“We chose the road with thorns to pursue overpowering individuality.”

A tough adventurous attitude opens up new possibilities of loud music.

Since the formation of Suns Owl in 1994, they released the single “Over” and after a year and a half, their 2nd album “Recharged” (1138) was completed. This work is outstanding for aggression with a sense of balance above the absorption of various approaches, not to mention keeping the concentrated dynamic sound of all genres named metal, slash, hardcore, and heavy. What’s their plan by saying, “We wanted to throw in a different song,” after initiation of Satoh as a bass player last year, in 1995? I interviewed all the members.

―So the bassist switched last year?

Go: We wanted to move forward but the former bassist might have reached his limit. We discussed about it over and over again... Satoh joined last year and we are close...

Majima: We’ve been friends about 10 years. When I was in a different band, we played shows together.

―Why did you decide on Satoh?

Sab: We wanted to play music that kind of betrayed people who have been listening to us. For example, Yokoyama from the band United said “Suns Owl might be good if you add a bass player with edgy down picking and long hair,” but we wanted to throw in different blood because we already have that kind of music as our roots. This one (Satoh) finger picks, slaps, and listens to different kinds of music. It was a gamble, but it was tempting that he might be a stimulus. We had him listen to our new songs and asked him to join if he liked the songs we wrote.

Majima: We wanted to broaden our capacity.

―What are your musical influences, Mr. Satoh?

Satoh: I was playing hardcore, punk, etc as a back up player. After I listened to the new songs (of Suns Owl), I wanted to play. I’m not particular, even though I was playing hardcore and punk because they are not the only things I was listening to.

― I hear more heaviness of hardcore in this album and also I got an impression that Mr. Majima’s voice is more aggressive?

Majima: That’s probably because I think I matured (laugh). I don’t actually feel I did but I think I found my singing style.

―There’s a song that sounds like Soulfly, but what kind of album were you planning to produce?

Sab: We haven’t took them inside of us but we ventured to do songs like somebody else’s because our riffs have been like Pantera and Slayer. For example, we completely mastered songs by Soulfly, Machinehead, Slipknot, and Anthrax and we tried to abstract their skills. We started with that sort of operation and we found new things. We chose the road with thorns to pursue overpowering individuality to broaden our capacity.

Majima: This album is after the single, “Over”, being the end of the first stage.

―Did you ever have a tendency to hide your musical influences?

Sab: On the contrary, I didn’t hide it. Tey tell me we sound like Pantera, I make myself think we are as good as Pantera. We keep a positive attitude because we have confidence. Go: His influences do appear in songs because he is a guitarist. We individually thought of that and it turned out to be a good thing. We did many different things and digested new things.

―Even though the style was broadened, it’s in Suns Owl’s color.

Sab: I think you can’t help sounding like Soulfly even though you are playing different riffs because rhythm is their characteristic. But we decided to give it a try...

Majima: This time, we did something we wouldn’t have done a while ago. Honestly. It was a spur of the moment type thing (laugh). I think the band united even more and you can see that confidence in this work.

Sab: I think there’s only one song that kind of sounds like Soulfly.

―Yes, just one song.

Sab: We’re using their rhythm for just one song. Well, I wanted to use it (laugh).

―Is the challenge a good implication for this work?

Go: Yes, exactly. We were in desperation. I want to adopt music that I think is cool. I want to pursue overpowering individuality.

Majima: The pressure was on us to create a good piece of work by reading magazines sometimes. I thought it wouldn’t be good if we didn’t drop a bomb next time. I wanted to put it right up against their faces like “bang, I’m here!” This time, I carefully created, polished and paid detailed attention to vocal movements and lyrics. I used my head while being aggressive, I thought “where is my position in the band and what is my job,” because I often sang with my ego, this time I asked for opinions from the band, and united our opinions.........

Sab: I think vocals are louder in the mix compared to our former work. Plus, we are categorized as “heavy/loud music” but that’s not all we are. I would abstract riffs from “Tsunami” by Southern All Stars if they were popular, rhythms from Mr. Children, and so on,...I do stuff like that.

―Are they contained in this album?

Sab: Yes, they are. You wouldn’t have noticed if I didn’t tell you (laugh).

―Didn’t you have a hard time keeping up steps with their level, Mr, Satoh?

Satoh: I didn’t want to “keep up” but I didn’t want them to think the album fell through because I joined the band. I thought of how I can “join” into these people with strong personalities (laugh).

―Personalities meaning music or as persons?

Satoh: Both (laugh). Everyone is forward at shows.

Everyone: (laugh)

Satoh: Everything was over with while I was thinking for the whole time how I can describe my character, keeping a distance (laugh).

Go: He helped a lot by filling in blanks. It’s much easier having a basic rhythm section. Right now it’s so much fun.
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