#gekirock

[a-tiddy-ninja]

「GEKIROCK CLOTHINGさんとのコラボ企画第2弾！ ミームトーキョー× GALFY × ゲキクロ スペシャルコラボが実施決定🧬」

[cherrylng]

"Will of the People" Muse interview - Chris Wolstenholme [GEKIROCK August 2022]

Original full interview in Japanese can be found on their website.

The quintessence of the one and only live band MUSE! A stunning rock album that has developed in all directions, from modern metal to ballads!

Member: Chris Wolstenholme (Ba)

Interviewer: Toru Sugaya

MUSE have completed their new album ‘Will Of The People’, their ninth album in four years. The album, which came after the pandemic, is a complete change from the previous album, which was mainly electro, and is filled with their quintessential guitar sound, a content that fans have been waiting for. The songs on the album, including ‘Won't Stand Down’, which was released as the first single and blew listeners away with its metallic guitars, also feature a variety of the band's specialities, from glam rock to synth-pop and piano ballads, but each of them has developed more dynamically, and it can be said that it is a work that is diverse yet unmistakably a MUSE album in every way. Chris Wolstenholme talks to us about the album.

—Congratulations on the completion of your new album “Will Of The People”. Some of the songs have already been performed live, how does it feel to play them and how are the fans reacting? “It's very exciting. I think there's a great hunger for human interaction, partly because we've all been through a lot of hardships in the last two and a half years, with Corona and all the other hard things we've been through. Many people used to regularly do things they took for granted, such as going to concerts, sporting events and other gatherings, but it is only when these things are taken away that they realise how much they used to enjoy and needed them. We went two and a half years without doing a show. It was the longest period of no shows in our history. The first show back on the live scene renewed everyone's enthusiasm for live music. Everyone hasn't seen a concert in a long time…… This time it's really special. I myself didn't realise how much I missed this place until I got back on stage. To be honest, the first few gigs were a bit strange. I felt like I was doing something wrong (chuckles).”

—(laughs). “We got so used to being apart from people that we weren’t gathering together, so we were kind of looking around here and there like, “Um…… can we break the rules here?” (laughs).”

—Ahaha (laughs). “It was a totally strange feeling. But it's great to be back on stage. The fans and us are really excited. We don’t want to take such a long break again.”

—There is a new, rather heightened intimacy with the fans. “Yes, there's no doubt about that. I think we've all got used to living in our own bubbles, I think. I'm lucky because I have my wife and kids, and even during the pandemic I still had a lot of people around me, but a lot of people were alone and couldn't interact with others. No matter how much I love my family and the people I live with, I still need other people…… I think a lot of people found the state of being alone so hard to handle, they could hardly do anything. I think they've become more grateful to just have people around them. Because we went through an experience where we couldn't get that. Now I just hope that something good will come out of the hardships we went through. We'll never take (interaction with others) for granted again, we have more respect for each other, and we've realised how important other people are.”

—Is the reaction of the fans when you play new songs better than when you previously performed new songs from back then? “Yeah, I think so. We're playing a song called ‘Kill Or Be Killed’ and we've been doing that for a long time before it was released. There was a time, I think it was in the early 2000s, when ‘Napster’ was big, and we were afraid of our music being leaked, so we held back from playing new songs at live shows before they were released. It didn't seem like a good idea to have those recordings circulating out there before the album came out. I think this is the first time we've played a song before it was released live since ‘Hysteria’ (from our third album, Absolution, released in 2003)? I think we had a rule that we didn't play new songs until they were released. ‘Kill Or Be Killed’ was an exception to that rule, and we were like, “Oh well. Fuck it,” and we decided to play it (laughs). Times are different now, and we just want to play it and get the fans excited. And it's a very energetic, heavy song, so it suits our live shows very well. To be honest, all the new songs sound good. The new album has a lot of heavy songs and a lot of guitar, so I think it suits us very well from a live point of view.”

—As you say, there have been many songs with a hard rock/metal essence in previous albums, but this album is packed with more intense sounds than ever before, such as ‘Kill Or Be Killed’ and ‘Won't Stand Down’. What prompted you to steer in this direction? “Well, I don't think it was something we did consciously. As you just said, (the hard rock/metal essence) has always been a part of this band. It's also because a lot of the bands we were listening to when we started playing music were heavy. For myself, I love RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE, HELMET, and KORN, and also DEFTONES. Those were the early Nu-metal bands. We were just getting our record deal at that time. They might have come out a bit earlier, but those bands influenced us 25 years ago. It's interesting that metal music has evolved a lot since then. Especially in terms of production. You can be very heavy and pop at the same time, and you can use the production tools very well to make it sound really polished. That's what's really appealing to us. If you listen to a lot of metal music nowadays, it's getting more and more mainstream. The production values of metal bands are also surprisingly high. I think it's possible to be heavy and extreme and still have the essence of a pop song. I think that's what we've been trying to achieve for a long time. It doesn't matter what kind of songs we play, as long as the base of the song is a ‘good song’. When you get down to it, it's all about the chords, the structure, and the melody. If you have those three things, people will like it. For us, especially from a live point of view, when you get into the metal realm, it affects the audience in some way. People are jumping up and down. We've always had a great reaction from the audience to songs like ‘Stockholm Syndrome’ (from “Absolution”) or ‘Dead Star’ (from the 2002 compilation/live album “Hullabaloo Soundtrack”). That's very important at a live show. When we make a setlist, we're always thinking about which songs to combine to get the best reaction, what we can do to make people enjoy it the most. I think the most important thing to have at a show is high energy. I think that's our motivation, to create a really high energy atmosphere. It's fun for us when we see the audience having fun too (laughs).”

