02-12-2017, 04:23 PM
And here it is, for those who know little of our current Band of the Week....
Exclusive Interview #16
APHASIA
The pathos of this veteran melodious hard rock band has gained persistent popularity and is releasing a new single and producing a new work!
by MASAO FUJIKI/BURRN!
Since its formation, aphasia, who have been pursuing a lyrical and catchy melodic metal, experience its major debut in the early 2000s and has already reached the veteran stage in this genre. They are going to complete a new album after an interval of 7 years ago, with their new singer sion. The new work, which is scheduled to be released within the year, contains a number of excellent songs with sorrowful hooks that draw the ears, and also with sion's wonderful singing, and they hope it can become the masterwork of the band.
―――Why was it that there was no release for seven years after the issue of the previous work, mini-album "Sweet Illusionn"?
goe: Actually, it was originally planned to put the songs of "Sweet Illusionn" in a full album, but because the work dragged on, we thought let's just release a mini album for now, afterwards we wrote some additional songs and meant to release a full album later. So, we worked on a full album at our leisure. It was a feeling that lasted about 5 years. (Wry smile)
jun: For the last 2 years there were issues in members' private lives, and band activities could not be done as expected, there was also a change of singer.
―――It was announced last August that Luka <vo> was leaving. What was the reason for her departure?
jun: Luka wanted to quit the band due to family circumstances.
―――Did you accept it quickly without any attempt to persuade her otherwise?
jun: Yes. After that I heard stories that she is starting another project with other people, but if that’s the case it can’t be helped.
―――Regarding her successor, did you decide on sion after trying out some others?
goe: At the time of Luka quitting, we had several people who are thought of as “This person would be good" already, but from among them a friend said "This person is absolutely suited to aphasia" and she was pushed heavily. That was sion who as a test, tried singing our songs, and it was just wonderful singing, just like the image of the song we had, so we decided immediately. As sion tried first and was great, there was no need to test another person after that.
―――sion was also looking for a band where she could participate?
sion: Until then, I was performing in other music genres, but since I wasn’t in a band, and I’d said I wanted to try working in a band too, that common friend told me "It that’s the case, there’s a good band called aphasia".
―――What kind of activities did you do before?
sion: When I was a student, I participated in a gospel group, I did live shows and sang at weddings, after that I did chorus work and temporary singing jobs, I did live work with only piano and vocals....
―――Your experience of rock bands was?
sion: There was none. Therefore, my knowledge of rock is also limited (laughs)
goe: As yet, she’s a blank sheet of paper, so it’s being written on (laughs)
jun: Her way of singing is nothing like hard rock vocals, so on the contrary it' s fresh.
―――So, heavy metal or hard rock wasn’t amongst the music you’ve heard from childhood?
sion: Yes. (Laughs) When I was a child, it was exclusively classical music. My father loves classical music and had thousands of CDs.
―――Have you received an education in classical music?
sion: I was learning the piano as a child
―――Is your singing self-taught?
sion: Yes. Although I have learned a little from my junior high and high school days.
―――Which singers influenced you?
sion: I like Alicia Keys who has brains and can play the piano. However, I didn’t care about specific artists and genres, I listened to what I thought was good, I think that my influences are quite broad.
―――Aphasia is a heavy metal / hard rock band, has singing that kind of song puzzled or troubled you?
sion: Originally I was singing somewhat in the R & B style, in a laid back place, but since metal and rock singers come out with a bang from the start, the place where I use (my body) is also completely different. But I think that such presentation is really cool, and I also want to be more powerful.
goe: sion’s is not a hard rock style, but there is powerfulness like Akiko Wada for example, so it can match with aphasia's music.
jun: I also like Anisongs.
sion: Well, I also did live shows singing Anisongs before. Aphasia's songs are partly like Anisongs, so I really like them.
goe: Actually, I can also imagine composing Anisongs.
jun: These two are often excited about anime stories. (Laughs)
goe: sion is young, but I know old anime as well. (Laughs)
―――Long-time support bassist Ken Nishikawa recently became an official member, right? Originally this band started as a girls hand, and after a former bassist was lost, he was appointed as a support bassist for a while, when did you give up on finding a female bassist?
jun: It was eight years ago that I first asked Ken to support us, and at that time I had stopped sticking to the female members only rule anymore. Even when I originally formed this band, I thought that it wasn’t necessary to be a female band, it just happened that way. However, as the image of us as female band became established as we performed, when I was looking for a new member as much as possible I have made it a woman, but that commitment ceased to exist when we started doing shows with Ken. Although musical technique side is important as well, thankfully he was getting deep into the music of aphasia and working hard on it and I began to think that we can’t do it with a bassist other than Ken. So when I began preparing for this album I gave him the official member talk and then I asked to make it formal at the end of the recording, but that recording went on for so long.... (Laughs) In our case, the most important thing is the music and powerful playing ability in a live context, fans who seek a glamorous appearance have plenty of younger gal’s bands elsewhere, so if that’s what you enjoy.... (Laughs)
―――I see. (Laughs) There are three new songs in the current work being produced, two remakes of old songs, and one Anisong cover that I heard but the new songs are wonderfully executed.
goe: Thank you! I will add new songs and release it in the form of a full album. "Crush & Burn" is the song that was in the previous work, but it was a song I intended to put in the next album when I was writing the previous album. In the current album version this time we have André Andersen of ROYAL HUNT playing the keyboards. Actually, right after the previous work came out André had already played the keyboard for this album, as he also wrote an introduction so you can listen to that cool version this time.
