Asian death metal is finally getting some mainstream attention, and it’s about time. American and European bands may dominate the consciousness on this side of the globe, but Tokyo has been killing it in the game for a while now, and Defiled are a great example of that. Their latest record, Horror Beyond Horror, is out now via Season of Mist.
“Regarding our new album, we wanted the album to be natural and realistic like our previous albums,” explains guitarist and founding member Yusuke Sumita. “So we did not use any editing or artificial techniques in the recording process, but just recorded our performance as it is. We have no need to edit the album more than we can play it.”
Lyrically, the songs focus on “a classic retro sci-fi theme of a dystopia, a dark fantasy. But it can also be seen as a warning about social issues, as surveillance and totalitarianism have been global issues in recent years. While we acknowledge the appeal of fantasy themes within the metal community, we also aim to address relevant social concerns in a thought-provoking and non-intrusive way.”
The band’s album artwork is a collaborative effort with renowned artist Wes Benscoter, who has worked with them on previous albums. “His artwork fits our lyrics and themes perfectly,” Sumita says. “It is very dark but at the same time intelligent and elegant. It adds depth to our album.”
As a band that has been active for decades, Defiled have witnessed the evolution of the Tokyo death metal scene. They believe that the genre is constantly evolving, becoming more extreme and then reviving itself.
“Our scene is chaotic in a good way. There are a lot of people and bands because it is the biggest city in Japan. And everyone is pursuing their own favorite sound the way they want to. It’s like people in Tokyo live their lives the way they want to, with no regard for others. That might not be so bad. If you care too much about what other people think or what they think of you, you can’t enjoy music, and it must be boring. We don’t care about the death metal template in the world and being one of those bands that are musically free to do what we want. We are a Tokyo band in that sense.”
Touring plans for the band include a domestic tour in Japan and an international tour opening for Malevolent Creation in Bangkok. They also hope to come to the U.S., Europe, etc. if touring costs allow.
“Since the war in Ukraine, the prices of gas and other costs have skyrocketed, and it has become impossible to tour under our previous conditions,” Sumita admits. “The local economic situation also affects ticket sales. We have to consider everything carefully and seriously. However, we are on Season of Mist. and we want to tour as much as possible even if we have to take some risks. We hope that many of you will listen to our new album and give us the attention. We hope to come see us when the tour actually happens. We are really looking forward to it.”
Horror Beyond Horror is out now, and you can order it from Season of Mist. Follow Defiled on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter for future updates.
Photo courtesy of Shigenori Ishikawa
