Optimize = Optdemise

Optimize = Optdemise
Optimize = Optdemise
Studio album by Coldrain
Released	25 September 2026
Recorded	2024–2026
Studios	Fennel Studio (Tokyo, Japan); Bazooka Studio (Tokyo, Japan); aLIVE Recording Studio (Tokyo, Japan);
Length	41:43
Languages	English; Japanese;
Labels	Sony Music; Century Media;
Producer	Ryo Yokochi
Coldrain chronology
Singles from Optdemise
	"Ex-Humanity"; Released: 17 July 2026; "Poison"; Released: 28 August 2026;

Optimize = Optdemise (stylised in all caps) is the eighth studio album by Japanese rock band Coldrain. Self-produced by the band's lead guitarist Ryo Yokochi, it was released on 25 September 2026. It is the band's first studio album on Century Media Records and Sony Music Japan after leaving longtime label Warner Music Japan.

Optimize = Optdemise is the band's first studio album in four years since their seventh studio album Nonnegative (2022), serving as the longest gap between albums in the band's history. It is the band's first album to be rolled out internationally since their fourth studio album Vena (2015), and the first to hold self-production credits since their second studio album The Enemy Inside (2011). It is also the first album by the band to include Japanese lyrics that are briefly heard in the third minute on the album's second track "Chasing Shadows".

The album acts as a sequel record to the band's fifth EP Optimize (2025), of which all of the EP's five tracks are included as the first physical disc of the album. The sequel Optdemise is a seven-track record of the album's second physical disc packaged together with the EP to create a twelve track double album titled Optimize = Optdemise. The concept of the themes of retaining humanity in a world being further consumed by technology and artificial intelligence creates an overarching narrative that serves as the band's first ever attempt at a concept album.

Optdemise was preceded by two singles; the lead single "Ex-Humanity" was released alongside the album's reveal on 17 July 2026, while the second single "Poison" features Bert McCracken, the frontman from American rock band The Used, which dropped on 28 August. The album also features Crossfaith vocalist Kenta Koie on the album's final track "Savior". Tracking at a little over 41 minutes, the album received positive reviews by critics.

Track listing

All lyrics written by Masato Hayakawa, all music composed by Masato Hayakawa and Ryo Yokochi, except when noted.

Disc one – *Optimize* track listing
No.	Title	Length
1.	"Optimize"	3:57
2.	"Chasing Shadows"	3:47
3.	"Digitoll"	3:24
4.	"Incomplete"	3:35
5.	"Free Fall"	3:29
Total length:		18:13

Disc two – *Optdemise* track listing
No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"Ex-Humanity"		3:12
2.	"Rest of Me"		3:04
3.	"Poison" (featuring Bert McCracken)	Masato Hayakawa Bert McCracken Ryo Yokochi	3:35
4.	"G.I.A.I.G" (Give It All I Got)		3:11
5.	"Sing"		3:29
6.	"Picture Perfect Hell"		3:17
7.	"Savior" (featuring Kenta Koie)	Hayakawa Yokochi Kenta Koie	3:40
Total length:			23:30 (41:43)

*Live at Blare Fest 2026* limited edition
No.	Title	Original album
1.	"Free Fall" (Day 1)	Optimize
2.	"Paradise (Kill the Silence)" (Day 1)	Nonnegative
3.	"Adrenaline" (Day 1)	The Enemy Inside
4.	"Vena" (Day 1)	Vena
5.	"Fire in the Sky" (Day 1)	Vena
6.	"Digitoll" (Day 1)	Optimize
7.	"Vengeance" (Day 1)	Final Destination (XV Re:Recorded)
8.	"New Dawn" (Day 2)	Non album single
9.	"Incomplete" (Day 2)	Optimize
10.	"Envy" (Day 2)	Fateless
11.	"Cut Me" (Day 2)	Nonnegative
12.	"The Side Effects" (Day 2)	Final Destination
13.	"Chasing Shadows" (Day 2)	Optimize
14.	"Optimize" (Day 2)	Optimize
15.	"Final Destination" (Day 2)	Final Destination

Notes

All track titles are stylised in all caps.
The international physical version of "Chasing Shadows" omits the Japanese lyrics.

Personnel

Credits adapted from the album's liner notes and Tidal.

Coldrain

Masato David Hayakawa (マサト, Masato) – lead vocals, composition, lyrics, arrangements
Ryo Yokochi (ヨコチ, Y.K.C.) – lead guitar, composition, programming, production, engineering, arrangements
Kazuya Sugiyama (スギ, Sugi) – rhythm guitar, backing vocals, arrangements
Ryo Shimizu (リョウ, RxYxO) – bass guitar, backing vocals, arrangements
Katsuma Minatani (カツマ, Katsuma) – drums, percussion, arrangements

Additional musicians

Bert McCracken – vocals, lyrics (8) (ASCND Studios, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia)
Kenta Koie (ケンタ, Kenta) – vocals, lyrics (12)

Additional personnel

Sam Guaiana – mixing
Mike Kalajian – mastering (Rogue Planet Mastering, Gardiner, New York, US)
Steven McNair – engineering
Ingrid Oram – engineering (8) (ASCND Studios, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia)
Greg Stace – engineering (8) (ASCND Studios, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia)
Ryo Trackmaker – engineering

Charts

Weekly charts

Weekly chart performance for *Optimize = Optdemise*
Chart (2026)	Peak position
Japanese Albums (Oricon)	14
Japanese Combined Albums (Oricon)	20
Japanese Rock Albums (Oricon)	1
Japanese Download Albums (Billboard)	12
Japanese Top Album Sales (Billboard)	13
North American Heavy Albums (NACC)	10

