Quietly in the misty haze, a song flows out from someone, softly
Glistening like water droplets, playing the timbre, of pulsating notes
Bare your fangs and bite down, and before you open your eyes
Let me hear that shivering voice softly now
Shining in the evening haze, a song of ecstacy and agony echos
Bare your fangs and bite down, and before you open your eyes
Burn up that shivering voice
Limitless, blue, and deep, If we can return someday
To the base of the transparent sky
Alone in a world with limits, Even if our wounds force us to fall
The beat still revolves around, Healing our wounds
Shifting colours like the morning haze, playing the timbre, of imaginary notes
Bare your fangs and bite down, and before you open your eyes
Burn up that shivering voice
Limitless, high, and distant, If we can be free someday
Like the fickle clouds
Within the limits of time, Even though you seem to have lost your way, broken
The beat still searches for you as you sleep
Limitless, blue, and deep, If we can return someday
To the base of the transparent sky
Alone in a world with limits, Even if our wounds force us to fall
The beat still revolves around, Healing our wounds
Bare your fangs and bite down, and before you open your eyes
Burn up that shivering voice
Bare your fangs and bite down, and before you come to your senses
Burn up that halted feeling
exist†trace miko Official Blog「Face the Music」: Keep sharpening up. SOLID STAR
2018-04-09 11:00:00
Original text: 尖り続けて。SOLID STAR
4/7 Shibuya TSUTAYA O-Crest
exist†trace’s oneman live “-SOLID STAR-”
To everyone who was involved, thank you so much!
This was our 2nd oneman live this year.
The one before this was 1/9, when exist†trace started our new chapter on the very first Igu day of the year.
All of the time exist†trace has rushed past up until now, and our sound, and the people we’ve met,
have given us the strength to establish the path to our ideals.
And also, the oneman stage that welcomed exist†trace’s new chapter again.
In our setlist, in our words, and in each and every sound,
We’ve expressed the guiding light of our thoughts like there was no tomorrow.
Did you guys feel it with all your strength?!
With the really energetic songs we lined up, contained in a battle medley that went on for 20 minutes,
We reached the most powerfully aggressive night in our history.
But still within that we had delicate pieces, simple message songs,
Ballads cultivated with twin vocals, etc, etc,
And so we pursued the essence of exist†trace, and within ourselves we attacked with our current golden setlist.
And then our new song “VENUS”, which is a groovy middle tempo song unlike anything we’ve had before now.
We cut away and left behind useless things, and as friends who have performed together for many years, we can aim to bring out that groove.
Personally there were a lot of parts that gave me high expectations for Jyou.
So look forward to how this song will steadily evolve as we go on performing it live, ok?
And, and, there’s so many things I wanna tell you about…
The CD we gave to everyone as a present that day, “POWER OF ‘ONE’”!
Guys, it’s fine if you wanna tell me even more of your thoughts about it-! Lol
Of course no matter what kind of CD we make, I want to know your reactions so so badly!
Maybe I’ll write another post detailing this song.
But if I can say one thing, with this song, there was a huge awakening of sensation at O-Crest on 4/7.
The power of each individual person. When you gather that together, miracles you can’t even imagine occur.
However, if we were missing even one of you guys that night, that miracle might not have occured.
Every single one of you is so precious, and I want to try to make a big, huge miracle with all of you.
Because no one is like us, so making miracles come true is,
Dependent upon the 5 of us, and dependent on each one of you.
And so we’ll start over again from here!
Pursuing our ideals, and continuing to build up those ideals together.
As long as all of you and the members are here, we’ll really be able to keep on running until we’re old ladies. Lol
And with ourselves like that, wanting our complete conquest, the next checkpoint we’ve chosen is 8/19 at Shibuya CYCLONE!
We’ll be conquering the loudest livehouse in Shibuya, also known as CYCLONE, with a roar and passion bursting out,
Which is something that cannot be avoided as the current exist†trace.
We’re blasting away our most amazing moments with all the heat that will surpass O-Crest,
So on 8/19, we’ll seize what’s next together even more!
-------------Bonus------------------
And, in the long time it took putting all of that together in writing,
It’s now time for a Happy Birthday!! to Jyou!
This year in particular I’ve had so many conversations with Jyou,
And somehow no matter what, I’ve advanced forward making decisions together with her, and sharing the same feelings.
We’ve discussed “if we had just gotten to know each other as normal friends, we definitely wouldn’t have become very close, right~” a lot,
And so I think, it’s because music joined us together so, so strongly, that we’ve been able to become partners that can do anything together.
If I said this to Jyou herself she would get carried away immediately, so I’ll keep my mouth shut. Lol
As the years go on, keep on evolving into a vocalist who overflows with more and more charm!
