EXCLUSIVE: WORLD PREMIERE NEW SONG !! “DARKNESS” AND INTERVIEW WITH MARKO ADAM OF SPECIAL PROVIDENCE !!
“DARKNESS”
This song is maybe the most interesting or delicate one on the new album.
A very deep and emotional piece with a constantly pulsing polyrhytmic groove, which spice it up a bit and makes it hectic.
INCREDIBLE HUNGARIAN FUSION / PROG / METAL BAND SPECIAL PROVIDENCE SET TO RELEASE AWESOME NEW ALBUM ON 3/30 !!
ハンガリーから現れた SPECIAL PROVIDENCE。彼らの音楽を文字で表現するのは並大抵の事ではありません。非常にヘヴィーなパートもあればファンキーだったりジャズ色の濃いフュージョンだったりはたまたプログレな雰囲気も持っていたり。自らを progressivejazzrockmetalturbochill と名乗っているのは伊達ではありませんね。彼らの新作 “THE ESSENCE OF CHANGE” が3/30にリリースされます。個人的に彼らの魅力の一つは近頃聴く事が少なくなった70年代のいかにもフュージョンらしい爽やかで柔らかいメロディーセンスだと思っていたのですが、今作ではそういった良い部分は残しながらも文字通り CHANGE にも挑んでいます。具体的には今までほとんど感じる事のなかった DJENTY なグルーヴを各所で聴く事が出来るのです。さらに強力な武器を一つ得たといったイメージでしょうか。人脈的にも今作は DESTINY POTATO の DAVID MAXIM MICIC がゲスト参加していますし IT DJENTS, CIRCLE PIT といった新しいメディアと共闘している事からも彼らの CHANGE が感じられると思います。そして勿論、MARUNOUCHI MUZIK MAGAZINE も彼らと共闘します。新曲 “DARKNESS” を世界初公開！！加えてバンドの中心人物、ドラマーの MARKO ADAM に世界初で新作についてしっかり語って頂きました。
EXCLUSIVE: INTERVIEW WITH JØRGEN MUNKEBY OF SHINING !!
ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT PERSON OF MODERN METAL !! JØRGEN MUNKEBY TALKS ABOUT NEW ALBUM (WOW!!), MUSICAL INTEREST, PAST WORKS, AND MORE. YES !! JØRGEN ADMIT RELEASING NEW SHINING ALBUM SOON !!
JØRGEN MONKEBY。MODERN METAL 最重要人物の一人。ノルウェーのアヴァンジャズブラックメタル、SHINING のフロントマン。まず何と言っても絵になります。スタイリッシュで FUCKIN’ COOOOL!! どの写真を使っても大丈夫です！音楽は勿論、アートワーク、マーチ、全てがオシャレでアーティスティック。サックス、ギター、そしてボーカルまでこなすマルチな才能。MARTY FRIEDMAN, IHSAHN, DEVIN TOWNSEND, などなど引く手あまたなカリスマ性。彼のようなスマートな人物こそ MODERN METAL のバンデイラになるべきだと強く思っていたところ、その想いが通じたのか新作のファイナルミックスと DEVIN TOWNSEND, PERIPHERY との豪華すぎるユーロツアーの準備で大変お忙しい中インタビューを快諾して頂きました。そう、SHINING の新作です！！”BLACKJAZZ” で文字通り BLACK METAL と JAZZ の狂気を孕んだ練成に成功し、現代の KING CRIMSON, AVANT-METAL の究極形との評価を欲しいままにした直後の最新作 “ONE ONE ONE” ではロックの原衝動に立ち返ったようなシンプルでダイレクトなマテリアルを提示した予測不能なノルウェーの奇才達ですがさて次に彼らが向かう先は・・・現在話せる限りで新作について語ってくれました。独占インタビューです。どうぞ。
Q1: You said you are finalizing new album. Would you talk about that as far as you can? About when can we listen to that?
