Dead End was a prototypical Japanese melodic heavy metal band from the 1980s, and one of several of their ilk to get a small taste of international exposure in the wake of Loudness' worldwide success. Formed in 1984, the band released their domestic debut album, Deadline, the following year, and initially featured vocalist Motoyuki Ohtsuka, bassist Tadashi Masumoto, guitarist Takahiro, and drummer Masaaki Tano. The latter pair were soon replaced by Yuji Adachi (guitar) and Masafumi Minato (drums), respectively, and this lineup was responsible for a trio of internationally distributed studio LPs (1987's Ghost of Romance, 1988's Shambara, 1989's Zero) and one eponymous live album that capped their career in 1990. Through it all, Dead End left barely a mark upon the era's cluttered heavy metal landscape, yet their albums remain popular with some serious collectors. ~ Eduardo Rivadavia