SAEKO is an international power metal project led by the Asian Metal Queen, Saeko Kitamae.
Saeko Kitamae is
The first Asian female singer who played at Wacken Open Air! (2005)
The first Asian singer who toured with the Metal Queen Doro! (2004)
Breaking silence, Saeko/SAEKO wants to hit the stage!
Short Bio of the Project SAEKO:
The project SAEKO was originally formed in 2002 in Germany, led by the Japanese singer Saeko Kitamae (her personal short bio is found below) with the help of well-known German musicians, such as Lars Ratz (Metalium, Fyre! etc.), Michael Ehre (Metalium, Unity, Gamma Ray etc.) and so on.
In 2004, the international media affirmed the worldwide release of SAEKO's first album as having its “own musical identity with an exotic touch”. The second album was released in 2006, but the same year SAEKO suspended its activities, to the disappointment of many. Since then, the project has kept complete silence for more than 10 years.
Yet, now, Saeko Kitamae is aiming to break her silence by bringing the project back to life.
In 2004, the international media affirmed the worldwide release of SAEKO's first album as having its “own musical identity with an exotic touch”. The second album was released in 2006, but the same year SAEKO suspended its activities, to the disappointment of many. Since then, the project has kept complete silence for more than 10 years.
Yet, now, Saeko Kitamae is aiming to break her silence by bringing the project back to life.
SAEKO is an international power metal project.
This time, the first member who comes on board is the guitarist, Guido Benedetti (Trick Or Treat), from Italy. Together with Saeko, he's already arranging her songs.
To look for other members, Saeko will fly to Germany soon.
To look for other members, Saeko will fly to Germany soon.
Vo & Key. Saeko
G. Guido Benedetti
B. ?????
Dr. ?????
Who Played for SAEKO?
Being a solo act of Saeko Kitamae, SAEKO has been supported by various musicians on albums and on tours. The musicians who have played for her on album or tour are as follows:
Michael Ehre (Metalium, Gamma Ray etc.)
Sven Luedke (Mob Rules etc.)
Herman Frank (Accept etc.)
Mariko Inoue (Fairy Mirror etc.)
Satoko Yanagase (Rosebullet etc.)
Oliver Palotai (Kamelot etc.)
Nick Douglas (Doro etc.)
Victor “Santura” Bullok (Triptykon, Dark Fortress etc.) etc.
Regardless of the backing members, live performances by the project SAEKO have always been successful.
In 2004, while on tour with Doro and Blaze, all the copies of her 1st album on hand sold out just after a few shows. Check live videos from here ("Sins for the Gods" & "Don't be Afraid") to see why they sold out so quickly.
In 2005, at Wacken Open Air, the capacity audience all raising their fists insisted strongly on encores. Soon after that, all copies of the album in stock sold out again.
Michael Ehre (Metalium, Gamma Ray etc.)
Sven Luedke (Mob Rules etc.)
Herman Frank (Accept etc.)
Mariko Inoue (Fairy Mirror etc.)
Satoko Yanagase (Rosebullet etc.)
Oliver Palotai (Kamelot etc.)
Nick Douglas (Doro etc.)
Victor “Santura” Bullok (Triptykon, Dark Fortress etc.) etc.
Regardless of the backing members, live performances by the project SAEKO have always been successful.
In 2004, while on tour with Doro and Blaze, all the copies of her 1st album on hand sold out just after a few shows. Check live videos from here ("Sins for the Gods" & "Don't be Afraid") to see why they sold out so quickly.
In 2005, at Wacken Open Air, the capacity audience all raising their fists insisted strongly on encores. Soon after that, all copies of the album in stock sold out again.
Press Feedback in the Past
- Metal Hammer (Germany)—Andreas Schoewe
“The Zen-Metal princess Saeko is Nippon's pendant to Germany's Rock Lady number one, Doro Pesch.”
- Heavy Rock (Spain)—Juan Destroyer
"Chameleonic as Japanese metal, epic as European tradition marks and sweet as only girls can do.”
- Metal Heart (Germany)—Matthias Igel
“Sometimes heavy, sometimes soft, Saeko wraps her dream and the journey there into music. A woman, who definitely has something to say!”
In addition to the above, magazines around the world positively covered the interview of SAEKO (2004 to 2006). To name a few …
METAL HAMMER (Italy)
ROCK HARD (Brazil)
BURRN! (Japan)
BREAK OUT (Germany)
Tokyo Chu-nich Sports Newspaper (page-oner) (Japan)
METAL HAMMER (Italy)
ROCK HARD (Brazil)
BURRN! (Japan)
BREAK OUT (Germany)
Tokyo Chu-nich Sports Newspaper (page-oner) (Japan)
A short personal bio of Saeko Kitamae:
Around 1990:
Started composing music with English lyrics and playing with rock/metal bands.
Metal Band Experiences After 1995:
<< In Japan >>
1995-97: Evolution, 1997-99: Insania, 1999-2001: Fairy Mirror
<< In Europe >>
2002-2006: SAEKO
Guest Appearances After 1999:
<< In Japan >>
1999: Kaizer (album), 2000-2001: Manipulated Slaves (album / tour), 2010: Kabuto (CD / festival), 2013: Manipulated Slaves (tour), 2013: Colony of Meditation (live show), 2013-2017: Metal Bless Japan (album / tour), 2014 to 2018: Seventh Son (album / tour, one of duet songs chosen as TOP 10 songs of the year by "BURRN!"), 2015: Skylark (Japan tour), 2017: Rachel Mother Goose (album / live show): Reveal (album), 2019: Vikram (Japanese bonus track) etc. Besides these, Saeko Kitamae has played countless gigs in Japan.
<< Outside Japan >>
2003: Metalium (album—click to listen to the song / tour), 2013: Festival "Matsuri in Taiwan" (Opening and Ending Act), 2014: Metal Female Voices Fest (Eve event).
As a vocalist of the project SAEKO, Saeko went on tour with Doro and Blaze (2004), played at Metal Bash, Wacken Open Air (2005) etc.
To read a more detailed story of her LIFE, visit the page "Story Chapter 1 (1974 to 2006)" and "Story Chapter 2 (2019–)".
Started composing music with English lyrics and playing with rock/metal bands.
Metal Band Experiences After 1995:
<< In Japan >>
1995-97: Evolution, 1997-99: Insania, 1999-2001: Fairy Mirror
<< In Europe >>
2002-2006: SAEKO
Guest Appearances After 1999:
<< In Japan >>
1999: Kaizer (album), 2000-2001: Manipulated Slaves (album / tour), 2010: Kabuto (CD / festival), 2013: Manipulated Slaves (tour), 2013: Colony of Meditation (live show), 2013-2017: Metal Bless Japan (album / tour), 2014 to 2018: Seventh Son (album / tour, one of duet songs chosen as TOP 10 songs of the year by "BURRN!"), 2015: Skylark (Japan tour), 2017: Rachel Mother Goose (album / live show): Reveal (album), 2019: Vikram (Japanese bonus track) etc. Besides these, Saeko Kitamae has played countless gigs in Japan.
<< Outside Japan >>
2003: Metalium (album—click to listen to the song / tour), 2013: Festival "Matsuri in Taiwan" (Opening and Ending Act), 2014: Metal Female Voices Fest (Eve event).
As a vocalist of the project SAEKO, Saeko went on tour with Doro and Blaze (2004), played at Metal Bash, Wacken Open Air (2005) etc.
To read a more detailed story of her LIFE, visit the page "Story Chapter 1 (1974 to 2006)" and "Story Chapter 2 (2019–)".