Deathroll interview on Metalwar.gr

1. Can you tell us about the inspiration behind your latest album, “Japanese Extreme Metal
Art”? What themes or ideas were you exploring?
-Extreme metal and black metal have not penetrated deeply into Japan in the first place.
Therefore, I wanted to create black metal that I believe in, by me, a Japanese person. I have
left out the commercial sales of this album, and included all the black metal I believe in this
album.

2. The live video for “The Raptor Flying Away”; has received a lot of attention. What made you
choose this particular song for the video, and what kind of experience were you aiming to
create for the viewers?
-I really wanted many people to see Deathroll’s live video (live performance in which they are
united with the audience). And I think this song expresses the soul of DEATHROLL in a way.
I really wanted to show that it is a great performance as well as a black metal song.

3. How would you describe the evolution of DEATHROLL’s sound since your earlier albums?
Have you consciously attempted to push boundaries or experiment with new elements?
-I believe that the songs have become more refined through repeated live performances. I
think they have been modified to be more natural and better.

4. As a black metal band from Japan, how do you incorporate traditional Japanese music or
cultural influences into your music? Are there any particular elements that hold a special
significance for your band?
-There is a genre of Japanese band culture known as “Visual-kei. This is a genre similar to
grunge or L.A. Metal, in which the band members wear female-like makeup and glamorous
costumes and sing melodious songs. At first glance, many heavy metal fans may find this
genre very repulsive. In fact, I was one of them at first. At first, I felt that the genre was aimed
at female audiences, but after listening to X Japan, I realized that I was wrong. While they are
beautiful, glamorous men with female-like makeup, their music is precise and based on
knowledge of classical music, with a fast two-beat metal style and precise twin-lead guitar
playing. And the vocalist yells dirty words like a gangster. In a way, I felt a bit like some of the
top black metal bands. A rebellious spirit. As a Japanese, I felt that we should not ignore this
culture completely. I was strongly influenced by it.

5. The black metal scene in Japan has seen a surge in popularity in recent years. How do you
perceive this growing interest both domestically and internationally, and how has it impacted
your experiences as a band?
-Frankly speaking, the popularity of black metal in Japan is still supported by a limited number
of people. However, I have given many people who do not listen to metal music a chance to
listen to Deathroll. Some said it was difficult to understand, but many said it was cool.
Surprisingly, there were many people who said the sound was great and the songs were cool.
This made me realize that it is not a dream to popularize black metal in Japan.

6. Your performances are known for their intensity and theatricality. Can you share any
notable experiences or challenges you’ve had while bringing your live shows to life?
-When Deathroll first started, they did not speak to the audience at all during their live shows in
order to assert their nihilism. This may sound like a kind of characterization that makes fun of
black metal, but I could not allow Deathroll to play in front of people while laughing in a
friendly manner. However, when I watched live videos of my favorite bands, I noticed that the
audience was quite excited, which made the band seem more sublime. Even though the band
is black metal, they play their eerie tunes exactly as they should, and they greet the audience
well at their live shows, just like the Japanese. I think it is a sincere courtesy of the Japanese
people. We want to be a hard-edged, no fool band.

7. DEATHROLL’s lyrics often delve into dark and introspective themes. Could you offer some
insight into the creative process behind your songwriting and the messages you hope to
convey?
-Deathroll does not contain the anti-Christian lyrics that are so prevalent in black metal. This is
because Christianity is not very popular in Japan. Still, it is a fact that darkness exists in
people’s hearts. It might be called black metal expressed without using the religion of
Christianity.

8. How has the COVID-19 pandemic affected the band? Have you been able to adapt and
find new ways to connect with your fans during these challenging times?
-A service to film live performances at a reasonable price became popular in Japan at that
time. This taught me the importance of using multiple cameras to film each live performance,
then editing and preserving the really good stuff. I think this will help me to convey the
goodness of Deathroll to people overseas.

9. In the realm of extreme metal, bands often face misconceptions or stereotypes. Have there
been any particular misconceptions about DEATHROLL that you would like to address and
clarify?
-I think black metal is one of the most stereotyped genres of extreme metal. I personally think
it’s cool to do black metal with corpse paint and long hair, but I don’t think that’s all there is to
it. In Deathroll, we want to pursue a new kind of black metal.

10. Japan has a rich musical history spanning various genres. Which Japanese artists, both
within metal and outside of it, have had a significant impact on your approach to music?
-X Japan. In order to make a name for themselves in the underground music scene, they
appeared on TV shows, which were initially taboo, and even on variety shows. They already
sold as many CDs as the majors at the indie stage. There are many things to learn from them.

11. Looking ahead, what can we expect from DEATHROLL in the future? Any exciting plans
or projects you’d like to share with your fans?
-I want to participate in big festivals. I think we will be much better known from there.
We need to get more people to see the show.

Official links:
https://www.youtube.com/@Deathroll-Japan
https://www.facebook.com/Desurolu
https://www.instagram.com/kazudeathroll/
https://twitter.com/DEATHROLL_JAPAN
https://deathroll.aremond.net