#twin gate

[cathedralofaudra]

What I would give to see exist✝trace live...

[igutranslations]

VANGUARD

words & music: miko

Japanese:

霧もやの中静かに　流れる誰かの歌　そっと 雫の様に煌めく　音色は奏でる　鼓動の譜を

牙を剥き噛み砕け　瞳が開く前に 震えるその声を　今そっと聞かせて

夕もやの中艶めく　狂喜と苦悩の歌　響く

牙を剥き噛み砕け　瞳が開く前に 震えるその声を焦がして

限りなく青く深く　透き通る空の元へ いつか帰れるのなら 限りある世界に一人　傷付いて倒れようとも まだ鼓動は巡り　傷を癒す

朝もやの様に色付く　音色は奏でる　想像の譜を

牙を剥き噛み砕け　瞳が開く前に 震えるその声を焦がして

限りなく高く遠く　気まぐれな雲の様に いつか自由になるなら 限りある時間の中に　迷い込み壊れそうでも まだ鼓動は眠る君を探す

限りなく青く深く　透き通る空の元へ いつか帰れるのなら 限りある世界に一人　傷付いて倒れようとも まだ鼓動は巡り　傷を癒す

牙を剥き噛み砕け　瞳が開く前に 震えるその声を焦がして 牙を剥き噛み砕け　理性が目覚める前に 途切れた感覚を焦がして

English:

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

[igutranslations]

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!!

[igutranslations]

RESONANCE

words & music: miko

Japanese:

勝ち取ってもまだ満たされず　また走り出した 幕は切って落とされた　戸惑いもなく鐘を鳴らせ

どれだけ奪えば満たされる　予想もつかない 不安げなキミの背中に　この理教えよう

自由は甘く曖昧な存在　幻想の様で 拘束なくして有り得ない存在　恋焦がれてく

閉ざされたこの世に完全なものなど無い 選ばれた必要な抵抗を受け入れて

Liberty in restrain… Liberty is not here

勝ち取ってそれは二つの顔を持ち笑う 綺麗で醜い罠を張り　潜み続けている

自由は甘く曖昧な存在　幻想の様で 拘束なくして有り得ない存在　恋焦がれてく

閉ざされたこの世に完全なものなど無い 選ばれた必要な抵抗を受け入れて 鉄格子の中に見つけた僅かな可能性 捕われた様で包まれた安らぎに

English:

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

[igutranslations]

DECIDE

words & music: miko

Japanese: 

止まらない風の中で交わした約束 やがて全て朽ち果てても二人を繋ぐと信じて

突然に変わる空に君は悲しく あの頃は良かったねと言った

季節は過ぎ　失われそうな過去も 掲げた腕に不変の証を見せて

止まらない風の中で交わした約束 やがて全て朽ち果てても二人を繋ぐと信じて

震える冷たい朝も傷舐め合って 確かな変化さえもないまま

迷いながら立ち止まってしまう現在も 掲げた腕に進化の証を見せて

止まらない風の中で交わした約束 やがて全て朽ち果てても二人を繋ぐと信じて

胸に咲いた希望と不安の未来も 掲げた腕に守りの証を見せて

止まらない風の中で交わした約束 やがて全て朽ち果てても二人を繋ぎ

開かれた扉の先に放つこの歌 いつか二人笑えるまで永遠に響かせるから

迷いのない決断の先へ

English:

Even if all the promises we exchanged in the unending wind someday rot away, believe me, the two of us are tied together

In the sky that suddenly changed You sorrowfully said things were so good back then

Seasons go by, the past seems lost Put up your hands, show me proof of eternity

Even if all the promises we exchanged in the unending wind someday rot away, believe me, the two of us are tied together

Coming together to lick each other’s wounds in the shivering, frigid morning too While nothing is certain, not even change

Even the present has come to a halt in hesitation Put up your hands, show me proof of progress

Even if all the promises we exchanged in the unending wind someday rot away, believe me, the two of us are tied together

The future that makes hope and anxiety bloom in my chest too Put up your hands, show me proof of your protection

Even if all the promises we exchanged in the unending wind someday rot away, the two of us are tied together

I release this song before the door that opened I’ll make it resound forever, until the two of us can smile again

Towards a decision with no hesitation

[igutranslations]

Neverland

words & music: miko

Japanese:

Take me...

