Lovebites (stylised as LOVEBITES) was formed in Tokyo in 2016 by bassist Miho and drummer Haruna. The two met while members of Destrose, another all-female metal band that disbanded in 2015. After recruiting guitarist Midori and support guitarist and keyboardist Miyako, the four chose vocalist Asami based on a demo she made. During one rehearsal, the musicians performed “Love Bites (So Do I)” by Halestorm. Feeling that the song fit well with Asami’s voice, it left an impression on all of the members and they chose Lovebites as the name for their new band. They had their first concert in November 2016, at Tsutaya O-West as part of the Girls Band Next Generation event. For the show, they were supported by third guitarist Sena.
Lovebites released their debut ‘The Lovebites EP’ in May 2017. Miho explained that it was more of a demo to get the band signed, but the label liked it so much they had it properly mastered and released. It was mixed by Mikko Karmila and mastered by Mika Jussila, who have worked with acts like Nightwish and the Children of Bodom in Helsinki, Finland. Their first full-length album Awakening from Abyss was released in Japan, the US and Uk in October 2017. It was again mixed and mastered by Karmila and Jussila and includes re-recordings of the four tracks from their debut EP. The album was supported by the sold out three-date Awakening from Abyss Tour 2017 in November 2017.
The band released their second album Clockwork Immortality in December 2018 in Japan. Limited editions of the album include a DVD or Blu-ray of the concert video Battle in the East, which was recorded in June, 2018, at Tsutaya O-East. It was released in Europe, Australia, and New Zealand, and in the UK by JPU Records in January 2019. In July 2020 Lovebites released their second standalone concert video and live album, Five of a Kind – Live in Tokyo 2020, recorded in February 2020, at Zepp DiverCity. To celebrate the third anniversary of Awakening from Abyss, the band streamed a live studio performance titled Awake Again, where they played the album in its entirety on October 25.
Lovebites released their third EP Glory, Glory to the World, which they recorded during the COVID-19 pandemic, in March 2021. The performance at Tokyp Dome City Hall was filmed and recorded for release as the Heavy Metal Never Dies – Live in Tokyo 2021 concert video and live album in September 2021. In August 2021, bassist Miho announced her departure from the band. The other members and their staff had held “countless meetings to find a way for her to stay,” but ultimately decided to respect her decision. As a result, Lovebites temporarily suspended all activities, but assured fans that they would return.
Between April and May 2022, Lovebites accepted auditions for a new bass player. Applicants had to create their own bassline to a track the band created for the occasion and submit a video of them performing it. In October, Lovebites revealed 20-year-old Fami as their new bassist via a full-band performance video on You Tube. An active musician since high school, Fami has produced her own solo album and has nearly 650,000 subscribers on her own YouTube channel. Lovebites released their fourth studio album, Judgement Day, in February 2023. The limited editions of the album include footage of the bassist audition process, including the three songs Fami played with the band during the final selection.
