Invictus Interview (Takehitopsy Seki)

Invictus is a Japanese death metal band that formed in 2015. Like many bands, they started with small releases until their debut album, "The Catacombs of Fear" (2020), which didn't get much airplay at the time. However, if you recall Juanjo Castellano's cover art from six years ago, then, out of curiosity and thanks to the band's new release, you delve into their universe. Their first album had that raw, dirty, and brutal edge that bands like Immolation or Sinister were experts at using to blow speakers back in the '90s. Adding to that, the influence of Rottrevore showed that the Japanese band knows what kind of death metal they want to create. Now we have their second studio album, "Nocturnal Visions" released on CD through Memento Mori, vinyl through Me Saco un Ojo Records, and cassette through Iron Fortress Records.  

Para leer la entrevista en español: Entrevista a Invictus  

Metallerium: Welcome to the Metallerium website and thank you for taking the time for this interview. How are you and the band? How are you feeling now that Nocturnal Visions is completely done?  

Invictus: Thank you very much for having us and for the interview!  

We’re doing great. We’ve already started thinking about new song ideas and are focusing on rehearsals for our upcoming live shows.  

Now that Nocturnal Visions is finally finished, it feels really good. We’re honestly relieved and very satisfied with how it turned out.  

Metallerium: Your debut, The Catacombs of Fear, was released in 2020. How has the band’s creative vision evolved during the long gap leading up to Nocturnal Visions?

Invictus: I don’t think our core vision has changed that much. From the beginning, our main focus has always been on writing strong, memorable riffs. That hasn’t changed at all.   However, the range of what we consider a “good riff” has definitely expanded over time. With this album, we feel that our sound has become more purely death metal, while still staying true to our riff-driven approach.  

Metallerium: Critics note influences from Death, Morbid Angel, and Obituary in your music. How do you balance paying homage to these legends while ensuring Invictus has a uniquely Japanese identity?  

Invictus: That’s absolutely true. I’m a huge fan of American death metal, and I’ve listened to a lot of it over the years, so those influences naturally come through in our music. As for having a specifically “Japanese” identity, it’s actually not something we consciously think about very much. Of course, we’re fully aware that we’re a Japanese band, but when it comes to writing music, that aspect isn’t something we deliberately focus on. We simply follow what feels right to us musically.  

Metallerium: Reviews of your latest work praise an "organically lethal" production. What was your philosophy in the studio to ensure you avoided the "over-polished" sound common in modern metal?  

Invictus: Personally, I tend to get a bit tired when listening to overly polished productions. It doesn’t really suit our style either, so we made a conscious decision to avoid that approach. Our goal was to create a sound that people can listen to repeatedly without feeling fatigued, while still retaining a sense of power and danger. We’re truly grateful to Taka from Studio Chaos K, who understood our vision perfectly and helped us achieve that balance in the studio.  

Metallerium: You once again collaborated with artist Juanjo Castellano for the album cover. How does his art translate the "macabre" and "arcane" themes of your lyrics into a visual medium?  

Invictus: This time, we sent Juanjo a rough concept and some ideas about the overall atmosphere and colors we wanted to use, even before the lyrics were fully completed. From that starting point, he was able to read our intentions perfectly and create an outstanding piece of artwork. He consistently delivers incredible results, and we truly consider him a master craftsman. His work translates the macabre and arcane elements of our music into a powerful visual form.  

Metallerium: You recently completed your first-ever European tour in 2025. What was the most surprising reaction you received from European fans compared to those in your home base of Nagano?  

Invictus: We were honestly surprised by how warm and welcoming metalheads were in every country and city we visited.   Most people probably didn’t know who we were at first, but we still received really positive reactions, which meant a lot to us.  

And compared to Nagano, we were honestly surprised by how many metalheads were there.

Metallerium: In 2025, you toured Europe with legends like Malevolent Creation and Massacre. What technical or performance lessons did you learn from these veterans that you have integrated into your 2026 live shows?  

Invictus: We’ve always been huge fans of both bands, and they’ve influenced us greatly, so there was honestly so much to learn that it was almost overwhelming.   Of course, we learned a lot from their stage presence and performance, but we were also secretly checking out their amp settings whenever we could. (laughs) We’re still experimenting and figuring things out, but we’re making a real effort to incorporate what we learned into our live shows. Since English isn’t our strongest language, hyping the crowd on stage has been a challenge for us as well, but that’s something we’re continuing to work on.  

