-OZ-

-OZ- promoting "wisteria" and "viridian" (2010)

-OZ- is a five member Japanese rock band from the Kanto region of Japan. They are an indies visual-kei band that formed in late 2004, and are currently signed with LOOP ASH RECORDS. Unlike the rest of the bands on that label, -OZ- has darker visuals and a heavy rock sound. The band released their debut album VERSUS five years after their formation on September 16th, 2009.

Members

• Natsuki - Vocals
• Aki - Guitar
• Tama - Guitar
• Nao - Bass
• Zukki - Drums

Biography

2004~2006

-OZ- formed in October of 2004 with the line-up of vocalist Natsuki and guitarist Aki (both ex-Scare Crow members), and guitarist Tama and bassist Nao (both ex-Gypsy members). They formed with the concept of "Bi to Taihai" (美と退廃; Beauty and Decadence). Drummer Zukki (ex-Usagi) would soon join, and the band played their first live on December 10th at Niigata CLUB JUNK BOX. Their last live of 2004 was on December 27th at Niigata Z-1.

In 2005 they played a total of 20 lives over seven months. The first live was on January 10th at Ikebukuro CYBER and the last one was on July 8th at Motoyawata ROUTE 14. On July 24th the band did two things consecutively, they performed a live at Ikebukuro CYBER, and they released their debut single "Decay...". -OZ- at this time was an unsigned band and the single was self-published and was availiable only through mail-order and at the lives.

For the rest of the summer they played a total of six lives, stretching from July 28th at Takadanobaba AREA to August 20th at Urawa NARCISS. Similar to their last single, on September 27th the band did two things. There was their first instore event at Shinjuku HOLIDAY and the release of their second single "and to the End". Two days later they played at live at Takadanobaba AREA, and for the rest of 2005 they performed a total of eight lives (one of them being a free-live on October 5th at Ikebukuro CYBER).

On March 5th, 2006 -OZ-'s third and last self-published single "Scene in the misereal" was released. This led into a string of 13 lives, beginning on March 29th at Ikebukuro CYBER and concluding on July 15th at HOLIDAY NAGOYA (one of those lives being another free-live on April 24th at Ikebukuro CYBER). During those lives the band participated in Takadanobaba AREA's ninth anniversary event on June 7th and a Visunavi sponsored event at HEAVEN'S ROCK Saitama Shintoshin VJ-3 on July 2nd.

-OZ- promoting "Eve's apple" and "Adam's apple" (2006)

For three dates in July they took part a concert organised by LOOP ASH RECORDS, the label they would later sign with. The concerts were titled "SUMMER GAME 2006" and the dates participated were at/on: HEAVEN'S ROCK Saitama Shintoshin VJ-3 on the 19th, Niigata CLUB JUNK BOX on the 20th, and Sendai HOOK on the 22nd.

In the rest of the summer and autumn -OZ- performed a string of 12 lives, starting on August 3rd at Takadanobaba AREA and ending on November 4th at HOLIDAY NAGOYA. In that string they took part in the "CLUB CYBER CIRCUIT 2006 Niigata-hen" event at Niigata Z-1 on October 12th.

During the autumn months the band had signed with independent label LOOP ASH RECORDS and announced the release of their fourth and fifth singles in two consecutive months. "Eve's apple", their first single with label support, was released on November 22nd. The last of the campaign, "Adam's apple", was released on December 27th. Both of the efforts contained two songs and were limited to 1,000 copies. Between the singles they played a live at Shinsaibashi CLUB QUATTRO on December 4th.

To commemorate their first releases with a label, -OZ- held their first sponsored event on December 28th. Their first events would have the collective name of "_ AGITATION", with the number filling in the blank. This event was at Shibuya CHELSEA HOTEL and was called 1st AGITATION "Entice territory". The last activity of 2006 was the "Akai Kitsune to Midori no Inoshishi" marsa and LOOP ASH countdown event at Zepp Tokyo on December 31st through till January 1st, 2007.

2007-2008

Beginning the new year in January was three lives in three consecutive days starting on the 25th; the venues were respectively Nagoya HEARTLAND, Yokohama Arena Sound Hall, and Motoyawata ROUTE 14. On February 6th -OZ- and Mello held a two-man concert at Shibuya O-Crest titled "50/50". The last activity of the month was a live at Niigata JUNK BOX mini the next day, and the release of the compilation album THE☆Fushigi☆Circle☆ on the 28th, which the band had contributed a track to.

