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Boom Boom Satellites' Latest Release Will Be Band's Last Work

Masayuki Nakano, bassist for the band Boom Boom Satellites, announced on the band's official website on Tuesday that the band's "Lay Your Hands On Me" EP release will be their last work, as vocalist/guitarist Michiyuki Kawashima (top in image right) is suffering from partial paralysis as an after-effect of his fourth brain tumor relapse.

Nakano (pictured bottom in image right) commented on the announcement, and it is translated into English in the band's official Facebook page:

EP “LAY YOUR HANDS ON ME” is complete and ready for release on June 22. Featuring four tracks and 22 minutes of play time, the EP brings festivities, endings, silence and new beginnings. This EP is both a grand and beautiful—like the life of our band in a mere 22 minutes. The advance listeners are all calling it an “album.” Actually, that was what Kawashima wanted. I think I'll be able to say with confidence, “Our 10th album is finished at last.” It is a work befitting of the final, closing curtain of our band's history.

This is BOOM BOOM SATELLITES final release. Paralysis and other complications with Michiyuki Kawashima's brain tumor have made it so. Michiyuki Kawashima has now closed his life as a musician and is spending his days living peacefully with his family. Although words come slowly, he can still speak. His arms and legs have become impaired, and he relies on a wheelchair more and more. It is difficult to communicate clearly with him; at times even I don't know what he's thinking. But I can feel his aura of completeness and achievement. To me, he looks like a husk that has poured its very life force into this final work. I want to call out to him, “Thank you! You've done your best!”

In a few short breaths, Michiyuki Kawashima's 20 year musical journey will draw to a close. Together, we've crossed countless landscapes. Looking back, nothing was easy—we struggled, squirmed and shouldered forward to our hearts' content. Every moment remains as an amazing, bright and sparkling memory.

Just a bit more until the finish line. I hope you enjoy our music on June 22.

Kawashima had suffered his fourth brain tumor relapse in August. The band had cancelled concerts in Osaka and Tokyo last November due to his worsening condition.

Boom Boom Satellites first debuted in Europe in 1997, and they released their ninth album Shine Like A Billion Suns in February 2015. The group has created music for anime projects such as Appleseed and Vexille - 2077 Isolation of Japan. They also performed theme songs for Xam'd: Lost Memories, Mobile Suit Gundam UC, Ninja Slayer From Animation, and contributed to Guilty Crown. Their latest and last song "Lay Your Hands On Me" debuted as the opening theme song of Studio Trigger's currently airing Kiznaiver television anime.

[Via Hachima Kikō]