While it's the band's first EP in four years since the lead single "Paradise (Kill the Silence)" (2021) from the band's seventh studio albumNonnegative (2022) was released as such; it is the band's first full proper EP in eleven years since Japanese exclusiveUntil the End (2014), markingOptimize as the band's first EP to be released worldwide upon release and the first release by the band to be fully rolled out internationally since their fourth studio albumVena (2015).
The EP was preceeded by three singles; the lead single "Incomplete" on 20 March, acting as the first ever thing the band released on their new label, the second single "Chasing Shadows" was released on 6 August, while the EP's third and final single "Free Fall" was released on 26 September.Optimize received positive reviews by critics, and has been promoted by a World Tour that began in September 2025, set to conclude in September 2026.
Optimize serves as the longest ever gap between releases of original material from the band, while at five tracks, it is the band's shortest EP to date, tracking at a little over 18 minutes.
On 18 March 2025, the band announced that they had left long-time labelWarner Music Japan and had put pen-to-paper on a contract with German based labelCentury Media Records on an international deal, while signing withSony Music in their home country.[1][2] Simultaneously, the band teased the lead single "Incomplete" before its release on 20 March as the band's debut single on their new labels.[3] On 27 March, the music video for "Incomplete" was released alongside aditionally announced German tour dates for August.[4] On 4 April, the band announced a fullscale European headline tour, kicking off inManchester, England on 22 November and culminating inFrankfurt, Germany on 13 December, the tour spans across 16 cities, including the band's first UK dates in six years, alongside their debut concert in Hungary.[5][6] On 11 July, the band formally announced their fifth EPOptimize, scheduled for release during an unspecifed time in theautumn.[7] The band simultaneously announced a One Man Tour across Japan to promote the release.[8][9] On 6 August, the band surprise released the EP's second single "Chasing Shadows".[10][11] On 9 September, the band announced that the EP would be scheduled to release on 24 October.[12][13][14] On 26 September, the band released the EP's third single "Free Fall".[15][16] On 22 September, the band uploaded a teaser trailer forOptimize to their social media accounts.[17]
