“I Felt Like I Was Operating At The Top Of My Abilities As a Singer, For Sure. I Think I’m Growing. I’m Trying To Get More Consistent At Everything. That’s The Goal”
I WANT BLOOD
「私はこのレコードのファンだ。もし私が私でなく、ALICE IN CHAINS のメンバーでなかったとしても、ALICE IN CHAINS の作品と私が作ったソロ作品のファンになっていただろう」
ヘヴィ・ミュージックの世界は永遠に流動的で、新しい声は台頭し、常に驚くべき進化を遂げています。
2024年夏季オリンピック・パリ大会では、開会式でフランスのメタルバンド、GOJIRA が大活躍を果たしました。7月、このバンドは、かつてマリー・アントワネットが幽閉され、死刑判決を受けた中世のコンシェルジュリー宮殿で、火柱が立ちのぼり、窓から何人もの首を切られたアントワネットが歌う中、雷鳴のように19世紀のフランス国歌 “Ah!Ça Ira” を轟かせました。
セーヌ川のほとりから世界中に、妥協のないメタルが鳴り響いたことに、Jerry Cantrell は目を細めます。
「クールで意外な選択だと思った。時代が良い方向に変わってきているのかもしれない」
もちろん、変わるものもあれば、変わらぬものも存在します。Cantrell にとって、創造の瞬間はこれまでと同じです。その感覚は、彼が若いギタリストとしてシアトルのガレージやベッドルームで過ごした時間と何ら変わらないのですから。
ALICE IN CHAINS のギタリストは、そうした初期の日々をはっきりと覚えています。
「そこでマリファナを吸ったり、RUSH のレコードを聴いたり、ドラムキットが半分しかなくても仲間と一緒に演奏してみたり。そういうのが好きだったんだ」
シアトルのシーンも懐かしく回想します。
「私たちの前にも、HEART や QUEENSRYCHE がいてずっと活気のあるシーンだった。音楽や芸術が盛んな土地でね。大都市じゃないから、誰からも干渉されずに熟成する時間があった。そして、ここで何かが起こっていると感じ、気がつけば自分もその一部となっていた。19歳や20歳の若者にとっては、それはかなりクールなことだった。
我々はMTVを開拓した最初のバンドともいえた。SOUNDGARDEN もね。シーンにとっては、MOTHER LOVE BONE も本当に重要なバンドだったし、MAD HONEY も、GREEN RIVER もいた。彼らみんなが小さな足がかりとなった。
一緒に仕事をしていなくても、我々はそれぞれが個人として、グループとして、お互いに助け合っていたよ。そしてその成功のひとつひとつが、より大きなものへとつながっていき、臨界点に達して、PEARL JAM や NIRVANA が誕生したんだ」
だからこそ、Cantrell は UK のバンドに大きな影響を受けたといいます。
「私はイギリスのバンドに大きな影響を受けた。JUDAS PRIEST, BLACK SABBATH, LED ZEPPELINなど当時はあの場所に素晴らしい音楽が圧倒的に多かった。量も質もね。これらのバンドはすべて、何らかの形で、互いに影響を与え合ったり、刺激し合ったり、誰かが別の道を進むための分岐点を作ったりしていた。そういう環境は、私たちの小さな町で一握りのバンドで起こったことと似ていて、健全なレベルの尊敬と同時に競争があり、それがすべてのバンドの成長に拍車をかけたんだ。多くのUKバンドも同じだと思う。
だから “British Steel” が好きなんだ。すべてのメタル・ヘッズにとって特別で時代を代表するレコードのひとつだ。Dimebag やVinnie Paul と何度一緒になったかわからないけど、Dime はいつも首にこのカミソリの刃のペンダントをしていたね。
このリフは、私が最初に弾き方を覚えたリフなんだ。K.K. と Glenn Tipton は、メタル界における名デュアル・ギターで、Rob Halford はまさに最高だ。彼のような人はいない」
一方で今、ロサンゼルスやシアトルの自宅のリビングルームで、Cantrell と彼の仲間たちは、アンプとペダル、電子ドラム・キットに接続し、ヘッドホンをつけて演奏します。彼の横に座るのは、ベーシストのDuff McKagan (Guns N’ Roses) と Robert Trujillo (Metallica), ドラマーの Gil Sharone (Marilyn Manson, Dillinger Escape Plan) と Mike Bordin (Faith No More), そしてコンポーザーでギタリストの Tyler Bates。
そうしてある日、”Let It Lie” となる曲が誕生します。完成したその曲は、Cantrell の新たなソロ・アルバム “I Want Blood” に収録されていますが、Cantrell はそれを、”クソみたいにドロドロしている” と表現しています。うなるギター、プログレッシブな中間部、ビッグ・ロック・ソロ、そして Cantrell の歌声からなるドロドロの叙事詩。”誰にでも呪縛がある/原始的な闘争衝動がある/相手の中に自分が見えるか?”
Cantrell にとってこの曲は、初期の SOUNDGARDEN を彷彿とさせる、重厚で荒涼としたロック・チューンで、彼がよく知るグランジの初期を彷彿とさせるもの。リビングルームでたむろしていたロック野郎たちが、偶然インスピレーションを得た瞬間から物語が始まりました。
「フリーフォームのジャムをやっていて、偶然あのリフを見つけたんだ。そうしたら Bates が別の何かで反応した。彼はただ、クールだね、という感じで私を見ていた。ジャムの段階やデモの段階では、少しローファイにしておくのが好きなんだ」
2021年のソロ・アルバム “Brighten” と同様にオールスター・ミュージシャンをフィーチャーした “I Want Blood”。ただ、”Brighten” は Cantrell にとって19年ぶりのソロ・プロジェクトでした。
その19年の間に彼は、2002年の Layne Staley の悲劇的な死によってキャリアを絶たれた ALICE IN CHAINS の復活に集中していました。彼らのカムバックは2009年の “Black Gives Way to Blue”。これはかつての AC/DC のように、ダイナミックなフロントマンの死後、ロックバンドが成功した珍しいケースとなり、アルバムはゴールドを獲得し、ビルボード200で5位を記録しました。その後、シンガーの William DuVall を迎えてさらに2枚のアルバムをリリースした ALICE IN CHAINS は、ツアーとレコーディングを積極的に行うユニットとして完全に再確立され、今年はラスベガスで開催された注目のシック・ニュー・ワールド・フェスティバルで話題をさらいました。
ALICE が確かな地盤を築いたことで、Cantrell はダウンタイムを手にし、1998年の “Boggy Depot”、2002年の “Degradation Trip” に続くソロ・キャリアに戻ることができました。このシンガー兼ギタリストはそうして “Brighten” で、エンニオ・モリコーネのハードロックと傷ついたバラードのコレクションで、新たな伸びを見せたのです。
「あの経験の後、私は燃え上がっていたんだ。もう少し早く仕事に取り掛かりたいと思ったし、時間とチャンスがあるうちにもう1枚やりたいって思ったんだ」
名は体を表す。アルバム・タイトル “I Want Blood” はまさに Cantrell の乾きと情熱を表しています。
「ALICE IN CHAINS の共同マネージャー、スーザン・シルバーとシック・ニュー・ワールド・フェスのためにヴェガスにいたとき、彼女に訊かれたんだ。タイトルは “Fuck You” でしょ?ってね!彼女は正しかった!私のカタログには、”Dirt”, “Facelift”, “Degradation Trip” など、強力なタイトルがいくつかあるからね。運が良ければ、核となる曲のひとつからタイトルをもらえたり、作品を体現するようなものをもらえたりする。”I Want Blood” という曲には、その両方があった。このアルバムはハードな内容なので、この曲のトーンがぴったりだと思ったんだ」
“I Want Blood” の曲の中で浮かび上がってくるのは、もっとヘヴィなもの。威嚇的な “Vilified” は、渦巻くギター、轟く Trujillo のベースラインと Sharone のドラムビート、そして Cantrell の特徴的な歌声が何層にも重苦しく重なりアルバムの幕を開けます。”Off the Rails” と “Throw Me a Line” を含め、ここにはたしかに ALICE IN CHAINS の初期から彼が生み出してきた印象的で陰鬱なロックのフックが溢れています。
「作曲だけでなく、ギターの演奏も歌もリスクを犯した。最高の作品というのは、自分が心地よくない場所にいるときに生まれるものなんだ。それをやり遂げられるかどうかわからない。もう少し安全なことをしよう。そんな考えは捨てて、とにかくやってみるんだ。そうすれば、きっと普段はやらないようなことをやったり、自分を追い込んだりして、自分が目指しているよりも高い目標を達成できるはずだ。中心から少しずれた、少し危険な感覚を味わうことができる。そして、偉大な作品になる可能性を秘めたものを作る良いチャンスを手に入れるんだ」
この9曲入りのアルバムは、Cantrell と Joe Barresi のプロデュースにより今年初めにレコーディングされました。セッションは、カリフォルニア州パサディナにあるバレージのJHOCスタジオ(ジョーズ・ハウス・オブ・コンプレッション)で、赤レンガの壁とヴィンテージ機材に囲まれて行われました。Cantrell は、TOOL, SLIPKNOT, QUEENS OF THE STONE AGE など、メジャー・アーティストとの仕事で知られるプロデューサーとのコラボレーションについて説明します。
「彼のスタジオに入ると、まるで10軒のギター・センターがひとつに詰め込まれたようで、過去50年分の機材で埋め尽くされているんだ」
EXCLUSIVE: INTERVIEW WITH KYNAN GROUNDWATER OF DIAMOND CONSTRUCT !!