―――Another remake of the song "Blue Mirage" which was a song titled "Cold Blue Moon" in the past.
goe: Yes. This song is included in our first album "MIRAGE ON THE ICE" as well as the second "WINGS OF FIRE", it was also in the demo tape before that, so I’ve redone it about four times, but I don’t feel like I’ve finished it so many times.... It is the second song that I wrote after joining aphasia and I’m really emotionally attached to the song. This time I really tried to make it the last, melody and lyrics were also greatly modified to create a perfect model.
―――Did sion work with the same attitude to the remakes and new songs?
sion: Yes. Regarding the remakes, I wanted to perform the songs myself, and did not refer to the previous version.
goe: There was also a remake recorded before Luka left, although I purposely didn’t listen to it, I listen to the demo version I sang myself a long time ago to remember the song. Because sion said that way is better.
―――Were all songs recorded in the album complete before sion joined?
goe: Basically that was the case, but I asked sion to write lyrics for only the one song. I left it entirely to her to write the lyrics as she liked, they became lyrics that could never have come from jun or I, I think that was good. Writing serious love songs, or a woman's syrupy feelings.... The three of us each have our own direction in our song lyrics. I write fantasy-like things like Ronnie James Dio, jun is a frank about emotion? You don’t think so?
jun: Huh? I never thought of the direction of my lyrics. (Laughs) There are many of my own personal experiences portrayed as scenes in my lyrics.
―――As sion has joined and has already performed live several times, is there any difference in the show because the singer has changed?
goe: Luka gave out a very Rock feeling from the MC, but sion is calm or elegant, like "Are you guys doing okay?" (Laughs) But, when she starts singing, she becomes emotional as the atmosphere changes, I think that it is really nice. Her performance is getting better every time we do the show.
―――Well, at the end.
goe: I can say with confidence that this album will be the best work in aphasia’s history, so please everyone enjoy the anticipation!
jun: Live shows on November 6 in Tokyo at Meguro live station and also in Tokyo on December 3 at Kichijoji Crescendo have been decided on so please come and join us all!
Exclusive Interview #16
APHASIA
The pathos of this veteran melodious hard rock band has gained persistent popularity and is releasing a new single and producing a new work!
by MASAO FUJIKI/BURRN!
Since its formation, aphasia, who have been pursuing a lyrical and catchy melodic metal, experience its major debut in the early 2000s and has already reached the veteran stage in this genre. They are going to complete a new album after an interval of 7 years ago, with their new singer sion. The new work, which is scheduled to be released within the year, contains a number of excellent songs with sorrowful hooks that draw the ears, and also with sion's wonderful singing, and they hope it can become the masterwork of the band.
―――Why was it that there was no release for seven years after the issue of the previous work, mini-album "Sweet Illusionn"?
goe: Actually, it was originally planned to put the songs of "Sweet Illusionn" in a full album, but because the work dragged on, we thought let's just release a mini album for now, afterwards we wrote some additional songs and meant to release a full album later. So, we worked on a full album at our leisure. It was a feeling that lasted about 5 years. (Wry smile)
jun: For the last 2 years there were issues in members' private lives, and band activities could not be done as expected, there was also a change of singer.
―――It was announced last August that Luka <vo> was leaving. What was the reason for her departure?
jun: Luka wanted to quit the band due to family circumstances.
―――Did you accept it quickly without any attempt to persuade her otherwise?
jun: Yes. After that I heard stories that she is starting another project with other people, but if that’s the case it can’t be helped.
―――Regarding her successor, did you decide on sion after trying out some others?
goe: At the time of Luka quitting, we had several people who are thought of as “This person would be good" already, but from among them a friend said "This person is absolutely suited to aphasia" and she was pushed heavily. That was sion who as a test, tried singing our songs, and it was just wonderful singing, just like the image of the song we had, so we decided immediately. As sion tried first and was great, there was no need to test another person after that.
―――sion was also looking for a band where she could participate?
sion: Until then, I was performing in other music genres, but since I wasn’t in a band, and I’d said I wanted to try working in a band too, that common friend told me "It that’s the case, there’s a good band called aphasia".
―――What kind of activities did you do before?
sion: When I was a student, I participated in a gospel group, I did live shows and sang at weddings, after that I did chorus work and temporary singing jobs, I did live work with only piano and vocals....
―――Your experience of rock bands was?
sion: There was none. Therefore, my knowledge of rock is also limited (laughs)
goe: As yet, she’s a blank sheet of paper, so it’s being written on (laughs)
jun: Her way of singing is nothing like hard rock vocals, so on the contrary it' s fresh.
