Jupiter enter a new era with “The Pantheon ~Age of Heroes~”: “We believe this is our best album yet”

Japanese melodic metal band Jupiter have entered a new chapter with their latest album, “The Pantheon ~Age of Heroes~”, marking their first full-length release in seven years. Following lineup changes and a lengthy period without a new studio album, the band have returned with renewed energy, a broader musical approach and ambitions to establish themselves even more firmly within the international metal scene.

Featuring vocalist KUZE, guitarists HIZAKI and TERU, bassist CERO and drummer MAJYU, the current lineup combines the band’s trademark neoclassical guitar work, melodic power metal and visual kei aesthetics with fresh influences and ideas.

With a European tour scheduled for 2027, including an appearance at Denmark’s EPIC FEST, Jupiter are preparing to introduce this new chapter to audiences beyond Japan.

Chaoszine caught up with all five members to discuss the making of “The Pantheon ~Age of Heroes~”, the evolution of the band’s sound, the longstanding musical partnership between HIZAKI and TERU, and their plans for the future.

A fresh start after seven years

Seven years have passed since Jupiter released their previous full-length album, “Zeus ~Legends Never Die~”. During that time, the band experienced lineup changes that ultimately helped shape the direction of their latest release.

According to guitarist HIZAKI, completing the current lineup was the turning point that made a new album possible.

“We went on a European tour and continued working as a band, but we also went through a period of members departing. Once we finally had the current lineup together, we felt it was the right time to move forward and release a new album as soon as possible.”

For guitarist TERU, the arrival of new musicians brought a welcome change to the band’s creative atmosphere.

“The addition of the new members has brought a fresh energy to the band. We were able to approach the songwriting with a renewed sense of excitement, and it has led to new discoveries all the time. I feel we are in a really good place creatively right now.”

Bassist CERO believes the members’ different musical backgrounds have also contributed to a more varied album.

“We all share metal as a common foundation, but each member has also been exposed to many different kinds of music throughout our musical journeys. Because of that, I think we were able to create an album with a lot of variety, rather than simply sticking to traditional metal.”

Rather than beginning the recording process with a completely predetermined musical direction, Jupiter allowed the material to develop naturally.

Vocalist KUZE explains that the band had already released several faster songs as singles, which encouraged them to explore other musical possibilities.

“Since we had already released some up-tempo songs as singles, I had a feeling that we would take a different approach with some of the new material. Once the songs started coming together, we really began to feel that we were onto something.”

Drummer MAJYU agrees that the album’s identity became clearer as the sessions progressed.

“The more we worked on the album, the clearer our vision became. That allowed us to experiment with different ideas and keep challenging ourselves throughout the process.”

Greek mythology, musical freedom and a new direction

The album title, “The Pantheon ~Age of Heroes~”, continues Jupiter‘s fascination with grand imagery and mythological themes.

However, HIZAKI explains that the album’s underlying message is more personal and universal than its title might initially suggest.

“We often use Greek mythology as a motif to explore universal themes such as the universe and love. The overall theme of the album is the idea of living beautifully.”

Despite these recurring themes, the guitarist emphasizes that the band does not want to restrict its creativity by forcing every song into a predetermined concept.

“When we are actually creating music, we don’t try to force a particular concept. We value what naturally comes out of us in the moment.”

That philosophy also extends to the album’s musical direction.

When asked whether one particular song captured the band’s renewed identity, CERO instead pointed toward the record as a whole.

“In terms of pointing toward a new direction, I think the entire album represents that new direction. For us, Jupiter is about creating great music without being restricted by genres or preconceived ideas. That’s the kind of music we want to continue creating.”

One of the album’s notable moments is its opening track, “ENDLESS SKY”, which features violinist Jill from Unlucky Morpheus.

HIZAKI had previously collaborated with Jill on his solo material and immediately felt that her playing would complement the composition.

“Jill has also played on my solo album. When I wrote the violin melody for this song, I felt that it really suited Jill’s style, so I simply asked her to play it.”

Another song that left a strong impression during the recording process was “Age of Heroes”, particularly for drummer MAJYU.

“Recording ‘Age of Heroes’ was quite challenging for me. But HIZAKI suggested that I try playing as if I were performing in a concert hall, and suddenly it became much easier for me to play.”