【JORGEN】: Yes, I just sent all the songs for mix a few days ago. Now I’m just working on the album track sequence and a few transitions. It’s going to be a very varied album, with some of the sinister darkness from Blackjazz on a few songs, some of the more organized catchiness from One One One on others. We also have a ballad on this one, so I’m looking forward to releasing it!
Q1: 新作の最終作業中と伺いました。出来る限りで構わないので話して頂けますか？
【JORGEN】: そうなんだ。何日か前に全ての曲をミックスに送ったところだよ。今は収録曲の繋がりやちょっとした変化について作業しているんだ。とてもバラエティーに富んだアルバムになるよ。”BLACKJAZZ” のような邪悪でダークな曲も数曲あるし、”ONE ONE ONE” のようにもっとオーガナイズされたキャッチーな曲も数曲あるよ。今回はバラードも収録されているしリリースが待ちきれないよ！！
Q2: “Blackjazz” was extreme form of the avant-garde metal meets jazz, I think. “One One One” was more simple, direct, and we can feel even punk or hardcore feelings from that. Why were these two album so different?
【JORGEN】: Personally I actually was a bit worried that the two albums was going to be too similar when I was about to release One One One. But like you say, a lot of people felt that they were very different, which surprised me a bit. But I can understand why, since if you compare them side by side, and not look at our earlier releases, they are indeed a bit different. But if you compare the difference between Blackjazz and One One One to our older material, then the difference to our older material is much bigger.
But in general, I always just make the kind of music I personally would like to make at the time, and that seems to change along with how my own taste and life changes. But the interesting thing now is that I feel our new album is a mix between the best parts of Blackjazz and the best parts of One One One. I hope others will agree when it finally comes out!
Q2: “BLACKJAZZ” は文字通り JAZZ を取り入れた AVANT-METAL の究極形といったアルバムでしたね。対して “ONE ONE ONE” はよりシンプル、ダイレクトで PUNK や HARDCORE の感覚さえありました。なぜこの2枚はそこまで違ったのでしょう？
【JORGEN】: 個人的には、正直”ONE ONE ONE” をリリースする際にこの2枚が似すぎているって言われたらどうしようって心配していたんだ。だけど君が言うとおり、多くの人はとても違うと感じたようだね。ちょっとした驚きだったよ。なぜだかは分かるよ。確かに以前のアルバムを考慮しないでその2枚を比較すると少し違うかもしれないね。ただ “BLACKJAZZ” と “ONE ONE ONE” の違いはそれ以前のアルバムとその2枚との違いに比べたらそこまで大きくないんだ。概して僕はその時作りたい音楽を作っているんだ。そしてそれは自分の趣向や人生と共に移り変わっているように思うね。今の興味の対象だけど、つまり新作は “BLACKJAZZ” の最高の部分と “ONE ONE ONE” の最高の部分を合せたような感じなんだ。リリースされてみんなが同意してくれるといいね。
Q3: So, it’s not easy for us to predict your interest about music or art now. Would you tell us about that?
【JORGEN】: During the last year I have been touring and writing non stop, and in such periods I don’t get to listen to as much music as in less busy periods, so it’s hard for me to pinpoint exactly what I’m into at the moment. I seem to check out everything that comes out, from Slipknot to Sia. I also have a slight re-ignition of interest in jazz again, which is probably why there are two instrumental and semi improvised tracks on the album. One as a short album intro, and one as a longer transition between to songs.
Q3: そういう意味ではあなたの音楽やアートについての興味の対象を知る事が重要ですね。
【JORGEN】: 去年はツアーと作曲を休みなく行っていたから忙しくない時期に比べるとあまり音楽を聴けなかったね。だから現時点でピンポイントで名指しする事は難しいな。ただ SLIPKNOT から SIA までリリースされたものはチェックしているよ。同時に JAZZ についても熱がまた高まってきたね。それもあって新作には2曲のセミインプロヴァイズで製作されたインスト曲が収録されているよ１曲は短いアルバムのイントロでもう１曲は曲と曲との長いつなぎのような感じだね。
Q4: Speaking of art, Shining was named after movie “The Shining”. Recently, which movie are you inspired?
