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I am very happy to add an exclusive interview with BRIDEAR lead vocalist and founder member KIMI to the blog today. BRIDEAR was formed in 2011 in Fukuoka, Japan, and they have worked hard to achieve success both at home and abroad. Earlier this year they released the highly rated and rather wonderful powerhouse of an album called ”Aegis Of London…Live!” and they are a force to be reckoned with for the future, no doubt. Japanese rock is slowly cementing a strong reputation in the West and BRIDEAR is an important part of this growing scene. This interview was made via e-mail with the assistance from UK record label Setsuzoku Records. It is the second interview with an act from Japan on this blog. Enjoy.

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I can see that the band hails from Fukuoka, the sixth largest town in Japan. Can you describe the early years in the bands history, how was the rock scene in Fukuoka?

– “Fukuoka was a little different from Tokyo and other big cities in terms of the scene. It was before ”girls bands” became kind of fashionable. There were no other girl bands in Fukuoka when we formed, but there were a few metal bands. There were quite a few rock bands though. So there was at least a metal and rock scene we could enter”.

 Can you mention a few key moments in the band’s history that made you energized and more determined than ever to push onwards?

– “I think membership changes gave the band more energy. When we had a few of the original members leave the band, we really needed to be energized by whoever came in so we could push forward with confidence. I knew that the decisions would be really important. When MISAKI joined, that was the first jolt of energy. When AYUMI and NATSUMI joined that helped get us to the next level. MOE is the same. In a difficult time, she arrived and gave us an edge which also eased the anxious feelings of the fans. When MOE joined, we had Summer Sonic in Japan, a headline show in Tokyo, and then a European tour. It was stressful, but she was great!”.

I know that bands like Iron Maiden and Judas Priest are among your early influences. Did foreign bands visit Fukuoka on their visits to Japan or did you have to travel if you wanted to see them in concert? Can you mention some early concert experiences and what they meant to you?

– “When I lived in Fukuoka, big international artists used to come there. I went to live shows by KISS, Helloween, Aerosmith, Killswitch Engage, Children of Bodom and many others. Sometimes I went to Osaka and Tokyo to see them. I was familiar with the energy of live music and big concerts even before I started the band, so even now when I go to live shows, I genuinely enjoy them as a fan. This also helps me when I think about the structure of my own live shows”.

In late 2013, your first EP ”Overturn The Doom” saw release. How was the response to that and did you get some early support from Japanese rock publications at this point or would that come later?

– “At the time, we felt that our CDs were being picked up by more people than we could have imagined. However, it was within a small market. We may not have received a great deal of recognition, but it was the first step toward steadily increasing our fan base”.

Your first album ”Baryte” was released in March 2016, in fact right before BABYMETAL selling out Wembley in London. Could you sense in Japan at that time that a door had opened and how did it in fact impact the scene in Japan? Did you notice more interest from abroad at that time?

– “The reaction to BABYMETAL in Japan seems to be different from that to HEAVY METAL bands. So there is a misconception. BABYMETAL only let foreign markets know there is an interesting scene in Japan for music, but it is not reflecting  heavy metal proper or Japanese metal specifically. Of course, they are highly appreciated by the headbangers, however, it may be different if you ask me if heavy metal is appreciated by the public in general. It is not a mainstream genre in Japan. It is more of a legacy genre. Of course I love BABYMETAL and their music! Doors opened a little bit, but not like overseas fans might think”.

In December 2019 you released ”Expose Your Emotions”. Did your first concerts in Europe before recording this album impact the direction of the band?

– “At that time, recording had already been completed and the album was released after a new member joined the band, so I think the emphasis was on what BRIDEAR could do now and what we wanted to do, and to solidify these things and come up with something good. For me personally, I think I was making songs with a Japanese flavor! I personally feel that I was making this album with the awareness that I was trying to create songs that were uniquely Japanese”. 

”Expose Your Emotions” came out right before Covid. Did Promoting ”Expose Your Emotions” suffer due to the impact of Covid?

– “I am sure many other artists were in the same situation, but we suffered not only in promotion, but also in our activities in general. We did what we could to help, such as playing without an audience or with a very limited audience when we were allowed to do so”.

You followed that album up with ”Bloody Bride” in April 2021. How was the restrictions at this time in Japan? Could you do some shows or was this a very hard time for the band?

