First Single “Azure Explosion” Out Now!
Japanese-Italian melodic metal band VIOLET ETERNAL announce their second album, “Azure Stardust”, set for worldwide release on January 22nd, 2027. The new record marks the band’s second album with Rockshots Records continuing the collaboration that began with their 2024 debut, “Reload the Violet”. The international campaign begins on September 23rd, 2026 with “Azure Explosion”, the first single from the new record.
Formed in 2023 around Japanese guitarist Jien Takahashi (Majustice, Michael Vescera Project) and Italian vocalist Ivan Giannini (Derdian, The 7th Guild, ex-Vision Divine), VIOLET ETERNAL made their debut with “Reload the Violet” in 2024. The band has since evolved into a five-piece with the addition of guitarist Andrea Cappellari (Nekomata), bassist Ollie Bernstein (Illusion Force, Fiverings, Michael Vescera Project) and drummer YAMATO (Neu, UCHUSENTAI, Michael Vescera Project), an expanded lineup that plays a central role in shaping the sound of their second album.
With “Azure Stardust”, VIOLET ETERNAL retain the melodic and power metal foundations of their debut while developing a broader and more dynamic approach to songwriting. The expanded lineup gives the band greater room to explore different arrangements, tempos and moods while melody remains at the heart of their musical identity.
Rather than relying on a single formula, “Azure Stardust” moves from high-speed melodic metal to more dramatic mid-tempo sections, ballads and atmospheric passages. This wider musical range allows the band to explore different moods without losing the melodic focus that defines VIOLET ETERNAL bringing together elements rooted in the European melodic metal tradition with the Japanese sense of melody that has characterized the project from the beginning.
The first international glimpse of this new chapter comes with “Azure Explosion”, a song that concentrates the faster and more immediate side of the album into just over five minutes.
Racing beyond 197 BPM, “Azure Explosion” is propelled by relentless rhythms and rapid-fire riffs, with Jien Takahashi and Andrea Cappellari’s twin-guitar work moving between tightly coordinated passages, harmonized leads and sweeping melodic lines. Ivan Giannini’s powerful upper-register vocals cut through the high-speed arrangement, reinforcing the song’s melodic character even at its most intense.
Yet the track is not conceived simply as an exercise in velocity. Its development introduces more lyrical passages and dramatic transitions that break up the intensity and allow the melodies to breathe. These contrasts are an important part of the song: the speed provides the initial impact while the changes in dynamics and melodic direction reveal the broader musical language VIOLET ETERNAL explore throughout “Azure Stardust”.
Like a flash of blue light across the night sky, “Azure Explosion” reflects the imagery behind the album itself: bright, fast-moving and dramatic. In this sense, the song works as a natural introduction to “Azure Stardust”, presenting the band’s high-speed melodic metal core while also hinting at the more varied arrangements found across the record, mixed and mastered by Dennis Ward at TrakShak Studios.
Listen to “Azure Explosion” here:
https://lnk.to/nujqM6
Watch the official music video for “Azure Explosion”:
https://youtu.be/NPqPAqgFW_k
For fans of: Stratovarius, Helloween, Sonata Arctica
Pre-order “Azure Stardust“: https://rockshots.eu/products/violet-eternal-azure-stardust-cd
TRACKLIST:
01. The World Beyond the Door 06:41
02. Azure Explosion 05:29
03. Into the Deep Blue 03:58
04. I Can Hear Your Heart 05:11
05. Weekend 03:42
06. Singularity 03:22
07. Techno Optimist 03:29
08. Mars 03:30
09. Arianne 06:09
10. RE:Gradational Sky 08:34
TOTAL 50:05
Violet Eternal are:
Ivan Giannini: Lead Vocals
Jien Takahashi: Guitars
Andrea Cappellari: Guitars
Ollie Bernstein: Bass Guitar
YAMATO: Drums
BIOGRAPHY:
Having made a striking debut with “Reload the Violet“, VIOLET ETERNAL has attracted attention with its distinctive melodic metal sound, combining dramatic melodies reminiscent of Stratovarius during their golden era with musical influences from both Italy and Japan.
The story began in 2023, when Jien Takahashi, guitarist of Majustice reached out to Italian vocalist Ivan Giannini, known for his work with Derdian and Vision Divine with the aim of bringing to life his own vision of the “ultimate melodic metal.”
The two immediately hit it off and began working on an album as a duo project. Combining the lyrical, distinctly Japanese melodies crafted by Jien with Ivan’s powerful and commanding vocals, they released their debut album, “Reload the Violet” in 2024.
From fast-paced power metal tracks reminiscent of Stratovarius during their golden era to power ballads incorporating modern elements, the album offered a diverse range of songs and achieved a remarkably high level of completion for a debut release, attracting considerable attention from melodic metal fans.
Jien Takahashi’s fluid and lyrical guitar playing is also one of the album’s defining characteristics. By handling not only songwriting and arranging but also the album’s artwork himself, Jien established the distinctive musical and visual identity of VIOLET ETERNAL.
The first album also featured a number of guest musicians including MinstreliX guitarist Takao and keyboardist YUHKI, as well as Ollie Bernstein, known for his work with Illusion Force, Fiverings and Mike Vescera and Andrea Cappellari of NEKOMATA. The band further established its sound by welcoming Dennis Ward, known for his work on albums by bands such as Angra and Helloween as sound producer.
As VIOLET ETERNAL continued its live activities, the project gradually evolved from a project into a fully fledged band with a defined lineup.
In 2025, the band released the live album “Under The Violet Tokyo” documenting their first performances in Japan. Mastered by Dennis Ward, the album features songs including “Rusty Nail”, “Under the Violet Sun” and “Now Your Turn.” In the same year, VIOLET ETERNAL also performed a double-header show with THE冠, demonstrating a metal spirit that transcends both national borders and genre boundaries on stage.
Then, in 2026, VIOLET ETERNAL completed its second album, “Azure Stardust” with a new five-piece lineup.
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Facebook: Violet Eternal
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