Down but Never Out: On Sailing Before the Wind's Single "Break the Silence" and Fighting to Stay Afloat in the International Scene
Most only think about only three countries when it comes to the music scene. Though Japan has always been in the scene for many years when it comes to the rock scene, it more often than not gets underscored by The United States, Australia, and Europe due to language barriers. However, this has not stopped the current Japanese rock scene from rising in the ranks as some of the prominent acts in the genre such as Crystal Lake, Crossfaith, The Gazzette, BABY METAL, Paledusk, and Falling Asleep have shown they can compete with the best of them when it comes to lyricism, quality, and sound.
Now a new player is stepping into the game. Though Sail Before the Wind is has been upwinding the turbulent seas of the scene since 2011, the independent metalcore band have come back into the fray to re-release "Break the Silence" off their 2012 EP, A Ray Of Light. As if this track was not amazing enough to begin with, Bitoku Sakamoto (ex. touring bassist for Crystal Lake) has recorded, produced, and mastered the track. With a sprightly and melodic guitar presence and aggressive percussive fervor, Sail Before the Wind drives home the point that a great band can come from anywhere in the world if you give them a chance.
How did Sailing Before The Wind begin to take shape as a band?
I met most of the original members through a Japanese social networking community called Mixi around 2010. At first, we only had three members, so it was kind of a studio project.
Then Takaya, the original guitarist, contacted me after seeing our post about recruiting members. That's when the members of this re-recording came together.
What was the scene like in Japan when you guys decided to make the band a reality?
There were a lot of post-hardcore bands, with influences from The Devil Wears Prada and Attack Attack!. I think Crystal Lake was already a huge part of the hardcore scene back then.
What are your music influences? How did they make their way into your latest single "Break the Silence?"
I was heavily influenced by early 2000s metalcore bands like As I Lay Dying, Parkway Drive, All That Remains, and I Killed The Prom Queen. But also I grew up listening to melodic death metal. Therefore, I tried to fuse those two elements to create something more melodic.
I want to talk about the new single. I know you guys re-recorded the original track from the original EP, A Day of Light. Where are you coming from lyrically with this track? What was going back in 2012 when this track was written?
I rewrote the lyrics. The concept of the lyrics is an airplane flying to break the silence. I likened our lives as a band to an airplane flying towards its destination. We were young and didn't know how to record, how to mix, how to work as a band, or anything else when we created the original back in 2012. I still don't know it, but I'm getting a little better.
What was the process of re-recording this song like?
I recorded bass, Takaya recorded his guitar tracks at his home studio. The vocals were recorded by engineer Katsuya, who is also Takaya's brother. I received those audio tracks then I did mixing and mastering.
In what ways is this version different transcending from the original? How do these two experiences differ from one another?
I rearranged some of the riffs and lead guitars to make it sound more guitar-oriented metalcore. The song structure itself has changed a bit and become shorter. The new version is more straight to the hook.
What does reintroducing this track to the world mean to you guys? What do you want fans old and new to take from this internationally and even your fans in Japan?
I just want people to know that Sailing Before The Wind exists. If you know us, please spread the word. To be honest, what we have been doing for the past ten years has not changed much. It's always the same. Melodic harmony guitar, breakdowns, and synchronized stage presence. Now, all we need is to gain recognition internationally.
What's next for you guys this year?
We will release other new tracks. Details for that will be released pretty soon.
Other than that, the tour that was postponed in May will be rescheduled for the summer. I think maybe we can get more gigs at the end of this year.