9GOATS BLACK OUT: So Amazing Twilight “Getshoku” With Samurai Dynamite

9GOATS BLACKOUT bid farewell to one of their support members, manipulator akaya, at a warm and emotional live entitled So Amazing Twilight “Getshoku” (Lunar Eclipse) at Shibuya WWW. Along for the ride were Samurai Dynamite, who took part in the event.

Samurai Dynamite

Samurai Dynamite, cover band for pioneer trash metal group Gargoyle, shocked WWW with their wild performance and antics. Despite still being unknown to foreign fans, Samurai Dynamite includes well-known faces to the VK scene with Kano Matenrou (munimuni) on vocals, HIRO (La’cryma Christi) on guitar, aie (the god and the death stars, ex-the studs, ex-deadman) on guitar, Toshi (munimuni) on bass and Sasabuchi Hiroshi, aka Bucchi (ex-Plastic Tree, ex-support drums for 9GOATS) on drums. The band came on stage to a dramatic, classical opening and the vocalist caused quite an impression, face concealed by dark hair for most of the show, a white and blue kimono opened freely over his black punk clothes.

With a jump, Matenrou welcomed “Kanzen na doku wo yokyu suru,” a loud and wild song that got the crowd moving, the guitars singing backing vocals. While the audience headbanged eagerly for “Gi,” Matenrou moved his arms theatrically in slow, circular motions that didn’t match the rhythm. His hair and posture resembled Sadako from the horror movie, The Ring. Crouching on the floor with his back to the crowd, he led the night’s first emcee: “We’re happy to be here. We’re a Gargoyle copy band.” Toshi came in to take over, firing up the crowd for “BALA BARA VALA.” HIRO took the honors with a feisty solo, fast drums and earsplitting growls engulfing the venue as the crowd moved to the beat, their fists rolling.

Strange or eccentric, it was hard to understand what the vocalist was aiming for as he hopped clumsily with one pinned arm to his front and one leg almost touching his back during “Manequin Mushikui Coup d’etat Ishikoro.” The crowd seemed to be having a blast, jumping fervently with him to loud instrumentals. “FUKYO” followed just as heavily, smoke covering the stage as if to materialize the heat from the drum beat. The hall then went still for “DESTROY” as the slow and dramatic intro gave way to fast headbanging. Toshi was the only one moving, thrashing his head vigorously between firing up the crowd. Moving forward, HIRO took the hall on a fast ride with his blazing solo, drums and bass following close behind. The song ended with the guitars challenging each other in a hot and fierce duel while red and blue lights crashed onstage.

“Thank you…” Matenrou spoke slowly, almost sitting on the floor, never glancing at the crowd. “We made original Samurai Dynamite stickers with a LUNA SEA style logo. They’re sold at our goods booth, 1 for ￥300, 2 for￥500 and 50 for ￥8000, a dealer friendly price,” he affirmed with a grin.

The instrumentals of “NO GAS” and “SHOMETSU” were very well executed although the band didn’t seem to feel the need to move that much. They kept it cool while the crowd jumped and pumped fists. The set grew heavier and faster for the final songs, though. “JYAAKU” was accompanied by yelling. The threatening clown face on the vocalist’s t-shirt peeked out from under his kimono, giving him a creepy appearance that suited the eccentric performance well. Guitars and bass embarked on a race “CRAZY SADISM,” drums pulsing with the tune, and the five men left the stage as they had come in, quietly and without fuss.

Set list

1. Kanzen na doku wo yokyu suru
2. “Gi”
3. BALA BARA VALA
4.  Manequin Mushikui Coup d’etat Ishikoro
5. FUKYO
6. DESTROY
7. NO GAS
8. SHOMETSU
9. JYAAKU
10. CRAZY SADISM

9GOATS BLACK OUT

The show’s hosts were next and the contrast between both bands became immediately clear. Ryo (vocals), uta (guitar), hati (bass) and the support members, manipulator akaya and drummer takumi made their entrance to the band’s traditional gloomy intro, all clad in a bohemian gothic fashion. The hall seemed to be transported to the early 19^th century, the red of ryo’s gloves yelling amid all the black.

The set kicked off with “any,” bass pounding hotly over the funky beat. Hati seemed hypnotized, almost kneeling as he let his fingers fly over the strings. Ryo moved his arms with exaggerated movements and he became more restless and demanding as the theatrics ensued. “Shibuya!” he yelled out with a growl and chaos broke loose for the feisty “690min.” with its contagious headbanging. The band was at its best, moving constantly as they worked the crowd. From fast singing to slow speaking, the vocalist seemed lost in himself, the character coming to life and dragging the hall into 9GOATS BLACK OUT’s own private, dark world.

