Acidman garnered interest, and eventually a major-label contract with EMI, in 2001 when its debut single, "Sekitou," moved quickly up the Japanese indie charts. Refining its sound somewhat, the band released 2002's full-length, Sou, which debuted in the Top Ten on the mainstream charts. Acidman turned out Loop the following year before taking a small hiatus to rework its sound in a catchier direction. With Equal, Acidman completed its change of sound into a light, melodic format even more accessible to Japan's pop-hungry crowds than its previous work had been. Continuing to build its fan base and sales with 2005's And World and 2007's Green Chord, Acidman maintained its momentum with high chart positions for 2008's Life. ~ Adam Greenberg