“At the end of the day, I think it's about the hardships and crises we're all living through. Those problems are happening blatantly right in front of our eyes.”

—While your previous album, Simulation Theory (your 8th album released in 2018), had a strong electro element, this album gave the impression of a return to a band sound centered around distorted guitars. Did you come to this sound partly because you couldn't play live due to the pandemic and missed the energy you got from the audience? “I think so. Yeah. Because the thing we missed the most was playing live. I don't think we ever went six or nine months without playing a show, even when we took time off in the past. I think we were always experimenting as a band. As a rock band that's stripped down to just a guitarist, bassist, and drummer, when you've had such a long gap, you just want to get back on stage and rock out as a trio and create something high energy. We’re all back from the COVID pandemic, and we're all excited with the fans. The excitement of the music itself combined with the excitement of the audience makes for a great show.”

—You just mentioned the hard elements, but in fact, the songs on the album have a variety of arrangements, from glam rock to synth-pop, piano ballads to metal, with each song having a different character, but no matter how you cut it, it's a very MUSE-like album. What points did you focus on when creating the songs? “Well, this time…… I guess it's like we took the best parts of what we're good at and mixed it all together. There are electronic elements in the very heavy songs, and there are electronic and hard rock elements in the songs that sound like classics.”

—Certainly. “If you analyse each song, you can see…… For example, ‘Liberation’, that's the first song in a long time that has classical piano-like elements in it. And yet it's full of electronic elements and uses a lot of synthesisers. Of course, there are the epic backing vocals that have become our trademark. That's kind of what we think we're good at, and we've brought it all together on one album.”

—The album was produced by the band, with additional production by Aleks Von Korff, who also worked on the previous album. Dan Lancaster also mixed ‘Won't Stand Down’. What was the reason for this line-up? Dan is also the support musician on your current tour, isn't he? “Yes, Dan is supporting us. We talked earlier about the evolution of metal, and as you know, he's done a lot of collaborations with Bring Me the Horizon.”

—Yes, that's right. “From a sound point of view, we feel that a lot of what they've done is quite modern. In light of the way metal is produced these days. Mixing metal can be very difficult sometimes. There are so many sounds and everything is so heavy and dense that it can be difficult to get all the elements of the sound to sound right.”

—I see. “But when you listen to the mixes and bands that Dan has worked on, they are very dense, yet you can hear each sound properly. That's where it started, and then I discovered that he's also a great musician. He's a good guitarist and a good singer. He's also a great keyboardist. So we decided to get him to support us. We've always used a lot of backing vocals on our albums, but we haven't really been able to replicate that live. Now that myself, Matt (Matthew Bellamy/Vo/Gt/Key) and Dan all sing, we can do a good three-part harmony. It's been quite a long time since we've played a show. And he's a very nice guy. He has a forward-thinking approach to music and production.”

—How about Aleks? He did the additional production, didn't he? “Aleks is an engineer from LA and he's just got a fantastic ear. He has an incredible talent for listening to things that other people would miss and making whatever you record sound great. A lot of people nowadays don't care about the quality of the recording because they think they can fix anything in the mixing process (laughs). Aleks makes everything great at the recording stage, which makes mixing much easier. The sound is good even before mixing. I think the way he records drums is great and he knows a lot about the gear we use. And he's also one of the most fun people to be around. I rely on him for a third-party perspective as well.”

—Reading through the lyrics of the song, it seems to me that the song is a fairly direct portrayal of modern social issues such as the environmental crisis, the power of the people, bullying, and Black Lives Matter, as well as the pandemic. Can you tell us why you chose to take on these subjects? “I don't know exactly when Matt wrote the lyrics, but my guess is that quite a lot of it was written during the pandemic. During the pandemic there were other things you mentioned, Black Lives Matter, the #Metoo movement, the war in Ukraine…… All kinds of things are happening. I learned about a lot of it by staying home and watching TV because of the pandemic. Every day, all day long. These problems have been going on for quite a long time. But none of us went to work…… At least I was at home all day watching the news on TV. Maybe other people did too. So, just when I thought the pandemic had calmed down a bit, now other problems crept into the news. I think very many people have become more aware of those other issues when they're at home all the time without work. So it's impossible to say that (the lyrics) weren't influenced by them. I think a lot of musicians who wrote songs for their albums during the lockdown period also took their cues from that.”

