---
title: "UNITED"
type: "MusicGroup"
url: "https://themetalnet.com/band/united"
genre: "Death Metal"
country: "Japan"
formed: 1981
---

# UNITED

**UNITED** is a death metal band, from Japan, active 1981 to present.

United is a Japanese thrash metal band formed in 1981. They have had many personnel changes in their four decade career, with no member of the original lineup remaining. Bassist Akihiro Yokoyama joined in 1983, held de facto leadership of the group from 1988, and appeared on every recording the band had until his death in 2014. Guitarist Yoshifumi "Hally" Yoshida joined United in 1988 and is currently the longest-serving member. He and fellow guitarist Shingo Otani, who joined in 1990, are the only two members who have performed on all 10 studio albums. Yuichi Masukawa of Headbang magazine credited United as one of the "Four Heavenly Kings of Japanese Thrash", alongside Doom, Casbah and Jurassic Jade.

Biography source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_(band)

## Facts

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Name | UNITED |
| Genre | Death Metal |
| Parent genre | Death Metal |
| Origin | Japan |
| Formed | 1981 |
| Releases in catalog | 14 |

## Genres

[Death Metal](https://themetalnet.com/genre/death-metal) · [Heavy Metal](https://themetalnet.com/genre/heavy-metal) · [Metalcore](https://themetalnet.com/genre/metalcore-classic) · [Nu Metal](https://themetalnet.com/genre/nu-metal) · [Speed Metal](https://themetalnet.com/genre/speed-metal) · [Thrash Metal](https://themetalnet.com/genre/thrash-metal)

## Line-up

| Musician | Instruments | Years | Status |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| [吉田良文](https://themetalnet.com/musician/band-167b41bf) | Background vocals, Guitar | 1988 to present | Current |
| [湯浅正俊](https://themetalnet.com/musician/band-305ae8b6) | Lead vocals | 2000 to present | Current |
| [大谷慎吾](https://themetalnet.com/musician/band-7f185269) | Background vocals, Guitar | 1990 to present | Current |
| [遠田譲士](https://themetalnet.com/musician/band-90a22a89) | Background vocals, Bass guitar | 2018 to present | Current |
| [富永明](https://themetalnet.com/musician/band-54dd5df2) | Drums (drum set) | 2004 to present | Current |
| [中村雄介](https://themetalnet.com/musician/band-818b9355) | Drums (drum set) | 1999 to 2003 | Former |
| [広川錠一](https://themetalnet.com/musician/band-1455fa82) | Drums (drum set) | 1985 to 1985 | Former |
| [横山明裕](https://themetalnet.com/musician/band-575d5eee) | Background vocals, Bass guitar | 1983 to 2014 | Former |
| [Faisal "Kenshin" Al-Salem](https://themetalnet.com/musician/faisal-kenshin-al-salem) | Lead vocals | 2009 to 2012 | Former |
| [NAO](https://themetalnet.com/musician/nao) | Lead vocals | 1981 to 1986 | Former |
| [NOB](https://themetalnet.com/musician/nob) | Lead vocals | 2005 to 2008 | Former |
| [OZ](https://themetalnet.com/musician/oz) | Bass guitar | 1981 to 1983 | Former |
| [中里武](https://themetalnet.com/musician/band-476270ee) | Guitar | 1981 to 1987 | Former |
| [内野裕一](https://themetalnet.com/musician/band-91f7ba29) | Drums (drum set) | 1988 to 1998 | Former |
| [原正樹](https://themetalnet.com/musician/band-ca669390) | Guitar | 1981 to 1988 | Former |
| [古井義明](https://themetalnet.com/musician/band-7b781fa0) | Lead vocals | 1986 to 1995 | Former |
| [古沢巌](https://themetalnet.com/musician/band-183f53d7) | Guitar | 1987 to 1990 | Former |
| [塚原](https://themetalnet.com/musician/band-4f1b84ce) | Drums (drum set) | 1981 to 1983 | Former |
| [滝沢哲夫](https://themetalnet.com/musician/band-4e982688) | Drums (drum set) | 1983 to 1988 | Former |
| [稲津真一](https://themetalnet.com/musician/band-c93955aa) | Lead vocals | 1996 to 2000 | Former |

