After being a couple of days back on FMA, and being reminded of the fact that it is FMA's 50th season, I thought I would describe in relative detail changes made to each group and also the shows each of my group will be presenting for this historic season in two PRs.

The Axis Powers Music Division has gone some relatively new changes.

Legion Tamburo Corpo has always been a stickler for keeping everything that they do in as authentically Italian as much as possible. From their name to their base of operations (all their pre-season training happens in Italy, meaning international members all have to meet in Rome!), this authenticity has unfortunately come at a great cost. By the end of Season 44, they had become more engrossed in fundraising than actual musical performance. It was then decided at the beginning of season 45 to take a hiatus as the group would reform itself to become a more effective performing group as well as a self-maintained organization. Now renamed Invictus and based in New York City, one of the most Italian-influenced cities in the U.S., the group is now poised to make itself known again to FMA as a premier D2 drum corps.

The IJD is known now also by another name: "Kanpeki," the Japanese word for perfection. The reason for this name change is because of the fact that many of its members felt that the IJD name has become almost synonymous with its early, electronic-based programs that often had judges asking Head Director Yokohama if they should rate their show more based on the fact that they used Macbooks instead of the precise, unrelenting skill of the percussionists involved. Under their new name, and with the use of slightly less electronics, Kanpeki hopes to display the true skill of Japan's best percussionists in their raw beauty, unenhanced by any artificial noise.

Der Reich Blaskapelle is the only one of the APMD that has retained most of its originality. Due to their increasingly controversial uniform and show design cues from the Nazi era of Germany during the 20th century, the group has been forced to relocate to the United States, where the group has also fared no better in gaining much attention due to its infamous reputation. From Season 45 until now, the group has changed much in order to hopefully shake off as many critics from the group as possible. Though their show this season again glorifies the German nation, it does so for its entire history, not just any one specific period. Head Director Schneider desperately wants to keep much of the originality of this group as much as possible because he believes "it forces people to remember our past so that it never again occurs in the future." However, he also does believe that if needed be, changes would have to occur if it means the group continues to attract more unwanted attention because of their uniform and name rather than their musical skill. The group is now based in Bismarck, South Dakota.