So the story goes... A man in a swamp is hit and killed by lightning. At that same instant another lightning strike somehow creates an exact copy of the man. Is he truly the same person as before?

For the group High and Mighty Color, their lightning strike occurred when the original female singer left last year to be replaced by newcomer HALCA. The verdict? We'll leave that for you to judge, but based on their new album "swamp man" it looks to us like HALCA can more than hold her own with her powerful but beautiful voice meshing well with the scorching vocals of YUSUKE.

"Originally, our ex-guitarist and I bonded because we both liked the Rolling Stones, and we wanted to play "Japanese rock from the good ol' days" so we decided to start a band." - Toru Horiuchi

The musical world that the Beatles and Rolling Stones created had a major impact far beyond the shores of England and the West. Case in point: The Psycrons, a Japanese trio hailing from Kyoto and Nagano. They play the classic guitar-bass-drums rock music familiar to anyone who grew up in the era of tie-dye and flower power but with a distinctly Japanese flavor all their own.

So come say hello to Toru Horiuchi on vocals and bass, Isamu Anboi on guitar and Wataru Fujie on drums and take a trip into the nostalgic past for some first class homage to a form of music that never seems to go out of style.

"I went to Mr. Bobby Watson's studio, and to the studio of Mr. Ray Parker Jr. as well. Everyday was fun to visit the studios; it was like a great picnic." - Madoka

For most Japanese high school students the idea of flying to the US to record with the likes of Bobby Watson and Ray Parker Jr. is the stuff of dreams. For Madoka, it was a reality. Gifted with an elegant voice and a passion to succeed, Madoka released her first CD, "Muses-Trap," in 2005 at the age of 17, a moment she describes as "the joy of having two holidays at the same time!"

It doesn't take long listening to Madoka's music or hearing her talk about her craft to realize what these international producers saw in this rising talent from Tokyo. With her annual birthday special on the horizon what better time could there be to learn the story of a passionate heart who believes that "Recording is a process where miracles happen. Those miracles give birth to a splendid new art piece. It's just amazing!"

"I was holding auditions in search of the ideal singer. After about 100 auditions, Kate came along… I knew she was the one immediately." - Yoichiro Ishino

For fans of the group AREA51 there can no doubt that Yoichiro made the right choice. Yoichiro Ishino and Kate Cain play a style of music that Yoichirio describes as "Melodic/Neoclassical metal meets catchy female vocals." Their first album, "Ankh," was released in 2005 to good reviews. In 2008 they released "Daemonicus," expanding on the sounds of their earlier work.

With another album on the way and a growing international fan base its time to say hello to the band who chose their name because "the mysterious nature of the place seemed to fit my philosophy of wanting to produce constantly changing music."

"This album is about unrequited love. To me it is a universal heartache when two people's heart temperatures are not quite matching… My album is based on love stories. My love stories." - Mari Iijima

"Echo" will be the 21st studio album from Mari Iijima, and much like her debut album, "Rose", it has been a true labor of love, with Mari immersing herself in every aspect of its songwriting and production. The music is powerful and poignant, driven by Mari's perfectionist desire to bring the music of her heart to the world.

Although Mari might have first achieved fame through the lucky happenstance of voicing the character Lynn Minmay in the popular "The Super Dimension Fortress Macross" anime series, her long and successful career as a world class singer/songwriter has garnered her international awards and fans eager to hear the next installment of her musical odyssey.

So come hear the story of a remarkable woman who says "Life gets tough sometimes. I think that a part of my purpose in life is to create the music and words to give people some peace and hope for tomorrow."

"I think the American part of me is a freedom loving, independent, cowboy boots kind of girl, and the Japanese part of me is really concerned about formalities and saying and doing the right things to respect others." - Lisa Furukawa

For Lisa Furukawa the world of music was destined to be an international journey. With an upbringing split between her hometown in Shibuya, Tokyo and the US, Lisa learned to appreciate the language and culture of both at an early age. Her latest album, "Reaching the Dragon," highlights her international background, drawing on a wide range of musical influences.

In addition to her own songwriting and performing, Lisa also spends her time teaching, traveling and translating music between Japanese and English.

"After I graduated high school, I had few choices, either I go to the Japanese University or get a job. I didn't want to choose either one of them…. I was thinking I might want to be either an actor or musician. So I chose Hollywood." - Tadahisa Yoshida

For his growing legions of American music fans Tadahisa Yoshida's fateful decision to move to the US to pursue his dreams was the right one. If it's the dark side of Japanese rock and electro music you crave, then you can't get much darker than "Tada-san." With rocking dance songs like GD (Genetic Defect) and Thalidomide and an onstage persona that's both scary and fascinating, its time to say hello to the man who says "I want to connect with people on every level; musically, visually, and emotionally. People pay to see my show... they pay for me to give them a show... I want to give them what they want!"

"I said to the students (with Puffy in mind) "Imagine this as a pop song for two Japanese girls" and I started to sing this little composition in a furious tempo with a high-pitched voice." - David Myhr

If you're a fan of Puffy AmiYumi, Fujifabric or Yuko Yamaguchi then you've probably already heard the music of the songwriting duo Anders Hellgren and David Myhr of The Merrymakers. When Tokyo needs someone to make that Boom Boom Beat, The Merrymakers studio in Stockholm, Sweden often gets the call. And yes the rumors are true: they really do play in an ABBA tribute band called Super Trouper.

Beautiful voice. Elegant fashion. Cello playing from the heart. That can only be the one and only Kanon Wakeshima, one of Japan's newest rising stars. Since the release of her début album, "Shinshoku Dolce," in February of 2009 Wakeshima has been busy making her international presence known with performances at the Japan Expo in Paris and Baltimore's Otakun. Her songs still doll and Suna no Oshiro were featured in the anime series "Vampire Knight."

With upcoming concerts set for Tokyo its time to take a listen to the masterful interplay of cello and voice from someone who is carving out a style of music all her own.

"When I was a kid I had the chance to perform in front of many people and got applause, so I think I decided to become a musician at that time."

Music got into the blood of Yasunari Okano of the group vividblaze at an early age. Now teamed up with vocalist and lyrist Miho Tezuka, the group are charting their own path in music, combining elements of Jazz, Latin music, Pop and House. Their first three albums "marin," "Snow Harp" and "PERIDOT" reflect this pleasing mixing of styles.