"Abnormalize" (stylized in all lowercase) is a song by Japanese rock band Ling Tosite Sigure. Released as a single on November 14, 2012, through Sony Music Associated Records, it served as the opening theme for the first season of the Japanese anime series Psycho-Pass. It was the first and only single released for their fifth studio album I'mperfect.
Background and release On September 4, 2012, it was announced that a new song by Ling Tosite Sigure would be revealed during livestreams on YouTube and Ustream (now IBM Watson Media) on September 7, which wound up being "Abnormalize". The CD single was scheduled for release on November 14 in two versions: a standard edition including the B-side "Make Up Syndrome", and a limited edition containing a DVD with the title track's music video. On September 14, it was announced that the song would serve as the opening theme for the anime series Psycho-Pass, scheduled to air on October 11. Vocalist and guitarist TK commented:
For a one-day event on October 12, the track was split into five 43-second ringtones available to download on the digital music distribution website RecoChoku. Downloading all versions revealed the full song, as well as granted a wallpaper featuring the single's cover art. Three other ringtone versions were available to download the following day: a chorus version, an intro version, and a final chorus guitar solo version.
On October 22, the song was played in its entirety for the first time on the Japanese radio program School of Lock! The following day, a special website was published to promote the single, which contained a demo version, music video, and behind-the-scenes photos.
"Abnormalize" marked Ling Tosite Sigure's second single release under Sony Music Japan and their first since their third studio album Still a Sigure Virgin? in 2010.
Composition and lyrics "Abnormalize" is a post-hardcore and alternative rock song, composed in the key of B-flat major and is set in time signature of common time with a tempo of 87 BPM. It was written, arranged, produced, and composed by TK.
TK entrusted the mixing process to engineer Tohru Takayama as a way to expand their sound. He stated, "I wanted someone to cook it up from a different angle. I think whether we can properly incorporate the sound that someone else has touched into our own form depends on how clearly we can see the sound we want to create".
TK began writing the song shortly after looking at the series's promotional illustrations and story summary. The tentative title of the song was "Plastic", with both tracks mentioning "plastic" prominantly. When asked about his description of Psycho-Pass's setting as a "plastic world", TK commented as follows:
Cover version A cover by fictional band Afterglow (Ran Mitake, voiced by Ayane Sakura) was added to the mobile game BanG Dream! Girls Band Party! on September 12, 2022, serving as a tie-in with TK. It was later included on the CD for BanG Dream! Girls Band Party! Cover Collection Vol.7 on December 14.
Track listing
Credits and personnel Credits adapted from the liner notes.Ling Tosite Sigure (2012). Abnormalize (liner notes). Japan: Sony Music Associated Records. AICL-2452.
Toru Kitajima – vocals, guitar, composer, arranger, songwriter, producer, recording engineer Masatoshi Nakano / Pierre Nakano – drums Miyoko Nakamura / 345 – bass Fumiaki Unehara – recording engineer Tohru Takayama – mixing engineer Yasuhisa Kataoka – mixing engineer Tim Young – mastering engineer
Charts
Weekly charts +Weekly chart performance for "Abnormalize" Chart (2012-2013) Peakposition Japan Hot 100 (Billboard) 13 Japan Hot Animation (Billboard Japan) 2 Japan (Oricon) 8
Certifications and sales
References