UVERworld
The beginnings of UVERworld looked pretty ambitious, as in 2002 the earliest incarnation of the band packed 7 members, including a saxophonist. However, soon the man with the sax and the first vocalist left, the group itself changed name from Sangoku Road to UVERworld and picked a more conventional route. It proved to be a success, although not an immediate one: UVERworld's breaktrough came in 2005, when their song D-TechnoLife made it to the credits of the popular anime Bleach -- the one that served as a springboard for a huge number of J-rock bands. It worked with UVERworld, too: their debut single charted well, selling a respectable 100,000 units. Two more singles were not as successful, but still made the Oricon charts, and in 2006 a full LP Timeless followed. After that the band flirted with the anime market again, with their 4th single Colors of the Heart used for the anime Blood+ and gaining appropriate sales. Singles Shamrock (used by a TV drama about dancing) and Kimi no Suki na Uta followed, the latter debuting in charts at #2 thanks to its tie-in with the variety show Koisuru Hanikami!. All these songs were collected on the band's second CD, Bugright, out in 2007. By that time UVERworld firmly established themselves as an TV credits band, providing songs for two more anime series (Toward the Terra and D.Gray-man) and an anime-based drama. Those fared well, paving the way for the band's 3rd LP, Proglution, released in early 2008.
~ Alexey Eremenko, All Music Guide