【JORGEN】: I love movies, and I also get very inspired by movies. The latest amazing movies I’ve seen are Interstellar, Birdman, Edge Of Tomorrow and The Imitation Game. I am also very much looking forward to the new Mad Max movie!
Q4: アートと言えば SHINING のバンド名は映画 “THE SHINING” にちなんでつけられていますよね。最近インスパイアーされた映画を教えて下さい。
Q5: You also sax player and jazz musician. Recently, lot’s of Metal/Rock artists become using sax (Especially Norwegian artists). I love you and Kayo dot way. Do you think sax will be one of the main instruments in Metal/Rock?
【JORGEN】: Sax was definitely one of the most important and main instruments in rock music a few decades ago, so I wouldn’t be surprised if it became popular again. Metal music in general seem to be looking for fresh ideas, and using other instruments is a great way to expand and refresh an old sound.
Q5: あなたは SAX プレイヤーでしっかり教育を受けた JAZZ ミュージシャンでもあります。近年、メタルやロックの分野でもSAXを使用するバンドが増えてきましたがその分野でメイン楽器の一つになって行くと思いますか？
Q6: You have collaborated with Marty Friedman, Devin Townsend and others. And that was awesome!! Except them, Who do you want to collaborate with?
【JORGEN】: Apart from Marty Friedman and Devin Townsend, I’ve also played on two albums with Ihsahn, frontman of Emperor. But I also have a history as a studio and freelance musician in Norway, and have played with all the big pop and rock artists in this country.
Fueled by a desire to breathe new life into the modern metal genre, Native Construct artfully blends a wide spectrum of compositional influences, ranging from classical all the way to prog metal and musical theatre. The result is a wonderfully unique sonic texture, made up of extended-range guitars, theatrical vocals, and a full complement of symphonic instrumentation. Guitarist and composer Myles Yang’s passion for innovation, coupled with his extensive academic study of arranging and compositional techniques, makes Native Construct a truly distinctive up-and-coming metal act.
“Quiet World is about a guy who loves a girl. The guy is a bit of an odd and eccentric person – an outcast. He’s also a mute, and a little unstable, as it turns out. The girl doesn’t return his feelings, but he can’t bring himself to let go. As his unrequited passion for her devolves into obsession and eventual resentment, his mind begins to slip further and further away. He convinces himself that he can’t be loved because of his condition and abnormalities. So he decides to create for himself a new, fantastic world of which he has complete control – a world where there are no oddballs or outcasts. A world where everyone is surrounded by people who are just like themselves: a much quieter world.
“It’s at this point that the first track of the album, “Mute,” begins. And it turns out that many of the subjects of his new world are not as content living this way as he is. In the second track we see a new character, the Archon, rise up and unite his people in the clouds with the once distant people in the sea. He leads an opposition to “Sinister Silence,” as the people come to call him. The rest of the album unfolds with events within the “Quiet World” and manifestations of the enduring struggle between the Archon and Sinister Silence. The lone exception is track number four, “Your Familiar Face,” which steps out of this world for a moment to give a closer look at the events prior to the first track and the tragedy of Sinister Silence.”
Quiet World – TRACK LISTING
1. Mute
2. The Spark of the Archon
3. Passage
4. Your Familiar Face
5. Come Hell or High Water
6. Chromatic Lights
7. Chromatic Aberration
EXCLUSIVE: SHORT INTERVIEW WITH AYMERIC THOMAS OF PRYAPISME !!
STRAVINSKY MEETS ROCKMAN ?? BLACK METAL MEETS CASTLEVANIA ?? FRENCH EXPERIMENTAL / AVANT-GARDE / ELECTRONICA / METAL BAND “PRYAPISME” RELEASE AWESOME EP “FUTUROLOGIE” !!
First of all, thank you for being so enthousiactic about our band !