—I agree. “For us it was easy to do. It was originally a lot of the subjects Matt had covered before. But as you said, this time it's very, very direct compared to the previous ones. There's a lot less ambiguity and a lot less being left to the listener's interpretation. In fact, I think you're hearing the most direct lyrics Matt has ever sung. There are very few moments where I'm listening to the songs and thinking, "What is this about?" I mean, we all know what it's about. I think it's really about the hardships and crises that we're all living through. These problems are happening right in front of our eyes for the first time. Every day. There is so much negativity in the world. Like climate change and the issues you just mentioned. It's like riots are happening all over the world. The world is in a terrible state…… (chuckles). I feel that these problems are still very much present even now, and it's a very disturbing time. Very unstable times. The majority of this album refers to them.”

—It makes the listener think, too. I think it's good to be able to think together with the band about how we can deal with it, get through it, and overcome it. “That's cool!”

—By the way, metallic masks appear in the music videos for ‘Won't Stand Down’, ‘Compliance’ and ‘Will Of The People’. At the live show held this year, huge masks were placed on the stage and the members performed wearing them, which I think is an important item in this album, but what is the meaning of them? “Well, I think this is one of the few parts of the album that is left to each person's interpretation this time. To me it looks like a huge, rebellious cult. They're fighting against all the problems in the world. It has a dystopian feel to it, or they're fighting against all these things, and they're standing by us. So it's like they're trying to open up a new world. I don't know. But other people might have a completely different interpretation. This is my personal interpretation, but I'm sure Matt's interpretation will be different and Dom's (Dominic Howard/Dr) interpretation will also be different.”

—By the way, that mask…… Do you find it hard to breathe during the live show (laughs)? “……It's very hard to breathe (laughs). It's also very hot. The first one we made didn't have any holes in it at all.”

—That's scary. “And the venue at the beginning of the tour was in Southern Europe and it was so hot. When I put it on, I was sweating within seconds! So I had to get a new mask made, the ones with some holes in them. Then I could get some fresh air. But I only had it on for one song, the opening song. After that I took it off, so it's not so bad (laughs).”

—As for the album tour, you guys are usually an arena band, but at this stage (※interviewed at the end of July) you have only announced shows with a capacity of around 2,000 to 3,000 people, excluding festival appearances. “Yeah. There are a lot of bands that wrote a lot of songs while they couldn't play shows because of the pandemic, so now everyone wants to play shows (laughs). What we decided to do in our case is that instead of doing a big tour right after the album, we just want to play again anyway, so we decided to play relatively small shows, except for a few festivals, to feel connected to the fans. —You know, especially in arenas, the seats are dark and far away, so it feels a bit isolated. It's very important for us to reconnect with the audience, because we're finally getting back to the show after the COVID-19 pandemic. You have to get close and become one with them. It's easier to do that in smaller venues. And it's been two and a half years, so it's a bit scary to suddenly go back to an arena (laughs).”

—(laughs). “Like big stadiums. I'd rather do it on a smaller scale and in a more relaxed way. And then next year we'll go back to arenas and stadiums…… To be honest, I personally prefer smaller shows. I think there's a type of energy and a sense of connection with the fans that you don't get from bigger shows.”

—Finally, do you have a message for your Japanese fans? “Of course! We all missed you in Japan. We can't wait to go back. Japan is a country we all love and it's always fun to go there, the people and the food are amazing. Not having that…… we missed it. We missed our Japanese fans. We're hoping to go back as soon as possible.”

"Will of the People" album review The new album, the ninth in four years from the world-famous live band MUSE, is a dynamic sublimation of the frustrations built up during the pandemic, and is a stunning rock album. The band's sound, which seems to have developed the various elements of their speciality in all directions, can function as a best-of album in spite of being a new album, and is highly recommended as an introduction to the band, not to mention long-time fans. The album is full of highlights, from the over-the-top glam rock catharsis of Track.1 (Will of the People) to the dark MUSE-style funk tune of Track.6 (You Make Me Feel Like It’s Halloween) and the majestic piano ballad of Track.5 (Ghosts (How Can I Move On)), but readers of this magazine who have not yet listened to MUSE should at least check out Track.4 (Won’t Stand Down) and Track.7 (Kill Or Be Killed), which are intense metal tunes. -Toru Sugaya

Translator's Note: This is actually a free interview that is available online and the small booklet was a free magazine that showed only parts of the interview. Did I spend actual money to buy this free magazine? Yes. Was it worth it? Somewhat since I get to laugh at the sheer thought of questioning "Is Muse a Visual Kei band?"

