Artist: Luna Sea
Title: Lunacy
Label: Universal Music(www.lunasea.co.jp)

Had I not visited Tokyo (and several of that city's record stores) at the time this album was being heavily promoted, I might never have heard of Luna Sea. A few months after releasing this 11-song disk, they broke up. The lead singer said one of the reasons they called it a day was a feeling they would never be able to improve on "Lunacy," their ninth album. Nearly four years on, this remains one of my favorite rock albums. The kick-off number, "Be Awake," showcases the soft, sad vocals and churning, rough musicianship that can be heard on many--but not all--of their songs. The second track, "Sweetest Coma Again," was on the Japanese soundtrack of the 007 movie, "The World is Not Enough." It could--but for the smooth vocals--pass for a Pearl Jam number. "Gravity" sees some U2-style guitar work, while "Virgin Mary"--a sweeping bass-driven ballad--clocks in at a little over nine minutes. Variety runs through the entire album. Track eight, "A Vision" gallops along at a furious pace; next comes "Feel," with crooning vocals backed by a monster riff. Perhaps the weakest song is the finale, "Crazy About You." BonJovi would have been proud of this one--but by Luna Sea's standards, it's nothing to write home about.