Even though I earned victory I’m still not satisfied, I started running again
The curtains were cut and fell away, Don’t be confused, ring the bell
How much do I need to take before I’m satisfied? It doesn’t even meet my expectations
I’ll teach you this truth even as you turn uneasily away
Freedom is a sweet, vague existence, It’s just like an illusion
Existence without restriction is impossible, But I’ll keep yearning for it
There’s nothing complete in this closed-up world
Accept the resistance that’s been deemed necessary
Liberty in restrain…
Liberty is not here
My victory is keeping a smile on both our faces
Caught in this lovely, hideous trap, I remain dormant
Freedom is a sweet, vague existence, It’s just like an illusion
Existence without restriction is impossible, But I’ll keep yearning for it
There’s nothing complete in this closed-up world
Accept the resistance that’s been deemed necessary
The tiny possibility I found within these iron bars
Wrapped up as if captured in tranquility
exist†trace: Towards a decision with no hesitation (Cure vol. 87, December 2010)
Their long-awaited brand new album “TWIN GATE” is finally complete!! With representative tracks leading into the present from 2009, and also even more polished new songs inspired by passionate thoughts, I had plenty to discuss with the members in this detailed interview!!
What is the “decision” these women have made!?
This album is loaded with the shape of the past, present, and future.
Interview: Yusuke Kato
➖What significance does the title “TWIN GATE” have?
miko: The origin is a story Jyou heard a long time ago. Before a person is born, they seem to choose between a “gate of life” and “gate of extinction”.
Jyou: For example, whether a kid will up with some future flaw, and one day end up in an accident while riding their bike around; it’s like they were asked, “What will happen after this is still unknown, but will you still be born?”
➖So after being told that you’ll be following some kind of fate if you’re born, you can choose whether to be born or not?
Jyou: Right. Although you still won’t be told how you will die yet. When I thought about how we would form a band in the future, I wondered if we were asked “What will happen after this is still unknown, but will you still be born?” and all said yes. And so, wasn’t that our first decision? We made our song “DECIDE” the first on the album to establish a theme of “decisions”, and as we remembered the story of how we met almost 10 years ago, we drew the title from there.
➖We’ll be hearing about what kind of decision you’ve made recently a little later, but please tell me about how you balanced 6 previously released songs among the 10 songs on this album.
miko: Okay. If all of the newly written songs this time are symbolic of decisions, I think these 6 songs are existences that gave us support to make those decisions. Like, because of these 6 songs we were able to make our decision now.
➖I see. Of those songs, if each of you would elevate one song above the rest for us to consider in particular, which song would it be?
miko: For me it has to be “unforgive you”. It’s a song I wrote for someone who became the reason I took a step forward into this world, and we’ve played it live a lot, even in Europe, and every time we play it, I’m saying to that person “I’ve made it this far!!”. Because of that, it stands out strongly to me.
Jyou: For me it’s “VANGUARD”. It’s always been along with us members, and along with my awareness as vocalist you could say I’ve noticed the importance of how this song draws everyone in. And so, I’m sorry everybody, but this is my own theme song.
Naoto: For me it’s “RESONANCE”. As someone who dared to seek out something so dark and negative, this song allowed me to think that it’s ok to not be like that too. When I think about that now it was a really big deal for me.
Jyou: Naoto’s definitely become a little less dark.
miko: The dark things about her haven’t changed. Or should I say, the darkness. It feels more like, some light has been added in too.
Omi: For me it’s “‘Owari no nai sekai’”. When miko first brought it to us its sound was so cheerful that I was really worried about whether it would be ok for us, but when we played it live it was like the wall between us and the fans was gone and we really became one with everyone. I was able to think again, I want to go live in “A World Without End” with all of you.
Mally: For me it’s “KNIFE”. The first place we performed it was Europe, but while you’re living your life as usual you’d never think you’d have people all the way from Europe cheering you on, right? We got tons and tons of encouragement from them, and of course our fans in Japan support us as well, but this song made me want to perform all over the world, not just in Europe, and gave me the courage to think we’ll do well no matter where we go.
➖Will you explain each of the new songs?
miko: Okay. The first song, “DECIDE”, was actually made at the same time as “KNIFE”, and I was going back and forth about which one to release as a single. The impression it has is different between back then and when we recorded it this time, and when we perform it for the first time in July during the oneman tour it will be different again.
Omi: Along with the lyrics “Put up your hands, show me proof of progress~”, I’m hoping we can feel the things that tie us to our fans more and more deeply.
Naoto: Or you could say, more and more clearly. And so when we play it next, rather than the consciousness of the listeners and the musicians becoming more and more different, won’t we be able to have even more powerful feelings together?
