We`ll destroy the idea of what metal is!!

The Country`s Biggest heavy music event "BEAST FEAST". I`m with SUNS OWL, who shone to first place in the domestic pre-event vote. The band, who have consistently shown themselves to be a standard bearer for nu-metal, released a split record with HAIT in June. They continue to be highly active with a tour with BATCAVE in August. I`d like to get the low down on "the present SUNS OWL" from SAB and MZM.

---First, congratulations on coming first in the fan vote for domestic bands.

SAB: Thanks very much.

---Tell us how you feel about it.

SAB: Well, it just feels great to have been number one, unbelievable, considering we come from a small indie label.

---You also appeared at last year`s BEASTFEAST, have the surroundings or situation changed?

MZM: No, it hasn`t really changed. Even after appearing last time, basically we haven`t changed. ...just that,I think through this medium our name has spread and we have attracted a lot of attention. I think it showed that there is a great diversity of artists in the indie scene. And also that people now understand that just because you`re on an independant label it doesn`t mean that you`re no good.

---You`ve just released your second album "RECHARGED", haven`t you?

SAB: With that album there was a certain element of us wanting to take a gamble.

We used unusual rhythyms and took a fairly crazy route.

MZM: ..but, I always had confidence that it sounded cool.

SAB: We made it with a kind of energy that, with this, we would either explode and take off or disappear.

---It`s been one year since that release, has SUNS OWL changed?

MZM: I think we`ve probably progressed.

Whilst maintaining the core of "RECHARGED" we`ve been able to cut down the excess and refine our sound.

---After that you also appeared on the LOUDNESS tribute album in November, didn`t you?

SAB: GO (drums) and I really like LOUDNESS, when we were first told about it, it was like "are you sure you want us?"

MZM: Because I like hardcore music, I didn`t really know a lot about LOUDNESS. However, they are a band who have left a lasting impression on the scene and I think they`re cool. For that reason, I was really happy for us to be connected with such a great band.

SAB: To have become able to mix with LOUDNESS and then awesome bands such VOW WOW, EARTHSHAKER and 44MAGNUM is a great feeling. There are a lot of bands like us who respect LOUDNESS. Isn`t there are borderline between nu-metal people like us and people of more traditional metal music?

MZM: We wanted to lose that border and we wanted to step into that side of things. The appearance on that omnibus album became a great opportunity. We thought that unless you play with the real thing you don`t get anything out of it.

---Has what you got out of that experience come out on June`s split album "HORN OF THE RISING SUN", with Osaka`s HAIT?

SAB: We`ve got 2 tracks on that. On one track we got rid of the excess and made a dramatic tune with a deep, rich flavour. On the other we kept the excess.

MZM: Up until now it`s the song on which we have most pushed the strong parts of what we do.

SAB: It`s no fun if it`s all songs which have the excess taken out, so both new parts and parts of what we have done up until now are in there.

---In August you`re touring with BATCAVE, aren`t you?

SAB: JIBI(vo) from BATCAVE is a friend from before starting the band.

MZM: We`ve wanted to play together for a long time. But we used to say "let`s play together when we`ve both become big bands".

---Finally, that sweet time has come. A message for the readers!

SAB: We are a metal band, but we are going to break down everybody`s perception of what a metal sound is.

MZM: Because,these days there are so many different genres and kinds of music, I just want people to listen and it doesn`t matter if it`s just as one type of music amongst many that they listen too. In our sound there is metal, but also a punk root and elements of hard rock amongst others. Basically it`s the sound of "SUNS OWL", and we want more people to take a look.