– “At this time, we also had to work with many regulations and restrictions. It was very hard”.

”Bloody Bride” was your first international release (on Setsuzoku Records) and you had some good reviews and interest from magazines such as Metal Hammer and Guitar Player. This was followed up with the epic digital single ”Brave New World Revisited” and shows in Europe in the autumn of 2021. You must have been one of the first bands to have done shows over here again at this time. What was it like to meet the fans again?

– “Yes, it was really great to perform in front of fans again. I am very happy that we really started to rise in popularity. BRIDEAR was the first band from Japan to tour since covid and even with the capacity restrictions the tour was amazing. To start the tour, we sold out in Berlin and then in Amsterdam so it was very cool. I was moved to be welcomed not only by the fans but also by the staff of the live music clubs who thanked us for coming”.

I personally feel ”Aegis of London…LIVE!” is a wonderful live album. Also, I think it is so cool that you recorded it in London. Bands like The Scorpions and Judas Priest were excited to record live albums in Japan. Now you recorded a live album in London. Please describe the feeling of recording a live album so far from home?

– “Thank you very much. I too grew up listening to live albums in Japan by foreign artists, so I was extremely happy. At the same time, it was a strange feeling. It was an honor to be able to package such enthusiasm from overseas fans”.

The dates were billed as the ”Decide To Survive” tour, which is a clear statement of intent. I think the fans must have appreciated this very much. Was there actually a point when you were not sure if the band would survive?

– “The band’s continued existence was never in doubt, but when the previous guitarist left the band, there were times when we were not sure what form the band would take. Thanks to the addition of MOE, who is so strong, reliable, and capable, we are now able to move forward and I am grateful to MOE and to all of our fans”.

”Aegis Of Athena” was voted the 5th best in the category of Top 10 Power Metal Albums in the Metal Hammer 2022 Annual. That must have felt good. But Metal Hammer decided it was power metal. Do you feel it is power metal? What is your feeling on it?

– “We were very surprised and very happy. People are very particular about metal, but as for the subgenre, BRIDEAR is mixed in many ways. So I think each one of us has his/her own way of evaluating metal and the labels that come with it. Power metal is a more traditional metal sound, so we are honored that Metal Hammer feels that way. It means they think we fit in with the legacy of metal while also recognizing we are different and unique in our own way. They say this in the album reviews so it is very cool”.

There is good publicity for BRIDEAR overseas now. How do you feel about the increased media attention?

– “It is very gratifying to be recognized for hard work and seeing all of these magazines and websites become interested in what we are doing . It motivates us!”.

I feel that this live album has a very positive spirit and you can hear the love between artist and audience. You have actually captured the joy of live music really well here. Could you feel it when you listened back to the recording that it was a special moment?

– “We are glad that the connection is coming across. Of course we felt that special moment was captured. We were thrilled to hear the fans cheering louder than we could hear on stage. On stage we have the monitors and we are of course concentrating on the performance and engaging with the fans up front. When the album is mixed and you hear all of the cheers and chants and the noise from the back of the room… like the little whistles and claps and shouting, it is like we can experience the show as a fan. Fredrik Nordström mixed it at Studio Fredman in Gothenburg, Sweden, produced by Chris at Setsuzoku Records. It is a wonderful album that traps you in a space that makes you feel that there are no walls in music. You feel like you are there in the middle of the crowd”.

You have just released a new video for the song ”Eyes Of Doubt”. Tell us a little about that song?

– “”Eyes Of Doubt” is the first song MOE wrote as a member of BRIDEAR. It is a straight metal song that is typical of BRIDEAR, and it is a song that can serve as a guideline for us and show MOE’s potential. We hope you will sing the chorus with us”.

Where was the ”Eyes of Doubt” video filmed?

– “The video was filmed at a circuit track in the Kanto area. It was so cold! It was February I think and it was totally freezing. But we had a great time”.

If you could pick a BRIDEAR album to release on vinyl LP, which would it be?

– “”Aegis Of Athena”. It is our best so far I think”.

Does anyone in the band buy vinyl LPs?

– “I sometimes buy them for artwork to put on my wall of shelf. I do not own an LP player. But I think MOE also buys vinyl”.

What are your most immediate plans right now? Any plans for the long-term?

