Serenity In Murder Interview (Ayumu & Freddy)

Serenity in Murder since “The First Frisson of the World” (2011) was always immersed in symphonic and melodic ideas that had a lot to do with the Deather and Blacker side at the extreme, where a song like “Defenders Of The Faith” is remembered that drinks from both styles at a general level, but those years the band had a production according to the possibilities and the vocalist at that time was Emi, with whom they had very good albums and always leaned towards the Melodic Death Metal side with more passion than other styles, but since their second album they began to mix it with Metalcore parts in the rhythms, which is natural, since the matrix of Metalcore is the Melodic Death Metal of the mid-90s, and it is normal that you unconsciously mix them. That is why in subsequent productions such as “The Eclipse” (2107) or “Reborn” (2021) that Metalcore layer is much more present in their music, being something that was going to happen in their music for many years, and some people feel uncomfortable with these inclusions, but both Ryuji and Freddy already had that influence in their music since their second album. So now with this new direction we have “Timeless Reverie” released through Apostasy Records, which leaves its blacker side completely in its rhythms, and begins to exploit the mix of Metalcore in small parts, but its Symphonic Melodic Death Metal side is much more predominant, and only Ayumu's voice is the most associated with some blacker rhythms they had in 2011.  

Para leer la entrevista en español: Entrevista a Serenity in Murder  

Metallerium: Thank you so much for taking the time to speak with us at Metallerium Webzine! We’re thrilled to have you here and to introduce you to our Latin American readers. How are you doing, and how is everything with the band right now?  

Serenity in Murder:  

Freddy: Thank you for this valuable opportunity. The band is currently on tour in Japan and our new album has just been released, so we are busy to promotion like signing autographs and holding photo exhibitions in various cities etc.  

Metallerium: Since this is our first interview with Serenity in Murder, could you please introduce the band to our readers? How would you describe your music and your journey so far?  

Serenity in Murder:  

Freddy: We are an extreme metal band from Japan. We value not only intense but also melodies that tug at the heartstrings and scenery-oriented musicality.   We have not been to the US yet, but recently toured Europe with Fleshgod Apocalypse. This is our fifth album, and if you like it, we encourage you to check out our previous works.  

Metallerium: Your new album, Timeless Reverie, is set to release on February 28th. When did you start working on this album, and what was the creative process like?  

Serenity in Murder:  

Freddy: I started working on “Timeless Reverie” right after the last album “Reborn” was released. Songs like “Revolt” and “Matrix” had already been written when the fourth album was released, but they were songs that we were experimenting with further into the future, so we decided to explore possibilities in a slightly different direction with “Timeless Reverie”. I was trying to explore the possibilities of a slightly different direction from the past.  

Metallerium: It’s been four years since your last release. What led to this gap, and how did you use this time to refine your sound and vision for Timeless Reverie?  

Serenity in Murder:  

Freddy: What was particularly impressive about the four years, the first was the period in the midst of COVID when the band was not as active as I wanted it to be. I spent a lot of time confronting myself about why I keep making music and what I am doing music for. It made me think a lot about life and music.  

The second was the European tour with Fleshgod Apocalypse. It was our first European tour, and as we watched their overwhelming show every night, we had a sense of what we wanted to do with our next work. Third, I had a baby. I got a sense of excitement and a sense of connecting with life I began to think that I wanted to express these emotions and the vibrancy of life in my music making.  

Metallerium: How does Timeless Reverie differ from your previous albums in terms of sound and lyrical themes? Were there any new inspirations or challenges this time around?  

Serenity in Murder:  

Freddy: As for the lyrics, I think that until now there have been a lot of direct expressions. I used to write them as if I were squeezing them out of my own experiences and my inner self, and writing lyrics used to be very painful for me.   In this work, I was conscious of writing in a way that avoids direct expressions, but instead draws on the reader’s imagination, referring to changing landscapes and scenes.   I am not good at writing lyrics, but I think the lyrics are more intelligent and romantic than before.  

Metallerium: The cover art for Timeless Reverie is striking. Can you tell us about its concept and how it reflects the themes of the album?  

Serenity in Murder:   Freddy: The artwork this time is also by Peter Mohrbacher, the same artist as in the previous album.  

The artwork is a bit like a god of Reverie, which fits the title “Timeless Reverie”, but with a darker side. The artwork has great power, and his work has helped us a lot!  

Metallerium: How did you decide on the order of the songs on the album? Was there a specific narrative or flow you wanted to achieve?　　  

Serenity in Murder:  

Freddy: Rather than writing songs with an album in mind, we focused on each song individually for this album.   Some of the songs are more extreme, some are more traditional, and some are completely new with clean vocals.  

By concluding with instrumental music, you can get a certain sense of cohesion, but this album is a work in which we took on all kinds of challenges to see which direction we would go in the future, and we did not make it with much thought to its consistency as an album.  

