On a hot summer day in August at the music festival FEST FES 2018, we were able to grab the guys from Rides in ReVellion to have a casual talk about their tour life, and the new mini-albums Artery, and Vein which are both released today, October 28! A big shoutout to V STAR PROMOTION for making this interview possible.


We’re here at the music festival FEST FES, first of all, it’s really hot today, right?
[Everyone laughs]

TaJI: Extremely.

Kuro: It’s hot.

Ame: [In English] Very hot.

Nagisa: [In English] Fucking hot!

You have been performing two days in a row now at FEST FES. How do you feel about the performances?
Kuro: It’s been two days. The first day, before the show, we were wondering how everything would turn out; the fans were more energetic than expected, we as well on stage. On top of that, it was a fun live.

So in short, it was a great experience?
TaJI: [In English] So good!

Kuro: Yes, in summary, it was good.

Not only did you perform at the festival, but you also worked and interacted with the fans at the matsuri (Japanese festival) area. Would you mind telling us what you did there?
TaJI: I sold “big big pineapples” and cucumbers. The communication with the fans is on a different level from what it would be at a normal live, so I really enjoyed it.

Usually, you don’t interact with fans in this way?
TaJI: We don’t. After we do a live, it’s finished.

Ame: [In English] Normal events, no communication. FEST FES, good communication.

What would you say has been the highlight of FEST FES so far?
Nagisa: We played two days at this year’s FEST FES, each gig was 30 minutes.

TaJI: That’s right. The performance time was quite long.

Ame: [In English] Long time ago at FEST FES, opening act. Now, years later, main stage.

TaJI: In the past, for FEST FES we played as the opening act. So it feels really good now to have two 30-minute sets on stage.

Onto the real business, let’s talk about your new music. You have two mini-albums ready for October. Can you tell us more about the concept behind your mini-albums “Artery”, and “Vein”?
TaJI: For Artery we wanted to record a sound like what Rides in ReVellion has been doing, but made greater. Vein is packed with pieces of music that we could not do as Rides in ReVellion before. The idea behind the concept is, in Japanese, “oudou” (lit. “Royal road”) and “jadou” (lit. “Wicked road”), “the simple method” and “the eccentric method”. So Artery takes on the “oudou” concept, while Vein brings in the “jadou” concept.

How would you describe it in English, Ame?
Ame: [In English] Artery, is Rides in ReVellion in basic sound but next stage. Vein is, “curveball”.

[Everyone laughs]

Ame: Within the spectrum of Rides in ReVellion the sound in Vein is exotic and unique sounding.

Why have you chosen the names Artery and Vein for your mini-albums?
TaJI: Because they’re opposites. They’re in contrast [laugh].

Kuro: [In English] My roots.

TaJI & Ame: Answer seriously in Japanese.

Kuro: [In English] Because, love and peace. Body and soul. Because, artery and vein.

[Everyone laughs]

You mean the human body is composed by arteries and veins?
Kuro: [In Engish] Artery is red color. Vein is blue color. Red color is royal road (oudou). Blue is heresy (jadou).

TaJI: In other words, arteries are red, and the veins are blue. As you might know, red is considered the royal color, so in Artery, we go for the more traditional Rides in ReVellion sound. While in Vein, the blue color, it’s more of a rebellious “wicked” sound, but still within the spectrum of our style.

I assume the reason for not putting the two mini-albums together—to make it a full album—is because of the two types of sound you offer?
Kuro: Yes, that’s correct!

You haven’t released anything for a year, is that because you’ve been busy with these two mini-albums?
TaJI & Kuro: We’re still very busy, composing.

How many songs are there in total?
TaJI & Kuro: 12 completely new songs.

To the fans overseas, it’s almost as you’ve been inactive due to not seeing any new releases in a year, but your fans in Japan have been keeping up with your constant live schedule. In what aspect has your live shows helped you improve?
TaJI: From a foreigner’s point of view, all you can really see out of a band’s activities are releases and what’s on the internet. So they only experience the releases. But in-between those, we do one-man shows, events, and quite a number of live performances. I think the band’s ability to energize and excite our fans has really improved during this one year.

