The Everlasting (album)

The Everlasting (魂宗久遠, Tamashī Sō kuon) is the twenty-second studio album by Japanese heavy metal band Loudness. It was released in 2009 only in Japan, after the death of original drummer Munetaka Higuchi, whose pre-recorded drum tracks were used on this album. It was also 15th and last album recorded by the original line-up. The song "I Wonder" introduces new drummer Masayuki Suzuki. The album also features a quasi-return to their 1980s sound in "Flame of Rock" and "I Wonder". The cover artwork is inspired by a Thailand's sculpture called "Budda Head in Tree".

The Everlasting
Studio album by Loudness
Released	May 27, 2009
Recorded	January–April 2009
Studio	Village Studio, Tokyo, Japan
Genre	Heavy metal, progressive metal
Length	60:22
Label	Tokuma Japan
Producer	Akira Takasaki, Masahiro Shinoki
Loudness chronology
Metal Mad (2008) The Everlasting (2009) Live Loudest at the Budokan '91 (2009)

Track listing

Music by Akira Takasaki, lyrics by Minoru Niihara

1. "Hit the Rails" - 4:15
2. "Flame of Rock" - 4:47
3. "I Wonder" - 5:08
4. "The Everlasting" - 5:33
5. "Life Goes On" - 4:24
6. "Let It Rock" - 4:06
7. "Crystal Moon" - 4:44
8. "Change"- 6:56
9. "Rock into the Night" - 3:27
10. "I'm in Pain" - 5:22
11. "Thunder Burn" - 5:21
12. "Desperate Religion" - 6:19

Personnel

Loudness

• Minoru Niihara - vocals
• Akira Takasaki - guitars, vocals on "The Everlasting", producer
• Masayoshi Yamashita - bass
• Munetaka Higuchi - drums
• Masayuki Suzuki - drums on "I Wonder"

Production

• Masatoshi Sakimoto - engineer, mixing
• Yuki Mitome - assistant engineer
• Kazuhiro Yamagata - mastering
• Masahiro Shinoki - executive producer