It is hard to explain our music to be honest. Futurologie is our latest EP after two full-lenght albums, an only 8bit/chiptune EP and an OST for a documentary about a tournament of the game Street Fighter II. The purpose of our music is always to create tracks without any boundaries, just composing things we like : metal, electronic, jazz, classical, world or movies/games-inflenced…
まずは僕たちに興味を持ってくれてありがとう！
正直、僕たちの音楽を説明するのは難しいね。”FUTUROLOGIE” は僕たちの最新の EP なんだ。以前には2枚のフルアルバムと 8bit/chiptune オンリーの EP, STREET FIGHTER 2 トーナメントの OST をリリースしているよ。僕たちの目的は好きな音楽を限界なしで製作する事なんだ。METAL, ELECTRONIC, JAZZ, CLASSICAL, WORLD MUSIC, MOVIE/GAME なんかの影響を受けているよ。
Futurologie was composed to be a stand-alone long track, with a bonus full orchestral version. This EP is mostly influenced by movies, it is thought to be some kind of a visual song. Usually, we work with a computer for composition and arrangements and then we learn to play some of the tracks for live shows. We are considered like a metal band cause we have electric guitars and some blastbeats but i don’t think we have a true unique music style. We generally speak about « rococo-core » : it means a style with too many music tags, too many different arrangements, and of course too many notes. But we are not confortable with genres in general. We just play the music we like without thinking too much about a concept.
About Japan, we are extremely inflenced by Japanese culture, specially music and movies and obviously video games. We all use to listen to a lot of Koenji Hyakkei and Ruinsfor example. Also electronic artists like Ryoji Ikeda and Masami Akita, or even jazz bands like Soil and Pimp Sessions. I’m also a big fan of Japanese movies : directors like Shozin Fukui, Sion Sono, Katsuhito Ishii, Hitochi Matsumoto and Shinya Tsukamoto… All those directors work without compromises, in an extreme way. The movie « Funky forrest » is a perfect example of what i’m talking about : no boundaries, no limits, the explosion of codes from typical movie genres and also lot’s of poetry and humouristic things… For me, Japan is one the most creative country, and of course Japanese artists never stop to influence us. It was also the case for lot’s of 80’s/90’s videogame musics ( we even have a side project band of covers from various retrogames music ). Our babysitters were Megaman (known as « Rockman » in Japan) and Castlevania and the music from these games is fantastic. That explains the heavy use of chiptune sounds in Pryapisme.
We really hope we can travel to play in Japan one day. It’s a goal to reach for us since the beginning of the band. That and making music for a Japanese project ( film or game ). Maybe one day…
WORLD PREMIERE: NEW SONG!! “ONE THOUSAND YEARS OF RAIN” OF ENSLAVED !!
ENSLAVED の新作 “IN TIMES” から新曲2曲目、”ONE THOUSAND YEARS OF RAIN” を公開！！同郷 SHINING の “ONE ONE ONE” にも通じるような HARDCORE的 アグレッションで始まりボグレン印のクリーンコーラス、呪術的シンガロングパートと目まぐるしくも創造性に溢れた一曲です！！
“One Thousand Years Of Rain” is by far the most “mythological” song on the album. As the title are hinting towards, we are not dealing with the most positive
aspects of life here. We are rather dealing with the darker sides of human interaction here, and our tragic ability to destroy everything we are trying to build.
On the other hand, things have to be torn down in order to create something new, so the song is in that aspect, about hope too. Enjoy folks!”
“ONE THOUSAND YEARS OF RAINS” はアルバムで最も神話的な曲だよ。タイトルが示すように、僕たちはこの曲で人生の最もポジティブな側面を扱っている訳ではないんだ。人間間の暗い相互作用について、築いた全てを壊してしまうという悲しい性についての話だよ。ただ一方で、新しいものを築くためには物事を壊さなければならない訳で、この曲は希望の側面もあるって事だね。
GRUTLE KJELLSON
WORLD PREMIERE: NEW SONG !! “THURISAZ DREAMING” OF ENSLAVED !!
NORWEGIAN PROGRESSIVE EXTREME METAL BAND ENSLAVED SET TO RELEASE THEIR NEW ALBUM “IN TIME” ON 3/6 !!