## Discography

| Year | Release | Type |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 1985 | [Destroy Metal](https://themetalnet.com/album/25639664-b6a2-4e4f-85ba-e07f63d25838) | EP |
| 1986 | [Beast Dominate](https://themetalnet.com/album/1e656b78-6711-4739-93df-bf44c24aa406) | EP |
| 1990 | [Bloody but Unbowed](https://themetalnet.com/album/74e8bfe4-bc91-4ac9-98df-370880573bf3) | Album |
| 1992 | [Beast Dominates ’92](https://themetalnet.com/album/e58d158b-9cb3-4b39-8c03-91c51f5cb8b9) | EP |
| 1992 | [Human Zoo](https://themetalnet.com/album/50d138f2-c754-44a3-9540-99162356deff) | Album |
| 1995 | [N.O.I.Q](https://themetalnet.com/album/b2282ef0-db92-41b8-b255-6a7e774a4afc) | Album |
| 1997 | [Burst](https://themetalnet.com/album/c2f8a87b-a1b0-4d71-9d36-97aab904ca29) | EP |
| 1997 | [Reload](https://themetalnet.com/album/51ad2936-e3cc-4ea3-bec2-a7a3ff282fb3) | Album |
| 1998 | [Distorted Vison](https://themetalnet.com/album/ea5f4e94-3bd8-4b1b-a93a-bb07fc5944fb) | Album |
| 2001 | [Infectious Hazard](https://themetalnet.com/album/7a7b2189-1b24-496c-b81a-5903f08da1f1) | Album |
| 2002 | [Core](https://themetalnet.com/album/f757e676-020d-4d60-9771-8010fa2b99eb) | Album |
| 2005 | [Nine](https://themetalnet.com/album/141080c1-a91b-4a13-931a-c2f93e2085b3) | Album |
| 2011 | [Tear of Illusions](https://themetalnet.com/album/ef87d1cf-eb17-4b2c-8e61-3b4009987457) | Album |
| 2018 | [Absurdity](https://themetalnet.com/album/2a56ee56-eb03-4998-95d0-5b7d5a61cd19) | Album |

## Related bands

- [Sodom](https://themetalnet.com/band/sodom) (listened together)
- [POWER GERMANYS](https://themetalnet.com/band/power-germanys) (shared members)
- [X JAPAN](https://themetalnet.com/band/x-japan) (shared members)
- [DEATH FILE](https://themetalnet.com/band/death-file) (shared members)
- [DOOM](https://themetalnet.com/band/doom) (shared members)
- [Jurassic Jade](https://themetalnet.com/band/jurassic-jade) (shared members)
- [Roadrunner United](https://themetalnet.com/band/roadrunner-united) (same tags)
- [Minus Infinity](https://themetalnet.com/band/minus-infinity) (same tags)
- [H1Z1](https://themetalnet.com/band/h1z1) (same tags)
- [Deceased](https://themetalnet.com/band/deceased) (same tags)
- [Hatefulmurder](https://themetalnet.com/band/hatefulmurder) (same tags)
- [Flames](https://themetalnet.com/band/flames) (same tags)

## Official and external links

- metal archives: https://www.metal-archives.com/bands/United/6320
- x: https://twitter.com/UNITEDofficial
- facebook: https://www.facebook.com/united.japan
- instagram: https://www.instagram.com/united__official/
- youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC9AUr6JdD1gzooLmlC72HQg

---

Source: [TheMetalNet https://themetalnet.com/band/united](https://themetalnet.com/band/united). Catalog data from MusicBrainz and Metal Archives. Full site index: https://themetalnet.com/llms.txt