Their first studio release featured classic songs like “Wild Anthem”

Their first studio release featured classic songs like “Wild Anthem” and “Warning Action”. Their first EP single in 1986, entitled “Xanadu”, was the first known song to be used for promotion of a brand new video game, namely Nihon Falcom ‘s computer RPG Dragon Slayer II: Xanadu . Their second album, Tightrope , released 21 April 1986, showcased a more catchy, melodic sound with an improved vocal performance by Sakamoto. Bound to Break was to be the last album featuring Eizo Sakamoto for nearly two decades. The album was full of classics (“Empty Eyes”, “Bound to Break”, “Soldiers”) and introduced the band’s long-time world-famous producer, Chris Tsangarides (perhaps best known for producing Judas Priest ‘s classic 1990 album, Painkiller ). With the departure of Sakamoto in 1988, Shibata recruited Yukio Morikawa to the band’s vocal position. With Morikawa came the album Gypsy Ways , considered the band’s most popular album. Morikawa’s voice made the band a great success at that time and he was similar in style, vocal range and ability to Graham Bonnet . In 1989, the album Hunting Time was released and the song “The Juggler” was used as a PV. In the beginning of 90s, Anthem dealt with another departure: after the album No Smoke Without Fire was completed, this time without the band’s staple producer / engineer Chris Tsangarides , Hiroya Fukuda (guitar) left and was replaced by Hideaki ‘Shadow Walker’ Nakama. Hideaki Nakama left the band after the tour was done and the search for a new guitarist began.