Earlier this year, acclaimed Japanese metal vocalist and songwriter Saeko took a temporary step back from music to undergo major surgery. Now on a steady path to recovery, she is gradually returning to creative work and preparing to reintroduce her music to fans around the world.
While her long-anticipated mini-album, originally scheduled for release in 2025, has been postponed to early 2026, Saeko has released the 2025 Remastered Edition of her debut album Above Heaven Below Heaven, worldwide, on all digital platforms. The album was originally produced by Lars Ratz and Co-produced by Michael Ehré.
Listen to Above Heaven Below Heaven: https://bfan.link/saeko-above-heaven-below-heaven
Due to the original multitrack recordings being unavailable, the remaster was carefully produced using the original CD source. Thanks to the expertise of V. Santura at Woodshed Studio (Germany), the new edition preserves the emotional core and sonic identity of the original while enhancing its overall balance and clarity.
Rather than a reconstruction or remix, this reissue offers listeners the chance to rediscover the work that launched Saeko’s international journey, a journey that saw her tour with Doro Pesch in 2004 and become the first Asian female artist to perform at Wacken Open Air in 2005.
Often hailed as a milestone for Japanese women in the global metal scene, Saeko’s debut album represents a unique cultural bridge between East and West, between deeply personal songwriting and the grandeur of European melodic power metal.
“It’s been over twenty years since I first recorded these songs,” Saeko shares.
“Back then, touring with Doro and standing on the Wacken stage as a Japanese woman felt almost impossible, yet it happened. Now, after all these years, I wanted listeners to reconnect with that starting point before hearing how far these songs have evolved.”
Now, two decades later, it stands again as a bridge between the past and the future, leading to the upcoming mini-album that will feature three newly re-recorded tracks from this original work.
SAEKO line-up:
Saeko Kitamae – Vocals
Guido Benedetti – Guitars
Alessandro Sala – Bass
Michael Ehre – Drums
SAEKO ON THE WEB:
Metal Odyssey > Heavy Metal Music Blog 
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