不機嫌な空を覗き上げながら　夜が来る度祈っていた 時よ止まって僕をこのまま　ここから連れていって

Take me 僕を連れてあの雲を越えてみせて Take me 戻らずにどこまでも高い空へ Take me…

不機嫌な君は何かのせいにして　零す言葉は溜め息で そんな大人にはなりたくはない　行こう　永遠の国

Take me 僕はいつか楽園を作り上げる Take me 変わらずに永遠の時を刻む Take me…

赤く染まった夜の始まりは　行く手を阻む闇となり広がる

Take me 僕を連れてあの雲を越えてみせて Take me 戻らずにどこまでも高い空へ

Catch me 闇に飲まれ現実の海へ落ちる Catch me この空に逃げ場などどこにもなかった Take me...　Take me…

English:

Take me...

While glancing up at the sullen sky, as night fell I prayed That you’d stop time and take me away from here, just like that

Take me Take me away, let me see us passing over those clouds Take me Never turning back, as high as we can go in the sky Take me…

You’re sullen, blaming something in words grumbled with a sigh I don’t wanna grow up to be like that, so let’s go, to the country of eternity

Take me Someday I will build paradise Take me Carving out an eternal, unchanging time Take me…

The evening dyed red begins with darkness, obstructing your path as it stretches out

Take me Take me away, let me see us passing over those clouds Take me Never turning back, as high as we can go in the sky

Catch me Engulfed in darkness, I fall towards the sea of reality Catch me There’s no refuge for me anywhere in this sky Take me… Take me…

[igutranslations]

KNIFE

words & music: miko

Japanese:

虚ろ気な街の音　窓の外走った 憂鬱な夜明けが　また目をこじ開ける 変わらぬ日常に　変わらず夢は覚め 飛び込んだ迷路には　もう戻る道は無く

手にした熱はまだ絶えず 異なる色を帯び　燃え

突き刺さる声　身体を引き裂いても心は揺れず この先はもう　誰も踏み込ませはしない聖域 守りの翼　大きく拡げたまま　空に漂い ナイフはもう　盾に潜めた君を守れるならいらない

廻り出す時計と　同じ時を重ね 紡ぎ出す言葉は　次第に現実になる

手にした熱は今　青く 静かな破壊衝動　超え

突き刺さる声　身体を引き裂いても心は揺れず この先はもう　誰も踏み込ませはしない聖域 守りの翼　大きく拡げたまま　空に漂い ナイフはもう　盾に潜めた君を守れるならいらない

大切な人も守れず戦って何を得たの？

思い出してもう一度 思い出してあの約束を

突き刺さる声　身体を引き裂いても心は揺れず この先はもう　誰も踏み込ませはしない聖域 守りの翼　大きく拡げたまま　空に漂い ナイフはもう　盾に潜めた君を守れるなら何もいらない

English:

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

[igutranslations]

オルレアンの少女 (Orleans no Shoujo ; The Maid of Orleans)

words & music: miko

Japanese:

旗を振りかざして先陣を切るは　この私 明日が来る約束さえない　ここに逃げ場など無く

受けた矢に涙し先陣を切るは　この私 恐怖と不安に満ち　潰れそうな胸覆い隠して

悪意の炎が今あなたを襲うなら 私は生きる盾となろう

天の声は私を駆り立て　灰になった今もあなたを守る 天の声を私がもたらし　心無い人が少しずつ目覚めるように

旗を振りかざして先陣を切るは　かの先駆 弱さ知り強さ得た人はこう呼ぶ　｢オルレアンの少女｣

火刑の炎が今私を奪うなら 言葉の灰よ風に乗れ

Follow me

天の声は私を駆り立て　灰になった今もあなたを守る 天の声を私がもたらし　枯れた街も今少しずつ息吹く

天の声は　まだ　響いていた 灰になった今も

English: 

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