When I saw your performance today, I was really impressed, it was excellent!
Band: Thank you, thank you. Gracias. Xiexie.

I like the dance and the dramatic hand movements you did on stage, Kuro.
Kuro: [In English] Really? I’m like an octopus. Octopus dance!

[Everyone laughs]

What can we expect from Rides in ReVellion in the near future? What is the next step?
Ame: [In English] Next step in Rides in ReVellion? Yeah?
Yes, please tell us.
Ame: There are people who support us overseas too, so if it was possible, I feel that I would like to go overseas as well. We do a lot of lives in Japan, and I’d like to get to the level where if we performed in America, even our Japanese fans would want to go there too. I want to work hard to get to that level.

What about Europe, would you like to go there?
Ame: [In English] New York is Spiderman. I respect Spiderman.

[Everyone laughs]

Ame: Is Spiderman not from New York?

Kuro: That’s America, we’re talking about Europe now.

Ame: Ah, that’s different. Sorry!

TaJI: You sound like, “I don’t want to go to Europe, I want to go to New York”.

Ame: Oh no, I do want to go to Europe! For a Europe tour maybe? If it’s possible, I’d like to go there. I’d like to visit Machu Picchu, too. But that’s not in Europe. How about…

Kuro: Germany! [In English] Beer, sausage. My favorite.

Nagisa: For me, it would be Greece. I want to do a European tour too.

Ame: Italy.

TaJI: Hokkaido (the northern part of Japan).

[Everyone laughs]

What would your European tour be called?
TaJI: “Artery and Vein”!

Do you have any final words for our readers?
Ame: [In English] Thank you for reading this interview. I’m Japanese. Where are you from? Thank you. Thank you.

TaJI: Two years ago, when we performed overseas for the first time at the event Anime USA, the response from the overseas fans was bigger than I thought it would be. Since then we have improved a lot, so if we could come share our improved selves with many people across the world again, I would be very happy about that. In saying that, if there is ever such an opportunity in the future, it would be nice, so please look forward to it.

Nagisa: We used to keep up and hear a lot from our overseas fans through social media. Recently we haven’t been able to release much, so you guys must be lonely? Therefore from now on, I want to work hard on releases so the overseas fans can keep supporting us. I definitely want to go overseas again, so thank you for your support.

Kuro: [In English] We will be strong, and we will be back! Thank you!

Like Terminator
[Everyone laughs]


We would like to thank Rides in ReVellion for sitting down with us on such a hot day. Get your copy of Artery, and Vein today via the links below!

Artery

Regular edition

CD

  1. ANOXIA
  2. Saishuu ressha Sakuradouri tewofuru kimi e
  3. Hametsu no negai
  4. Glass no hana
  5. HORIZON
  6. STORY

Buy at CDJapan

Limited edition

CD

  1. ANOXIA
  2. Saishuu ressha Sakuradouri tewofuru kimi e
  3. Glass no hana
  4. HORIZON
  5. STORY

M CARD (Digital download)

  1. STORY MV

Buy at CDJapan

Vein

Regular edition

CD

  1. SURRENDER
  2. Shoudou DIRTTY
  3. SiNGULARITY
  4. MAD SMILE
  5. Michi-TAO-
  6. Nan’oku kounen

Buy at CDJapan

Limited edition

CD

  1. SURRENDER
  2. Shoudou DIRTTY
  3. MAD SMILE
  4. Michi-TAO-
  5. Nan’oku kounen

M CARD (Digital download)

  1. SURRENDER MV

Buy at CDJapan

More info:
Official Website
Facebook
YouTube
Twitter (English)
Twitter (Japanese)
Twitter (Kuro)
Twitter (TaJI)
Twitter (Nagisa)
Twitter (Ame)
Blog (Kuro)
Blog (TaJI)
Blog (Ame)