Didn’t we have an Argentinian on here? Here, cuz I’ve got some time, maybe I’ll try to translate it in case anyone wanted more than just the gist. Warning: I am no professional Spanish->English translator. But no importa! If this comes out awkward…uh, it’s the original author’s fault, no mio. Also, [sic] throughout for the stuff in quotes and proper nouns.
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Paying Tribute to the True Gods of Shamisen
Across the course of human history there have existed traditional instruments from cultures thousands of years old, some still used today that will survive into the future. One of these is the shamisen. Also called samisén or sangen (三味線), it is a 3-stringed musical instrument from Japan played with a special plectrum called a bachi. It is similar in size to a guitar, but with a narrower neck and a rectangular sound box known as the dô covered in snake skin.
There are many players of this instrument worldwide, but there exist a group of shamisen demons who are reinventing the instrument, propelling it to new extremes of skill. We refer you to a group of gods out of Santa Cruz, California, called “God of Shamisen.” They may actually look familiar, since the group is made up of members of the defunct band Estradasphere, as well as from Fishtank Ensemble and Secret Chiefs 3. God of Shamisen fuses the best of Western and Eastern music to create a new kind of rhythm they call “Tsugaru-Shamisen World Metal,” utilizing pentatonic scales in each of their songs to create truly rhythmic melodies dripping with flavor.
The band was founded by Tsugaru-Shamisen master Kevin “Masaya” Kmetz, who splits his time between Japan and California, not just with God of Shamisen, but also as part of another duo/trio known as “Shamisen Demon.” He has mastered shamisen technique and in 2005 won multiple Tsugaru-Shamisen championships in Japanese cities including Kanagi and Hirosaki. He uses his skill to open the shamisen up to new levels of freedom.
After the break-up of Estradasphere, Kevin went his own way and created “God of Shamisen” together with Lee Smith, the legendary drummer from Estradasphere and Orange Tulip Conspiracy. Karl Schnaitter, who decided to take guitar lessons after failing to realize his dream of becoming the next Kurt Cobain on his own, found himself surrounded by legends when he became the guitarist for God of Shamisen’s. The quartet was completed with the addition of Mark Thornton, who had appeared on Estradasphere’s “Passion For Life” DVD, playing base, guitar, and keyboard, among other instruments. He also eventually became the brilliant mind behind the band’s distinct art style.
With each member bringing a variety of different styles, God of Shamisen pieces are influenced by everything from classical compositions to Metallica-influenced speed metal, but always with the shamisen as the principal instrument and guide of the ensemble, strictly centered on the tradition and honor of the instrument.
In 2009 they released their first album with Reptie Records, titled “Dragon String Atack.” This record was a shot of aggressive shamisen metal right to the vein, capable of making one’s ears bleed with the speed of their shamisen speed thrash metal. On this disc we find classics like “The Science Fiction of Ray Bradbury Attack” dedicated to the science fiction author Ray Bradbury (1920-2012) featuring Deepak Ram on the bansuri and Takemi Hirohara (Shamisen Demon) on solo shamisen. The disc also contains songs like “Dragon Strike Atack” and “Tower Storm Attack,” among other ferocious interpretations, making the 14-track disc an instant classic.
In 2002 the band struck back with their second album, “Smoke Monster Atack,” with the same line-up as before but featuring guest artists like Rick Doucette (Secret Chiefs 3), Rick Walker and Takemi Hirohara. The special thing about this production is that in included a whopping 9 covers from pop culture and video games, such as Dragon Quest, Final Fantasy, and Star Wars. It’s reminiscent of that certain “Je ne sais quoi” that Estradasphere had, but with the added madness of Kmetz and his associates on this imaginative project.
The band has largely been missing in action for the past two years, with most of its members working on their own projects in various cities and countries. Nevertheless, Kevin tells us, “We’ve always played in America, and we’re getting requests to play everywhere from Kansas to Colorado, as well as various Japanese festivals, so we haven’t really been able to do much with the God of Shamisen “Rock Shamisen Experience.” In another month we’re getting back in the studio, and hopefully we’ll finish up with recording by the end of this year or the beginning of next year.”
God of Shamisen retains the solemn and ritual nature of the shamisen while exploring new horizons for the instrument, making a new kind of metal. We find a band that treats the shamisen and other instruments with extreme reverence one moment, then suddenly will turn back into true demons to bring real enjoyment to each of their listeners. Passion, a fusion of styles, landscapes of sound, trash… God of Shamisen is a veritable TYPHOON for the senses.
I have no idea if that quote’s accurate. Do you remember saying anything like that, Kevin?
And man, some of these paragraphs were just one long sentence…
Hooray for amateur translations!