Mally: As for something you should listen for, the guitar solo has 2 levels. Omi plays the first half, followed by a short bass bridge and then miko plays the second half, but in the middle of that there’s piano coming in and out. It’ll be easiest to hear on headphones, so definitely try listening with headphones.
miko: I wanted to make the song so aggressive that it was like everyone’s instruments were crashing into each other, and when I was arranging it I also told everyone, “Do anything you want!!”. That took the form of a guitar solo played by both of us like we’ve never had before, and with Omi and I switching back and forth playing the main phrase, I think we were able to bring out another new side to us.
➖What about “Neverland”?
miko: I think you’ll already be imagining Peter Pan from the title, but I wrote it as the feelings of a boy who wants to be like a child forever similar to Peter Pan. But the story itself is also like that story about the two gates from before. Even though he made the decision to live as himself and to be born, hasn’t he abandoned living?
➖When you say it like that, he really did!!
miko: And so this is a song where we’re singing to people like that, “If you decided to live then come on and live your life properly!!”
Jyou: When I heard that I was like, “it’s a cute song and yet it’s really harsh”. Because we’re telling people who are denying their lives to live.
➖There’s nothing as bitter as that.
Jyou: Right. But no matter what kind of person you are, and no matter what happens, I want you to live. So I sing this song while thinking that I hope I can give people like that some support.
Mally: I’m the opposite of Jyou, because performing this song is a really good feeling for me. It gives me the sense of being a familiar scene, and because I’m able to play it while really feeling the story, if I can give you a feeling like the protagonist’s wavering heart with my drums then I’m happy.
Naoto: For me too, the hook has a light image of soaring into the sky, so I’m also really pleased with it.
➖Isn’t this that light in your darkness we were talking about earlier coming out? (laugh)
Naoto: Ah, there definitely may be something like that. I don’t think I would have chosen this phrase a while back.
Omi: For me, I really like this part in the bridge where there’s a burst and the atmosphere changes. The 2 guitars together with a clean sound give a bit of a mature feeling too, and I’m able to link with miko in a way we haven’t before which is nice.
➖What about “Blaze”, with music and lyrics by you, Omi?
Jyou: The feeling it gives me inside is similar to “Neverland”. In the end they’re both saying “you were born, so live!!”, but “Neverland” gives your back a push so you can fly into the sky while “Blaze” pushes you so hard it beats you back down.
➖The protagonist of “Blaze” is a negative person no matter how you look at it. But if you have to say that the protagonist is Omi-ish then they definitely are.
miko: But I thought this was really different. Before now Omi’s lyrics had a lot of hopelessness, but this time you could say it’s fully facing forward and continuing on, properly opening your eyes and seeing the world.
➖ Omi expressed that world as “a world that shakes with illusions”, but why is the phrase written in quotation marks?
Jyou: There’s actually a song Omi wrote a long time ago called “Under mind” that uses that same phrase.
Omi: Although when I wrote it I didn’t realize at first.
Jyou: In “Under mind” you came crashing down to earth, but in “Blaze” you can feel the intention of wanting to live properly after all. Because I thought there was a change there, I presumed to add the quotes myself.
Mally: Conversely, in the drums, there’s a turn towards hope at the end but in the first half it’s still gloomy, so I thought it would be good to express that feeling by having the same drum beat always repeat.
Naoto: Since the drums were simple like that, I thought, then I’ll use detailed movements, so I did things like play the guitar phrase from the intro and first verse during the second chorus, and because I could do things freely like that, this song might be the most fun for me to play.
➖The last song “Cradle” is just generally really good.
Jyou: Thank you. Since the title is “Cradle” and the lyrics say things like “the ocean becomes your mother”, I put all the gentleness I could now into singing it so you could all sleep peacefully, which was really difficult (bitter smile)
➖But it’s not just gentleness, I think that parts where you can feel a lot of power are really amazing.
Jyou: That’s what was difficult. Truly a powerful foe. A gentle, powerful foe.
➖I think the expression is really good.
Jyou: But, since it was good to discover another new me there, I want to sing it live properly in a large open space.
miko: To say something audacious, while I wrote this song I had an image of Jyou singing while watching over everybody in places like Yoyogi National Gymnasium and Yokohama Arena.
Mally: And that’s why for me too, with energy to the extent that “There’s really nothin’ I can do!!”, I only carved out a beat that was completely one-sided the whole time, and trusted all of the inflection of emotions to Jyou.
Naoto: Conversely I played a sub-melody to the vocals on bass so I could support Jyou, and that phrase I like itself came out smoothly, but since there are cellos and violins included there too it was really difficult to achieve a good balance.
Omi: I was thinking it’d be good to try to add a little flavour, but the very last hook kind of has the lingering smell of old man……
Jyou: Could this be Omi’s “refined masculinity”!?