“Bands Like Korn And Linkin Park Blend New Things Together So Well. We’ve Always Looked Up To The Nu-metal Genre For Being Something Truly Unique. That’s What We Want To Do In a Modern Way.”
Q1: How was your tour with Prompts from Japan? There are more and more great Japanese bands like them, are you interested in the Japanese scene?
【KYNAN】: Touring with Prompts was an incredible experience. We all bonded quickly and personally noticed how humble and hard working they are as people. From the moment we first met them at the airport in Perth it was apparent that they have a very similar sense of humour to us so we knew we’d get along fine. Seeing them live on stage was awesome because we’ve never toured with a band from Japan before – it was great to see their energy and how they portray themselves. It made for a unique tour package that the fans here in Aus were very appreciative of. We’d love to return the favour and get over to Japan to tour with Prompts. Safe to say the goodbyes at the end of tour were somber so I’m sure they’d love to do it all again on their home turf.
Q2: Speaking of Japan, “Angel Killer Zero” is clearly influenced by Japanese anime and video game culture? Why did you decide to make such an album?
【KYNAN】: The influence of Japanese anime and gaming culture on our latest album really comes down to our upbringing. Growing up in a small town in Australia – we loved watching the morning shows on TV before school. The characters and world building are what is really attractive to us.
As we were writing the album, I noticed a lot of similarities and connections in how the music and lyrical content matched the aura that these anime’s and games have. Stories of personal growth and heartbreak, love and overcoming boundaries with a group. That’s what this album is about. Similar to the storyline that a game like final fantasy brings you. We wrote interludes with voice excerpts from the games to tie in with that. It all sort of made sense to have a visual representation that matched the music and themes that we created.
Q3: The songs on the album pay homage to Evangelion, Akira, Gundam, Demon Slayer, etc. What anime and video game works actually influence you guys?
【KYNAN】: Shows like Dragon Ball Z, Yugioh, Beyblades etc. These sorts of anime shows had a massive influence on what we loved in terms of art forms and storylines. That grew into our love for JRPG video games like Final Fantasy and Kingdom Hearts. As we got older, watching shows like Evangelion and Gundam really nailed home the art form from an earlier time since before we got into Japanese culture. The art style is immaculate.
Q4: What theme or concept is behind the title and artwork of “Angel Killer Zero?”
【KYNAN】: It all actually came to me in a dream. I saw an angel crying holding her own wing and I vividly remember the three words ‘Angel Killer Zero’. I can’t really explain why but when I woke up I knew that what I saw was the album art and title for what we were working on at the time. It felt right the ambiguous title, the fallen angel. It all perfectly matched what we were writing lyrically and musically. The themes explore loneliness and abandonment, love, loss etc. So it made sense to put a concept of an anime or video game persona to the album. To make it digestible in a visual format.
Q5: Your way of incorporating noise into riffs like “I Don’t” is truly innovative! Metalcore has long been considered a formulaic genre, but I can sense your passion for evolving the genre, would you agree?
【KYNAN】: Thank you! We completely agree that the genre of metalcore is very regimented and almost gate kept by certain sounds or the way you are supposed to write riffs. We’ve always cared about originality. We don’t want Diamond Construct to sound like anyone else. So we make a point of trying our best to expand the sound that others have left for us to grab influence from. Bands like Korn and Linkin Park blend new things together so well. We’ve always looked up to the Nu-metal genre for being something truly unique. That’s what we want to do in a modern way. Create something new and recognisable that when someone listens to our music they can say “that’s Diamond Construct!”
【KYNAN】: ありがとう!メタルコアというジャンルが非常に規則的で、特定のサウンドやリフの書き方があるせいで門戸が閉ざされているようだということには、僕たちもまったく同意見だよ。
だからこそ、僕たちは常にオリジナリティを大切にしてきた。DIAMOND CONSTRUCT を他の誰かのように聴かせたくない。だから、他のバンドが残してくれたサウンドから影響を受けつつも、自らのサウンドを拡大させようとベストを尽くしているんだ。
KORN や LINKIN PARK のようなバンドは、当時の新しいものをうまく融合させていた。だからこそ、僕たちは Nu-metal というジャンルが本当にユニークなものであることを常に尊敬してきたんだ。僕たちは、ああいうことを今の現代的なやり方でやりたいんだ。誰かが僕らの音楽を聴いたときに、”あれは DIAMOND CONSTRUCT だ!”と言ってもらえるような、新しくてすぐ認識できるものを作りたいんだよ。
Q6: Braden’s “pedal dance” is what gives Diamond Construct its trademark sound! I’ve never seen a guitarist so busy pedaling around, How did he arrive at that style?
【KYNAN】: Braden is a very unique person. He loves to go against the grain and doesn’t like to do what is expected. His love for guitarists like Wes Borland, Josh Travis and Jason Richardson is what grew him into finding his niche which is the pedal dancing. He knows that he might not be the most shreddy or tech guitarist but he’s doing something that not many other people can do and we love to push the boundaries of how a guitar is perceived.
【KYNAN】: Braden はとてもユニークな人だ。時代の流れに逆らうのが好きで、期待されることをするのが嫌いなんだ。
Wes Borland, Josh Travis, Jason Richardson のようなギタリストへの愛が、彼をペダル・ダンスというニッチなテクニックを見つけるまでに成長させたんだ。彼は、自分が最もシュレッディでテクニカルなギタリストではないかもしれないことを知っているからこそ、他の多くの人ができないことをやっているんだ。僕たちは、全員がギターという楽器の限界を押し広げるのが好きなんだ。
Q7: The music of “Angel Killer Zero” is as diverse or major as that of Code Orange. Especially the crossover with Nu-metal, which has become a trend in modern metal, are bands from that era a big part of your music?
【KYNAN】: Code Orange are a great band! In the early days of childhood for us – our parents would put on a lot of bands that they were into. Bands like Slipknot, Limp Bizkit etc. So we grew up listening to Nu-metal from a young age. We almost understand that genre back to front. It’s undeniably the biggest influence in our music to date. It’s great to see that there is a resurgence in the crossover.
【KYNAN】: CODE ORANGE は素晴らしいバンドだよね!僕らが子供の頃、両親は自分たちが好きなバンドをたくさん聴かせてくれた。SLIPKNOT や LINKIN PARK, LIMP BIZKIT のようなバンドだ。だから僕らは若い頃から Nu-metal を聴いて育ったんだ。
僕たちは、そのジャンルをほとんど隅から隅まで理解している。これまでの僕らの音楽に最も大きな影響を与えたのは紛れもなく Nu-metal だ。だから、クロスオーバーが復活しているのを見るのは素晴らしいことだよ。
Q8: You guys have become even more popular with buzz on TikTok and Instagram. However, there are still many artists who would like to be evaluated on an album basis rather than such clipped videos. How do you feel about such changes in the music industry?
【KYNAN】: This is a really good question. For us, we solely care about writing original music. In a perfect world we’d love to be judged off our albums and songs in particular. But we also understand that the music industry has changed and you have to go with that change otherwise you fall by the wayside of so many bands. In recent times we noticed that to truly make a dent or to be seen you have to have a grasp on modern social media. It’s almost as important as the music these days. So we’ve taken it upon ourselves to learn that world and work on it, become better at it and more consistent with it.
Sure thing! We’d like to say thank you for listening firstly. It means so much to us that our music can reach your ears. We’d love to get over to Japan soon and show you all what we love to do, which is play shows and talk to new fans. Hopefully we get to meet you all soon.
EXCLUSIVE: INTERVIEW WITH NOISE OF KANONENFIEBER !!
“The Topic Of War In The Metal Genre Is Often Handled In a Provocative And Glorifying Way. We Wanted To Create a Contrast To That And Develop a Project That Depicts War In Its Worst Aspects, Serving As a Warning.”
Q1: There are many metal bands that deal with the theme of war, but few of them deal with the nameless people whose dignity, souls, and lives were taken by war like yours. I think it’s wonderful! How did you arrive at such a theme?
【NOISE】: I’m glad you like our concept! I was sitting down with a historian friend of mine (Dani B.) over a cup of coffee. We were chatting about the pros and cons of the local metal scene and came to the conclusion that there should be a band that deals with the subject of war, but without glorifying it. Dani and I agreed that the topic of war in the metal genre is often handled in a provocative and glorifying way. We wanted to create a contrast to that and develop a project that depicts war in its worst aspects, serving as a warning. This is especially relevant in light of today’s foreign policy tensions, as the suffering and death in war remain the same.