Please do support me via my ko-fi! ☕

[ankimodaisukiq]

Unlucky Morpheus interview with Gekirock - Why Does Nobody Remember Me in This World? OP "Sekai Rinne"

Original interview:

Unlucky Morpheus| 激ロック インタビュー

やっと、ようやく、ついに。あんきもことUnlucky Morpheusがこのたび発表するシングル『世界輪廻』の表題曲は、7月13日から放送開始となるTVアニメなぜ僕の世界を誰も覚えていないのか？のOPテーマとして起用されるという。重厚なメタル然とした音像を武器としながらも、そこに

---

Finally, at long last, Unlucky Morpheus, known affectionately as Ankimo, is set to release their new single, "Sekai Rinne." The title track will serve as the opening theme for the TV anime "なぜ僕の世界を誰も覚えていないのか？(Why Does Nobody Remember Me in This World?)" starting on July 13. While known for their heavy metal sound, Ankimo is also adept at incorporating high-quality pop sensibilities, and they've long aimed to create anime songs. Here we have the dramatic and dynamic Ankimo-style anime songs, complete!

— Unlucky Morpheus is releasing their first anime tie-up single, "Sekai Rinne," which will be the opening theme for the TV anime "Why Does Nobody Remember My World?" starting on July 13. Considering the flow from their first album as Unholy Orpheus, "What is DEATH?" released in May with its strong melodic death metal influence, this new development is very intriguing. Shiren, was this an intentional move on your part?

Shiren: Yes, it was. The "What is DEATH?" album released under Unholy Orpheus was originally planned to be released together with Unlucky Morpheus's album "evolution" (released in 2022) as counterpart albums. However, due to timing, "evolution" came out first. With this new tie-up, I see "What is DEATH?" as a good contrasting work to "Sekai Rinne." I hope fans enjoy the wide range of our music.

— As you mentioned, the title track "Sekai Rinne" of this single maintains the powerful sound typical of Ankimo, while also featuring standout melodies and catchy elements characteristic of anime songs. Ankimo has previously released pop-sensible tracks like "Amaryllis" (included in "evolution"), so this isn't entirely unprecedented.

Fuki: The "evolution" album we released before was driven by its vocals throughout. Among the tracks, "Amaryllis" had a particularly anime-song-like context, and I think it resonated with fans as a track that could easily fit into an anime, both in melody and vocal tone. In that sense, "Sekai Rinne" is simply a natural outcome of the melody and singing style the song called for. However, this is our first time creating an actual anime tie-up song as Ankimo, so this marks a turning point for the band. This single is likely to reach the largest audience we've ever had, making it very significant for us.

— Since we have the opportunity, I'd like to ask the instrumental members about their feelings when this tie-up was decided.

FUMIYA: For me, it felt like "finally, the time has come." Even though we call Ankimo a metal band, within the realm of metal, we do fairly understandable things, and I think we are a good introductory metal band. We've had anime song-like tracks like Amaryllis before, so honestly, I feel like "finally."

Ogawa: I think there were probably quite a few fans of Ankimo who thought it would be great if we did an anime song someday. Of course, we ourselves had thought so for a long time, but as an indie band, it's hard to come across such opportunities. So I feel like we've finally achieved one of our goals.

Jinya: In reality, getting a tie-up without belonging to an agency and working independently is uncommon, so I feel very grateful for this opportunity, which came about through various fortunate encounters and the efforts of those around us.

Jill: I also feel "finally...!" In all our activities so far, one of my two big dreams was to have my project be responsible for an anime opening. I've been involved in anime background music through recording work before, but having the chance to do an anime opening with my own band is very exciting. Plus, I personally love anime songs. I've posted "played with cosplay" videos of songs like "Gurenge" and "Homura" (both by LiSA) from "Demon Slayer" and "Guren no Yumiya" (Linked Horizon) from "Attack on Titan" on my YouTube channel. So in that sense, I'm very honored to be directly involved in the anime world this time.

— Since it's an anime OP theme, the length is fixed at 1 minute and 30 seconds, so I think you must have been mindful of the elements unique to tie-up songs during the composition process. Shiren, what points did you particularly consider this time?

Shiren: The most important thing in making an anime song is whether it fits "Why Does Nobody Remember Me in This World?" I paid a lot of attention to how this song would resonate within the work. The primary focus was to create a song for this work, and then I thought about how to make it sound like Ankimo. 

Fuki: I also wanted to make a song that even people who don't know Ankimo would be intrigued by. And of course, I made sure to showcase the charm of vocalist Fuki.

Shiren: In terms of sound, we don't usually use digital synths that much in Ankimo. But this time, since "Why Does Nobody Remember Me in This World?" features futuristic weapons and has a fantastical world view, I used digital synth sounds to express that feeling. Although, the fantastical world view is something Ankimo is inherently good at. Regardless, I always kept in mind that it was a song for the anime. The time signature also matches the anime's length.

— Could you explain a bit more about what you mean?

Shiren: In "Sekai Rinne," the B melody has an irregular time signature, with a mix of 7/4 and 4/4 time. It fit perfectly to match the song's length. At first, I tried to match it with regular 4/4 or 3/4 time, but it didn't feel quite right. Then I thought maybe an irregular time signature would fit, and it did. The unusual B melody would not have existed if the song length wasn't fixed for an anime (laughs).

— When creating the sound, was there anything you kept in mind considering it would be aired on TV?

