Idol is Dead (stylized IDOL is DEAD) is the second studio album released by Japanese idol group BiS on October 28, 2012. It is their first original album released on a major label, as well as the first (and only) full album released with the "Quintet" lineup (Pour Lui, Nozomi Hirano, Yufu Terashima, Rio Michibayashi, and Yurika Wakisaka). The album continues the style of BiS's previous releases, containing songs of different types of rock.[1] It also continues the tradition of their studio albums containing a cover, in this case Shinichi Osawa's "Our Song", arranged in a Shoegaze style.[2] The four tracks ("nerve", "My Ixxx", "primal." and "IDOL") from their independent label days have been re-recorded.

IDOL is DEAD
Studio album by
ReleasedOctober 24, 2012
Genrepop punk, alternative rock, pop rock, garage rock, metalcore, J-pop
Length49:33
LanguageJapanese, English
LabelAvex Trax
ProducerKenta Matsukuma, JxSxK
BiS chronology
Bisukete
(2012)
IDOL is DEAD
(2012)
Who Killed Idol?
(2014)
Singles from IDOL is DEAD
  1. "My Ixxx"
    Released: August 3, 2011
  2. "primal."
    Released: December 21, 2011
  3. "Idol"
    Released: April 11, 2012
Alternative covers
Artwork for the 5 CD release types

Releases

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Three basic types of the album were released; A standard edition with 1 CD (limited pressings also contained a random photo); A "Movie" edition with 1 CD and a DVD containing the film "IDOL is DEAD -The Movie-" which the group starred in, as well as live footage from their performance at "MOOSIC LAB Re:KICK OFF PARTY!"; A "MV" edition with 1 CD and a DVD containing all of the group's music videos released at the time. In addition, limited editions of the "Movie" and "MV" editions featuring alternate paper sleeve covers and including a random photo were released, bringing the total number of versions to 5.[3]

Cover art

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The artwork for this album, being BiS's first album on a major label, helped identify and emphasise the shock oriented "Un-Idol like" image that they would go on to be known for. The artwork for the limited editions of the "MV" and "Movie" editions show the members posing while being placed in a Guillotine. The artwork for the standard versions shows the members trapped behind bars resembling a jail cell. These covers, combined with the album title, produced an image quite different from other idol groups when released.[4][5][6][7][8]

Track listing

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No.TitleLyricsMusicArranger(s)Length
1."IDOL is DEAD"CHARLeS STeART.jrKenta MatsukumaKenta Matsukuma2:50
2."ASH"BiSKenta MatsukumaKenta Matsukuma3:25
3."PPCC"BiSKenta MatsukumaBuzz72+3:35
4."BLEW"Rio MichibayashiKenta MatsukumaKenta Matsukuma3:51
5."CHELSEA"Iku RyukyujiTakumi AsadaKenta Matsukuma3:19
6."nerve"Yoji KubotamifuuSchtein&Longer4:29
7."Our Song"Akihiro NambaShinichi OsawaSchtein&Longer5:42
8."My Ixxx"BiSKenta MatsukumaKenta Matsukuma3:43
9."I wish I was SpecIaL"JxSxKIchirou IguchiIchirou Iguchi2:24
10."hitoribochi"BiSmifuuHidetoshi Miyai4:55
11."IDOL"Iku RyukyujiKenta MatsukumaKenta Matsukuma3:44
12."urge over kill of love"Yufu TerashimaKenta MatsukumaKenta Matsukuma3:17
13."primal."BiSKenta MatsukumaKenta Matsukuma4:25
Movie Edition Disc 2: Movie + Live DVD
No.TitleLength
1."IDOL is DEAD -The Movie-" (アイドル・イズ・デッド(映画)) 
2."Give me your love Zembu" (BiS in MOOSIC LAB Re:KICK OFF PARTY!(LIVE)) 
3."IDOL" (BiS in MOOSIC LAB Re:KICK OFF PARTY!(LIVE)) 
4."BiS" (BiS in MOOSIC LAB Re:KICK OFF PARTY!(LIVE)) 
5."primal." (BiS in MOOSIC LAB Re:KICK OFF PARTY!(LIVE)) 
MV Edition Disc 2: Music Video DVD
No.TitleLength
1."BiS" 
2."Paprika" (パプリカ) 
3."nerve" 
4."My Ixxx" 
5."primal." 
6."Aidoru" (アイドル (Idol)) 
7."IDOL" 
8."PPCC" 
9."IDOL is DEAD" 

Personnel

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  • BiS - Lyrics on Tracks 2, 3, 8, 10 and 13
    • Pour Lui – vocals
    • Nozomi Hirano – vocals
    • Yufu Terashima – vocals; Lyrics on Track 12
    • Rio Michibayashi – vocals; Lyrics on Track 4
    • Yurika Wakisaka – vocals
  • Kenta Matsukuma – Sound producer; all instruments
  • Takumi Asada – Guitar and Bass guitar on Track 5
  • Sho Sakafumi – Guitar on Track 5
  • Satoshi Aoki – Guitar on Track 6
  • Keita Kitajima – Bass guitar on Tracks 3 and 9
  • megane – Bass guitar on Track 11
  • Takashi Todoroki – Drums on Tracks 3, 4, 5, 8 and 13
  • Takuya Kusunose – Drums on Tracks 9 and 10
  • Studio-Novel – Art Direction and Design
  • Katsuto Matsuura – executive producer
  • Hikaru Yamaguchi – executive producer

Notes

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  • All writing, arrangement and personnel credits taken from the album insert.[9]

References

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  1. ^ MAY-E. "手にはタバコと釘バット。一際異彩を放つアイドル・グループBiSが、最強のロック・アルバム『IDOL is DEAD』をリリース!!". 激ロック. Geki-Rock Entertainment Inc. Retrieved January 16, 2015.
  2. ^ boykun. "Idols Are Dead According to BiS". nandake/. The Pink Octopus Media. Retrieved January 16, 2015.
  3. ^ "ALBUM「IDOL is DEAD」 エモいアイドルBiS最強のROCK ALBUM完成!!". BiS official website. Retrieved January 21, 2015.
  4. ^ "BiS ギロチン&くわえタバコに釘バットの衝撃ジャケ写&アー写が解禁!". アメーバニュース. Retrieved January 21, 2015.
  5. ^ 逆井, マリ. "Artist File #40 "アイドルシーンの革命児"BiS". sibch.tv. Archived from the original on January 22, 2015. Retrieved January 21, 2015.
  6. ^ retriever (レトリバー). "新生アイドル研究会BiS 横浜アリーナにて解散 と思ったら・・・・明日もライブ(笑)". north-forest. Retrieved January 21, 2015.
  7. ^ 平賀, 哲雄. "BiS 『IDOL is DEAD』インタビュー". billboard-japan. Retrieved January 21, 2015.
  8. ^ "Bis/IDOL is DEAD【映画盤(CD+DVD)】(通常盤)". Village Vanguard Online Store. Retrieved January 21, 2015.
  9. ^ Idol is dead (CD liner). BiS. Japan: Avex Trax. 2012. AVCD-38752.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)