Concerto Moon (コンチェルト・ムーン, Koncheruto Mūn) is a Japanese neoclassical metal/power metal band formed in 1996[1][2] and led by guitarist Norifumi Shima.
Both bands were formed in the early 1990s and were drawing in a lot of attention in the Japanese hard rock scene, releasing a few demos and playing successful shows at venues such as Rokumeikan.
Due to this, both Toya and bassist Tsutomu Onda went along with the plan, and three-fifths of Zenith's final line-up (consisting of Ozaki on vocals, Osamu Harada on keyboards, and Nobuho Yoshioka on drums) joined Shima on forming Concerto Moon in 1996.
As the months drew in that same year, the band regularly rehearsed and recorded the songs "Change My Heart" and "Holy Child" for the Make It Shine Vol.
He was replaced by former Fortbragg and Sqwier drummer Ichiro "VAL" Nagai for the band's debut album, Fragments of the Moon.
As such, Shima put the band temporarily on hold, and with the help of VAP, he formed Double Dealer with Saber Tiger singer and personal friend Takenori Shimoyama.
With the release of their self-titled debut album in 2000, the band played select shows in Europe, due to the efforts of German record label Limb Music.
Not long after, the band was tasked by the label with re-recording songs from their first four albums (including Gate of Triumph) to celebrate their fifth anniversary, and Destruction and Creation was released in 2002.
However, Sato was forced to leave Concerto Moon because Shima did not want him playing in other bands (he had just joined Galneryus in time to record their 2003 debut album, The Flag of Punishment).
The band returned in 2004 with bassist Takanobu Kimoto (formerly of Precious and Babylon, and later to join Saber Tiger and Emerald Aisles) and drummer Shoichi Takeoka for their 2004 self-titled EP and After the Double Cross album that same year.
They had an opportunity to play in the United States for the first time, making their exclusive appearance at Bay Area Rock Festival in San Francisco, California.
In 2009, while touring in support of Rise from Ashes, Kimoto left the band, and Mitani had returned to fulfill his role on bass until a permanent replacement was decided on Toshiyuki Sugimori (who would later join D_Drive).
Valthus singer Wataru Haga was officially made the next Concerto Moon frontman, and Miyake's status from live support was upgraded to permanent band member.
Due to Haga's vocal style closely resembling Ozaki's, Shima wanted to take Concerto Moon back to their early years when they were melodic and less heavy.
In 2020, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the band was forced to suspend live activities, but they continued to collaborate on the making of the successor to Tears of Messiah.
In December 2020, the band released Rain Fire, which consists of all original songs composed to match both Haga and Miyake in style.