FUMIYA: No, the sound is the same as usual. "Sekai Rinne" isn't an overly metallic song to begin with, so the drums aren't very prominent. But I included my individuality where needed, so in that sense, I approached it with the same balance as always.

Shiren: I think I'm the only one who considered how it would sound on TV. It was the first thing to think about as the composer. During the mixing stage, I also thought about how it would sound through TV speakers. The other members focused on how to enhance the demo I presented.

FUMIYA: Exactly. Shiren composed the song with an awareness of it being an anime song, so I just made sure not to deviate from that.

Ogawa: My stance was pretty much the same, and it felt similar to when we recorded Amaryllis. I didn't particularly worry about it being on TV or an anime song.

Shiren: Since we're making music in Japan, I think we all have some understanding of what anime songs are like. Even if we're not consciously aware, there's probably an unconscious imprint. That shared understanding naturally came through in this song.

Jinya: Shiren included all the necessary elements for an anime song in the track, so I focused on delivering excellent metal play true to Ankimo. I think the significance of Ankimo doing an anime song lies in that. Many can make metal-like anime songs, but only Ankimo can deliver our unique metal in an anime song. As a player, my approach didn't change. The only difference was when the mix came up, I suggested minor adjustments to better fit an anime opening.

— Earlier, Shiren mentioned using digital synths to represent the futuristic elements of "Why Does Nobody Remember Me in This World?" Did this create any conflicts between the synth and the violin?

Jill: No, not at all (laughs). From the moment I heard the demo and saw the score, I understood what needed to be expressed in this song. I focused on playing phrases that would be easily received by listeners within the short duration of an anime song. That might have been a bit different from usual.

— Besides the sound creation process, I think the lyrics were also important for "Sekai Rinne." Did you receive any materials in advance from the other party?

Fuki: When we received this offer, I read the original light novel "Why Does Nobody Remember Me in This World?" The novel was serialized from 2017 to 2020 and is currently being serialized as a manga. The anime adaptation was based on specific parts, so I bought and read the entire original work. The lyrics were written after fully understanding the story.

— After submitting the first draft of the lyrics, did you receive any additional orders or revisions from the other party?

Fuki: There were none. I think it's fair to say that the original author approved of the lyrics.

Let's put on a truly metal live performance!

– That's amazing. Even though there are various kinds of anime songs, some lyrics don't have much to do with the original work or the anime's content. However, the fact that "Sekai Rinne" is closely aligned with the original work will surely gain the trust of fans who may not know Unlucky Morpheus. By the way, the title of the song "Sekai Rinne" is—

Fuki: "Sekai Rinne" is an important keyword that appears in the original work. Of course, the anime covers up to a certain point, so I wrote the lyrics in a way that avoided including elements that would spoil the ending or reveal too much. I often depict the stories in my head in my lyrics, and I'm good at that, so writing lyrics that reflect the original content through my filter was really fun this time.

– There are also many unique readings of the kanji in the lyrics, aren't there?

Fuki: Actually, all of them are words that appear in the original work. I used the original hiragana and katakana readings as they were. So, I think the fans of the original work, manga, and anime will feel that the lyrics are written with a proper understanding of the story.

– As a vocalist, how did you approach singing "Sekai Rinne" during the recording?

Fuki: I used all the pop and catchy elements from both my repertoire and Unlucky Morpheus's. To put it more simply, I could sing it in a cooler style, but I consciously aimed for a singing style that would be easy and appealing for anime song listeners.

– Your voice sounds graceful and expansive.

Fuki: The emotional focus of the song is higher than usual. I wanted it to be a song that would catch your attention and make you want to watch when it came on TV.

– This makes me look forward to the broadcast date. I want to watch it live on TV when the caption "Sekai Rinne" by Unlucky Morpheus appears!

Shiren: Ah, the caption is definitely a unique feature of anime songs (laughs).

Jinya: Well, these days, you can watch on various streaming services too. Even if you don't watch it live, you can enjoy it in your own style at your convenience.

Fuki: We've been talking about TV, but I'm sure many people will watch it on their smartphones or PCs. At the recent advance screening ("Why Does Nobody Remember Me in This World?" Advance Screening), many attendees said they were moved to see "Unlucky Morpheus" briefly appear in the lower right corner of the big screen at the Ikebukuro cinema (Grand Cinema Sunshine Ikebukuro).

– I hope many people discover Unlucky Morpheus through "Why Does Nobody Remember Me in This World?" and "Sekai Rinne."

Fuki: Unlucky Morpheus will be 16 years old this October, but in the early days, we even sold CDs by hand at Comiket. People who knew us back then but don't know the recent Unlucky Morpheus might think, "Unlucky Morpheus doing anime songs?" I hope "Sekai Rinne" will remind those who were aware of our doujin activities and think, "Unlucky Morpheus is still around?" (laughs). It's not a negative thing at all. I'm very happy to have people who have known Unlucky Morpheus for a long time. I hope both metal fans and non-metal fans will be surprised and delighted by this.