―――So, heavy metal or hard rock wasn’t amongst the music you’ve heard from childhood?
sion: Yes. (Laughs) When I was a child, it was exclusively classical music. My father loves classical music and had thousands of CDs.
―――Have you received an education in classical music?
sion: I was learning the piano as a child
―――Is your singing self-taught?
sion: Yes. Although I have learned a little from my junior high and high school days.
―――Which singers influenced you?
sion: I like Alicia Keys who has brains and can play the piano. However, I didn’t care about specific artists and genres, I listened to what I thought was good, I think that my influences are quite broad.
―――Aphasia is a heavy metal / hard rock band, has singing that kind of song puzzled or troubled you?
sion: Originally I was singing somewhat in the R & B style, in a laid back place, but since metal and rock singers come out with a bang from the start, the place where I use (my body) is also completely different. But I think that such presentation is really cool, and I also want to be more powerful.
goe: sion’s is not a hard rock style, but there is powerfulness like Akiko Wada for example, so it can match with aphasia's music.
jun: I also like Anisongs.
sion: Well, I also did live shows singing Anisongs before. Aphasia's songs are partly like Anisongs, so I really like them.
goe: Actually, I can also imagine composing Anisongs.
jun: These two are often excited about anime stories. (Laughs)
goe: sion is young, but I know old anime as well. (Laughs)
―――Long-time support bassist Ken Nishikawa recently became an official member, right? Originally this band started as a girls hand, and after a former bassist was lost, he was appointed as a support bassist for a while, when did you give up on finding a female bassist?
jun: It was eight years ago that I first asked Ken to support us, and at that time I had stopped sticking to the female members only rule anymore. Even when I originally formed this band, I thought that it wasn’t necessary to be a female band, it just happened that way. However, as the image of us as female band became established as we performed, when I was looking for a new member as much as possible I have made it a woman, but that commitment ceased to exist when we started doing shows with Ken. Although musical technique side is important as well, thankfully he was getting deep into the music of aphasia and working hard on it and I began to think that we can’t do it with a bassist other than Ken. So when I began preparing for this album I gave him the official member talk and then I asked to make it formal at the end of the recording, but that recording went on for so long.... (Laughs) In our case, the most important thing is the music and powerful playing ability in a live context, fans who seek a glamorous appearance have plenty of younger gal’s bands elsewhere, so if that’s what you enjoy.... (Laughs)
―――I see. (Laughs) There are three new songs in the current work being produced, two remakes of old songs, and one Anisong cover that I heard but the new songs are wonderfully executed.
goe: Thank you! I will add new songs and release it in the form of a full album. "Crush & Burn" is the song that was in the previous work, but it was a song I intended to put in the next album when I was writing the previous album. In the current album version this time we have André Andersen of ROYAL HUNT playing the keyboards. Actually, right after the previous work came out André had already played the keyboard for this album, as he also wrote an introduction so you can listen to that cool version this time.
―――Another remake of the song "Blue Mirage" which was a song titled "Cold Blue Moon" in the past.
goe: Yes. This song is included in our first album "MIRAGE ON THE ICE" as well as the second "WINGS OF FIRE", it was also in the demo tape before that, so I’ve redone it about four times, but I don’t feel like I’ve finished it so many times.... It is the second song that I wrote after joining aphasia and I’m really emotionally attached to the song. This time I really tried to make it the last, melody and lyrics were also greatly modified to create a perfect model.
―――Did sion work with the same attitude to the remakes and new songs?
sion: Yes. Regarding the remakes, I wanted to perform the songs myself, and did not refer to the previous version.
goe: There was also a remake recorded before Luka left, although I purposely didn’t listen to it, I listen to the demo version I sang myself a long time ago to remember the song. Because sion said that way is better.
―――Were all songs recorded in the album complete before sion joined?
goe: Basically that was the case, but I asked sion to write lyrics for only the one song. I left it entirely to her to write the lyrics as she liked, they became lyrics that could never have come from jun or I, I think that was good. Writing serious love songs, or a woman's syrupy feelings.... The three of us each have our own direction in our song lyrics. I write fantasy-like things like Ronnie James Dio, jun is a frank about emotion? You don’t think so?
jun: Huh? I never thought of the direction of my lyrics. (Laughs) There are many of my own personal experiences portrayed as scenes in my lyrics.
―――As sion has joined and has already performed live several times, is there any difference in the show because the singer has changed?
goe: Luka gave out a very Rock feeling from the MC, but sion is calm or elegant, like "Are you guys doing okay?" (Laughs) But, when she starts singing, she becomes emotional as the atmosphere changes, I think that it is really nice. Her performance is getting better every time we do the show.
―――Well, at the end.
goe: I can say with confidence that this album will be the best work in aphasia’s history, so please everyone enjoy the anticipation!
jun: Live shows on November 6 in Tokyo at Meguro live station and also in Tokyo on December 3 at Kichijoji Crescendo have been decided on so please come and join us all!
![[-]](https://japanesemetalforum.com/images/collapse.png "[-]")