“Finally, the first song from the album is released upon the world! This great lyric video is certainly a good way to present the song and the album. “Thurisaz Dreaming” was the first song to be written for the album, and kept the place as the natural opener for the album all the way throughout the entire making of the album. It leaps out of the speaker and grabs you by the throat – it’s a song that makes you take a stand right there during the first seconds of the album: are you up for the journey?! Of course you are!“
HERE IS NEW PROG STAR FROM COPENHAGEN !! VOLA GIVES YOU REALLY ECLECTIC MUSIC BASED ON GROOVE METAL/DJENT.
コペンハーゲンから現れた4人組 VOLA。デンマークは伝統的に芸術性の高いアーティストを輩出していますがこのバンドも実にアーティスティック。プログメタル界のフライングタイガーコペンハーゲンであると断言できます。楽曲の骨格であるギターリフは明らかに MESHUGGAH/DJENT を基にした現代的なヘヴィーグルーヴィースタッフ。しかし肉付けの部分が巷の凡百のバンドたちとは全く趣を異にします。煌びやかなシンセ/ピアノサウンドと甘いボーカルメロディーが70～80年代のプログロック、もっと言ってしまうと STEELY DAN, AIR SUPPLY, TOTO, CHICAGO のような雰囲気を醸し出しまくっているのです。さらに言ってしまうと同郷の MEW のメタル版といった感覚もありますね。マスタリングをあのイェンス・ボグレンに依頼し、デンマークの芸術家が手掛けたという前衛的なジャケットやアー写からも彼らが既存のメタルの枠を壊して RULE THE WORLD しようと意気込んでいるのが痛いほど伝わりますし、そうなる予感とポテンシャルは十分です。
VOLA’s music exists in a borderline area of rock, that is as high-flying and melodically fulfilling as it is itchy and heavy. The band forms quirky trails of distorted bass and guitars, entangling synth lines and constantly groove-driven drums that play up against wide vocal harmonies and deep-blue-textured electronica.
【MESSAGE FOR JAPAN】
Hello Japanese music fans! We are VOLA, a band from Copenhagen, Denmark, who have just released the debut album “Inmazes”. In short Inmazes deals with the subject of being trapped inside a mental maze. We have created 10 songs around this theme, which musically are products of our varied inspirations ranging from 70’s progressive rock to present day electronica, industrial and even extreme metal. We hope that you will enjoy what you hear! We would love to come to Japan and play, so be sure to spread the word about our music if it appeals to you.
THIS IS THE NIKLAS KVARFORTH’S MUSICAL EVOLUTION AND EXPERIENCE SO FAR! SWEDISH SHINING RETURN WITH THEIR NINTH RECORD “Ⅸ – EVERYONE, EVERYTHING, EVERYWHERE, END” ON 4/20!!
His ninth album, ‘IX – Everyone, Everything, Everywhere, Ends’ is another excellent example of Niklas’ genius. Reaching back to their black metal roots, SHINING simultaneously melt eclectic influences from progressive rock, jazz, even pop and more into deeply emotional laments from the dark side of the soul. Niklas’ vocals come in an even greater variety of expressions which few would suspect in a singer coming from the extreme metal scene.
EXCLUSIVE: INTERVIEW WITH NICK SHAW OF BLACK CROWN INITIATE !!
“THE WRECKAGE OF STARS” IS ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT MODERN METAL ALBUM. YOU WANT TO KNOW WHAT’S FUTURE OF METAL, LISTEN THE AWESOME ALBUM !!
