SCANDAL Band is a group of four girls that formed in high school and began making music and playing live shows in the streets. Their names are Tomomi Ogawa (vocals, bass), Haruna Ono (lead vocals, rhythm guitar), Mami Sasazaki(lead vocals, guitar), and Rina Suzuki ( drums, keyboards, guitar, vocals).
They are originally from Osaka and began their journey in 2006. In 2008 they released their first three singles and a mini-album while touring the United States, France, and Hong Kong. Later that year in October they released their first major debut single, “Doll” with Epic Records Japan.
Songs Featured in ANIME Shows
Bleach
The song “Shōjo S” which was SCANDAL’s third single, was used as the tenth opening theme for the anime Bleach. as well as the opening song for the Nintendo DS game Bleach DS 4th: Flame Bringer.
Their song “Harukaze” was SCANDAL’s 12th single and was used as the fifteenth and final opening theme for the anime Bleach. The single reached #6 on the Oricon weekly chart and charted for six weeks, selling 33,095 copies.
Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood.
“Shunkan Sentimental” was the fifth major single SCANDAL put out. The title track was used as the fourth ending theme of the anime Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood. It is a radical fast-paced rock track with lots of guitar solos that is a perfect theme song for this anime, which is about alchemy training and transmutation.
Albums
SCANDAL Show (2008)
This 16 track album is a strong upbeat J-Pop Rock collection of songs that bridge into feelings of easy rock. Their lyrics frame and hold their own in a powerful compiled place of extreme momentum between sound and lyrics.
Temptation Box (2010)
This 12 track album takes us on another musical journey as the four girls lead us. Their melodies in this album are not just intense and have a fun energy. The guitar chords are vast and dynamic with a persistent percussion that supports their leading vocals.
On some tracks, we get a taste of some fun jazzy interludes also. “Taiyo To Kimi Ga Egaku Story” maintains their rocker vibe but with a lovable sweetness and sassiness.
Baby Action (2011)
These 12 songs deliver a ne found lightness in their bouncy and spacious sound. The guitar is not as intense and when we listen we have room to dance and get lost in their joyous lyrics “Glamourous” shows us this lighter side to them as compared with their fast-paced rock, which made them gain popularity across their anime show features.
Queens Are Trumps: Kirifuda wa Queen (2012)
This album starts out incredibly strong with intense guitar solos with an evident American rock and roll influence. Their style takes off and we can hear them continue to push the envelope of what they are capable of. With more attitude and more complex musical compositions, there is still the innate energy they carry but with new and fun influences. They do a great job of incorporating the fast and the slow to create a beautiful emotional juxtaposition for the listener.
Standard (2013)
A flux of new momentum and inertia! We can hear an immense edge and flair in this 13 track album. We hear the incorporation of more electronic sounds and the openness to slow down on tracks like “weather report.” Whereas on “Orange Juice” their playful vocals really align to a point of pop that suits them really well.
Hello World (2014)
In this album, their punk side shines through and takes the lead with the notable whiney style of singing with an innate sentimentality. “Winter Side” is a pop-like mix that still lands like a ballad with their dynamic vocal ranges.
Yellow (2016)
They are playing, they are having fun and this album feels like the perfect musical accompaniment for the summer. “Love Me Do” is an entirely new feel for them, but I love that they continue to build on top of their original rock/punk sound to find new songs that ring true to what they want to say and sing.
Honey (2018)
This 10 track album is a party of bouncy and pop songs that cascade and combine to form an uplifting fun album. They’ve shown a new pace on songs like “Mado Aketara” in a ballad-like tune that still holds onto their rock essence.
Kiss from the Darkness (2020)
In their latest album, they’ve put out an inspiring body of work that really encapsulates all they’ve explored musically and ties it all together in one album. “Tonight” starts the album out super strong with an array of electric tones and a sweeping baseline. “Neon Town Escape” brings back that slower pop paradigm with a still rigorous drumming pattern and saxophone that really pull us in and out of the emotionality like a rollercoaster.