He hopes that listeners will experience some of that same atmosphere when hearing the finished recording.

“When you listen to the song, I hope you can imagine that you’re hearing it in a concert venue.”

HIZAKI and TERU continue to challenge each other

One of Jupiter‘s defining musical characteristics remains the partnership between HIZAKI and TERU, whose history together stretches back to their time in Versailles.

Despite their many years of collaboration, both guitarists continue to find inspiration in each other’s playing.

HIZAKI reveals that he has increasingly turned to TERU when arranging particularly aggressive material.

“When we are working on a more aggressive song or arrangement than before, I’ve started having TERU take the guitar solo. He often has a very particular attention to each individual note, and watching him work during recording is always inspiring to me.”

For TERU, their musical relationship has developed into something that often requires very little verbal communication.

“After working together for so many years, we’ve reached a point where we can understand what the other person wants and respond to it even without saying much.”

He also continues to admire HIZAKI’s determination to develop as a musician.

“I’m always impressed by the way HIZAKI continues to evolve his playing, and I have a lot of respect for that.”

Although both musicians have strong roots in the visual kei scene, Jupiter are determined to be recognized as a metal band in their own right.

“Although we come from the visual kei scene, we want to establish ourselves firmly within the metal scene. We’d really like to play more metal festivals in the future,” HIZAKI explains.

KUZE believes the band’s identity comes from preserving the individual personalities and musical approaches of its members.

“As long as we continue to hold on to the image and mindset that each member brings to Jupiter, I believe we can keep refining a sound that only Jupiter can create.”

European audiences and the road to EPIC FEST

With “The Pantheon ~Age of Heroes~” now released, Jupiter are turning their attention toward Europe.

The band are scheduled to return in 2027 for performances in Germany, Switzerland, France and Poland, alongside an appearance at Denmark’s EPIC FEST.

For KUZE, the upcoming tour represents an opportunity to demonstrate what the current lineup can achieve onstage.

“Once people experience us live, I’m sure they’ll become fans. I’m grateful that we’re in a position where we can take on new challenges, and that gives me even more motivation. We’ll give it everything we’ve got and make the most of every moment.”

For bassist CERO, the tour will be particularly meaningful as it marks his first European visit with Jupiter.

“This will be my first time going to Europe with Jupiter. Of course, it means a lot to meet the people who have been looking forward to seeing Jupiter, but I also think it will be very meaningful to meet as many new people as possible and share the same space with them through our music.”

TERU has fond memories of the band’s previous European performances and highlights the enthusiastic response from audiences.

“First of all, we are truly grateful to our fans in Europe. Compared to Japan, European fans express their emotions and excitement much more directly, which makes performing live for us really enjoyable.”

The upcoming EPIC FEST appearance could also introduce Jupiter to metal fans who are less familiar with Japanese visual kei.

KUZE says the band are not planning to overcomplicate their approach.

“We’re not really thinking about anything complicated. We just want to get up there and give you a performance filled with everything we have, both emotionally and musically. We believe you’ll give us some loud and passionate voices in return!”

MAJYU hopes that European audiences will embrace both sides of the band’s identity.

“We’d be happy if people could enjoy both our music and our visual presentation. Our unique stage performance is definitely something you shouldn’t miss. Let’s get fired up and enjoy it together!”

“We want to take Jupiter’s live performances all around the world”

For Jupiter, “The Pantheon ~Age of Heroes~” represents more than a long-awaited return to releasing full-length albums.

The record has given the musicians renewed confidence in their current lineup and a clearer sense of where they want to take the band.

HIZAKI believes the new album is their strongest work to date.

“We were able to bring together an amazing lineup and create what we believe is our best album yet.”

While the immediate focus is on Europe, the guitarist already has much larger ambitions.

“Our next step is Europe in 2027, and from there, we want to take Jupiter’s live performances all around the world.”

He also encourages fans to make their voices heard about where the band should perform next.

“The voices of our fans are what make it possible for us to bring Jupiter to different countries, so please keep sending us your requests and let us know where you want to see us.”

After seven years between full-length releases, Jupiter appear determined to make the most of their renewed momentum, bringing their combination of melodic metal, neoclassical guitar work and theatrical visual presentation to a wider international audience.