Straightener (often written STRAIGHTENER) is a Japanese rock band. The band started out as a duo with Atsushi Horie (vocals/guitar) and Shinpei Nakayama (drums) in 1998. They established an independent label named Ghost Records in 2002. Hidekazu Hinata joined the band as bassist in 2003, giving the band a heavier sound. In October of the same year they released a single, "Traveling Gargoyle" from Toshiba EMI. They have performed at numerous festivals and live tours. The band toured all over Japan during their Linear tour in 2007. Their latest tour will be promoting the album Nexus. The tour will begin on March 6, 2009.

Members [link]

• Atsushi Horie – guitar, vocals, keyboards

  Also plays guitar and sings for the band FULLARMOR

• Shinpei Nakayama – drums

  Also plays drums in the band, The Predators, with Sawao Yamanaka (guitar, The Pillows), and Jiro (bass, Glay)

• Hidekazu Hinata – bass

  Former bassist of ART-SCHOOL and Zazen Boys. Also plays bass for the bands FULLARMOR and Nothing's Carved in Stone.

• Jun Oyama - guitar

  Joined Straightener on October 1, 2008. Former guitarist for the band ART-SCHOOL.

Discography [link]

Albums [link]

• STRAIGHTEN IT UP (2000)
• ERROR (2001)
• SKELETONIZED (2002)
• LOST WORLD'S ANTHOLOGY (2004)
• ROCK END ROLL (2004)
• TITLE (2005)
• STRAIGHTENER Early Years (2005)
• Dear Deadman (2006)
• LINEAR (リニア) (2007)
• Immortal (2007)
• Nexus (2009)
• Creatures (2010)
• STOUT (2011)
• STRAIGHTENER (2011)

Singles/EPs [link]

• "March of the Corpse Soldier" (戦士の屍のマーチ) (2000)
• "ANOTHER DIMENSIONAL" (2000)
• SILVER RECORD (2002)
• Silent Film Soundtrack (2003)
• "TRAVELING GARGOYLE" (2003)
• "TENDER" (2004)
• "KILLER TUNE"/"PLAY THE STAR GUITAR" (2004)
• "THE REMAINS" (2005)
• "Melodic Storm" (2006)
• "BERSERKER TUNE" (2006)
• "SIX DAY WONDER" (2007)
• "TRAIN" (2007)
• "Little Miss Weekend" (2008)
• "Lightning" (2009)
• "Clone"/"Donkey Boogie Dodo" (2009)
• "Man-Like Creatures" (2010)
• VANDALISM/SILLY PARADE (2011)
• YOU and I/Hitsuji no Mure wa Oka wo Noboru(2011)

DVDs [link]

• BLACK STAR LUSTER (2005)
• EMOTION PICTURE SOUNDTRACK (2006)
• Remember Our Drinking Songs -Hello Dear Deadman Tour 2006 (2006)
• Linear Motor City (2007)
• Emotion Picture Soundtrack 2 (2009)
• NEXUS TOUR FINAL (2009)
• The Parade of Creatures (2010)

Split albums [link]

• DRAGORUM with The Pete Best (2001)
• ART-SCHOOL SPLIT CASSETTE (2002)

External links [link]

• Straightener's official site
• Straightener's fansite
• Straightener forum
• Straightener at Allmusic