– “The most recent is a tour in Japan. We are also working on secret plans for overseas. It is very exciting. Please stay connected with us on social media and our international website for news of what is to come!”.

Is there anything else that you would like to add to this interview?

– “Self-promotion time! Check out our albums streaming on Spotify, and all of our great merch overseas from Setsuzoku Records. We also have a membership channel on YouTube, so please take a look. English subtitles are also available!”.

Thank you very much, and good luck with everything! Trinkelbonker will support you in Sweden!

– “Thank you very much! We look forward to the day when we can visit Sweden. It might not be too far away!”.

(End of interview)

By Mike Eriksson (if quoted let me know about it) / Trinkelbonker (2023)

(Pictures and images provided by Setsuzoku Records, many thanks to Christopher Morris)

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CLASSIC ROCK INTERVIEWS ON TRINKELBONKER: STEVE LUKATHER 1989, Part 2 (May 29 2023), LADIES OF ROCK 2008 (April 25 2023), GLENN HUGHES 1993 (February 23 2023), JON LORD 1983 (June 26 2022), BLIND GOLEM 2022 (April 29 2022), PUBLISHER HANS HATWIG 2015 (Part 2, December 24 2021), MURASAKI 2021 (December 3 2021), PUBLISHER HANS HATWIG 2015 (Part 1, November 22 2021), CARINA LIROLA 2008 (November 9 2021), TOTO 1987 (September 17 2021), HEAVEN & EARTH 2001 (July 25 2021), STUART SMITH 1998 (July 4 2021), RAINBOW 1997 (June 28 2021), MARINA AMMOURI 2021 (February 12 2021), VISIONS OF ATLANTIS 2007 (November 10 2020), RITCHIE BLACKMORE & CANDICE NIGHT 2001 (October 27 2020), JOHN NORUM 1988 (October 18 2020), ACCEPT 1986 (July 17 2020), DEEP PURPLE 1996 (June 27 2020), EUROPE 1986 (June 16 2020), DEEP PURPLE PODCAST 2020 (April 6 2020), KIMBERLY GOSS/SINERGY 2002 (March 31 2020), RAINBOW 1997 (March 9 2020), RAINBOW 1996 (March 6 2020), MICHAEL BRADFORD 2003/MAKING OF DEEP PURPLE´S “BANANAS” (March 2 2020), URIAH HEEP 1988 (February 18 2020), ANNE-LIE RYDÉ 1984 (January 21 2020), CRYSTAL VIPER 2020 (January 16 2020), JOHN NORUM 1988 (January 12 2020), ARTOMUS FRIENDSHIP 2019 (November 10 2019), NAZARETH 1989 (August 26 2019), VELVET INSANE 2018 (September 11 2018), JON LORD 1981 (December 15 2015), DAVID COVERDALE 1981 (November 13 2015), GLENN HUGHES 1996 (May 12 2015), TOTO 1988 (March 31 2015), YNGWIE MALMSTEEN 1990 (March 1 2015), MARTINA EDOFF 2009 (December 4 2014), MICHAEL MOJO NILSSON 2014 (January 21 2014), THE HUGHES TURNER PROJECT 2001 (December 29 2013), JOE LYNN TURNER 1996-1998 (October 9 2013), GLENN HUGHES & JOHN NORUM 1988 (September 21 2013), JOE LYNN TURNER 1994-1995 (September 9 2013), JOE LYNN TURNER 1993 (September 7 2013), STEVE LUKATHER 1989 (September 4 2013), BLACK SABBATH 1983 (August 22 2013), RAINBOW 1995 (July 19 2013), MICK UNDERWOOD/GILLAN 1982 (June 11 2013), DEEP PURPLE 2002 (May 2 2013), DEEP PURPLE 1998 ( February 25 2013), BLACK SABBATH 1986 (February 12 2013), BLACK SABBATH 1987-1989 (December 31 2012), JOHNNIE BOLIN 2012 (December 24 2012), MARTIN POPOFF & RICH GALBRAITH 2009 (November 12 2012), DAVID COVERDALE 2000 (October 14 2012), JON LORD 1984 (September 7 2012), JOE LYNN TURNER 1992 (August 31 2012), JUDAS PRIEST 1986 (August 22 2012), RONNIE JAMES DIO 2001 (August 20 2012), NIGHTWISH 2002 (August 14 2012).

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