Q2: The stories of the nameless victims of war remind us of those of us today, and we can relate to them very well. That there is no glory in war, and that war must never happen again. Is (death, black) metal the right tool to tell these stories?
【NOISE】: I completely agree with you. In my opinion, death and black metal are the best musical outlets for the themes we’ve chosen. I don’t think there are any other genres that sound as dangerous and oppressive, while also being atmospheric and melancholic at the same time. Plus, I just feel at home in these genres.
Q3: I understand that one of the things that awakened you to such warnings and education was your great-grandfather’s diary about World War II. However, you are basically describing World War I. Why is that?
【NOISE】: The First World War was like the starting point for industrialized mass killing. Additionally, very little is said about this horrific war today, even though it laid the foundation for modern warfare. When I was in school, many history lessons were dedicated to the Second World War, but only a handful to the First World War. It’s important to me to bring the events of the First World War back into people’s memory.
Q4: Perhaps your message might be better conveyed to the world if you sing in English. Why do you still sing in German?
【NOISE】: The authenticity of Kanonenfieber is more important to me than being easily understood by the masses. My English simply isn’t good enough to accurately convey the soldiers’ slang. Another key factor is that the letters and documents I work with are written in German. Since I incorporate many passages from these letters directly into my lyrics, using German for Kanonenfieber was the logical choice.
Q5: Despite these many reminders, even today there have been major wars, and oppression and division have not disappeared. Is the path humanity has taken the wrong one?
【NOISE】: Less than a 10-hour drive from my home, a war is taking place. People are brutally killing others over territorial claims from the past. I just can’t understand it. I’m not politically well-educated, and I would never presume to discuss political conflicts. However, I believe that violence should never be a solution. Everything can be resolved through words and compromise.
Q6: Japan also took part in the World War, and the nameless people suffered tragically. The “Kamikaze” suicide attacks by soldiers were particularly inhumane, but there are still many who revere them. How do you feel about such illusions and propaganda created by war?
【NOISE】: So-called “heroic deeds,” such as Kamikaze pilots or the suicide mission at the fortress of Osowiec in August 1915, which went down in history as the “Battle of the Dead Men,” are certainly very impressive. The total sacrifice and the willingness to give one’s own life is, from an outside perspective, the ultimate form of devotion. There are no better propaganda tools than these self-sacrificing protagonists.
What do I think of it? Well, let’s put it this way: personally, I can only imagine giving my life in the defense of my loved ones. Anything else is unimaginable to me.
Q7: Your stages are also impressive, with trenches and cannons. And you are dressed in military uniforms and masks. Why do you dress like this on stage?
【NOISE】: With our show, I’m trying to bring the reality of war to the stage. For that, the stage props and outfits you mentioned are essential. Our show should be perceived more like a musical than a typical metal concert. In the future, we will incorporate more theatrical elements into the performance to depict the suffering and death in war even more effectively. Because if our show is meant to achieve one thing, it’s this: it should shock and make people think.
Q8: Finally, can metal be some sort of “antidote” for a world full of violence, discrimination, and oppression?
【NOISE】: No, not an antidote. The true antidote must form in people’s minds. As soon as no one participates in war anymore, there will be no more war. However, I hope that through my music I can provide some food for thought that helps promote this “mental antidote.”
First of all, thank you for the great and detailed questions. To the reader who made it this far through the interview: thank you for your attention! I hope that one day we can visit the beautiful Japan with Kanonenfieber to learn more about this culture that has shaped the world. Thank you for your attention.
Q1: When I heard “Miren” for the first time, I had the feeling that “metal has finally come this far”.
I have been saying for a long time that “modern metal = diversity” and this album was the ultimate example of that. It’s not melodeath anymore, it’s a genre called ZEMETH.
I wish the metal world would be tolerant enough to accept even a song like “HIBISKUS” for example, but of course there are “gatekeepers” in the scene who protect traditions and stereotypes.
Perhaps it would be easier to play “metal that is metal”. Still, why break down the barriers and move on?
【JUNYA】: I am glad you think so.
I finished this album with the feeling that it would be okay to have an album like this, an album that is like a pot of darkness, and there are songs that make you wonder if we can really call ourselves metal. I hope that the world will accept this album as a new generation of metal music.
Personally, I believe that the mindset is more important than the genre in determining what constitutes “metal. There are people who call enka “metal,” and I think metal is a very deep concept.
As a matter of fact, as a listener, I am more on the side of tradition, and I am the kind of person who longs for stylistic beauty rather than seeking new sounds, and I find it outrageous to mix melodic death metal and melodic death metal together. I understand the feelings of those who dislike Zemeth’s sound.
At the time of the first album, Zemeth was often said to be “not metal” or “not even melodic death metal”, but I thought, “Well, that’s true…” and I have not received any such comments since then.
I thought that the direction of Zemeth had become known to some extent, so I started to take on new challenges around the time of the EP “LONELINESS” released in 2022.
It is certainly easy to love metal that sounds like metal, and to send out a sound to people who like metal that sounds like metal, because my other project, “Bloody Cumshot,” which is more of a metal sound, is actually very easygoing.
However, I don’t feel that “Bloody Cumshot” is resonating with hardcore metallers due to the soft and effeminate image of Zemeth, so I decided to shake things up a bit, and that’s how Zemeth came up with this outrageous idea.
It may be fun to play music that I “know” in a closed community, but my strongest desire is for my music to reach everyone, no matter who they are.
Having lived in a remote area of Hokkaido without knowing the excitement of a live concert or the warmth of people through music, I would like someone else to experience the excitement I felt through earphones and speakers when I first became aware of music through Zemeth.
The power of melody is something that is irreplaceable in my mind, and I would like to continue to take on various challenges with a metal mindset in order for everyone to experience it.
Q2: your knowledge and passion for metal music is so overwhelming that you are able to silence the gatekeepers. When the name of OPUS ATLANTICA made a big appearance in an interview in another magazine once, I jumped out of my mind.
I have only my idol in that band, but I thought there were only about 20 Japanese who were knocked out by the three strongest solemn opening songs and the harpsichord.
I had no idea that Pete Sandberg’s name would be mentioned by an artist much younger than me.
But yes, there are some similarities with ZEMETH… Besides that band, can you tell us some “maniacal” metal bands that you would like listeners to listen to in order to unravel ZEMETH?
【JUNYA】: When I was in middle school and high school, there was already YouTube and Nico Nico Douga, so I mainly got my metal information there. There was a time when I was just consuming time and looking for good melodies from one side to the other with enthusiasm.
Nico Nico Douga, especially in the early days, already had a lot of maniacs uploading extraordinary soundtracks, and because of that (and thanks to that), I became quite an obsessive music fanatic.
I discovered OPUS ATLANTICA quite early on after I got into metal, and from there I got into Midnight Sun and others.
The first song I heard was “Falling Angel” and I fell out of my chair when I heard the distorted cembalo and synth layered sound and melody in the intro.
By the time I was 16 years old, I remember that I was already writing songs influenced by OPUS ATLANTICA.
When I think of my favorite “maniacal” metal, the first band that comes to mind is the Mexican power metal band LEPRYCORN.
LEPRYCORN reformed under the name GUARNERIUS after their breakup and re-recorded some of the songs from the LEPRYCORN days, but I personally prefer LEPRYCORN because of their less refined sound with a stronger sense of speed and melancholy.
Also, the song “As One We’ll Survive” by ALLEGRO, a Brazilian power metal band, is one of the strongest weepy metal songs in history, and the way the interlude is structured is a strong influence. It is great that the song is available on the Subscribe page.
Another band, CHESS from Argentina, is a very melancholy Spanish metal band, but as far as I can tell from Metallum, they have only released a demo, and I have only listened to what I can find on the Internet, but I recommend them.
I have always liked Russian power metal band ARCHONTES, which is a little known as “Hennacho Metal” among the fans, and their first album “Saga of Eternity” is a masterpiece full of catchy melodies.
And although I think they are categorized as V-kei, I think KLEIN KAISER from Japan is a supreme neo-classical metal band. Neo-classical doesn’t mean fast playing and sweeping like Yngwie’s influence,
I especially like the song “to freeza”.
The other one is METAL-X from Japan. The song “Scream In Thunder” is the ultimate HEAVY METAL. I recommend it especially to those who like NWOBHM and power metal, but anyone who truly loves metal should definitely listen to this song.
As for melodeath, CHAOS FEEDS LIFE is a project band formed by the members of Skyfire. To be honest, I like them more than Skyfire by far.
SUBLIMINAL from Ecuador is a melodeath band that I wish would be more appreciated for their unique riffs, even though their music is directly under THE BLACK DAHLIA MURDER.