In this day and age, most people listen to only one of their favorite songs through distribution, and we believe that this is a work that can be listened to from any part of the album.

Metallerium: You’ve released singles like “God Forsaken,” “The Flames Ablaze,” “Matrix,” and “Revolt.” Why were these songs chosen as singles, and do they represent the overall sound of the album?  

Serenity in Murder:  

Freddy: This work focuses on each song and approaches each song differently. We wanted listeners to hear different types of songs in this sense, as there are many different types of songs in the album, and also because we believe that everyone’s favorite songs are different.  

Some people may not accept clean vocals, and conversely, some people may not accept songs like God Forsaken.  

That’s why we decided to cut these songs as singles in advance.  

Metallerium: This is your second album with Ayumu on vocals. How has the band evolved since the line-up change, and how has the dynamic shifted in terms of songwriting and recording?  

Serenity in Murder:  

Freddy: As for songwriting and recording, I have done almost everything before, so there was no change.  

Ayumu has grown a lot through touring after the release of her previous work. She has evolved into a very strong woman as a vocalist as well as a frontman.   I believe that this has given us hope to expand our songwriting and explore new directions as a band.  

Metallerium: What are your plans after the release of Timeless Reverie? Are there any upcoming tours, collaborations, or projects you’re excited about?  

Serenity in Murder:  

Freddy: As of now, we have tours and events scheduled in Japan, but our overseas activities are still undecided.  

Thankfully, we were able to work with Apostasy Records this time around, and we are now in an environment where our music can reach people all over the world.  

Hopefully we will be able to get out of Japan and have more experiences through this work.  

Metallerium: The Japanese metal scene has gained global recognition in recent years. How would you describe the current state of the scene, and what do you think makes Japanese bands stand out in terms of skill and creativity?  

Serenity in Murder:  

Freddy:  I am very happy that more and more bands are taking off from Japan to the world. Perhaps it is due to the characteristics of being an island nation, but I believe that Japanese bands have a slightly different musical style than bands from other parts of the world. There are still many great bands in Japan, and I hope you will discover them.  

Perhaps the spread of the Internet has had an impact, but the number of people with great skills has increased not only in Japan but around the world. Japan is finally at the starting line.  

Metallerium: Japan has seen a significant increase in the number of women in metal bands, including all-female bands that showcase incredible talent and skill. Why do you think Japan produces so many talented female musicians compared to other parts of the world?  

Serenity in Murder:  

Ayumu: I don’t know why specifically, but I think it’s a good thing that there are more and more young female players who like metal.   Japan has one of the poorest environments and understanding for women after marriage and childbirth, so I think it’s important to create an environment where they can feel safe and continue to be active as they go through various life stages.  

Metallerium: Your music blends elements from symphonic, death, and black metal, among others. How do you approach songwriting to create such intricate and layered compositions?  

Serenity in Murder:  

Freddy: I am personally greatly influenced by film and game soundtracks and composers such as Joe Hisaishi etc.  

On the other hand, I am also completely fascinated by intense and violent music. In my composing process, I create key parts, focusing first and foremost on melody and atmosphere.  

Instead of creating each instrument individually, all the instruments begin to sound in my head. Because of the process of making the various sounds that sound at once in my head into reality, most of the time I am composing without playing any instruments.  

Metallerium: With technology connecting bands and fans more than ever, do you pay attention to reviews and comments online? How do you feel about the reactions to your recent singles, both positive and negative?  

Serenity in Murder:  

Freddy: I am very interested in the feedback from people who have listened to my work. Of course I check it out, but very few people write bad things online. Sometimes I am surprised that people listen to very detailed parts of the music, and sometimes I am surprised that people get impressions from the music that I didn’t intend.  

As for Revolt, I changed the melody of the clean vocal part at the last minute, but the feedback was very positive, and I felt we got off to a good start.  

Metallerium: Are there any plans or chances of Serenity in Murder touring in South America? What message would you like to share with your Latin American fans?  

Serenity in Murder:  

Freddy: At the moment there is no talk of touring outside of Japan, but we are eager to tour around the world.   We know that a lot of people listen to our music, but we want to be more realistic and get in touch with a lot of people in a real way.　   If you listen to our work and like it, please spread the word to everyone. And when we get the chance, we dream of getting together and putting on a great show.  

Metallerium: Thank you so much for this interview! We wish you all the best with Timeless Reverie and your future endeavors. Any final words for your fans at Metallerium Webzine?  

Serenity in Murder:  

Freddy: First of all, I would like to thank Metallerium for this opportunity. Thank you for giving us a chance to get in touch with South American metalheads.   Whatever the reason, we hope you found our music and that it was an exciting musical experience.  

We are always sharpening our fangs and waiting for that moment. Looking forward to seeing you all soon. Please keep supporting us.