A few days ago I debuted a new review feature entitled approved By the Devil to highlight unsigned or independent artists that deserved to get their name out there. And my first vict…er…entry was Taka Minamino of Osaka Japan. So to get more of an idea on what the world is in for here is the first interview for 2012.Enjoy.

1. Thank you for taking time to speak with us. Can we begin by having you introduce yourself to the readers, please?

I started playing violin at 4 years of age, and took up guitar when I was 14. Studying at G.I.T., Musicians Institute in Hollywood. After graduating, I sent a demo to Mike Varney (Owner, Shrapnel Records) and he featured me in his spotlight column in Guitar Player Magazine.
In 2008, Derek Sherinian (Dream Theater) invited me to play on his 6th solo project, “Molecular Heinosity”.
In 2009, I decided to make my 1st CD “AngelWing” and invited Jeff Scott Soto, Kevin Jones, Derek Sherinian, Tony Franklin, Rafael Borks and others.
From 2010, I wanted to create something very new and flesh sound people never heard.
I called Atma Anur and Kevin Jones to get done this record, and created my art “Blood Rain” which is the “Violence Metal”.

2. Blood Rain is your latest release. Can you describe what listeners can expect on that album?

If I have to describe Blood Rain, it sounds like neo-classical metal, black metal and thrash metal and maybe few more.
You can hear super fast tight guitar riffs, super fast shred and crying solo on this CD you never heard before.
I am sure that no one can copy my guitar work, so I call it by myself this CD “Blood Rain” is the VIOLENCE METAL as well.
Also, Kevin Jones did great job for writing lyrics and sing on this record.
His vocal style is like my guitar style, not always in tempo which is boring for us.
Atma Anur is well-know drummer by working with Jason Becker, Journey and many others.
He played some blast beat and super crazy drumming on this record.
I love his timing and the cool thing is that he chooses cymbals for each song and doesn’t use double bass trigger like normal for this kind of very fast tunes.

3. How long have you been playing guitar for and what inspired you to do so?
I have been playing guitar from 17years old, so it’s going to be 10years.
I play guitar for my songs, not others and for only music I want to play.
So mostly when I create my music, it makes me inspire my guitar.

4. Coming from Japan how did you end up working with people like Derek Sherinian and Jeff Scott Soto?
After graduated G.I.T. Hollywood, my ex-girlfriend contacted to Derek to introduced me and
In 2008, Derek emailed me his tracks for his solo record and I tracked my guitar and sent him back right away, and then he called me to invite his studio and I layed down 3tracks.
How cool is that the song called “The Lone Spaniard” was a song for Yngwie to lay down, but they couldn’t make schedule up, so I played that song instead of Yngwie.
For Jeff, I just called him and sent to him karaoke song, and he loved a song from AngelWing called “Forever Love”. And he sent me back his vocal tracks.
It was great exposure to have Jeff for my 1st CD “AngelWing” and he is very pro vocalist.

5. Blood Rain, at least to me, appears to blend thrash elements with classical shredding. How did you come upon the idea to fuse these two and can you see more musicians or bands adopting this style?

That’s great question. But I would like to say it’s not thrash, more like between neo-classical and black metal. Anyway I was getting very bored to play neo-classical music after my 1st CD ”AngelWing” came out, was getting feel like I have to blast guitar with heavy guitar riffs too.
So I tuned 2notes half step down and started play very difficult riffs on over 200 bpm, added some my orchestration, more shred crying solo, killer atma drums and heavy Kevin vocals. This CD ”Blood Rain” came up very new flesh sound and also vocals is very unique sound which fits with my guitar riffs. I think no one made this style yet.
Let’s say I am the first one to create this style called “Violence Metal”.

6. It’s been a year since earthquakes devastated Japan. How were you affected by that and how has recovery for the country been since then?
I think it was like middle on March, and I was very sad to hear that news.
I was living in Osaka which is very far away from Miyagi where earthquake happened.
So nothing affected at all to Osaka.
I haven’t seen the news from Japan very much, but still I pray for them a lot.

7. What is the current heavy music scene like in Japan today?
I say AKB48 which is idol group not heavy, but there is nothing heavy popular music.
Metal seems like dead in Japan.

8. As far as goals, where do you see yourself in 5 years with music? What would you ultimately like to achieve?
My goal is to play with Ozzy at Whitehouse.HAHAH

9. Kevin Jones does vocals on Blood Rain, can you give a little background on him and how did that collaboration come to be?
Kevin Jones was in few bands called “Rattleface”, “Stepchild” and few others.
This is cool story about Kevin; He was doing audition for Judas Priest and got final 10 from thousand entries.
Anyway, He contacted me back to 2005 to ask me to record his vocal, and we recorded his vocals for a song called “Afterlife In The Hell”. So we know each other from that.
In 2011 I called him to do my 2nd CD, and we stayed at my place for 3weeks to record his vocals…Why it took 3 weeks? We drink a lot and woke up like zombie next few day, drink and then zombie, and then record, over and over.HAHA

10. Both Angel Wing and Blood Rain were self produced. Are you actively looking for a label at this time?
Of course I’m looking for a label if its good offer that I can keep all rights for songs I created.

11. Are there any plans to do live shows in the near future?
YES! I am actually starting look for band players to practice and show together.
If you are interested and living near Orange Country, feel free to contact me.

12. Do you have any final words or promotional items you would like to get out there to the people?
Check out “Blood Rain” on iTunes
http://itunes.apple.com/ie/album/blood-rain/id490373096
Thank you very much to “That Devil Music “for taking the time to interview me and I really appreciate you^^ Please keep it up great works!!

Thanks again for speaking with us and we look forward to more of your work in the future:)

And there we have it so keep your eye out on Taka Minamino and as an added bonus here is a track from Blood Rain that I feel encapsulates the sound of ‘violence metal’.

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• Approved By the Devil: Taka Minamino – Blood Rain