HELSLAVE from Italy is a death metal band that I really like because I love DISMEMBER.
I have listed as many as I could think of, but you can see that my musical tastes are quite biased….
【JUNYA】: 自分が中高生の頃にはもうYouTubeがあり、ニコニコ動画があったので主にメタルの情報はそこで仕入れていました。ただただ時間を消費し熱量で片っ端から良いメロディを探していた時期がありました。
ニコニコ動画は特に初期の頃から既にマニアの方々がとんでもない音源を上げていて、そのせい(おかげ)もありかなり拗らせた音楽マニアになりました。
OPUS ATLANTICAはメタルにハマってから結構早い段階で知りまして、そこからMIDNIGHT SUN等も掘る程ハマりました。
“Falling Angel”という曲を一番初めに聴いて、イントロの歪んだチェンバロとかシンセをレイヤーしたようなあの音とメロを聴いて衝撃で椅子から転げ落ちて、その後”Holy Graal”の鬼チェンバロとサビメロで完全に虜になりました。
16歳の頃には既にOPUS ATLANTICAから影響を受けた曲を作っていた記憶があります。
“マニアックな”メタルで好きなものといえば、一番初めに思い浮かんだのがメキシコのパワー・メタルのLEPRYCORNです。
LEPRYCORNは解散後にGUARNERIUSという名義で再結成してLEPRYCORN時代の楽曲を再録していたりするのですが、LEPRYCORNの方が疾走感や哀愁感が強く、洗練されていない感じが個人的には好きです。
あとブラジルのパワー・メタルALLEGROの”As One We’ll Survive”という曲は史上最強レベルの泣きクサメタルで間奏の構成の仕方等かなり影響が強いです。しっかりサブスクで配信されているのが素晴らしいです。
更にはアルゼンチンのCHESSというバンドなのですが強烈な哀愁スパニッシュ・メタルなのですがMetallumを見る限りデモしか出しておらず、音源もネットで聴けるものしか聴いていないのですがオススメです。
ヘナチョコメタルとしてマニアの間では少し知名度のあるロシアのパワー・メタルARCHONTESは昔からずっと好きで、1stアルバム”Saga of Eternity”はキャッチーなメロディ満載の名盤だと思います。
そしてV系に分類されるとは思うのですが、日本のKLEIN KAISERは至高のネオ・クラシカルメタルだと思っております。ネオクラといってもイングヴェイの影響下にある様な速弾きやスウィープという訳ではなく、メロディの作りがクラシックのキャッチーな部分の寄せ集めみたいな感じで歌メロから間奏までとんでもないクサメロが耳にこびり付きます。to freezaという曲が特に好きです。
あとは何と言っても日本のMETAL-Xです。”Scream In Thunder”という曲は究極のHEAVY METALです。特にNWOBHMやパワー・メタルが好きな方にオススメですが、心からメタルを愛する人は絶対聴くべき名曲です。
メロデスだとCHAOS FEEDS LIFEというSkyfireのメンバーによって結成されたプロジェクトバンドなのですが、EP1枚しかリリースしてないのですがブラストビートにとんでもない美トレモロリフを乗せていて最高です。正直Skyfireよりも断然好きです。
エクアドルのSUBLIMINALというバンドはTHE BLACK DAHLIA MURDER直下の音楽性ながらも個性的なリフを持っていてもっと評価されて欲しいメロデスバンドです。
イタリアのHELSLAVEはDISMEMBERが大好きな自分にはドツボなデスメタルをやっていてとても大好きなバンドです。
思いつくままに沢山挙げてしまいましたが音楽的な嗜好がかなり偏っている事がわかりますね…
Q3: What I could sympathize with even more is Junya’s devotion to Spanish metal. Our magazine has also featured a lot of so-called “frontier metal” to show the vitality and spreading power of metal, and we have been insisting that there are no more “national borders” for metal.
That’s why I was so happy to hear that you created the finest Japanese Spanish metal with Elisa from DARK MOOR in “LLOVIZNA DE TRISTE”. Could you talk about the appeal of Spanish metal and “frontier metal”?
【JUNYA】: I got into music through video game music, and melodic speed metal was the next music I got into, but I never really liked the famous melospheres bands.
Symphonic metal and Scandinavian power metal didn’t really suit my skin. I got into a few songs with neoclassical elements, but that was about it, and I didn’t like them enough to follow the bands.
After listening to a lot of music, I realized that I like neo-classical metal, not melo-spy, and that I like music from Spanish-speaking countries, Russian-speaking countries, Sweden (melodeath), and Japan.
However, I think that language is not so important, but I am attracted to the musical elements that are rooted in the country.
Outside of Japan, I love Spanish metal and Russian pop music. In my new song “Mirren,” I have included some flamenco elements, but I think it is more influenced by Japanese J-pop, and not by flamenco.
I mentioned Domainer Spanish bands in answer to the previous question, but there was a time when I was attracted to Spanish-speaking power metal to death for some reason, while forever playing channels on the Internet radio that played only Spanish metal at that time,
I even did the odd thing of searching for power metal from Spain, Argentina, Mexico, etc. on the Encyclopaedia Metallum and listened to it from one side to the other.
I think the main reason why I got hooked on this band was because of MAGO DE OZ. I am not very good at major key music, but Spanish metal was the only genre that I could tolerate major key music, and it was MAGO DE OZ that got me hooked on it.
From there, I went through Spanish bands such as Furia Animal, AVALANCH, RED WINE, ARS AMANDI, SAUROM LAMDERTH, and Argentine bands such as IMPERIO and RATA BLANCA, and became a complete Spanish Metal fanatic.
I went to Spain because of my love for Spanish metal, but my timing was bad and I could not see any live concert,
That is why Barcelona is one of my favorite cities in Spain.
I am going off topic, but my musical strike zone is quite specific and narrow, so not only in Spanish metal, but of course there were many bands I could not fall in love with.
Dark Moor has a different quality of melody from other Spanish metal bands, and I personally consider it to be a different kind of music.
I wanted Elisa to sing my songs someday, which is why I asked her to sing for me! I would like to continue to work with singers from various countries in the future.
Q3: さらに共感できたのが、JUNYA さんのスパニッシュ・メタルへの傾倒です。弊誌もこれまでいわゆる “辺境メタル” を多く取り上げて、メタルの生命力、拡散力を示し、もはやメタルにとって “国境” など存在しないと主張してきたつもりです。
だからこそ、あなたが “LLOVIZNA DE TRISTE” で元 DARK MOOR の Elisa と共に極上の和製スパニッシュ・メタルを作り上げてくれてうれしかったんですよ。スパニッシュ・メタルや “辺境メタル” の魅力についてお話ししていただけますか?
【JUNYA】: ゲーム音楽で音楽に目覚めた自分が次にハマった音楽がメロディック・スピード・メタルだったのですが、実は有名なメロスピバンドって全然好きになれなかったんですよ。
シンフォニック・メタルや北欧のパワー・メタルがあまり肌に合わなかったんです。ネオクラ的な要素のある数曲はドハマリしましたがその程度でバンドを追うほど好きになれませんでした。
そこで色々聴いた結果メロスピではなくネオ・クラシカルメタルが好きで、スペイン語圏とロシア語圏、スウェーデン(メロデス)、そして日本の音楽が好きだという事に気が付きました。
と言っても言語はそれほど大切ではなくその国に根付く音楽的な要素に惹かれているのだと思います。
日本以外の国だと何と言ってもスパニッシュ・メタルやロシアン・ポップスが大好きです。新曲”MIREN”でフラメンコの要素も取り入れましたが、どちらかというと日本のJ-POPからの影響なので本場のフラメンコからの影響ではなかったりします。
先ほどの質問の回答でドマイナースパニッシュバンドを挙げてしまったのですが、スペイン語圏のパワー・メタルになぜか死ぬほど惹かれていた時期があり、その頃はインターネットラジオでスパニッシュ・メタルだけを流しているチャンネルを永遠に再生しつつ、Encyclopaedia Metallum でスペイン、アルゼンチン、メキシコ等のパワー・メタルで検索をかけて片っ端から聴いていくという奇行すらしていて、高校生の頃ですが狂気に満ちていました。
ハマってしまった一番の原因はやはりMAGO DE OZなのだと思います。長調の曲が大の苦手な自分が唯一長調を許せるジャンルがスパニッシュ・メタルで、そのきっかけを作ったのがMAGO DE OZでした。
そこからFuria Animal、AVALANCH、RED WINE、ARS AMANDI、SAUROM LAMDERTH等のスペインのバンドやIMPERIO、RATA BLANCA等のアルゼンチンのバンドを通り完全にスパニッシュ・メタル狂になりました。
好きが故にスペインにも赴きましたがタイミングが悪く何かしらのライブを観る事は出来ず、ただただビーチに半日居座ってトップレスの女性を横目にスパニッシュ・メタルに思いを馳せておりました、、、
そんなこんなでスペインのバルセロナという街は一番好きな街だったりもします。
話が逸れましたが音楽的なストライクゾーンがかなり特殊で狭いので、スパニッシュ・メタルに限った話ではないですが全てが盲目的に好きになるわけではなくハマれないバンドも当然多かったです。
Dark Moorは他のスパニッシュ・メタルとはメロディの質が違うので個人的に別の音楽性だと思っているのですが、僕がメタルにハマったきっかけがDark MOORでいつかElisaに自分の曲を歌って欲しいという思いもあり彼女に歌唱を依頼しました。
Zemethではドイツ語をよく取り入れていたりと言語はいっぱい使ったら楽しいよね!というスタンスだったので、今後も色々な国のシンガーと作品を生み出していきたいです 。
Q4: The other influences are “Ys” and Falcom. I am a direct descendant of the Ys IV generation, so the intro of “Miren” really got to me…
In fact, we have met many overseas artists who claim to have been influenced by game music, but it is usually Final Fantasy and Zelda, isn’t it?