Monthly charts

Monthly chart performance for *Optimize = Optdemise*
Chart (2026)	Peak position
Japanese Rock Albums (Oricon)	8

Release history

Release history and formats for *Optimize = Optdemise*
Region	Date	Format	Label
Japan	25 September 2026	CD LP Digital download streaming	Sony Music
Europe North America	25 September 2026	CD LP Digital download streaming	Century Media
Australia	2 October 2026	CD LP	Century Media

References

↑ "Optimize = Optdemise [w/ DVD, Limited Edition]: Coldrain" (in Japanese). CDJapan. 25 September 2026. Retrieved 29 September 2026.
↑ Coldrain (2026). Optimize = Optdemise (booklet). Century Media.
↑ "Optimize = Optdemise: Coldrain". Tidal. 25 September 2026. Retrieved 1 October 2026.
↑ "Weekly Album Ranking: Dated October 5, 2026" (in Japanese). Oricon. 5 October 2026. Archived from the original on 30 September 2026. Retrieved September 30, 2026.
↑ "Weekly Combined Album Ranking: Dated October 5, 2026" (in Japanese). Oricon. October 5, 2026. Archived from the original on 30 September 2026. Retrieved 30 September 2026.
↑ "Oricon Top 20 Rock" (in Japanese). Oricon. 5 October 2026. Archived from the original on 30 September 2026. Retrieved 30 September 2026.
↑ "Download Albums [Published on 2026/09/30]". Billboard Japan (in Japanese). 30 September 2022. Retrieved 1 October 2026.
↑ "Top Albums Sales [Published on 2026/09/30]". Billboard Japan (in Japanese). 30 September 2026. Retrieved 1 October 2026.
↑ "Top 30 Heavy Charts: Week Ending October 6". NACC. 6 October 2026. Archived from the original on 4 November 2026. Retrieved 4 November 2026.
↑ "Oricon Top 30 Rock Albums: 2026-09" (in Japanese). Oricon. Archived from the original on October 14, 2026. Retrieved October 14, 2026.
↑ "OPTIMIZE = OPTDEMISE". Sony Music Japan. 25 September 2026. Retrieved 22 September 2026.
↑ "Coldrain: Optimize = Optdemise". HMV. 25 September 2026. Retrieved 22 September 2026.
↑ "Optimize Equals Optdemise: Coldrain". Sanity. 2 October 2026. Retrieved 22 September 2026.

External links

Optimize = Optdemise at Discogs (list of releases)
Optimize = Optdemise at MusicBrainz (list of releases)
Optimize = Optdemise at YouTube (streamed copy where licensed)

[1] "Optimize = Optdemise [w/ DVD, Limited Edition]: Coldrain" (in Japanese). CDJapan. 25 September 2026. Retrieved 29 September 2026.

[booklet-2] Coldrain (2026). Optimize = Optdemise (booklet). Century Media.

[3] "Optimize = Optdemise: Coldrain". Tidal. 25 September 2026. Retrieved 1 October 2026.

[4] "Weekly Album Ranking: Dated October 5, 2026" (in Japanese). Oricon. 5 October 2026. Archived from the original on 30 September 2026. Retrieved September 30, 2026.

[5] "Weekly Combined Album Ranking: Dated October 5, 2026" (in Japanese). Oricon. October 5, 2026. Archived from the original on 30 September 2026. Retrieved 30 September 2026.

[6] "Oricon Top 20 Rock" (in Japanese). Oricon. 5 October 2026. Archived from the original on 30 September 2026. Retrieved 30 September 2026.

[7] "Download Albums [Published on 2026/09/30]". Billboard Japan (in Japanese). 30 September 2022. Retrieved 1 October 2026.

[8] "Top Albums Sales [Published on 2026/09/30]". Billboard Japan (in Japanese). 30 September 2026. Retrieved 1 October 2026.

[9] "Top 30 Heavy Charts: Week Ending October 6". NACC. 6 October 2026. Archived from the original on 4 November 2026. Retrieved 4 November 2026.

[10] "Oricon Top 30 Rock Albums: 2026-09" (in Japanese). Oricon. Archived from the original on October 14, 2026. Retrieved October 14, 2026.

[11] "OPTIMIZE = OPTDEMISE". Sony Music Japan. 25 September 2026. Retrieved 22 September 2026.

[12] "Coldrain: Optimize = Optdemise". HMV. 25 September 2026. Retrieved 22 September 2026.

[13] "Optimize Equals Optdemise: Coldrain". Sanity. 2 October 2026. Retrieved 22 September 2026.

v t e Coldrain
Masato Hayakawa Ryo Yokochi Kazuya Sugiyama Ryo Shimizu Katsuma Minatani
Studio albums	Final Destination The Enemy Inside The Revelation Vena Fateless The Side Effects Nonnegative Optimize = Optdemise
Re-recorded albums	Final Destination (XV Re:Recorded)
EPs	Nothing Lasts Forever Through Clarity Until the End Paradise (Kill the Silence) Optimize
Live albums	Three Days of Adrenaline Evolve 20180206 Live at Budokan Live & Backstage at Blare Fest. 2020 15x(5+U) Live at Yokohama Arena
Maxi-singles	Fiction 8AM Vena II
Digital singles	"The War Is On" "Gone" "Revolution" "Coexist" "January 1st" "Mayday" "Paradise (Kill the Silence)" "Calling" "Before I Go" "Vengeance" "Chasing Shadows"