Vocalist iREN (ex-Meteors Fall) and JIRΘ had met on the internet in December 2010 and almost immediately JIRΘ’s friend, NAO (ex-CHILD THEATER), joined, too. The three then played together. Initially, NAO was to be one of the guitarists but happily switched roles to playing bass.
Mid-September 2011, they struck gold when they succeeded in finding guitarists, first by meeting USK in person. Days later, iREN chanced upon meeting TAG at a live house and scouted him. The following month, both USK and TAG entered the group officially, and with a total of five members, NEXTRADE officially started activities. The full line-up includes vocalist iREN (ex- Meteors Fall), guitarists TAG and USK; bassist and band leader NAO and JIRΘ on drums. December 3rd saw the quintet’s first release: a live distributed single titled OVERKILL.
For much of the first half of 2012, the NEXTRADE members worked hard to compose, record and release more songs. First was the release of NEXTRADE's first EP, AS SOON AS POSSIBLE, on YouTube on January 21, featuring four tracks. Later in the year, NEXTRADE held their first live on June 4th at Shibuya aube, and AS SOON AS POSSIBLE was available for purchase.
Later in 2012 NEXTRADE announced their next release, a one-coin single, Diablo that would be released on August 11. The band kept busy and on September 23, samples of NEXTRADE's next single, My real intention, were uploaded to Audioleaf: This release will be sold at the group's first one-man on November 22.
NEXTRADE’s scheduled first (free) one-man live on November 22 at Shinjuku HEAD POWER marks an important step for NEXTRADE: the group’s latest release, My real intention, will be available for purchase. Moreover, after November 22nd, bassist NAO will pause band activities until March 2013 due to preparations for university entrance exams.
Setting sights into 2013, NEXTRADE announced plans for a new album due for release in the spring, but little details are currently unknown. The new album likely will feature new tracks and hopefully attract the attention of a label to widen their audience in the Japanese music scene.