Why were you more attracted to the music of Ys than those major titles?
【JUNYA】: It is a great pleasure for me to know that you can feel Ys IV from the intro of Miren!
The origin of my music is the song “MIGHTY OBSTACLE” from Ys VI, and I can say without a doubt that without this song, I would never have been awakened to music.
It was because of this song that I started listening to music, started composing music, and picked up a guitar, and it all started with this song.
Please take a look at my NOTEBOOK for more information about how I got into music and about this song! It’s a publicity stunt!
MIGHTY OBSTACLE, the most powerful melody “Why I became a melody supremo”
https://note.com/zemeth_obstacle/n/nc3791f96c1ad
And what kind of game has such a badass song in it? And I was even more surprised when I played Ys VI. What nothing but great songs…
Then I went on to listen to other Ys songs, and I realized that it was a miracle that all of them were masterpieces, and if I had to choose 10 albums to take to the grave, all of them would be Ys soundtracks, which has never changed from now to the present.
Ys Origin was released when I was in the 6th grade in the midst of my agony over Ys music, and it is no exaggeration to say that the Ys Origin soundtrack constitutes most of my musicality today.
Ys Music led me to listen to music from other Falcom products such as Sorcerian, Xanadu, Brandish, and The Legend of Heroes, as well as Yuzo Ancient’s The Scheme and others. I started digging game music seriously after watching the video.
From there, I started listening to a variety of game music, mainly music from Castlevania, Mega Man, Touhou, F-Zero, Romasaga, Thunder Force, and many others.
I started listening to a lot of game music, mainly from Dracula, Mega Man, Touhou, F-Zero, Romasaga, Thunder Force, etc. This may have been where my music mania began, but the FM soundtrack was so pleasing to my ears that I spent my days fishing for music from PC88 and other minor games and listening only to music from games that were crap games but had good music.
I liked to look for songs like “THE ALFEE made game music! I think I liked to look for music like “THE ALFEE made game music!
However, my opportunities to play video games have decreased drastically since I was around 20 years old. I was never interested in manga or anime, and even watching movies to the end was painful for me,
Even though I prefer non-fiction to fiction, I used to play only games, but since the reason for playing games became music, I feel like I can’t play games anymore.
Nevertheless, I still play Ys until I clear the game when a new one is released, but sometimes I miss it because I am not satisfied with the current direction of Falcom.
I think it is inevitable that the artists from overseas cite FF and Zelda because of their name recognition, but I think that many of them are strongly influenced by them in that sense as well, because they have a worldview that is popular overseas.
If I were asked about my favorite game music, I would say that the music of “God Slayer: Sonata in the Sky”, “Ninja-kun: Asura no Sho”, and “Uozu” are the best! I would like to say that..
Q5: other than that, you have other music such as Johnny’s, Tsunku, Vocaloid, Anisong, Influencer, and Songs, your musical fountain never runs dry.
Usually, the more one is fascinated with metal music, the more one rejects such “frivolous” music or feels “I hate this shabby music,” but I don’t feel such feelings from JUNYA, right?
【JUNYA】: When I was a teenager who started listening to metal music, I used to get irritated with the music. I can’t listen to hip-hop or reggae! I was so young when I was a teenager.
I was a young man when I realized that what I was into was probably not metal, but melody itself, and that there was almost no music I disliked anymore.
I think one of the reasons I came to this conclusion is that I began to realize how hard it is to create music after I started working seriously with Zemeth.
If a piece of music you hear is so strong that it sticks in your ears, then it is already family. It doesn’t matter if it contains rap, elephant noises, or gibberish. It seems that the music that I like is strongly imprinted in my mind.
The only element of music that I still don’t like is the cartoon voices. If the music is good, I can forgive it.
I think that people who listen to music as if it were fashion have no respect for music, and I think that’s what’s so shabby about them!
But of course, I think metaller women are great too! In the end, all music lovers are great and the best !!!!! Cheers !!!!!!!!!
Q6: I love the interlude part of “FROZEN ENGAGEMENT”. You are a guitarist with great taste and technique, what players in particular do you respect?
【JUNYA】: I am a composer, so I can’t really think of a player that I admire.
In fact, I have never even copied a whole song of someone’s on guitar. I have only traced melodies from game music or played riffs from melodes.
However, it is Toshinori Hiramatsu who I think is the one and only in terms of guitar solo tears and phrasing. I used to listen to Hiramatsu-san’s Ys arrangement music a lot, and I was really surprised when he later joined Falcom’s main version as a guest guitarist.
I was quite influenced by the way he makes the guitar cry and the guitar solo structure.
Then there is also Syu of GALNERYUS. I learned how to make a guitar solo from his solo.
Q7: Speaking of FROZEN, I also grew up in a rural area in Shikoku, so I feel very close to JUNYA who is based in Hokkaido.
Basically, there are no live concerts in the countryside, so I feel like I naturally immerse myself in sound sources. That is why I feel comfortable with the choice of “playing in a band by myself.
How do you feel about Hokkaido, the environment that nurtured you?
【JUNYA】: First of all, my motive for making music was to create a melody beyond the “MIGHTY OBSTACLE” of Ys VI, so I didn’t think much of taking the form of a band that requires members.
Even in the shithole countryside, I was once asked to form a band in a junior high school music class, and we had to play a certain V-type song with members, and the ultimate goal of the class was to record the song,
I was so determined to play only the songs I wanted to play that I practiced Dark Moor’s “Maid of Orleans” the whole class, and on the day of recording, I stood there and played the whole song just as I wanted.
I know myself well enough to know that I am a pain in the ass with no sense of cooperation, so naturally, I had no intention of forming a band with anyone.
My hometown is in a depopulated area where it takes 5 to 6 hours by car to get to Sapporo, and there are no train lines running through it, and it is far from other large cities. So, of course, I had never seen a live concert.
However, I loved nothing more than an environment where there was nothing but abundant nature, and music was like background music in a game for me, always playing in my ears and coloring my life.
I used to walk with my dog on the beach while listening to music, and I used to encounter fishermen and scare them while singing loudly.
I still can’t forget the first time I was given a pair of earphones and played “MIGHTY OBSTACLE” on my PSP. It was the first time I listened to music outside.
I went to a local festival that day and listened to “MIGHTY OBSTACLE” forever while playing with my friends, and I wore the earphones so much that my ears got a rash and started bleeding because I didn’t take them off. They were Daiso earphones with a scanty bass.
Looking back, it was probably because I had nothing that I was able to get into music so much. And I think that nature, which gave me inspiration, also helped me grow to this point.
Q8: Zemeth’s popularity overseas is really amazing. I keep seeing his name on more and more forums and sites. It’s great to see you spreading your wings from your bedroom in Hokkaido to the world!
If you had the opportunity to perform overseas and could freely choose members from all over the world, what kind of band would you be?
【JUNYA】: Recently, unexpectedly, many people found out about Zemeth through TikTok, and it is surprising that many of them are also non-metallers and they are all young.
I’m also a little scared that the project has grown so big before I knew it…
As for the idea of overseas gigs, as I answered in the other question, I have not been looking at players with much attention, so it is difficult to come up with a vision of the kind of band I would like to see….
If you give me about 10 years, I’d like to try my best to split up and increase the number of players to about 5, practice instruments, and do it all my way.
That would defeat the purpose of the question too much, so I’ll answer seriously: I’m thinking that the singers would be nayuta, Elisa, and myself, who have participated as guests on the new album,
Since I respect Falcom, I naturally want to have people who were involved in the “Ys” sound to play live.
In addition, if I were to mention an overseas player, I would have to say Michael Angelo Batio as a guitarist. I don’t watch many videos of guitar performances, but I watched his videos a lot.
As for vocalists, I love ANAAL NATHRAKH’s V.I.T.R.I.O.L. because it is crazy, and I would love to hear him sing his own songs.
Also, the vocalist I respect the most is Trevor Strnad of THE BLACK DAHLIA MURDER, so I wanted to hear his voice on my songs. I think his voice is eternal.