The compilation's self-titled tour then started in March. They played in four dates in the tour, starting on March 2nd at Nagoya CLUB QUATTRO and ending on March 20th at Shibuya CLUB QUATTRO. Before that tour concluded the band was in another tour that ran congruently. This one was called stylish wave CIRCUIT '07 Haru no Arashi and they also played in four dates. The first one was at Mito LIGHT HOUSE on March 17th and the last date was at Takadanobaba AREA on March 31st.

-OZ- started on their first tour WARS OF AGGRESSION during April and May. It began at Urawa NARCISS on April 2nd and concluded at Takadanobaba AREA on May 6th. During the tour the band contributed a new track to the compilation album CROSS GATE 2007 ~STRAWBERRY SEEDS~, which was released on April 18th. The album itself was produced by KISAKI (UNDER CODE PRODUCTION) and Michiru (LOOP ASH RECORDS).

The 2nd AGITATION event which was called "spread territory" was held on May 25th at Ikebukuro CYBER. The cast of bands that took part are: LuLu, Nega, Pashya, Kikai Ningyou Kagekidan Karakuri, and UnsraW. Finishing off May was the release of their debut mini-album SIX on the 30th. It was released in CD+DVD only format and it's their first to be in that format. The DVD is of their first PV, "Zenith", which was originally the B-side on their fourth single "Eve's apple".

At the very start of June the band was in LuLu's organised live "Kansen Kakudai ~Shingata Virus Moui wo Furuu~" at Ikebukuro CYBER. They then were in three dates of the Time goes by TOUR '07 tour, they were at/on: Sendai HOOK on June 8th, Niigata JUNK BOX on the 9th, and Sapporo KRAPS HALL on the 11th. The end of June was a regular live at Takadanobaba AREA on the 20th.

-OZ- promoting "elf" (2007)

From July till October the band performed 17 lives, six of those being events. The lives started on July 8th at Urawa NARCISS and ended on October 26th at Niigata JUNK BOX mini. The events were either a part of the "Junpuumanpan ~Fuukou Ryoukou~" events or the "Loop Hiraki -2007-" events, which were both orangised and produced by LOOP ASH RECORDS.

Titled "elfish territory", the 3rd AGITATION event was held on October 29th at Ikebukuro CYBER. This preceded the release of their sixth single "elf" on Halloween (October 31st). It was released in CD+DVD only format and it's their first single to be in that format. The DVD is of the PV for the single's A-side song (their second music video).

November was made up of six lives, spanning from the 11th at Shibuya O-Crest to Yokohama Arena Sound Hall on the 29th. There were two one-man concerts in late December; the first was called A FACT OF LIFE ~Territory Niigata~ on the 21st at Niigata JUNK BOX mini, and the second was called A FACT OF LIFE ~Territory Tokyo~ on the 28th at Meguro Rockmaykan. At the very end of December -OZ- participated in two events. The first was the "stylish wave COUNT DOWN '07-'08" event at Yokohama Akarenga Souko 1-goukan 3F Hall, while the last event of the year was the "FINAL 2007" event at Takadanobaba AREA.

Discography

Albums

• [2009.09.16] VERSUS

Mini-Albums

• [2007.05.30] SIX

Singles

• [2005.07.24] Decay...
• [2005.09.27] and to the End
• [2006.03.05] Scene in the misereal
• [2006.11.22] Eve's apple
• [2006.12.27] Adam's apple
• [2007.10.31] elf
• [2008.03.05] ATHENA
• [2008.04.02] S.I.N
• [2008.05.07] ATHENA & S.I.N
• [2008.07.30] Bulk
• [2008.09.03] Spiral
• [2009.03.04] VENOM
• [2009.04.01] DETOX
• [2010.02.24] wisteria
• [2010.05.05] viridian

Other Singles

• [2006.12.xx] CRY the crime
• [2008.12.28] RAZE
• [2009.12.28] White Pallet

DVDs

• [2009.05.27] A FACT OF LIFE 20090218 -Territory TOKYO-
• [2010.03.14] A FACT OF LIFE ~Third Dimension~

Compilations

• [2007.02.28] THE☆Fushigi☆Circle☆ (不思議サークル; The Mystery Circle) (#4 Misty)
• [2007.04.18] CROSS GATE 2007 ~STRAWBERRY SEEDS~ (#1 「　　　」)
• [2007.10.10] Shock Edge '07 (#10 Zenith)
• [2007.12.26] Seduction #1 (#1 FETTERS)
• [2008.03.01] Shimen Soka (四面楚歌; Surrounded by Enemies at All Sides) (#1 CRY the crime (2008 ver))

External Links

• Official Website
• -OZ- @ Visunavi

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