Omi: Yeah (bitter smile)
Everyone: (bursts out laughing)
➖I thought, I wanted you to just keep on playing that guitar solo like that until the ending, forever and ever kind of like “Layla” by Derek and the Dominos (laugh).
Omi: No, actually it’s that, I want you to listen to this song as Jyou’s song.
Jyou: You’ll have a chance next time, ok? (laugh)
Omi: Yeah (bitter smile)
➖I definitely want to hear it live (laugh). Speaking of lives, starting on November 20th you’ll be beginning your 2nd Tokyo-Nagoya-Osaka oneman tour “DECIDE”. As the tour title states, will the meaning of the “decision” we talked about at the beginning of this interview become clear now?
Jyou: No, the meaning won’t become clear until a little while later, but we wanted to tour so that you could understand why we made that decision. Because we think there may be some of you who feel anxious about the fact that we’re making a decision. But we made the decision so that we could advance forward once again, and of course all of our fans are included in that as well. We plan to pull you in even more than we ever have before so I don’t want you to worry. So we’ll be going on tour so that you can understand that!!
#ThrowbackThursday - exist†trace Naoto Official Blog「BLACK Eden」: America A-con
2013-06-07 21:15:00
Original text: アメリカ A-con
A-con
My third time in America, I’ve attacked my thoughts with all my strength.
However it really was over in just the blink of an eye.
But it was really nice that I was able to experience firsthand the voices and faces of people who can’t easily meet us.
First, for our live on the first day of the convention,
I was extremely excited.
It was impressive how much not only the people who came for us, but also all members of the staff joined in with us.
The local staff who took photos were throwing their cameras around while waving their arms over their heads lol
One by one, the fun that both the people who came to see Igu and the people who had never seen us before were having with their entire bodies and all their strength was transmitted directly into my skin.
Although, for the things we convey as Igu, it doesn’t matter whether we’re in Japan or overseas.
We just convey all of Igu’s, and each of the members’, thoughts from the stage.
I could definitely feel that that was conveyed to you from your cheering after the encore was over.
This is obvious, but, no matter where we are, Igu will stand tall as Igu.
It was a sweltering live. I’m really disappointed we were only able to play a live one time.
And then, during all 3 days of events we had an autograph session.
Everyone tried so hard to convey their thoughts to us in bits and pieces of Japanese, and even in English we instantly understood your burning passion.
Above all else, I remember hearing someone say
“Igu saved my life” in Japanese directly face-to-face, which made me happy from the bottom of my heart.
I was truly happy that Igu’s music could reach someone regardless of things like country and language.
From my heart.
Even so our stay of four days was so short.
Maybe because I wasn’t able to go out much besides smoking outside the hotel and a little bit of shopping,
But the inside of the hotel gave me a cold impression of Texas.
But being able to see all the different cosplays at the anime convention was fun.
As someone who likes manga and anime I was excited.
The degree of perfection from the locals dressed as white and black characters was amazing.
“What if Igu cosplayed?” You’ve heard my opinion before, but I wonder what all of you think would suit me?
Somehow, I want to hear from you.
Lastly, just a few photos I took.
One shot from when we arrived at the hotel in the middle of the night, the first night scene.
During equipment check. There was a massive chandelier above the stage. Pretty.
Right before the live. Let’s go--.
Right before the live. Our local staff that we haven’t seen in a long time, who helped us out this time too.
These two are great, with the most passionate hearts.
Signing. There were sketches on each of our nameplates lol
A duo who helped us out this time. I had fun even just seeing this very close pair.
A local beer at, the final afterparty? The carbonation was strong, but it was refreshing and easy to drink.
At the airport before returning to Japan. When I noticed the airplane taking off I hurried to take this shot.
Jyou and Mally also got successful photos.
And then, on the plane home I did nothing but watch movies lol
There are still a lot of places I want to go.
I want a lot of people to learn about Igu, and give us a listen.
But before that I’ll be giving my all to lives in Japan.
Let’s go soaring into June too.
I’ll rush through it with everything I have.
Thank you America.
And now in Japan, I’ll run as fast as I can.
The sounds of this hollow-feeling town, running outside my window
The melancholy daybreak hasn’t wrenched its eyes open yet
In the never changing everyday, an unchanging dream awakens
In the maze you’ve leapt into, there’s no way back anymore
The fever I held in my hands is still constant
Tinged with a different colour, burning
Even if the piercing voices rip my body to shreds, my heart won’t sway
Soon beyond this point is a sanctuary that no one has ever set foot in
I spread out my protective wings, drifting in the sky
If I can just protect you, hidden behind my shield, then I don’t need this knife anymore
The same time layers over and over with the clock that revolves around
The words that spin around gradually become reality
The heat in my hands now, burning blue
Crosses over into quiet destructive impulses
Even if the piercing voices rip my body to shreds, my heart won’t sway
Soon beyond this point is a sanctuary that no one has ever set foot in
I spread out my protective wings, drifting in the sky
If I can just protect you, hidden behind my shield, then I don’t need this knife anymore
If you fight without also protecting the ones you love, what do you win?
