さないで
儚きもの愛しき者想い返して
don't forget
偽りだらけの世の中
だけど届かない let me go 場所は
無いんだ今僕らは生きてるから
I'm gonna survive
Even it is hard
I'm gonna survive as far as
I see the flicker of hope
I'm gonna survive
Even it is hard
I'm gonna survive as far as
I see the flicker of hope
The lyrics of High and Mighty Color's song "Energy" reflect a sense of hope and determination in the midst of a chaotic and uncertain world. The first stanza describes a world that is unclear and blurry, where a broken clock's hands are starting to move again. It's a metaphor for how things may seem hopeless, but there's still hope.
The second stanza touches upon the flaws and excuses of adults, who claim to be just and righteous but repeatedly make mistakes. The third stanza speaks of a desire to restore the brightness of life and reclaim the innocence and wonder of childhood. The chorus emphasizes the need for energy to rise against the darkness and to survive despite the challenges.
The final stanza encourages action to bring about change, despite the imperfections and uncertainties in the world. The lyrics ultimately convey a message of resilience, hope, and the power of unity and determination despite the seemingly overwhelming forces of darkness.
Line by Line Meaning
ぼやけた世界の中遠く
In the midst of a blurry world, far away
感じる夜明けの眩しさに
Feeling the brightness of the dawn
壊れかけてた時計の針
The broken clock's hand
動き出そうとまた疼き始めてる
Starting to move again, beginning to throb once more
I'm gonna survive
I will endure
Even it is hard
Even if it is difficult
I'm gonna survive as far as
I will endure until
I see the flicker of hope
I catch a glimpse of hope
矛盾だらけな大人の言い訳
The excuses of conflicting adults
過ちばかりを繰り返しながら
While repeating only mistakes
正義なんだと
Claiming to be justice
振りかざしてる平気な顔で
With a calm face flaunting it
抑制されてる安らぎはもう
The suppressed peace is already
先延ばした明るい
The bright future that was postponed
未来なんてあるわけ無いと
There is no such thing as a future
あざ笑うけど僕らはまだ生きてる
Laughing at us but we are still alive
energy もしもこの世界が
Energy, even if this world
終わるとしても
Ends
rise against かすかでも光が
Rising against, even the faintest light
見えたなら
If it is seen
それは僕の中に生まれた
It was born within me
確かな energy
A definite energy
鮮やかな日々を取り戻したくて
Wanting to regain vivid days
輝きなくした子供の目には
The eyes of a child who has lost their sparkle
何が映って何を考えてるの
What are they reflecting and thinking
巨大なビルに削られてゆく空には
The sky that is being eroded by huge buildings
何も見えない
Nothing can be seen
僕たちの使命は
Our mission is
どこにあるの rise against
Where is it? Rising against
このままの世界じゃ終われないよ
We can't end this world as it is
それはひとりひとりが
Each and every one of us
重ねてく energy
Are adding energy
ためらわずに今動き出して
Without hesitation, start moving now
閉ざされた時代ならその目開いて
If it's a closed era, then open your eyes
間違いだらけの世の中
In a world full of mistakes
だけどそらさず
But don't avert your gaze
let me go に行こうそれでもまだ
Let's go to 'let me go' and yet
僕らは生きてるから
We are still alive
言いなりになって
Being obedient
その先に見えたのは光か闇か
What can be seen beyond it, light or darkness?
巨大な圧力で抑えつけられ
Being suppressed by enormous pressure
生まれたのは怒りや涙
What was born was anger and tears
何が正義で何が大事か
What is justice and what is important?
誰かに任せきりじゃ見えはしないさ
If we leave everything to someone else, it won't be visible
Never give up
Never give up
出口がないトンネル
A tunnel with no exit
なんてないからと信じて向かえ今
Believing that there is none, face it now
君が抱いてる
What you're holding onto
やり場のない気持ち
Feelings with nowhere to go
渦巻く闇の中隠せないよ
In the swirling darkness, it cannot be hidden
たとえこのままの世界が
Even if the world remains like this
続くとしても
Continues
恐れずに今を変えて行こう
Let's change the present without fear
もしもこの世界に
If in this world
終わりが来ても
The end comes
rise against かすかでも光を
Rising against, even the faintest light
望むなら
If you wish for it
それは僕たちに生まれた
It was born within us
確かな energy
A definite energy
力のないもの壊さないで
Don't break those who have no power
儚きもの愛しき者想い返して
Think back to those fleeting and dear to us
don't forget
Don't forget
偽りだらけの世の中
In a world full of lies
だけど届かない let me go 場所は
But the unreachable 'let me go' place is
無いんだ今僕らは生きてるから
Non-existent, because we are still alive
I'm gonna survive
I will endure
Even it is hard
Even if it is difficult
I'm gonna survive as far as
I will endure until
I see the flicker of hope
I catch a glimpse of hope
I'm gonna survive
I will endure
Even it is hard
Even if it is difficult
I'm gonna survive as far as
I will endure until
I see the flicker of hope
I catch a glimpse of hope
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: AND MIGHTY COLOR HIGH
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind