Linked Horizon

INFORMATION

Sound Horizon is a Japanese musical group with composer Revo   (Japanese pronunciation: [ɾebo]) as the leader and only permanent member. They describe themselves as a “fantasy band” and have released works that closely resemble classical suites. Their songs often revolve around historical events and classic fairytales. When creating music based on other people’s stories, the band uses the name Linked Horizon.

History

Sound Horizon began with Revo releasing his music creations on the internet on his website in the late 1990s. In 2001, Sound Horizon participated in Comic Market as part of a dōjin music circle and released their first story CD, Chronicle, an all-instrumental track CD, with occasional narration, background chorus and sound effects.[4][5] The inclusion of actual singing began from their second release (Thanatos) onwards. Their subsequent works were released at Comic Market and M3.[3][6]

Sound Horizon’s first major release was in 2004, with the album Elysion ~Rakuen e no Zensōkyoku~ (lit. Elysion ~Prelude to Paradise~). Their first maxi-single, “Shōnen wa Tsurugi o…”, which was released in 2006, includes “Shūtan no Ou to Isekai no Kishi ~The Endia & The Knights~”, the theme for the PlayStation 2 simulation RPG Chaos Wars, and “Kamigami ga Aishita Rakuen ~Belle Isle~”, the opening theme for the MMORPG Belle Isle.[4]

Although Aramary was their main female singer through the Elysion album, her departure afterward led Sound Horizon’s style to shift quite a bit, to having many vocalists, rather than just one main female one (previously Aramary) and one main male vocalist (Jimang). Revo himself also tended to sing more often in the later albums, beginning with Roman.[6]

On September 3, 2008, Sound Horizon released the album Moira. The album featured Takashi Utsunomiya of TM Network as one of the vocalists.[7] Moira debuted at No. 3 on the Oricon weekly album charts, selling over 45,000 copies in its initial week.[8]

Sound Horizon released the single “Ido e Itaru Mori e Itaru Ido” on June 16, 2010. The single featured guitarist Marty Friedman and Vocaloid Hatsune Miku,[9] along with a beta voicebank for Vocaloid known as “Junger März PROTOTYPE β”.[3]

In 2012, Revo began a new project called Linked Horizon, beginning with his work on the score for the Nintendo 3DS game Bravely Default: Flying Fairy, a series of EPs and album.[2] In 2013 and subsequent years, Linked Horizon performed the first, second, third and fifth opening themes, as well as the fourth ending theme, for the anime adaptation of Attack on Titan along with a series of EPs and albums.[10]

In June 2014, Revo also composed the first opening theme of Sailor Moon Crystal, “Moon Pride”.

Band members

Current

NameYears activeInstrumentsRelease contributions
Revo2001 onwardvocals, composer, arranger, guitar, percussion, conductor, accordion, bagpipes, pianoAll Sound Horizon releases
yokoyan2001 onwardalbum artistAll Sound Horizon releases
Jimang2002 onwardvocals, narratorAll Sound Horizon releases from Lost (2002) to Märchen (2010), except Ido e Itaru Mori e Itaru Ido (2010)
Takashi Utsunomiya2008 onwardvocalsMoira (2008)
Kaori Oda2006 onwardvocalsAll Sound Horizon releases from Shōnen wa Tsurugi wo… (2006) to Triumph of Territorial Expansion III Celebration of Revo’s Inception (2009)
Yuuki Yoshida2006 onwardvocals, harmonicaAll Sound Horizon releases from Shōnen wa Tsurugi wo… (2006) to Triumph of Territorial Expansion III Celebration of Revo’s Inception (2009)
Remi Tanaka2006 onwardvocalsAll Sound Horizon releases from Shōnen wa Tsurugi wo… (2006) to Märchen (2010)
Miki Masuda2008 onwardvocalsAll Sound Horizon releases from Moira (2008) to Märchen (2010)
Mari Endo2008 onwardvocalsAll Sound Horizon releases from 6th StoryConcert: Moira~Soredemo oyukinasai kora yo (2008) to Triumph of Territorial Expansion III Celebration of Revo’s Inception (2009)
Haruka Shimotsuki2002 onwardvocalsLost (2002), Pico Magic (2003), Chronicle 2nd (2004), Elysion ~Rakuen e no Zensōkyoku~ (2004), all Sound Horizon releases from Moira (2008) to Triumph of Territorial Expansion III Celebration of Revo’s Inception (2009)
Azumi Inoue2008 onwardvocalsRoman (2006), all Sound Horizon releases from Moira (2008) to Triumph of Territorial Expansion III Celebration of Revo’s Inception (2009)
Minami Kuribayashi[1]2008 onwardvocalsAll Sound Horizon releases from Moira (2008) to Märchen (2010)
Ritsuki Nakano2006-2008 2009 onwardvocalsAll Sound Horizon releases from Shōnen wa Tsurugi wo… (2006) to Triumph~Great Invasion of Territorial Expansion II (2008), Triumph of Territorial Expansion III Celebration of Revo’s Inception (2009)
Joelle 2010 onwardvocalsIdo e Itaru Mori e Itaru Ido (2010), Märchen (2010), Nein (2015)

Discography

Sound Horizon’s main albums are called ‘Stories’ or ‘Horizons’ and are numbered, starting with Chronicle.

Pico Magic, Pico Magic Reloaded, Elysion ~Rakuen e no Zensōkyoku~ and Chronology are compilation albums and are not counted as story albums.

Chronicle 2nd is an expanded reissue of the first Chronicle album.

The ninth story Nein was released in 2015, even though the eight story, with the working title Rinne, hasn’t been released yet.

Doujin albums

Doujin albums

TitleAlbum details
1st Story Chronicle
2nd Story Thanatos
  • Released: August 11, 2002
  • Label: Self-released
  • Format: CD
3rd Story Lost
  • Released: December 30, 2002
  • Label: Self-released
  • Format: CD
Pico Magic
  • Released: May 4, 2003
  • Label: Self-released
  • Format: CD
Pico Magic Reloaded
  • Released: August 17, 2003
  • Label: Self-released
  • Format: CD
1st Story Chronicle 2nd
  • Released: March 19, 2004
  • Label: Self-released
  • Format: CD

Sound Horizon major releases

Albums

TitleAlbum detailsPeak positionSalesCertifications
JPN
[12]
Elysion ~Rakuen e no Zensōkyoku~Elysion ~楽園への前奏曲~ (Elysion ~Prelude to Paradise~)
  • Released: October 27, 2004
  • Re:Master Production released: July 29, 2020
  • Label: Bellwood Records
  • Formats: CD, digital download
N/A
4th Story Elysion ~Rakuen Gensō Monogatari Kumikyoku~Elysion ~楽園幻想物語組曲~ (Elysion ~Paradise Fantasy Story Suite~)
  • Released: April 13, 2005
  • Re:Master Production released: July 29, 2020
  • Label: Bellwood Records
  • Formats: CD, digital download
29N/A
5th Story Roman
  • Released: November 22, 2006
  • Re:Master Production released: August 26, 2020
  • Label: King Records
  • Formats: CD, digital download
19N/A
6th Story Moira
  • Released: September 3, 2008
  • Re:Master Production released: September 30, 2020
  • Label: King Records
  • Formats: CD, digital download
3
  • JPN: 45,000+
7th Story Märchen
  • Released: December 15, 2010
  • Re:Master Production released: October 21, 2020
  • Label: King Records
  • Formats: CD, digital download
2
  • JPN: 100,000+
Chronology [2005–2010]
  • Released: April 13, 2012
  • Label: King Records
  • Formats: CD, digital download
4
9th Story Nein
  • Released: April 22, 2015
  • Re:Master Production released: November 25, 2020
  • Label: Pony Canyon
  • Formats: CD, digital download
2
7.5th or 8.5th Story Ema ni Negai wo! (Prologue Edition)(絵馬に願ひを! (Prologue Edition) “Wish on the Ema)
  • Released: January 13, 2021
  • Label: Pony Canyon
  • Formats: Blu-ray, digital download
1 (Blu-ray chart)
“—” denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory.

Singles

TitleDetailsPeak positionSalesAlbum
JPN
[16]
“Shōnen wa Tsurugi o…”(少年は剣を… “A Boy’s Sword Is…”)
  • Released: October 4, 2006
  • Re:Master Production released: August 26, 2020
  • Label: King Records
  • Formats: CD, digital download
9N/ANon-album single
“Seisen no Iberia”(聖戦のイベリア “Holy War of Iberia”)
  • Released: August 1, 2007
  • Re:Master Production released: September 30, 2020
  • Label: King Records
  • Formats: CD, digital download
8N/ANon-album single
“Ido e Itaru Mori e Itaru Ido”(イドへ至る森へ至るイド “The Id That Leads to the Forest Leading to the Id”)
  • Released: June 16, 2010
  • Re:Master Production released: October 21, 2020
  • Label: King Records
  • Formats: CD, digital download
2
  • JPN: 64,308+
Prologue to Märchen
“Halloween to Yoru no Monogatari”(ハロウィンと夜の物語 “The Story of Halloween and The Night”)
  • Released: October 19, 2013
  • Re:Master Production released: October 30, 2020
  • Label: Pony Canyon
  • Formats: CD, digital download
3
  • JPN: 65,827+
Non-album single
“Vanishing Starlight”(ヴァニシング・スターライト)
  • Released: October 1, 2014
  • Re:Master Production released: November 25, 2020
  • Label: Pony Canyon
  • Formats: CD, digital download
3
  • JPN: 47,516+
Prologue to Nein

Linked Horizon

Albums

TitleDetailsPeak positionSales
JPN
[17]
Luxendarc Daikikōルクセンダルク大紀行 (Rukusendaruku Daikikō)15N/A
Shingeki no Kiseki進撃の軌跡 (Shingeki no Kiseki)
  • Released: May 17, 2017
  • Label: Pony Canyon
  • Formats: CD, digital download
2

Singles

TitleDetailsPeak positionSalesCertificationsAlbum
JPN
[19]
“Luxendarc Shōkikō”ルクセンダルク小紀行 (Rukusendaruku Shōkikō)
  • Released: August 22, 2012
  • Label: Pony Canyon
  • Formats: CD, digital download
8Luxendarc Daikikō
Jiyū e no Shingeki(自由への進撃 “March to Freedom”)
  • Released: July 10, 2013
  • Label: Pony Canyon
  • Formats: CD, digital download
2
  • JPN: 250,000+
Shingeki no Kiseki
“Seishun wa Hanabi no Yō ni”(青春は花火のように “Youth is Like Fireworks”)
  • Released: October 5, 2015[22][23]
  • Label: Pony Canyon
  • Formats: Digital download
N/A
“Rakuen e no Shingeki”(楽園への進撃)
  • Released: September 19, 2018
  • Label: Pony Canyon
  • Formats: CD, digital download
5TBA[25][26]
“Shinjitsu e no Shingeki”(真実への進撃)
  • Released: June 19, 2019
  • Label: Pony Canyon
  • Formats: CD, digital download
8TBA
“—” denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory.

Revo

TitleDetailsPeak position
JPN
Bravely Default Original Soundtrack(ブレイブリーデフォルト フライングフェアリー オリジナル・サウンドトラック Bureiburī Deforuto Furaingu Fearī Orijinaru Saundotorakku)21[28]
Bravely Default II Original Soundtrack
  • Released: March 3, 2021
  • Label: Pony Canyon
  • Formats: CD, digital download
12
“—” denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory.

Awards and nominations

YearAwardCategoryWork/NomineeResult
2013Newtype Anime AwardsBest Theme Song“Guren no Yumiya”
(from anime Attack on Titan)
Won[29]
Animation Kobe AwardsTheme Song Award“Guren no Yumiya”
(from anime Attack on Titan)
Won[30]
Billboard Japan Music AwardsAnimation Artist of the YearLinked HorizonWon[31]
2017Newtype Anime AwardsBest Theme Song“Shinzou wo Sasageyo!”
(from anime Attack on Titan Season 2)
8th place[32]
The Anime AwardsBest Opening“Shinzou wo Sasageyo!”
(from anime Attack on Titan Season 2)
Nominated[33]

ARTIST PHOTO

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