デビュー EP “SONG OF THE CRIPPLED BULL” で US 産バンドとは思えないような叙情性溢れるプログデスサウンドを聴かせ、界隈に衝撃を与えた BLACK CROWN INITIATE 。彼らが 1st アルバム “THE WRECKAGE OF STARS” を発表しました。EP では乱暴に言えば OPETH と DJENT を足してノルウェーに移住させたような音楽を提示していましたが 1st フルでは少し音楽性に変化が見えます。具体的には THE FACELESS, FALLUJAH といった TECH-METAL に近づきましたね。ただ例えば OPETH, EXTOL, GOJIRA, BEHEMOTH といった欧州からの影響は未だに顕著で、さながらアメリカから欧州への回答といった雰囲気を感じさせます。特にクリーンボイスがカットインする際の世界の変わり様には目を見張るものがありますね。今回、弊サイトでは以前インタビューを掲載したマスロックプロジェクト INVALIDS でもベースをプレイする NICK SHAW に話を聞く事が出来ました。
EXCLUSIVE: INTERVIEW WITH IAN ROCKETT OF SHATTERED SKIES
“THE WORLD WE USE TO KNOW” CHANGES OUR MUSICAL WORLD WE USE TO KNOW!! IRISH PROG METAL BAND SHATTERED SKIES IS READY FOR RULE THE WORLD !!
アイルランドの4人組プログメタルバンド SHATTERED SKIES の新作 “THE WORLD WE USED TO KNOW” が非常に素晴らしい出来です。正確にはこの PV, “THE END AND THE REBIRTH” を見た瞬間からすっかり魅了されてしまいました。北海道ギターを振りかざしピックをほぼ使用せずスラップとタッピングで DJENTY なフレーズを紡ぎ出す IAN のプレイと、オーセンティックでフック満載な SEAN のボーカル。一見ミスマッチにさえ思えるこの2つが絶妙に調和しモダンなプログメタルの新しい形を投げかけています。例えば最近の DREAM THEATER が選択している方法論を一歩進んで体現出来ているようにも感じました。今回弊サイトではバンドの中心人物 IAN ROCKETT にインタビューを行う事が出来ました。尚、 IAN はバンドの音楽の肝であるキーボードも兼任しています。
Q1: “Secret Garden” has just launched only in Japan !! How are you feeling now?
【KIKO】: It is always a great feeling to complete an album. It’s a lot of work to compose and record. Now I have a great expectation to hear what the fans will say. We are trying different elements on this album and I’m very curious about the feedback we will get.
Q3: Speaking of vocal, this album has lots of singers. Simone Simons of Epica, Doro Pesch, and Rafael are singing. Why?
【KIKO】:Rafael had the dream to sing in an Angra album. Why not after so many years? He has a great voice and deserves to fulfill his dream. On Temple of Shadows we had some guests too and we liked how it come out so this time We wanted to invite great singers again.
【KIKO】:RAFAEL は ANGRA のアルバムで歌うのが夢だったんだ。なぜこんなに長い年月掛かったのかって？彼は素晴らしい声を手に入れたから夢を叶えるに値するんだよ。”TEMPLE OF SHADOWS” でも何人かゲストに来てもらって気に入ったから今回も偉大なシンガー達を招いたのさ。
Q4: Anyway, “Secret Garden” is one of the best album of Angra. Everything we want is in it. Beautiful melody, progressive aspect, and AWESOME your shredding guitar !! Is this a conceptual album? Which song do you most proud of?
【KIKO】:I always think about the whole processes and the whole work, not in a single song. I really like the final result but the judgment has to come from the fans. They will tell us if we went to the right direction or not.
Q5: Do you think Jens Bogren is one of the reason that “Secret Garden” become really masterpiece?
【KIKO】:Everyone has a role in producing the album. Composers, musicians , management, Roy Z and Jens. Definitely Jens was very important for the quality of the songs and album.
Q5: JENS BOGREN の関与は吉と出たようですね。
【KIKO】: このアルバムの製作陣は全員役割を果たしたね。コンポーザー、ミュージシャン、マネージメント、ROY Z に JENS。確実に JENS の存在は曲、アルバムのクオリティーにとって非常に重要だったよ。
【MESSAGE FOR JAPAN】
Thanks a lot !! Also we are looking forward to Japan tour 2015 !! Message for Japan, Please !!
We all love to go to Japan. I’m counting the days to go! Looking forward to meet Japanese fans, play for this beautiful crowd, walk on the streets eat the great food, enjoy the country and learn more from such an incredible people Thanks a lot!! Kiko
