Hōyoku (鵬翼) is the fifth studio album by Japanese band Mucc, released on November 23, 2005. It shows the band exploring new territory with less heavy material, drawing from folk influences. The album reached number 22 on the Oricon Albums Chart.
The lyrical themes of the album are also a sharp turn away from the darkness of their previous albums.[1] The limited edition of the album includes a DVD with footage from their European tour. The first press versions included a second disc with two extra songs and had a blue cover instead of brown.[2]
Hōyoku reached number 22 on the Oricon Albums Chart.[3] Mucc re-recorded "Ame no Orchestra" for their 2017 self-cover album Koroshi no Shirabe II This is Not Greatest Hits, and "Mukashi Kodomo Datta Hitotachi e" for their 2021 compilation album Myojo. "Saishū Ressha" was covered by The Back Horn for the 2017 Mucc tribute album Tribute of Mucc -En-.[4]
^"ムック 旅鳥はどこへ羽ばたく？非踏襲の最新アルバム『鵬翼』完成" [Mucc Where does the traveling bird fly? The new unprecedented album "Houyoku" is complete]. Fool's Mate (in Japanese). December 2005.
