Butterflies is the eighth studio album by the Japanese rock band Bump of Chicken, released on February 10, 2016, through Toy's Factory. It is the band's first studio album in over two years since the release of Ray in 2014, and their first album to reach number one on the Oricon Weekly Albums Chart since Orbital Period in 2007.
Background and Release Following the success of their previous album Ray, Bump of Chicken continued to release new material, much of which was compiled into Butterflies. The album features a blend of the band's signature alternative rock sound with more electronic and pop influences that were also present in Ray. Production was handled by the band themselves, alongside collaborations with sound engineers and producers.
Singles Several songs from Butterflies were released as singles or received significant promotion prior to the album's release:
- "Parade": Originally released as a digital single on December 29, 2014. It was used as the theme song for a special art exhibition, "Tim Burton: The World of Tim Burton".
- "Hello,world! / Colony": Released as a double A-side physical single on April 22, 2015. "Hello,world!" served as the opening theme for the anime series Blood Blockade Battlefront, while "Colony" was the theme song for the live-action film Parasyte: The Maxim.
- "Go": While not a standalone single, "Go" was heavily promoted as a lead track from the album and was used in a commercial for the mobile game Granblue Fantasy.
Track Listing All lyrics and music are written by Motoo Fujiwara.
- "Go"
- "Hello,world!"
- "Butterfly"
- "Kinen Satsuei (記念撮影, "Commemorative Photo")"
- "Colony"
- "Parade"
- "Risou Ginga (理想形, "Ideal Galaxy")"
- "New World"
- "You were here"
- "Chronostasis (クロノスタシス)"
- "Sharin no Uta (Live Acoustic) (車輪の唄, "Song of the Wheels")" (Bonus Track on Limited Editions, originally from Yggdrasil)
Note: The inclusion of "Sharin no Uta (Live Acoustic)" as a bonus track on limited editions reflects the band's practice of offering special content with their physical releases.
Personnel
- Motoo Fujiwara: Vocals, Guitar
- Hiroaki Masukawa: Guitar
- Yoshifumi Naoi: Bass
- Hideo Masu: Drums
Reception and Commercial Performance Butterflies was well-received by fans, debuting at number one on the Oricon Weekly Albums Chart. It solidified Bump of Chicken's position as one of Japan's most popular rock acts, showcasing their continued evolution while retaining their characteristic sound and lyrical depth. The album's strong performance was boosted by the success of its tie-in singles with popular anime and film franchises.