– By the way, the single also includes a coupling song, "Ready for a new stage," which seems to be a track that metal fans will love. It feels like a classic melodic speed metal tune that is typical of Unlucky Morpheus.

Shiren: Since "Sekai Rinne" is a bit unusual for Unlucky Morpheus and represents new ground for us, we wanted to offer something contrasting as the coupling track. When bands make their major debut, they often get criticized for changing to a more commercial sound (laughs). If anyone feels uneasy after hearing "Sekai Rinne," I'd like them to listen to "Ready for a New Stage." If "Sekai Rinne" was made entirely for the anime, this one was made purely for Unlucky Morpheus, delivering ultra-classic melodic speed metal.

Jinya: Metal fans can rest assured (laughs). If Unlucky Morpheus released this as a single, this song might have been the title track.

Shiren: People who have known Unlucky Morpheus for a long time and listen to this single after a while might think, "Oh, this is the kind of music they're doing now" with "Sekai Rinne," but then with "Ready for a New Stage," they might feel, "Nothing's changed! They're still evolving!" which would be ideal.

FUMIYA: The drumming is explosive on this one. I went all out.

Ogawa: The recording schedule was quite tight, but since it's a song that showcases our strengths, we managed to pull it off.

– I'm delighted to hear a violin solo in "Ready for a New Stage."

Jill: The overall song is classic and straightforward, but I felt a bit of a mysterious vibe, so I played the violin solo with a slightly Arabian nuance in mind.

– Each part has a spotlight during the interlude, making it a very satisfying song to listen to.

Shiren: For those who are hearing Unlucky Morpheus for the first time with this single, "Ready for a New Stage" will likely be the second song they hear. I wanted the violin solo to stand out against the other parts playing classic metal sounds, showcasing the unique character of the violin. If you think of the structure as introduction, development, turn, and conclusion, the turn is the violin solo.

– Regarding the lyrics of "Ready for a new stage," Fuki, you mentioned earlier that this single is a turning point for the band. In that sense, "new stage" seems to refer to the future beyond this turning point.

Fuki: Yes, that's the feeling I put into the lyrics of "Ready for a new stage." Additionally, this song is connected to "Change of Generation" (from the 2012 release 'Parallelism・β'), our first original song from 2012, which conveyed our intention to carry the next generation of heavy metal. We have continued to cherish and perform it as a live staple. "Ready for a new stage" is a 2024 answer song to "Change of Generation." It also conveys the message that even if anyone is worried about Unlucky Morpheus doing anime songs, they needn't be because we will continue to evolve and show you the "new stage = next world" you love about Unlucky Morpheus.

– Both "Sekai Rinne" and "Ready for a new stage" have different colors but proudly carry Unlucky Morpheus's spirit.

Fuki: I'd be very happy if you feel that way!

– When can we expect to hear these new songs live?

Shiren: We're currently on a one-man tour ("Unlucky Morpheus 15th Anniversary Live Tour 'REINCARNATION'"), and we'll start performing the new songs around August. The first performance will likely be in Kanazawa on the 3rd. The tour will continue intermittently until November, so we hope both long-time fans and those who discovered us through "Sekai Rinne" will come to our shows.

Fuki: Speaking of live shows, we're holding a "Rowdy Only Live" at Kichijoji CLUB SEATA on October 14, the day after Unlucky Morpheus's anniversary on October 13.

– That's quite an intriguing live title.

Shiren: In the past, Unlucky Morpheus used to have really chaotic live shows, but with our fanbase now consisting of all ages and the COVID-19 pandemic, we haven't had such chaotic shows for a long time. However, aside from wanting everyone to see us, I also believe that live shows are all about going wild, so this time we decided to clearly announce a "Rowdy Only Live." Let's put on a truly metal live performance!

– That's the spirit.

Shiren: When I saw CHILDREN OF BODOM live at SHIBUYA-AX, I was deeply impressed by the chaotic floor, and it has influenced me greatly. It's not about getting hurt, but I want everyone to experience the fun of going wild, screaming, and enjoying the show. The ticket sales page even has a pop-up asking if you're okay with a rowdy live show before you apply (laughs).

– I think it's wonderful for Unlucky Morpheus, a band that prides itself on being an entry point to metal, to actively promote the joy of experiencing metal live.

Shiren: It's not about getting hurt. Let's all enjoy the fun of going wild and crazy!

[kusokurae69]

2022.10.09 ＠日比谷公園大音楽堂

📷 - gekirock.com

[burialapplicant]

(210511) the GazettE's Staff Twitter

Gekirock May 11 2021 Interview with Uruha and Kai https://gekirock.com/magazine/

[sorasunao]

the GazettE ~ interview for Gekirock 2018.06.11 ~

- On March 10 (2018), you presented a video for the song Falling. When did you start creating it?

Reita: Mmm, last December?

Kai: The pre-production was ready in November, but we started recording only in December. If we talk about time, it was somewhere between the end of the Halloween lives and the concert Countdown Japan 17/18.

- The first thing I would like to ask: did you use seven-string guitars to record this time?

