カナシバリ / KANASHIBARI
The rise of Japanese industrial metal
Kanashibari are a Japanese Industrial metal outfit formed in Tokyo in 2014. The four-piece are made up of:
Kazuki (Vo & Guitar) Ryuji (Guitar & Chorus) Morlly (Bass & Chorus) Ida (Drums)
They have been on a steady rise in recent times and cut striking figures across the industrial landscape in Japan. Full Send were intrigued to know more and wanted to find out what makes them tick and any plans to take their unique sound global…
Was there one significant band that made you want to pick up guitars and sing?
Guitar…Guns N’ Roses Sing…I don’t know. I couldn’t find a good vocalist, so I had to sing it myself.
To these ears, your music is steeped in the classic rock ‘n’ roll of such bands as Black Label Society, Trivium and even echoes of Guns ‘n’ Roses in tracks like ‘Hi-Neon’, but what would you say your influences are?
I don’t listen to Black Label Society or Trivium as much, but I do think we’re rooted in classic rock ‘n’ roll. And Guns N’ Roses is my favorite band. But I also like many other bands like Nine Inch Nails, Slipknot, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Dead Boys, Blur, Primal Scream, The Wildhearts, and many others. Kanashibari has its roots in rock ‘n’ roll, but also places emphasis on being catchy and heavy.
You describe yourself as an ‘Anti-heroism metal rock band’, what brought you to this conclusion? Who are you screaming against?
Because I like anti-heroes much more than heroes, both in novels and in movies, and I find them more cool. And because we feel that our appearance is more on the anti-hero side, we call ourselves “anti-heroism”. I’m not screaming at anyone in particular.
You sing in both Japanese and English, where do you see yourself in the world rock industry? Are you aiming to be kings of the Japanese scene, or have you got your eyes on a bigger prize?
We want our music to be heard not only in Japan but all over the world. But I also believe that my being Japanese is one of my main characteristics, so I would like to make the most of my Japaneseness.
‘Splash Happy’ has a very American Punk-Pop feel to it, do watch much MTV? If so, what kind of bands turn you on?
Actually, “Splash Happy” was a song I used to play in my old band. It was a very exciting song to play live, so I tried to play it in Kanashibari, but I think it might have been a little different. I don’t watch MTV.
“Shangri-La Destruction” is an absolute rocker and sees you (I think) finding your own sound? What direction would say the music is going towards?
Definitely a new direction. I always liked the industrial vibe, and there’s an oriental feel to this song. I’d like to keep that vibe in the future, but it depends on the balance between live rock ‘n’ roll and industrial.
When you’re in the studio, does one person take control of the process or does everyone contribute to the song-writing?
All the members come up with ideas for the arrangements. But I write the songs, so I control the whole process.
If you could choose one producer in the world to work with, who would it be and why?
I don’t know. But I’d prefer someone who is good at industrial rock. Because I’d like to bring more of an industrial flavor to the band.
What’s the rock scene like in Japan these days?
There’s a lot of diversification going on. But there seem to be fewer classic rock ‘n’ roll bands.
When was the last time you went to a gig? Who did you see?
I wonder… I can’t remember what shows I’ve been to since Knotfest a few years ago. That was the first time I saw a Limp Bizkit show, and it was great. Other than that, I sometimes go to see my friend’s band at a local live music club.
How often do you get to play gigs?
Last year we didn’t get to do many gigs because of circumstances, but this year it’s about once a month.
What’s the next step? Have you got any new material being released soon?
We will soon release a music video for a new song on YouTube. After that we will release a new EP digitally.
Any plans to tour the rest of the world?
So far we have no plans to do so. But we would love to tour the world someday!