Metallerium: Having played events like Asakusa Deathfest and shows in Thailand, how does the atmosphere of a large festival impact your performance compared to the "moloch" of smaller club shows in Nagano?  

Invictus: In the past, we used to feel extremely nervous, especially when playing larger events. However, after touring Europe as mentioned earlier, that feeling has mostly disappeared, and now it doesn’t feel all that different anymore. Personally, I prefer smaller venues, since the distance between the band and the audience is much closer, which creates a more intense and direct atmosphere.  

Metallerium: You have a major performance scheduled for February 11, 2026, at WildSide Tokyo with bands like Fastkill and Evil. What can fans expect from your live set now that you have a second full album to draw from?  

Invictus: Of course, we’re planning to play more songs from our second album. At the same time, we’ll also perform some of the classic tracks from our first album, as well as songs from our demos, so the setlist will cover our releases quite evenly.

Metallerium: You formed in Nagano City in 2015. How has the local scene there influenced your "flesh-ripping" death metal style?  

Invictus: To be honest, we’re pretty much the only death metal band in our local scene. laughs However, despite the small size of the area, we have many friends playing different styles such as thrash metal, black metal, and grindcore, so we’re constantly surrounded by various forms of extreme music. As for the “flesh-ripping” aspect of our sound, it probably comes from my strong love for thrash metal, which naturally influences the aggression and sharpness in our riffs.  

Metallerium: Nocturnal Visions is being released on multiple formats across different labels (Memento Mori for CD, Me Saco Un Ojo for vinyl, and Iron Fortress for cassette). How important is it to you that your music remains accessible on these physical, underground-focused formats?  

Invictus: It’s extremely important to us. Having our music exist in more than just digital form really matters. When I was younger, I didn’t think about it that deeply, but as I’ve gotten older, I’ve come to realize the significance of having our work physically exist in the world. For us, it’s meaningful that the album can live on in different formats and mediums.  

Metallerium: Since your 2015 formation, you have shifted from death metal with "technical hints" to what you now call a broader spectrum of "Riff-Death Metal." How does Nocturnal Visions push the boundaries of this riff-centric approach compared to your 2024 demo, Crematory Remains?  

Invictus: We pushed our approach further by challenging ourselves to try new ideas while writing this album. This time, we wanted to explore slower tempos, more restrained riffs, longer songs, and more deliberate pacing, so we experimented with a wider range of structures than before. Even with this expanded scope, our music remains firmly riff-driven at its core.  

Metallerium: Both You and Toshihiro Seki handle vocals. How do you decide which vocal textures fit specific lyrical themes of "arcane malignancy" or "foul commands"?  

Invictus: This one is mostly about feeling, to be honest. We decide it in a very instinctive way—if a part feels like it needs to be shouted, then we shout.  

Metallerium: Your 2025 demo was titled Togakushi Ritual. Considering the sacred nature of the Togakushi area in Nagano, do local myths or historical rituals play a significant role in the lyrics of the new album?  

Invictus: The influence on the new album is relatively subtle, I’d say. The lyrics were written by both Toshihiro and myself, and rather than following a single concept, we each brought in themes that personally interest us. That said, familiar subjects are naturally easier to turn into songs, so it’s possible that more material rooted in local themes will appear in the future. If there is something that could be considered our Japanese identity, it might be discovered in those details rather than through any deliberate intention.  

Metallerium: While many Japanese metal bands gravitate toward Tokyo, you have remained rooted in Nagano. What are the advantages and challenges of maintaining an underground death metal identity outside the capital?  

Invictus: One of the biggest advantages of being based in Nagano is that we tend to stand out and be remembered more easily. People often react with surprise, like, “Wait, Nagano? There’s a death metal band in such a rural place?” laughs in that sense, the small number of bands actually works in our favor. On the other hand, one of the challenges is that there are fewer opportunities to properly promote what we do. There simply aren’t many metal fans around, so it can be difficult to be understood at times.  

That said, by organizing events ourselves with like-minded bands, and by playing shows in front of a small but extremely passionate local metalhead community, we feel that those disadvantages have gradually become less significant. Doing things in a DIY way has helped us turn limitations into something positive.

Metallerium: Thank you for the interview; it was a pleasure speaking with you. Congratulations on this new album " Nocturnal Visions”. Perhaps you'd like to add something for your Latin American fans and Metallerium followers?   

Invictus: Thank you very much for listening to our music and for giving us the opportunity to do this interview. We truly appreciate it. We sincerely hope you enjoy our album, and it would be a great honor for us if we ever get the chance to come and play in your country someday. STAY DEATH METAL!!