Falcom Sound Team jdk “オリジナルサウンドトラック イースVI -ナピシュテムの匣”
間違いなく人類が聴くべき名盤ナンバー1です。散々言いましたが今は亡き石橋渡氏が生み出した”MIGHTY OBSTACLE”は究極の芸術です。
“MIGHTY OBSTACLE””RELEASE OF THE FAR WEST OCEAN””ERNST”の3大クサメタルチューンはもちろん、キャッチーな”QUATERA WOODS”や石橋渡氏のセンスが光る”MOUNTAIN ZONE””WINDSLASH STEPS”など捨て曲無しの超名盤サントラです。
Without a doubt, this is the number one album that mankind should listen to. I’ve said it many times, but “MIGHTY OBSTACLE” created by the late Mr. Wataru Ishibashi is the ultimate art.
Not to mention the three great “crunchy” metal tunes “MIGHTY OBSTACLE”, “RELEASE OF THE FAR WEST OCEAN”, and “ERNST”, the catchy “QUATERA WOODS”, and “MIGHTY OBSTACLE”, the “MIGHTY OBSTACLE” is the ultimate art form.
MOUNTAIN ZONE” and “WINDSLASH STEPS”, which shine with Mr. Wataru Ishibashi’s sense of style.
Falcom Sound Team jdk “イース・オリジン オリジナルサウンドトラック”
竹下遼氏という今世紀最強のメロディーメーカー大暴走のサントラで、特に”SCARLET TEMPEST”PRELUDE TO THE OMEN”の二曲は人生の楽曲トップ5に入る楽曲で、他にも”GENESIS BEYOND THE BEGINNING””SCARS OF THE DIVINE WING””SAMSARA AND PARAMNESIA”という最高のコード進行に最高のメロディが乗った曲があり。
宇仁菅孝宏氏の至高のネオクラ”SILENT DESERT”も人生トップ5に入る楽曲の1曲です。つまりこのサントラのトップ5楽曲が3曲も入っているわけです…恐ろしい。
This is a soundtrack by Ryo Takeshita, the most powerful melody maker of this century, Especially, “SCARLET TEMPEST” and “PRELUDE TO THE OMEN” are two of the top 5 songs of my life, and “GENESIS BEYOND THE BEGINNING”, “SCARS OF THE DIVINE WING”, “SAMSARA AND PARAMNESIA” are also among the top 5. and “SAMSARA AND PARAMNESIA,” which have the best chord progressions and the best melodies.
Takahiro Unisuge’s neoclassical “SILENT DESERT” is one of the top five songs of my life. In other words, there are 3 songs in the top 5 songs of this soundtrack…scary.
Falcom Sound Team jdk “オリジナルサウンドトラック イース -フェルガナの誓い”
Oath of Felghana is a remake of Ys 3. Most of the original songs were composed by master songwriter Saneko Ishikawa. The original music was composed mostly by the famous musician Saneko Ishikawa, and arranged by the genius musician Yudai Kando.
The relatively well-known “Ballestein Castle” and “The Boy with Wings” are of course good, but I really like “Be Careful” and “The Strongest Enemy”.
Kozo Murashita’s music is the “melancholy song” part of Zemeth’s musicality, and he taught us what melancholy is through his music. He has a unique sense of melody.
The album “Dousoukai” is full of songs that would be called killer tunes in a metal album, especially “Yume kara sasarete wa narashita,” “Anata odorinasanai,” “I’m glad I was born in this country,” and “Subtract,” among others.
The beautiful melody of “Subtraction” is eternal, though it makes my heart ache to listen to it, especially since it is the last work he left behind.
I was greatly influenced by the “nostalgic” aspect of Zemeth’s musicality. When I was in junior high school, I was very nostalgic when I first heard ZABADAK,
I was convinced when I learned that the BGM of the educational TV program I listened to when I was much younger was actually composed by Tomohiko Kira. The somewhat lonely music reminded me of the time when the sun was setting.
Although Decade is the best album, it is packed with killer tunes such as “Poland” (which introduced me to ZABADAK), “Harvest Rain,” “How to Dream,” and “Water Dance (Original Version).
I have nothing more to say about the above three albums… I don’t think these three albums will ever change.
I don’t know if it’s right for a metaller to say that there is no metal, but Falcom, Kozo Murashita, and ZABADAK are the artists who changed my life in the three major genres.
In fact, I would like to choose all the Ys Music soundtracks, and for Kozo Murashita-sama, there is a collection of all his songs called “Pessimistic Romance,” which I would like to choose.
MESSAGE FOR JAPAN
After this interview, I still think that artists in the world should talk more about music. I think that only by presenting the roots and influences of a person’s music can we see the true meaning of that person’s music.
Artists who take selfies and talk about themselves with nothing to do with music and don’t talk about their music are not revealing what’s in their hearts and I have no idea what they are thinking!
If someone asks you, “How do babies come into the world? If your child asks you how babies are born, do you show them a selfie or talk about yourself? No, that’s not true!
I want to make the process of how my music is born public, and I want people to enjoy the musical part of my music more than my personality.
The album “Miren,” which was created by a very troublesome music maniac, was released on October 2.
It is an album that I have cooked up in Zemeth’s own way, incorporating not only my own roots, but also many elements of music that I have recently come to love.
Of course, it is a very concentrated album, so if you like it, you are sure to be hooked!
The length of the album is compact and just right, so you can easily listen to the whole album on a short trip.
The length of the album is compact and just right, so you can easily listen to it in one sitting when you go out for a short time!
EXCLUSIVE: INTERVIEW WITH YUSUKE SUMITA OF DEFILED !!
(ALL PHOTOS BY SHIGENORI ISIKAWA)
“I Think Everyone Has Something They Love And Can’t Get Enough Of. If We Pursue It With Full Curiosity And Love, We Can Reach a Certain Point, Even If We Are Complacent.”
Q1: “There are different killer guitar sounds. And there is more than one right answer. The search for the ideal guitar sound is a never-ending journey. Curries are no different. There are a lot of killer curries that I haven’t tried yet. It’s fun to explore what I love. What a good life.”
I liked your post on Twitter (X). I think it is very important in life to keep exploring what I love, to never forget my curiosity, to keep my passion alive and to find a place where I can escape from reality… In that sense, the search for the ideal death metal and guitar sound is an endless maze to find the goal, and once you’re in it, you can’t get out. Isn’t death metal the perfect genre to have your own maze?
【SUMITA】: Wow, you asked me about curries in the first question! I am very happy to answer that. I think everyone has something they love and can’t get enough of. If we pursue it with full curiosity and love, we can reach a certain point, even if we are complacent.
In my case, the things I can’t get enough of are death metal, tube guitar sounds and curries. As for tube guitar sounds, the “Mesa Boogie sound” from Metallica’s “Master of Puppets” shook my brain from the inside out, and I have been searching for “my” ideal tube guitar sound ever since.
I am still chasing that first impulse I had in my youth. As you say, the search for the ideal death metal is like being in a maze with no way out, and there is no end to the exploration. I am also still chasing that first impulse that curries had on me in my youth.
【SUMITA】: 一問目からカレーですが!とても嬉しいです。ありがとうございます。デスメタルに限らずですが人は好きで好きでたまらない、というモノが誰でもあると思うのです。前頭葉を揺さぶるような感動体験が皆さんあると思います。それらを好奇心と愛を全開で追求すれば仮に独りよがりでもそれなりの地点に到達できるのでは、と思います。
その「好きでたまらないモノ」としてデスメタルやギターサウンド、そしてカレーが私の場合にはあったのです。ギターサウンドに関してはMETALLICAのMaster of Puppetsのメサ・ブギ アンプの音に脳天から痺れましてズッと理想の真空管ギターサウンドを追い求めています。
多感な青年期にうけた初期衝動を未だに追っかけています。おっしゃるとおり、デスメタルは出口のない底なし沼でして、探求の旅に終わりはありません。カレーも少年期にうけた衝撃を忘れられず未だに追っています。
Q2: Interestingly enough, many die-hard metalheads are also crazy about food. I was born in Sanuki, so I am proud of my passion for udon (Japanese noodles), but it seems that your passion for curries is also extraordinary. Can you tell us how you got hooked on curries, how metal and curries are connected, and which curry impressed you the most?
【SUMITA】: I love udon as well. When I’ve visited to Takamatsu for a gig, I was one of those who was fascinated by Sanuki udon. The broth is completely different from Tokyo, and the noodles are firm and filling. With such great food in your hometown, I do understand you must go crazy with it.
I was fascinated with curries as a child when my father took me to eat beef curry in the dining car of the Shinkansen bullet train. Unlike my mother’s homemade curry, it had a tangy, spicy, mature flavor. Later, when I was in high school, there was a curry restaurant near the cram school I attended (Ichigaya) called “Curry no Osama (King of Curry),” and I developed a love for curry with spicy flavors. I also liked to visit to a curry restaurant in Nakano, Tokyo called “Ceasar” (now closed).