Remember, one more time
Remember, our promise
Even if the piercing voices rip my body to shreds, my heart won’t sway
Soon beyond this point is a sanctuary that no one has ever set foot in
I spread out my protective wings, drifting in the sky
If I can just protect you, hidden behind my shield, then I don’t need this knife, or anything, anymore
exist†trace miko Official Blog「Face the Music」: Vortex of Kawasaki Serbian Night
2018-04-02 10:00:31
Original text: Vortex of 川崎セルビアンナイト
VORCHAOS’s hosted event,
Vortex of KAWASAKI!! Vol.8
Thanks so much to everyone who participated!
It was only our 2nd time playing a taiban together but VORCHAOS is a band of both friends and rivals like we’ve never had before!
Thanks for inviting us!
Won’t we be playing a lot together with Yajima Mai and Unveil Raze as well after this?! So it felt like fate or something.
Is that the fruits of VORCHAOS’s sound and personality?
It was just an event of one night but it brought forth a powerful current, and so it was a live where that excitement and fighting spirit were born.
Whether by chance or by fate, it was an extraordinarily stimulating live,
And for me, it was an amazing time that can never be cut away from my own life no matter what happens.
With the live being only 40 minutes as our motivation, I hope we were able to come together with the greatest resonance and see so many new faces.
It’s natural for me to feel something that’s not normal about a place, as if something happened even if I don’t know for sure.
To be honest with my own feelings, to devote myself to the things I love,
And to pursue coolness, I’ll chip away at anything useless and drop it no matter where…
That is the core of our oneman live “SOLID STAR”, which is coming up this weekend.
Firstly, when you come to this live, and all the members bring you our CD of “POWER OF “ONE”” at the livehouse, I want you to feel it with your whole body!
And while you feel your fate in that sound, slam your POWER back into place next time.
exist†trace miko Official Blog「Face the Music」: ROAR GRAVITY〜Rec
2018-03-23 11:00:00
Original text: ROAR GRAVITY〜Rec
I’m a little late, but,
Thank you so much to everyone who came out to our event -ROAR GRAVITY-
hosted by exist†trace×Shibuya CYCLONE!
And to AILIS, AIIS, and revenge my LOST too, thank you so much for making that day so fun with us!
You really became great rivals, and I really want to battle with you again when we can in the future.
This day might have ended up being a day where the band members had even more fun than everybody else, but,
the exist†trace family also had faces like, I’m committed to having fun to the very end!
I was also watching the other 3 band’s fans intently,
and they were all so lovely, and so cool, and I felt deeply that it’s true that the fans are a reflection of the bands.
Loving music, wanting to support the bands, liking the livehouse, wanting to be friends with your fellow fans,
I know everyone had their own thoughts, but CYCLONE was full with a positive atmosphere.
-ROAR GRAVITY-, the thundering sound of gravitational forces.
Our meeting here was like the gravity which we can’t ever escape in a lifetime, and I hope a lot was born here for both you and each of the bands.
I think it would be interesting to turn this into a series from here on out. We’ll see you again then, when you’ll be carrying out your duties as the vanguard bringing your all to your officers!
Also, we recorded our current newest song “POWER OF “ONE””
We’ll be giving out this song on CD for free at our oneman next month.
Speaking of which, we recorded this song the other day!
Since we had the same team as always, and used the same recording studio as always,
we were able to record good sound without holding anything back in a short period of time.
We posted lots and lots about what we were doing on the Igusta (Igu’s instagram), but,
As for what kind of song it is, and what kind of sound we went with,
I’ll be introducing all of that in detail in my next blog!
By the way, we’ll be performing “POWER OF “ONE”” at our next live too!
Hosted by VORCHAOS, at Kawasaki Serbian Night on 3/31.
When VORCHAOS invited us to play… I thought, we should go for a setlist that reflects that.
We’ll be geared up to full throttle from the very beginning, so I hope you enjoy it.
Special A tickets for the oneman will be sold on 3/31 too!
After one and a half years, exist†trace releases their new mini album THIS IS NOW on March 16th. The women are also participating in “stylish wave CIRCUIT ‘16 Spring Tempest ‘Tonight, Run Wild’”. On March 19th-20th, they will host a oneman event named “ATTACK TO NAGOYA” on the Nagoya Heartland stage. They will also host oneman lives at Shibuya eggman on June 26 and Osaka VARON on July 9th. Here, we bring exist†trace’s voices to you.