“The one who can bring you this sound is neither you nor me but ‘the other half,’ that which sleeps deep within!” The words were half whispered and a warning for what was to come: “BABEL” brought with it impressive guitar and bass riffs but it was the vocalist’s performance that stood out. Ryo’s indomitable performance would make the hair on your neck rise. He went from clear singing to fierce growling, pacing around the stage like a caged animal, crouching with his body curved as he growled heavily into the mic. “Welcome!” he said solemnly, a grin betraying his cool and icy character. The crowd yelled out the members’ names, akaya’s standing out. With a smile, ryo pointed at the manipulator, encouraging the crowd to yell for him some more.

“Don’t be foolish. You think you can live as you like? Foolish, so foolish. Let us escape from this sea of sludge.” With ryo back in character, the lighting took on the appearance of a dark blue night, threatening as a lonesome ray from a crimson moon fell onstage for “red shoes.” The words echoed through the room hauntingly, vocals clear yet piercing. Slowly, ryo moved, approaching the guitarist with caution, their mouths almost touching he sang sensuously to the other man before moving towards the bassist where he kneeled, half singing-half growling in a hot and passionate piece. Like a lifeless puppet, the vocalist fell to his knees for the finale, piercing growls threateningly carried across the venue, making the transition to “ROMEO” very dramatic. Hati rolled his sleeves up, preparing for what was to come. The vocalist bent over himself, touching the floor before engaging in fast speech. Like a maestro, he commanded sound with each gesture.

The sun appeared to rise for “Kanbi na Shigai,” white lights washing the stage. The crowd moved in unison to the familiar tune while ryo, with impeccable voice control, went from melancholy to madness in a moment. The drums pounded confidently while guitar flew smoothly to the warm bass.

Akaya opened “Table of the Mortal Sins” and the words echoed through the hall. “Tell me, miss… What is sin? What is death? What is life?” As the rhythm built up, lights started flashing from all sides. The hall was transported to a multicolored nightmare, a sea of hair following the fast drum beat as the crowd headbanged frantically. Ryo set an example, amusingly out of character as he thrashed his head violently. “Will you jump with us?” the front man called out for “Keibetsu.” The funky beat got the crowd moving with the band, continuing so with “float.”

Pumping fists and earsplitting growls accompanied “Who’s the MAD” with its fast lyrics and thunderous drums. “It is OK for you to live as you wish!” ryo promised. With this thought, the band welcomed “Negai.” The ballad allowed the crowd to appreciate ryo’s deep vocals, the guitar shyly making its way through with a soft cry. With a desperate yell, the vocalist seemed to set himself free, white light resembling the morning sun shining through the anguish and darkness. The songs and staging seemed to represent the new start of infinite possibilities where, as he spoke of in the beginning of the song, dreams come true.

9GOATS BLACK OUT returned after an effusive encore demand, all except the vocalist. It was akaya who took the mic. “Is no one going to talk?” With a shy grin he turned to the bassist for help “Hati, you talk!” The bassist gestured for him to keep going and the audience laughed at his distress. “I just want to say thank you all. This will be my last day and I want to end this live without any crying!” The fans respected his wish, keeping the atmosphere solemn but cheerful. With ryo back in the lead, the band graced the fans with “Yasou~nocturne~.” Funky and jolly, the song and its positive tone were contagious.

The support drummer, Takumi, left the stage and Sasabuchi Hiroshi took his place for the ardent “headache.” “This will be the last night. Enjoy it to the fullest!” the vocalist yelled, firing up the crowd. With ryo thrashing his head to the heavy beat, hati danced, uta letting his fingers fly effortlessly over the strings. Calling akaya to the front, ryo stepped back while akaya moved robotically from one side to the other.

Bucchi, uta, and akaya left the stage for the next song, aie and Takumi taking their places. “We have no plans to replace akaya, and although we will continue without him, his place will be here if one day he wants to come back.” The vocalist assured him before calling in Matenrou to help him with “Gin no Parasol,” a cover of deadman. The mix of the two vocalists’ voices and styles was interesting and saw ryo out of his usual character. Moving freely and headbanging happily, he interacted with the crowd along with Matenrou.

Minus aie and with uta back, they called HIRO. uta confessing that it was HIRO who made him want to make a career as a musician so it was La’cryma Christi’s “the scent” that ended the show with a blast. The mood was for celebration as akaya had asked, yet a nostalgic tinge lingered. Ryo came back with akaya for a last goodbye. It was not a farewell but a hopeful departure and the show ended with the words “Till we meet again!”

Set list

1. any
2. 690min.
3. BABEL
4. red shoes
5. ROMEO
6. Kanbi na Shigai
7. Table of the Mortal Sins
8. Keibetsu
9. float
10. Who’s the MAD
11. Negai

Encore

1. Yasou~nocturne~
2. headache
3. Gin no Parasol (deadman cover)
4. the scent (La’cryma Christi cover)

There are 28 photos in this visual kei exclusive.

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