Merry first full album Gendai Stoic was out in 2003. The disc was released through Fullface Records, the label of Kiyoharu, the leader of SADS, and sold out during the pre-orders. In subsequent tours of 2003 the band had a chance to share the stage with MUCC, Miyavi and SADS. In 2004 Merry recorded their second LP, the politically conscious Modern Garde (portmanteau for "modern avant-garde"), which made the Victor Entertainment label interested in the band, signing them in 2005. Merry's last indie release Sakashima end roll ~the phantom of the gallery~ (2005) was something of a technological curiosity at the time -- a maxi-single/DVD dual disc, -- but that didn't prevent it from scoring number two on the indie charts, paving the way for their first major album Nu Chemical Rhetoric (2005), which entered the Oricon daily charts at number one a day prior to its release. The CD was released in continental Europe and Scandinavia in 2006, just as the band's second major album Peep Show, came out the same year. The album was supported by a nationwide tour and an overseas debut, with Merry playing in Berlin and Paris. More touring followed in 2007, including some shows with the Japanese horror-punks Balzac, as well as a stint at the J-Rock Revolution fest in Los Angeles. Merry's third major album M.E.R.R.Y. was out in 2007, too (and charted at number 15 on the Oricon weekly charts). ~ Alexey Eremenko, Rovi