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。
Actually we just uploaded one whole track which is called “Carbon Phrases”. This song starts like modern rock/pop song but then transends into a tech death metal song. It is over 9 minutes long and the listener will be taken on a journey where tension is always created and reliefed. There are of course stunning guitar solos and blazing drum fills, but the main statement of this song is the variety in human life. The lyrics are about the tought process of a writer/artist, but in fact it has a double meaning. A “Carbon Phrase” literally would be a line of a script or play written on a paper with a pencil. But since carbon is the matter all physical beings on this earth share, “Carbon Phrases” is also a metaphor for our DNA.The other track is an album teaser. It’s just one minute of 4 different songs, just to get an impression of how the other material sounds.
“CARBON PHRASES” という新曲を公開したよ!この曲はモダンなロック/ポップ的に始まるんだけど徐々にテクデスに移行するんだ。9分を超える長尺曲でリスナーは緊張とその解放という旅に出る事になるね。勿論目を見張るようなギターソロと燃えるようなドラムフィルは健在だけどこの曲の要は人生の多様さについての主張なんだ。歌詞はライターやアーティストの思考プロセスについてなんだけど、これはダブルミーニング。”CARBON PHRASE” とは文字通りだと手書きの文章とか鉛筆で書き下ろしって意味だよね。だけどカーボンは地球上にある全ての物質の起源だから、”CARBON PHRASES” とは DNA の隠喩でもあるのさ。アルバムティーザーでは他の曲も聴けるよ。4曲が一分づつ。他の曲の印象も感じて欲しいな。
【ABOUT DIFFERENCE BETWEEN OBSCURA】
The difference between Obscura is, that we take the music and the lyrics to much wider places. It is much “more” considering contrasts. The contrast of the parts and the whole songs to another is drastic. We finally want to prove with Alkaloid that metal doesn’t have to stay in a narrow field of one particular style. Since I wrote the biggest part of the music on Obscura’s last two albums, and also Chris’ guitar work was one of the most crucial factors to Obscura’s sound, there are of course elements in Alkaloid which are fairly similar to Obscura. Maybe Alkaloid is just the most logical consequence when taking the music on Obscura’s “Omnivium” to the next higher level.
Thank you for giving us the opportunity to share our music with Japanese listeners. I’ve been to Japan twice (with Obscura) and it was one of the best touring experiences ever. So I’d be psyched if people in Japan were receptive for the music of this new band as well.
こちらは同時に公開されたアルバム収録曲でクリスのギターソロ曲 “C VALUE ENIGMA” です。フランツ・リストのピアノ曲をギターにおこしたかのような超絶技巧で同時に刹那的な美しさを放っています。ギタリストなら聴いて損はなし!!
【ABOUT CROWDFUNDING】
Producing a professional album is a lot of work. We need to invest a lot of time and money into recording our instruments. But this is just a small part of what needs to be done. We also need to get the album mixed and mastered. For this job we work with V Santura, who also has mixed most of the albums of the other bands we play(ed) in, like Obscura and Dark Fortress. But then we need to get the physical copies pressed, we need artwork, fotos, a booklet and a general album design. Even counting the unpaid hours of work we’ve to put into the album ourselves, we still need people to do all these jobs. And since we want to produce the best quality possible, we need to hire nothing but professionals. So none of the funded money will lead to personal enrichment! Everything will be used to deliver the best quality. We worked hard and are offering EXCLUSIVE perks which are LIMITED; and which YOU hopefully find interesting enough to eventually support our campaign.We appreciate everything you do in order to help us. May it be selecting a perk and thus advancing our album or just telling a friend about this campaign, consider our gratitude to be endless!