Aoi: No, we didn’t. Well, we tried and refused it * laughs *

- That's how. Just the Falling has such surround sound, that there was a rumor that seven-string guitars were used there. But if you didn't use them, how did you achieve such surround sound?

Uruha: There is a clean background, yes. It turned out just such a "heady" sound. First we used a power chord, but in the end we could not apply all these nuances. And although we eventually changed the sound, we could not get rid of the so-called seven-string guitar sound. * laughs * That is why it turned out such a surround sound, I think. And pure sound is always perceived as the sound of a seven-string guitar.

Aoi: Up to this point, the Gazette has never been eager to use clear sound.

Uruha: Yes, because power chords always indicate the fervor of our feelings      * laughs *

Ruki: This time, the main motive was just built on a pure sound background.

- The video version of Falling was released under the production of Josh Wilbur. Can you say that the communication went off with a bang?

Reita: Since we are stuck with recording sound on our part, we tried to finish the track, changing it in every way by trial and error. We wondered how to do it, but we simply didn’t have a chance to agree. And yet, on the last day, we were able to do this by working in real time via an Internet connection.

- The Limited Edition Box also included a record from the 15th anniversary concert in Yoyogi. Have you thought about releasing it as a separate issue? What is the reason for this kind of privilege?

Ruki: "We want to add it to Ninth." That was the decision that was made a long time ago. Of course, the question of whether to make it as a separate release was also a matter of how to make it a privilege. We also thought about this in our own way.

- And of course, there was a deep interest in combining the starting point of the group “DaiNipponItanGeisha” and the newest album “Ninth”. At first after listening to the album and watching 15th Anniversary live, despite the difference in approaches in music (of this and that time), with proper combination of both components (meaning album and live), you can detect sound enhancement (*talks about new arrangements of old tracks). So, for example, relying on "Traces Vol.2", was there a situation for some pre-decided moments of the sound for the «Ninth»?

Ruki: Perhaps there was. As usual, before creating the album we stop on the main topic “How can we present ourselves through the new form of the Gazette,” therefore, with Dogma it was originally the same. But, precisely in Dogma this principle was removed. The present ninth album is the desire to express the current the Gazette, through filling with different forms from the past.

- In Ninth, as in Dogma, there is no specific and understandable reference or reference. It doesn't have anything to say, that this album is clearly associated with something. This is a mature aggressive rock, and something experimental, and at the same time having the most important strategic point - "music in the style of visual kei". Starting from the usual push-pull melody and developing to an unprecedented sixteen bars, which are revealed in “One of a Kind” and to the incredible melody atmosphere in “裏 切 る 舌”.

Ruki: “裏切る舌” has an atmosphere and a feeling of what the group did in the old days, when we started.

- The rhythm of “Two of a Kind” is quite popular, but nevertheless I really want to see how Kai-san will play it at concerts.

Kai: Yes. If I can endure the same sound as it was on the recording, it will be cool. *laughs* This is, in principle, the most difficult song. * laughs *

- The “Ninth Odd Smell” has a rather intense riff play.I mean that usually, you don't use such gamma.

Aoi: This is the thing created by Ruki. It fully reflects how he feels it.

- If we talk about this song, playing it without a score is probably quite difficult. Arrangement was difficult, right?

Uruha: When you bring music for arrangement, the most important thing is to catch its main motive and understand it. It was impossible to play one to one with the source code, since there were so many so-called nuances. I could not understand whether there is a bend* or not. (*musical term). Therefore, the work on the selection and comparison of sound was terrible. *laughs*

- I see. That is, assuming that you had to play the song, as it was written in the source, it would be awful, right?

Uruha: Well. When they brought it to me, I basically understood how to play it. The most difficult and incomprehensible part was the presence of bending.“Unclear, but somehow I will play” - this was the name of this complicated technique, and I just once again appreciated how talented Ruki is.   * laughs *

Ruki: Do you call "the technique" all that absurd and sound chaos? * laughs*

Aoi: Well, when creating a new song, as a rule, there are quite a few some interesting nuances, therefore, there is a motto: “it will be as it will be”.

Uruha: But this is quite interesting. Forced such a feeling. * laughs *

Ruki: Eh? I didn’t know. That's how ... a forced feeling ...

All: * laugh *

Reita: Basically the bass goes in unison, so I feel the same as Ruki. And from Ruki the smell is pretty persistent. * laughs * (translator's comment - I have no idea what he means XD)

- There is also a part that causes a feeling of dissonance.

Reita: Yes Yes. Therefore, only for this song is expertise in the style of “yes, how to play it?” This is exactly what the search for balance in the sound was done for. And so we did only with this song. So it turned out to be difficult.

Uruha: Only this song, yes. In fact, roughly speaking, we were engaged in random selection of sound.

Reita: But at the same time, as soon as the ear adapts, immediately everything is heard correctly.

Kai: Well, it was relatively easy for me to do that. I did what I could match. I maintained a fast pace, and where I could not do this, I was saved by interceptions. * laughs *

- Songs “The Mortal” and “Babylon’s taboo” - the creation of an original composition, and mix - were completely created by Uruha, right?