Interview: Tomonori Nagawasa
Original text: club Zy.チャンネル
exist†trace will be taking the stage on March 19th to 20th at Nagoya Heartland for their hosted oneman live event “ATTACK TO NAGOYA”. The Nagoya fans are bringing their heat to exist†trace. And the strong feeling of “We can’t let this heat burn out.”
―― March 16 is the release of mini album “THIS IS NOW”. Right after, exist†trace is taking on the stage at Nagoya Heartland in their event/oneman live “ATTACK TO NAGOYA” on March 19th-20th. Why did you choose Nagoya??
miko: For a long time now, exist†trace has continued to focus our activity on Tokyo, Nagoya and Osaka, and so our oneman lives are also held there regularly. exist†trace is a Tokyo band, so obviously Tokyo is our base, but we also want to establish a firm foundation in another region. When we had thought about this, the first place we had picked for it was Nagoya, which in terms of distance is an easy place to go to. Last year we went to Nagoya every month for events and onemans titled “ATTACK TO NAGOYA,” but this is the first time we are hosting our own event in Nagoya on March 19th, so that’s a new challenge for us.
Jyou: Last year, the oneman lives in Nagoya were pretty hot as well. We want to confirm that that heat we felt then is the real deal, and because we want to create a shining space that tops even the fervor we felt last year, we’ve decided to bring our first oneman performance of 2016 to Nagoya Heartland on March 20. ‘Cuz we’re definitely going to head into that day with a lot of spirit.
— The fact that your foundation after Tokyo isn’t Osaka but rather Nagoya was something I felt was a unique point.
Jyou: The closest metropolitan area from Tokyo is Nagoya, and once we’ve conquered that, we’re going to continue to cover more and more distance next.
— Last year, you’d had lives every month in Nagoya too. That stance is really great.
miko: Last year, we really let Nagoya have it.
Jyou: And our first live last year was in Nagoya too.
miko: If we were to count it now, you can say that we’re a Tokyo band that holds more lives in Nagoya (laughs).
— From that, it just means that in Nagoya there are many passionately devoted believers of exist†trace.
Mally: That’s quite true. As we increase our lives in Nagoya, what made me quite happily surprised was that, when we had lives in Tokyo we’d see our fans from Nagoya come to see us as well. To say more, even in other prefectures, whenever we host lives there I see more and more of our Nagoya fans’ faces in the livehouse, who’ve come all the way to see us there too. It makes me really happy to be able to say that the Nagoya fans’ passion for exist†trace extends even that far. That’s why, “We can’t let that heat burn out” is something I feel really strongly.
Naoto: The Nagoya fans always give us so much momentum, and give back so much passion, more than we ever even could expect. And it’s because we always get a taste of that passion that whenever we’re always looking to come back to Nagoya for more.
Omi: We always feel the enormous passion from each and everyone of our audience members in Nagoya, so even for these two days this time, I’d like to create a hot space together with all of the fans coming to see us at Nagoya Heartland.
Jyou: However this passionate fire is, rather than something particular to Nagoya, something that comes from a place where we’ve made a solid connection over and over. For exist†trace, this is Nagoya right now, but the truth is we want to build these strong connections in more and more places, and that’s something that we’ll be working hard on this year as well.
miko: On the first day of our hosted live, we’re going to appear with artists who even we feel like “Wow, they’re cool,” so I definitely think that the people who will come to see us will have a great time, and we also want to have fun as well. At least we want to be able to create a hot space for everyone.
— We were talking specifically about the events held in Nagoya, but in this event there are girls bands and rock idols who will also be performing, as well as the obvious male bands who will battle with you head-on, so exist†trace is still continuing to unfold a series of hot battles with different artists in different scenes.
Mally: Even though exist†trace was born in the visual kei scene, we don’t have a preference to stay to only that, and we challenge ourselves in seeing if our music fits in all different sorts of scenes, that’s how we’ve been working. No matter what genres we go to or what places we hold our lives, if our fans come to see us, then I feel like the bands in our tai-bans as well as our fans will be able to accept us.
miko: Especially this year, we’ve finally gotten more opportunities to perform with visual kei bands once more, and I can’t wait to show everyone just how much we’ve grown.
— I also love the scene a lot which is why I’ve come to participate in it and feel it too. The fans of girls scene and loud scene will definitely support and become fans of the band too as long as you can present them with that result. But because the visual kei scene consists of mostly female fans, of course this isn’t everybody but, even now they have a strong resistance towards bands of the same gender, don’t they?
