ENVY

INTERVIEW WITH GUITARIST NOBUKATA KAWAI AND VOCALIST TETSUYA FUKAGAWA BY BEN SAILER 2 016 was a difficult year for Envy. After longtime vocalist Tetsuya Fukagathe time to end the whole thing,’ and he replied, ‘leave if you wish, I will keep Envy continuing.’ If I dence, either. The band’s sprawling compositional structures continue to borrow from post-rock band allowed for fresh ideas to seep into their sound as well, and an explicit delineation in each wa left the band, fans began to didn't hear those words, I think and hardcore in equal measure, member’s role in the songwriting wonder whether the remaining Envy would be dead for good.” without succumbing to common process led to the record being members would continue. While clichés of either genre. Arguably, written “literally three times faster they pressed on undeterred as a Anyone who was holding their the way the band stitches together than before.” four-piece, with guitarist Nobukabreath can thank that fortuitous diverse aural textures into moving ta Kawai taking over vocal duties, conversation when they hear soundscapes is perhaps better The result of this democratic apit wasn’t long before drummer The Fallen Crimson, the band’s defined by the intensity of emotion proach to songwriting is a record Dairoku Seki and guitarist Masaseemingly miraculous seventh they invoke, rather than traditionthat sounds undeniably like Envy, hiro Tobita departed as well. Affull-length record, out now via al labels. yet manages to avoid the sense ter nearly 25 years with the same Temporary Residence. It follows of stagnation one might expect lineup, it looked like the influential their 2018 EP, Alnair in August, “The word ‘genre’ does not mean to set in after seven albums (plus Tokyo-based screamo band would which coincided with the surprise anything to us,” Kawai says. “Rathcountless splits and EPs). Rather almost certainly have to call it a announcement they'd be reuniter, it is clean tone, high-gain tone, than relying on muscle memory, day. With more than half the origiing with Fukagawa, and adding blast beat, D-beat, ambient, hardthere’s an intentional desire here nal members gone, what path forguitarist Yoshimitsu Taki and core - as long as it is good and has to avoid being viewed as a “legacy ward could exist? drummer Hiroki Watanabe. If the passion, we want to express it. All band,” paired with a commitment two tracks on the EP were teasers, we wanted to do is to write a damn to continuing to progress musicalFinding the answer to that questhen it’s safe to say that Envy is beautiful album.” ly. While that undying drive may tion started with a night at the bar, back in full form with the release be what pushed the band forward bringing the band back from the of this album. To that end, the band’s songwritthrough turmoil, there’s at least brink of breaking up. ing process has remained consisone other constant essential to the From start to finish, The Fallen tent since their formation in the band’s creative persistence, too. “I called Naka [Manabu Nakagawa, Crimson feels imbued with a reearly ’90s. Kawai brings a riff or an bass] for a drink,” says Kawai. “It newed sense of purpose and enidea to the band, each member “As long as Tetsu sings on our songs, was the first time for me to call him ergy. Given the amount of turmoil contributes their parts, and pieces it will always be Envy, and I believe out since we formed the band. At they’ve overcome to reach this are aligned and realigned from that can't change,” Kawai says. �� that time, I told Naka, ‘it might be point, that may not be a coincithere. Bringing new blood into the