Also, when Wes Benscoter, who does our artwork, lived in Tokyo for a few years a long time ago, we used to go to a Pakistani curry restaurant called “Great Punjab” (now closed) in Roppongi, Tokyo on weekend nights. We became friends beyond business through our many curry parties. Curries were also a frequent part of our get-togethers with good friends in Japan. When my band performs at Earthdom, our home venue, we usually start off at a curry restaurant called “Nimto”. We call it our “pre-stage ritual”.
The most impressive curry I’ve had is the one I ate in Kolkata when we toured India in 2015. The local promoter gave us the best curry I have ever had. There are many different tastes in curries, and there are many different axes of evaluation. It’s like being trapped in an endless maze while chasing “faves”.
I think that’s what makes it addictive. I can say the same thing about death metal and tube guitar sounds. In short, it is a maze of “faves”.
Q3: In fact, Gunnar Sauermann from ex.Season of Mist encouraged us in our early days and always praised your music and humble personality. As far as social networking goes, I have seen that Defiled is looking for a real human network in the scene. You have toured a lot around the world. You’ve been in the “underground” death metal scene for many years, is it important for you to “connect to the network” and has it helped you move forward?
【SUMITA】: What a small world! I was surprised to hear you mention his name here. He was very supportive of us when he was in Season of Mist. I was invited to his wedding in Iceland and we all went to celebrate with him. Of course there’s a lot of business networking, but at the same time I think it’s important to have networking outside of business.
In fact, the kind of music we do does not always make us a lot of money and we are not just in it for the profits. There are many aspects where we are motivated by the “metal network”. And this is a scene where those who “like” each other work together organically through mutual trust and friendship.
We are fortunate to have been able to work in such a situation for many years, and it has encouraged us to move forward. It is only through mutual respect that we are able to move forward.
Q3: 実は、弊誌の黎明期に最もお世話になって気にかけて下さったのが、当時 Season of Mist の Gunnar Sauermann さんで、彼が音楽や人間性をいつも大絶賛していたのが DEFILED だったんです。そうしたご縁も感じつつ SNS を眺めていると、DEFILED は人との繋がりやシーンをとても 大事にされている印象があります。ツアーでは、非常に多くの場所を回っていますし。デスメタルという “アンダーグラウンド” な音楽を長く続けてきた中で、”つながる” ことはやはり DEFILED にとって大切で、前へ進む力になってきたのでしょうか?
Q4: I know you’ve been based in Okinawa for the past 10 years. I like to travel around the islands of the Seto Inland Sea. And I know the pros and cons of living on an island, such as isolation, distance limitations, and cultural differences. Can you tell us why you moved to Okinawa and why you moved back to Tokyo?
【SUMITA】: The islands of the Seto Inland Sea! They must be so beautiful! I would like to visit those islands someday. The cultures of the islands must be unique and very interesting.
As for how I moved to Okinawa from Tokyo, I would like to tell you my story honestly with apologies and repentance. The Great East Japan Earthquake in 2011 broke my heart and I ended up moving to Okinawa by accident.
The earthquake happened on the first day of our tour in Japan for our fourth album “In Crisis”, and although we managed to perform in Nagoya on the first day and Osaka the next day, the devastation was so huge that the whole country was in a mood of self-restraint and unable to perform gigs.
There were also power shortages due to extensive damage, and there was negative atmosphere that venues would also be targeted for condemnation. We had to cancel all the dates after the third day in Tokyo. Although it was unavoidable under the circumstances, it was a huge disappointment and setback for me.
I am ashamed to say that I panicked when the Fukushima nuclear power plant exploded and temporarily evacuated to Okinawa, where I have lived for the past 10 years. I am sorry to reveal this a personal story, but my father was from Hiroshima, and I knew about the deaths of my relatives from the atomic bombing, so I was very traumatized by radiation.
When I moved to Okinawa, I felt that the network and trust that I had built up over the years in Tokyo had been lost once and for all. In the end, I had to take responsibility for my panic evacuation, and I don’t want to make excuses, but I have accepted all the criticism and ridicule in the scene. In fact, I was in Okinawa for the first time in 2011, and I felt it was a completely different circumstance with Tokyo.
However, “tough times bring opportunities,” and there are great environments in Okinawa that you don’t find in Tokyo or other parts of mainland Japan, one of which was the private studio. It’s a freezer building converted into a studio. It’s located in Kokuba, Naha City (behind Okinawa University) and the rooms were shared by local bands. I contacted the boss of the studio and got a slot for one day a week to set up our own equipment and rehearse. Eventually we were able to rent a whole studio room on the top floor of the same building where we could rehearse and record with our own gear 365 days a year.
The line-up of the “In Crisis” era dissolved due to my moving to Okinawa after the European tour in May 2011. The Hamada brothers, who moved from Okayama to Okinawa, joined the band in August 2012. After they joined us, we spent every day rehearsing, chilling on the beach and enjoying local Okinawan street food. It was our dream time. Such a dream time came to an end with the demolition of the studio building due to its decrepitude at the end of 2018.
The Hamada brothers were originally supposed to move to Tokyo with me, but due to massive flooding from the heavy rain disaster in western Japan in the summer of 2018, which caused extensive damage to their parentshouse, they moved back to Okayama at the end of 2018.
Although our private studio was gone, I still liked Okinawa, and I lived a dual life in Tokyo and Okinawa from 2018 to the end of 2020, keeping my rented room and car in Okinawa.
There has been a “yuimar” spirit, a culture of helping each other, among Okinawa natives since ancient times. I have been helped by many locals and have learned a lot from them. Okinawa is already my second home. I am grateful for Okinawa, and I miss Okinawa very much.
Q5: “Horror Beyond Horror”, which means that the current world, the current reality is much scarier than fictional horror, right? It’s a great title, isn’t it? While many death metal bands deal with horror movies and gore, you deal with the corruption, absurdity and oppression of society and reality. In terms of attitude you seem to be more hardcore. Do you support the recent crossover of death metal bands dealing with social issues?
【SUMITA】: Thank you for your intelligent analysis. It has been more than 30 years since the death metal genre was born, and the variation of lyrics and perspectives within the genre has diversified and expanded. I think it is good for the growth of the genre to have lyrics expressed from different angles as well as musicality. There are many hardcore, crossover and thrash metal bands that sing directly about social issues, and as a fan of those bands, I have no qualms about incorporating such lyrics into my own band.
Of course, death metal is a genre where bands based on horror movies and gore are mainstream. As far as lyrics go, I personally feel that it is not necessary to stick to gore at all. It depends on how you define the ideology of death metal, and it can be controversial, but I personally support death metal bands that deal with social issues.
Q6: “Horror Beyond Horror” was inspired by George Orwell’s novel “1984″, right? Thrash metal giants METALLICA were also influenced by this novel, and unfortunately the foresight of a dystopia of totalitarianism, censorship, surveillance and authoritarianism is becoming more and more real every day.
Speaking of thrash metal and dystopia, VOIVOD was also a pioneers in incorporating science fiction into metal. Your music is weird and complex. Did they influence you?
【SUMITA】: The novel “1984″ is the inspiration for the lyrics of many metal bands, and our lyrics are also heavily influenced by “1984”. The interesting thing is that many bands claim to be influenced by “1984”, but if you read their lyrics, they all express themselves differently.
We have our own perspective. As dark entertainment, we write lyrics that can be understood by anyone who reads them. Sometimes our lyrics can be considered political, but we do not support or criticize any particular ideologies.
We believe that the absurdity of the world is something wrong that everyone can feel. We never intended to hurt anyone with our lyrics.
VOIVOD has been one of our main inspirations since we started. They are so unique that we have consciously tried to avoid their influences. We don’t want to imitate them, even on a subconscious level. The lyrics take on more depth and meaning when they relate to real and emerging social issues. This is exactly what we learned from METALLICA and VOIVOD.
Q7: Speaking of dystopia, the music market is also collapsing in a dystopian way: The CD market is almost dying and streaming is taking over. Artists who upload 30-second videos to SNS without releasing the full-length album are becoming very popular. Any thoughts?
【SUMITA】: I think there are pros and cons. One thing I can say is that times have changed drastically. How you look at the current situation and how you deal with it is up to you, but I think it is better to look at it in a positive way. The fact that exposure has become easier and the environment has become more appealing to new fans is a positive thing in itself. Even if you have to sell merchandise instead of albums, if you are passionate enough to bring your music to the world, you will try to survive.
Today we have too much information, it’s become common for people to judge their “favorite” songs in a limited time, and there’s a frivolity where people are judged after the first 30 seconds of listening. There are a lot of great songs that cannot be grasped in the first 30 seconds, songs whose quality cannot be appreciated without listening to them several times. I think that skipping over these songs would even lead to a regression of music culture. That is really sad.