Mally: Not like how it was before. But in being active in the visual kei scene, the resistance that we feel is still not exactly minimal. But, “breaking the wall” is exist†trace’s eternal mission. That’s what we do when we hit all the other fields, we break down all sorts of walls we encounter there. Right now, proceeding into the girls rock scene and the loud rock scene, we’re battling with the idols in it too. Because whichever scene we play in, if we show that “This is just how our music is,” the walls of genre are irrelevant, and I genuinely have come to feel that people will support us anyway. In doing that and in cultivating the power we’ve gotten from these external scenes, this year, moving once again to the visual kei scene… we’re going to present ourselves in the scene we consider our starting point. This year we’re gonna assert our lives within the visual scene.
Naoto: I think that it’s because we’ve been in all sorts of fields, and we’ve had all sorts of different battles, that we have this image that we can bring forward. Unlike what exist†trace was like before, we have the confidence that we can steal the hearts of everyone watching within our staging, so definitely, I want you to come and experience that for yourself.
— If you can demonstrate a live where you can shake the grounds of how people feel, then no matter who it is, they will support you. That’s a great pledge. But even so, I feel that the visual kei scene is still full of prejudices.
Jyou: The difficulties of appealing to a largely female fan base as a female band is something that, before, we had experienced time and time again. On top of overcoming that, it’s the truth that we’re here as who we are today. And that is why for this time’s “stylish wave CIRCUIT ‘16 Spring Tempest ‘Tonight, Run Wild’” our performance is like that, too. I have the confidence that if you just come in contact with exist†trace’s music, you will accept us. That’s why we’re also really looking forward to being able to perform at “stylish wave.” The “VROCK” event that exist†trace hosted had been successful, and we were able to once more feel the heat on both ends from the “vrock” fans who enjoy the music.
— The impressions exist†trace have from “stylish wave.” Please tell us how you feel about that as well.
miko: In the past exist†trace has had the opportunity to perform in “stylish wave” before, and there is still quite a bit of people who had fallen in love with exist†trace’s lives from that time and are still supporting us now. For the bands performing there, as well as the people who are coming to see the live, it’s an event where there will definitely be something to take back with you, and that’s why I’m excited to be able to perform in it once again after such a long time.
— Recently exist†trace hasn’t done a lot of tai-bans with visual kei bands??
miko: We had very little last year.
Mally: Except, you can say, there’s one big motivation for why we’ve finally had more chances to participate in visual kei events.
— I’m intrigued.
Mally: Last year, exist†trace hosted three consecutive threeman events over three months. Every month, we changed our event to suit different themes, but the axis of what we worked with were the genres “Beauty,” “Loud,” and “V-rock.”
— And that means...
Mally: We divided the three important types that the construction of exist†trace could not exist without, and we continued it with different tai-bans with an assortment of stimulating bands. The “VROCK” event then had a really great reception, and even for us we were able to feel like there were more possibilities beyond the horizon, so once more we were able to feel the fervor of “vrock” fans who love the music. And that was when we started getting heated up, thinking, finally we’re gonna take another shot at the “vrock” scene!
— That’s a really great trend.
miko: The fans of the girls scene and the loud scene who’ve since become exist†trace fans had participated on the “VROCK” day of our three-month-long threeman, and they understood that “Regardless of genre, there are cool bands everywhere.” In the beginning though, it seems like all of the male fans felt scared to join in (laughs).
— If “stylish wave CIRCUIT ‘16 Spring Tempest ‘Tonight, Run Wild’” becomes a happy encounter for exist†trace…
miko: That would be a really happy thing I think.
— Personally, the Starwave Records hosted threeman event on April 1st at Ebisu club aim is something that I think seems quite interesting.
miko: That day definitely seems like it’s going to be a dense, rich event, so we’re looking forward to it too. This spring, with our newest mini album “THIS IS NOW” in our hands, we’re going to show exist†trace’s charm at so many different events with all of our might.
* * *
Q: If you went to a convenience store with 500 yen (approx. $5 USD), what would you buy?
Naoto: I’d buy cigarettes.
――How expensive are cigarettes again nowadays?
Naoto: The ones that I buy are around 460 yen.
――You’d have only a little left over from 500 yen.
Naoto: It’d be just enough.
Jyou: I’d buy a Red Bull and water. I’m picky about my water, and I don’t drink hard water (mineral water), and during lives if it’s not Japanese water that I’m drinking then I’ll feel sick.
――You can’t drink mineral water?
Jyou: I’m not fond of mineral water. If I’m just drinking it normally then it’s fine, but when I have a live, I have to buy Japanese water and a Red Bull.
Jyou: Lately miko’s been addicted to those. You ate them yesterday too didn’t you?
miko: I did!
――How many will you buy?
miko: I’ll buy the 100-yen boxed ones with three skewers inside. Whenever I see them, somehow I always manage to find myself taking them to the cashier.
――Then you’d have 400 yen leftover wouldn’t you?
miko: With the leftover money, I’ll buy even more (laughs)
Mally: For me, I’ll buy two Bikkuri Man Star Wars Edition chocolates, and a chilled cup of coffee.
