Japan's D'espairsray Plot U.S. Invasion
07/30/2010
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Universal sent over notice about the U.S. invasion from Japanese rockers D'espairsray. Here is what they had to say: Japan's unstoppable D'espairsray, easily one of the hottest rock 'n' roll exports to come barreling out of the Far East in recent memory, are gearing up for a flurry of activity in the United States and beyond, as the band looks to further conquer the international marketplace. Domination, anyone? That's at the top of D'espairsray's list as they are looking to take over one city, one state, one territory, one country at a time. And they can't be stopped.
D'espairsray vocalist Hizumi, guitarist Karyu, bassist Zero and drummer Tsukasa will release their fourth studio album, Monsters, via digital platforms only on Tuesday, July 27 through Delicious Deli, an imprint of Universal Music. The band, which formed in 1999 and has impressively maintained a constant, single lineup since its inception, has been forging a path for itself in the past decade-plus of its existence.
"Garnet," D'espairsray's 2003 maxi-single, landed atop the Japanese Indie Chart, and by 2006 they had travelled to and played in nine countries, among them Germany, France, England, Italy, Netherlands, Denmark, Finland, Switzerland and the U.S., slowly but surely turning heads, making fans and planting seeds along the way.
D'espairsray also enjoyed a slot at the 2006 edition of the famed, annual Wacken Open Air Festival; they were the only Japanese band to grace the stage. The band also scored a plum gig at the 2008 "Taste of Chaos" tour, the lineup of which is a veritable "Who's Who" of modern hard rock, performing in 34 U.S. cities exposing American kids to their thrilling style of Japanese metal with melodic tendencies.
Monsters, which was co-produced by D'espairsray, truly crosses genre-boundaries, the language barrier and cultural touchstones, since it blends stadium-ready hard rock hooks tinged with a razor-sharp industrial edge and threaded with new wave nuances! Monsters follows up the band's 2009 release, the critically lauded Redeemer.
Monsters is rife with thunderous percussion, crunchy guitars and ultra catchy choruses, which D'espairsray fuses into one seamless, combustible cocktail, with lyrics sung in a mix of the band's native Japanese spliced with English. The lyrics have a bit of an apocalyptic bend, referencing the selling of one's soul, of fighting back against those who attempt to oppress you and erasing the system, all sent to chunky guitars! The result is a truly unique album that pledges allegiance to no single style of hard rock and one that follows its own rules, making Monsters an utterly refreshing listen from start to finish.
Any of the album's 10 tracks could be a single, and the band appeals to fans of modern industrial and electronic-influenced artists like Marilyn Manson, Nine Inch Nails and Fear Factory. Rare is the band that can cross-pollinate so many genres without sounding like a complete mess, and D'espairsray are that band! "Death Point" will rock the listener to his or her core with its roaring boom, while "Love is Dead" is erected on a pulsing synth that'll stick in your brain for days. "Thirteen" boasts a staccato riff and fist-pumping chant that'll remind rivetheads why they were drawn to the industrial genre in the first place. No single mood dominates MonstersΈ making it a complete package of sounds and moods that never becomes predictable.
D'espairsray will be bringing their visas and passports for a US trek, the "Human-Clad Monsters" World Tour, which makes it way to North American shores on August 3rd, beginning in Los Angeles and ending in New York, making stops in Chicago, San Francisco and Seattle along the way. The tour hits all major markets, which should assist in creating a even more of prominent profile for D'espairsray in the US market. Catch them while you can, for a little taste of Japanese cultural flair; it's like D'espairsray brings the bright lights of Tokyo with them, dimming them just the right amount in order to match their chunky, visceral brand of hard rock.The track listing for Monsters is as follows:
"Human-Clad Monsters"
"Death Point"
"Thirteen'
"Love is Dead"
"Devils' Parade"
"Dope"
"Falling"
"Progress"
"Final Call"
"Abyss"
The dates for the "Human-Clad Monster" World Tour are as follows:
August 3 The Roxy Los Angeles, CA
August 4 Slims San Francisco, CA
August 6 The Showbox Seattle, WA
August 9 The Bottom Lounge Chicago, IL
August 11 The Mod Club Toronto, ONT
August 12 The Studio at Webster Hall New York, NY
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