Q8: I listen to “Horror Beyond Horror” a lot and every time I discover something new. There are not many metal albums that incorporate samba and flamenco. It’s a very challenging album. Or rather, your music has always been challenging.
As I mentioned before, you are going to break the “barriers” of death metal, hardcore, thrash metal and many other types of music. It’s great. I especially like the title track “Horror beyond Horror” and “Trojan Horse”.
The crazy, off-kilter rhythmic approach of the title track “Horror beyond Horror’ is even closer to CONFESSOR than MESHUGGAH. In fact, DEFILED is a band with very complex rhythms and stop-and-go. Do you transcribe in your songwriting?
【SUMITA】: I am glad to hear you say that our music is even closer to CONFESSOR than MESHUGGAH. I think you analyze music deeply and accurately. Thank you for your compliment on our songwriting.
Regarding your question about the transcription, in our case, in the process of arranging songs, we tentatively transcribe them as a basic briefing among the members, we mainly check the composition verbally while jamming, so we do not do the final transcription at that process. Since the recording is the final process, transcriptions are necessary to prevent discrepancies in interpretation among the members.
We are not transcription supremacists, although there are many things we have noticed after transcribing. Ironically, we have often found that players who need scores to learn songs are less able to analyze the songs than those who cannot read scores. There are technical metal players who do not use scores, but this is because they have good ear-copying and memorization skills.
As you know, rock and metal bands are not like orchestras, just a simple band of 4 or 5 players at most, it depends on the ability of the players and the texture, but in many cases it is not necessary to transcribe. I think it depends on the band and the music they play.
In our case, the scores are only used for a rough briefing and final reminder, and only as a complementary tool for efficient and safe communication among us, not as a necessary tool for writing and learning songs.
It is difficult to choose 5 albums, but if I ask myself to choose the 5 albums for my whole metal life, it would be the following 5 albums.
BLACK SABBATH “Paranoid”
ACCEPT “Restless and Wild”
RUSH “Power Windows”
METALLICA “Master of Puppets”
VOIVOD “Killing Technology”
MESSAGE FOR YOUNG GUNS
Last but not least, do you have any advice or encouragement for young musicians who want to start or continue a metal band?
I am not in a position to give advice to others yet, but I would like to encourage young musicians from the bottom of my heart. I want them to keep their passion for what they love.
There is a big wall between ideal and reality in band work. You will face dilemmas, frustrations and compromises, but if you remember your initial “passion” and persistently keep in mind what you need to do to realize it, you will find a better way. I will leave you with one last word: “Persistence pays off. Thank you very much.
new release from DIW on METAL:
DEFILED “Horror Beyond Horror”
ジャパニーズ・デス・メタルの雄、前作からわずか1年4か月で最新アルバムをリリース。
日本盤ボーナス・トラック追加収録!@defiledjapanhttps://t.co/c5jPZDvq85
COVER STORY : BLOOD INCANTATION “ABSOLUTE ELSEWHERE”
“A Lot Of People Would Say, ‘I Don’t Even Listen To Any Metal At All, But This Record Somehow Does It For Me,’ Which I Found Amazing”
ABSOLUTE ELSEWHERE
「PINK FLOYD をどう説明する?彼らはサウンドトラックを作った。他のこともやっていた。”彼らはメタルやロック、プログのバンドだ” と言われるのではなく、ただ “バンドの名前だ” と言われるような立場にいることは、とてもクールなことだと思う。そして、僕らもその段階に差し掛かりつつある。BLOOD INCANTATION はただ BLOOD INCANTATION なんだ」
一見、BLOOD INCANTATION の作品はとっつきにくいように思えるかもしれません。デンバーの実験的デス・メタル・バンドは、過去10年間、音楽的挑戦だけでなく、一見不可解で幻覚的なイメージも包括する世界に肉薄してきました。その哲学は、彼らの歌詞だけでなく、アルバムのアートワークにも浸透しています。
つまり、BLOOD INCANTATION を完全に理解するには、エイリアンやピラミッド、オベリスクの意味を理解しようとする必要があるのです。CANNIBAL CORPSE が “スター・ウォーズ” なら、BLOOD INCANTATION は “2001年宇宙の旅”。
難解な音楽を披露するバンドにもかかわらず、彼らは幅広く多様な聴衆を惹きつけることに成功しています。2016年に発表された初のフルアルバム “Starspawn” は、バンドの土台を築き、より壮大でプログレッシブな野心を示す、最初の突破口となりました。しかし、扉を大きく開けたのは2019年の “Hidden History Of The Human Race” でしょう。その代表曲は18分ものサイケ・エピック “Awakening From The Dream Of Existence To The Multidimensional Nature Of Our Reality (Mirror Of The Soul)” であるにもかかわらず、”Hidden History” は2010年代で最も幅広く評価されたメタル・アルバムの1枚となりました。そうして、ブルース・ペニントンの象徴的なアルバム・ジャケット(グレーのエイリアン、淡いブルーの空、謎の浮遊物)をあしらったTシャツは、インディ・ロックのライヴで見かけるくらいに有名になったのです。
ギタリストの Morris Kolontyrsky は、「多くの人が、”私はメタルをまったく聴かないのに、このレコードはなぜか聴いてしまう” と言うんだ」 と目を細めます。
“Our Music Combines Influences From Turkish, Bulgarian, North and South Indian Styles With Jazz And Fusion, And Then We Filter It Through Our Own Heavy, Rock and prog sounds and approaches.”
THE STARE
CONSIDER THE SOURCE の音楽は、70年代フュージョン、伝統的な中東や中央アジアのスタイル、プログの難解とメタルの激しさを巧みにミックスしたものです。ギタリストの Gabriel Marin は、並外れたシュレッド、複雑なタイム感、伝統的スケールの博士号、稀有なるフレットレス・ギターの流暢さ、そしてエフェクトを操る多才すぎる能力を誇ります。そして、3機のペダルボード、17個のペダル、2台のギター・シンセサイザー、2台のアンプ、そして異形のカスタム・ダブルネックを持ってツアーする筋金入りの機材ジャンキーでもあるのです。
ニューヨーク出身の Marin はピアノから始め、16歳でギターを手に入れました。1年半後には Yngwie Malmsteen の “Far Beyond The Sun” を体得。ハンター・カレッジでクラシック音楽の学士号を取得し、インドの巨匠デバシシュ・バッタチャリヤの弟子となり、デヴィッド・フィウジンスキーに師事しました。OPETH や RADIOHEAD の傑出したカバーを披露する一方で、彼はまた、バ・ラマ・サズ、カマンチェ、ドンブラ、ドター、タンブール、ダン・バウなど、伝統的なアコースティック楽器の演奏法も会得しているのです。
「バンドを始めた当初はロックに傾倒していたけど、常に違う世界のものにも興味を持っていた。最初はグランジやシュレッダーから影響を受けた。Jerry Cantrell と Billy Corgan はグランジ系だった。10代の頃は Yngwie Malmsteen, John Petrucci, Steve Vai も好きだった。そういうプレイを学ぶことで、たくさんのギター・チョップを身につけることができた。僕は17歳で、ギターを始めて1年半くらいだったんだけど、イングヴェイの “Far Beyond the Sun” を弾けたんだ。”ああ、僕は何でも弾けるんだ!” って感じだったよ(笑)。
でもその後、2ヶ月の間にジョン・コルトレーンの “A Love Supreme” と John McLaughlin を聴いて、自分の音楽がすっかり変わってしまった。テクニックはそこそこだったけど、それ以上の意味があるように思えたんだ。コルトレーンが速いラインを弾いているとき、それは “この速いラインを弾いている私を見て” ではなかった。スピリチュアルな音の爆発だった。
僕は、”よし、これが自分のやりたいことだ” と思った。僕はいつも、顔で弾いたりギターを変な持ち方をしたりするような、ショー的なシュレッダーが苦手だった。それは僕には理解できなかった。でもそのふたりは一音一音に真剣で、超高速で演奏しているにもかかわらず、一切無意味なでたらめさがなかった」
オリエンタルな伝統音楽にのめり込んだのはなぜだったんでしょうか?
「その後すぐに、伝統音楽をギターで演奏する方法を見つけたいと思うようになり、インド、トルコ、ペルシャの音楽にのめり込んでいった。幸運なことに、偉大なミュージシャンと一緒にこうしたスタイルを学ぶことができた。僕はフレットレス・ギターを弾くので、伝統音楽のフレージングや装飾を正確に表現できるんだ。
僕は伝統的な楽器を使ってトルコやペルシャの古典音楽を演奏するために時々雇われるんだけど、そんな時でもフレットレス・ギターを持って行く!フレットレス・ギターをそのような場に持ち込むのはクールなことだ。CONSIDER THE SOURCE では、超未来的なサウンドを作るのが好きなんだ。僕らはトルコ、ブルガリア、北インド、南インドのスタイルからの影響をジャズやフュージョンと組み合わせ、それを独自のヘヴィ・ロックでプログなサウンドやアプローチでろ過しているんだ!」