―― That’d be almost exactly 500 yen.
Mally: It’d be perfect.
Omi: I have to buy gum at the convenience store. To calm my nerves. I’m chewing gum right now.
exist†trace Omi Official Blog「追憶の欠片」: Cherry Blossom Path
2018-04-24 11:52:00
Original text: 桜道
Even if it’s uncool,
Even if it’s not beautiful,
This is how I exist.
But, with one more step, I want to move forward.
Together with you, the one and only...
Since the first time I heard miko’s demo, it’s pervaded my current self’s heart
[POWER OF “ONE”]
I want to include phrases like this, I want to let all of you hear it soon... Those thoughts were overflowing.
(As for the arrangement, the harmonized tapping in the last hook is my favourite part)
I hope I can bring more and more to all of you, who I adore.
And also, thank you from the bottom of my heart.
-BURN the LIFE-
8/19 (Sunday) Shibuya CYCLONE
exist†trace official
Burn up your scorching, scorching life
And we’ll smile together again.
exist†trace Naoto Official Blog「BLACK Eden」: The Soothing Powers of Flowers
2018-04-23 09:38:00
Original text: 花々の癒し
My days have been charmed and healed by this herbarium
Within the dark While looking at the flowers illuminated by a tiny light
I think about a lot of things.
I love spitting out aggressive heat at lives, but,
just quietly thinking for a while is nice too.
How about you also take some time off your busy lives to spend some quiet time once in a while?
It’s important to give your heart some rest.
Then maybe you’ll notice something new.
I suddenly realized that, just as expected, everything I collect is purple or blue...
exist†trace Naoto Official Blog「BLACK Eden」: 4/7 SOLID STAR
2018-04-07 13:02:00
Original text: 4月7日 SOLID STAR
ONE MAN SHOW2018
-SOLID STAR-
Shibuya TSUTAYA O-Crest
Thanks to everyone who came.
Ohh it was fun. You gave me so much power.
I’m very happy to have had the most sweltering night.
We’ll continue on to the next without forgetting the time we spent tonight.
When we stood with all of you before moving ahead, it made our stage today a time that couldn’t be missed,
I think it was a night like that.
It is because this was the best time, that when we repaint our future for next time it will be fun again too.
I won’t forget all of your happy faces today.
And so, I want pull out an even better face for you.
Move forward together with us as exist†trace from now on too.
Because there are more sights I want to show you.
Look forward to exist†trace from here on.
And we’ll cut through together, towards the next time we can meet and smile together again.
I’m grateful for the sights I was able to see tonight because of all of your existences.
Once again, thank you very much.
Waving my flag above my head and cutting through the vanguard, is me
Without even the promise that tomorrow will come, there is no refuge here
In tears as arrows strike and cutting through the vanguard, is me
Full of fear and anxiety, covering up where my chest seems smashed
If the flames of evil attack you now
I will become your living shield
A voice from Heaven urging me on, Even now as I turn to ash I will protect you
I bring the voice from Heaven, to open the eyes of those heartless people little by little
Waving her flag above her head and cutting through the vanguard, is that herald
Those who knew weakness and gained strength call her, “The Maid of Orleans”
If the flames of the stake take me away now
Carry the ashes of my words into the wind
Follow me
A voice from Heaven urging me on, Even now as I turn to ash I will protect you
I bring the voice from Heaven, Even this dying town now breathes again little by little
A voice from Heaven, still resounds
Even now, as I am turned to ash
#ThrowbackThursday - exist†trace miko Official Blog「Face the Music」: One Second Attention Span
2011-05-12 06:00:00
Original text: 一日坊主
I talked for a long time on the phone with Jyou tonight, so I’ve just gotten into bed right now.
I was so set on sleeping early and waking up early yesterday, where did that conviction go...
I’ve just got the attention span of a second.
But, I was able to talk a lot with Jyou,
So it ended up being really productive.
We started by talking about our newly completed “TRUE,”
But then it turned into a discussion on our lyrics, our lives, the songs we’ll write, the future...
And especially about our oneman next month, we had some conflicting opinions on that,
But as a result we came up with an image that we could both agree on.
It’s still a pretty shaky image, but we’ll use this last month to brush it up,
So on the day of June 18th, I hope we’ll be able to share it with everyone.
I’m so glad that she’s the vocalist of Igu.
Our upbringing and the music we take in are different, so we do have quite a bit of disagreements,
But how we feel about Igu is one and the same.
She’s someone with love.
Someone who can see through to the truth.
I really admire those things about her.
Well it’s morning already but I really have to sleep.
I’ll do so while listening to the five tracks on “TRUE,” which we just finished mastering...
Good night.