Uruha: Yes. These two songs, unlike all the others, took the most time, therefore, it would be just a meaningless act if we didn’t release them.

- Uruha-san, despite the fact that our interview has acquired a very mild atmosphere, if we talk about these two melodies, they are both pretty bloody songs.

Ruki: The one who wrote these songs, the main villain * laughs * It is difficult to understand. If you listen to them only once, everything is completely incomprehensible, and they give rise to a very oppressive feeling * laughs *

Uruha: Like something sticky and unpleasant, huh? And yet, in Babylon’s Taboo, for example, it seemed to me that guitars would be oppressive, and as a result I was completely overwhelmed by the vocal. As a result, the vocals eclipsed the rigidity of the guitars completely. * laughs * 

- In the text of “Babylon’s taboo” there is a line with the words “ominous oppression”, that is, there are passages in the song, where exactly anger comes to the fore. But if you read the entire album’s lyrics, there is a feeling that you are one step closer to the truth, as if got to the bottom of the essence. Being rebellious to this day, as adults, you still feel the causes of conflict, right?

Ruki:  No. It is rather an attempt to expose. Babylon’s Taboo is exactly about that. Roughly speaking, this is a very intimate topic, and although it is an absolutely contentious story, but it is that the world being deceived about.

- The "Ninth" due to very surround sound, is just incredible. It seems to me that this is still the merit of the person who was engaged in mixing, and put in there a dozen of his skill.

Ruki: Well, in general, yes. This is also because before this [album], the range of topics we discussed was rather narrow.

Uruha: This time we had the main message: "Less drums, more “fat” in guitar sound."

Kai: This time we recorded exclusively through trial and error. I recorded each part of the drama separately: cymbals and drums. If we talk about the songs of Uruha-kun, we really recorded them apart. Since the work on mixing the tracks was done later, in fact, what I was able to record, I made exactly as I imagined it to myself, and it was too raw in sound. All that I could do to bring it into a single decent look, was done after all. And I'm not sure that I took a big part in recording time, but still the sound was very cool. Well, the atmosphere was somewhat tense. It was.

Ruki: Yes. This time everything really turned out very cool. I feel really involved in all of this.

- In “Gush”, the bass line has a familiar wave-like structure (*A-mero is a unique style of playing in Japan, which is characterized by the invariance of playing from the beginning to the change of the melody), but it seems the sound is lower than normal, isn't it?

Reita: Yes. It really became lower. To make the sound lower, I twisted the knobs on the bass up. Usually, I use the adjustment knobs in the standard position, but this time I decided to take a chance. At the same time, since the bass sounded right, not like strange overtones, I think that the sound can be lowered a little more.

- You now have a five-string bass, right? I got the feeling that the sound of the bass stands out somehow especially.

Reita: Yes, five-stringed. But frankly, it doesn’t affect anything * laughs *. Until now, the sound was somehow sloppy, and at the same time, at the level of the sound of the band, it seemed difficult, but this time, I think this problem has been resolved.

Uruha: If we talk about guitars, then in “Gush”, they achieved their ideal evolution, I think. Personally, I recorded in the second half (of the whole record), so I tried different versions, and calmed down when I realized that everything was exactly as it should be. 

- Next “Two of a Kind”. It is so heavy that first of all I’d like to advise it to those who love harder.

Ruki: This is a classic example of a song that uses the A-mero technique. That is, everything was done as it is, without changes (*in one tonality).

Kai: I just fixed it up so that we could play the song without losing the beat from beginning to end. 

- Well, and the voice modulation - the fad of Ruki-san, right?

Ruki: Well, it's already automatically * laughs *

- The structure of the song is still gradually changing, right? Before the first peak moment, the musical phrase dissociating with the main melody also enters ...

Ruki: Mm, dissociating, yes. Does it still seem like that? 

Uruha: Well, it is inherent to V-kei style. For example, in “Merry Go Round” (*Hide’s song) there is one too. 

- Well, for a live it is a great song to rage.

Ruki: Yes. I am responsible for the mess that happens * laughs * Those who came to the concert will be subject to the rhythm and tempo of this song. Staying calm just will not work. They will be able to hear this sound inside themselves.

Uruha: Yeah, just at that peak moment in the song, I also heard it inside me. Very nostalgic feeling. Such a growing tension ...

Ruki: "Joyful sensation in the midst of riot"- hot, but true. Emotionally. 

- No less outstanding and your sad, melancholic melodies. They are rather sad and has a shade of nostalgia, therefore, what you said “emotional” underlines this in the best way.

Ruki: If this is a feeling of past inexperience, or just nostalgia - one way or another, this feeling can be called "This is the Gazette."

https://gekirock.com/interview/2018/06/the_gazette_3.php

translation from japanese to russian by cold_crossfade on vk

translated from russian to english by me

as always thx for reading and sorry for mistakes ^^

[j-ack-in-the-box]

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[aldious-usa]

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