Lovebites
Wednesday, July 22, 2026
Flex, Vienna, Austria
“13 Love Bites”
The pint-sized Japanese powerhouses Lovebites had been on my “must go” gig list for quite a while, and this time a work trip to Vienna lined up perfectly with the start of their short Outstanding Tour at Flex. The club sits on the “wrong” side of the Donaukanal and is only a little bigger than the downstairs concert space at Orto bar.
As the tour name hints, it’s all about promoting their latest album, Outstanding Power (Rockline review). There was no support act in Vienna, and after Judas Priest‘s Diamonds and Rust, the stage was taken by Asami (vocals), Midori (guitar), Miyako (guitar), Fami (bass) and the drummer from hell, Haruna, all decked out in white crinolines. The party kicked off with the album’s opening single The Castaway, and we immediately set sail into a sea of unapologetic power metal. The double bass drums were stitching away, the harmonized solos in thirds conjured up a celebratory vibe, and Asami spared neither her vocal cords nor her diaphragm. Everything went up to 11. I was a bit worried about the sound, which was slightly muddy on the raised platform to the left of the stage, but once I moved to the middle of the room, every note landed right where it belonged.
The first four tracks were all about power melodics, but with the fifth, Holy War, thrash polka rhythms started grabbing the reins. The girls loosened up a bit and wild headbanging took over both the stage and the floor below it. So we barreled from song to song, and just like on the studio records, there was no time to catch a breath at the show either. The hellish temperatures in the club doubled up with hellish rhythms, riffs and screams, and a tribal bond took over the place.
The contrast between Asami‘s gentle addresses and the sweet waving and greeting from the other members on one side, and the insane, testosterone-fueled performance on the other, was downright grotesque. What’s a guy supposed to do when Asami softly asks “Are you sleepy? No? So I welcome you to my nightmare!” and the gloomy melodies of Reaper’s Lullaby start creeping out of the speakers? Empty your mind and start whipping your head around like crazy, what else.
Like I said, the sound was powerful and crystal clear, so the mastery of both guitarists and the breathtaking percussion work coming from Haruna‘s eight arms could really shine. With Lovebites, the drums aren’t just the rhythmic foundation but an extra melodic instrument, adding variety to the classic thrash/power romps with their (un)accents. Fami got plenty of room for bass shenanigans, and Asami didn’t cheat one bit with any lowered choruses or by holding the mic out to the crowd. Power metal heaven and hell at once: with their hyperactivity (5 albums and four EPs in nine years), technical polish, songwriting chops and live energy, the girls are fast closing in on the top league of world melodic metal.
The show was extremely short: one hour for the main set and another fifteen minutes for the encore. By 20 past nine we were already gasping for air on the sidewalk outside the club. Maybe it’s even better that way, I don’t know how we would have survived three or four more songs. The setlist was nicely balanced, and judging by the crowd’s reaction, the band has already managed to cook up two mini hits, namely Stand and Deliver and When Destinies Align.
I lingered a while longer by the backstage door, hoping to snag a selfie with the girls. Midori opened the door for a moment and snapped a few photos inside, but when she saw me approaching, she quickly bolted to safety. Considering I’m three times her size, I can’t say I was surprised.
Anyway, if they stop anywhere nearby, I’ll definitely go see (and hear) the girls again.
Setlist:
- The Castaway
- Unchained
- Blazing Halo
- Liar
- Holy War
- Reaper’s Lullaby
- Soldier Sands Solitarily
- Stand And Deliver (Shoot ’em Down)
- Rising
- M.D.O.
- One Will Remain
Encore:
12. When Destinies Align
13. We the United
Words and photos: Igorac
