Rize provided a fix of nu metal for Japan in the early 2000s: they owed a huge debt to Limp Bizkit, but compensated for that with their powerful delivery and ability to branch out (their late-2000s work added a reggae vibe). The band was established in 1997, and soon entered the inevitable demo/club gigs phase, which lasted until 2000, when a performance at the tenth Kitazawa Music Festival got them a deal with Epic Records. Their first studio album, Rookey, which charted at number eight, was followed by a lineup shift, but the changes didn't deter Rize. In 2001, "I Can't Live Without My Radio" was the theme song of the FM Festival, and they completed their second album, Foreplay.