The guitarist of 【En'Cell♰Dis'Dein】 joined us to talk about the creation of the band's first full album.

In September, 【En'Cell♰Dis'Dein】 released their self-titled first full album via Like an Edison and digital platforms. The initial limited version (available at Like an Edison with a proxy) comes in a beautiful A5 book specification with full-color artwork. Initial copies sold out so quickly that the band is pressing additional copies on a made-to-order basis through October 15th.

In addition to the book version, the band also released a new cassette version last week. In celebration of this new edition, guitarist kairu joined us to talk about each track on the album.

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Interview

On September 22nd, you released your first album. Please tell us a little bit about it.

We slowly built up this first release over a year and a half, though I think crafting a full album is a dying art I only listen to albums start to finish so I think that flow is reflected in the album hopefully. I think it is a full course meal that will still leave you wanting more.

Can you tell us a little bit about the special packaging?

Many fans have been coming from different prefectures all the way to Tokyo each time for our gigs, plus fans using buying services overseas is troublesome, so I wanted to make something really beautiful to match these efforts. It is filled with all the lyrics, art and photos I produced, etc. With all the effort going into making a full album with all real instruments I wanted the presentation to be just as organic if that makes sense.

Ah, also some Chinese fans mentioned on the net that they expected our packaging to be more beautiful, That kind of expectation for even more from us made me think hard about how to live up to that. Basically we are a band that takes pride in our fans more than usual I think so.

Where can fans purchase your album?

Though it is troublesome we really want to support Like an Edison so currently we only have it there but if you do contact us directly for cassette tape version or upcoming normal CD we can arrange things. Digitally you can get it at all those regular places: Amazon, iTunes, etc.

Please tell us about each song.

1. Mousou Jigoku (妄想地獄)

This song contains many parts from older solo songs of mine reworked. This year marks 10 years since I started solo activities so I wanted to touch on those roots of being a weird kid alone in his little pool house dreaming strange vkei dreams. The main chromatic type riff is from ICARUS (OBSCENE AMERICAN MAGAZINE EP) and solo is from my debut single AGARTHA but done in a different scale so its a grown kind of feeling. This song was very fun to debut last gig at Takadanobaba (高田馬場) AREA! 'Tis a sexy song.

2. ALICE (アリス)

I noticed many of our fans were coming to gigs in lolita clothing, that's not so normal these days so I am always really happy to see that! So I thought “make a song with the name Alice.” Sou as always did an amazing job with it, from this song I felt we were maturing a bit. Usually I never compose from writing on band score/notation but after a year of this band I felt it very easy to not even touch my instrument for this go around of composing.

3. In Blue...

There are many vkei bands that do a kind of neo retro kote kote thing right? But it all feels boring after awhile to me if I am to be honest, even if I enjoy it. So I wanted to make a song that touched on those roots at parts while not being derivative or too formulaic but rather painting with a full palette. Prince once said “when I want to hear new music I make it.” Basically I wanted to hear a crazy song like this so・・・ there is even a ⅞ time part in the song but it is done naturally so you can't easily pick it out I think. Always wanted to do that.

4. Seishinjousha SENTIMENTAL (精神異常者センチメンタル)

At lives this seems to be the most popular song, I've enjoyed seeing older era bangya start to move around to this song naturally haha, no tefuri stuff. Kiyoshi and Sou are really cool during this song, I often think so during the gigs. The chorus gets stuck in my head, hopefully you like it too and can be cool like Kiyoshi and Sou!

5. THE MISSING DEAD

Our debut song, baby jesus the drums are amazing on this song. I think you can feel a deep darkness to it. I wrote it thinking of the missing people problems in Mexico and how it must feel for families no finding their loved ones. Maybe that feeling gets through in the song? I remember recording this in a rehearsal studio in Omiya thinking “oh I want to go home to Tokyo.” but I was forcing myself to stay in a crappy apartment my company owns. Suffering to create a kind of mood for the art. It worked... I think? haha.

6. Kumo Onna no KISS (蜘蛛女のキス)

This was also made at the start in that crappy apartment, it is such a strange song. I really love Sugar and that jazz mix in vkei they made but again I wanted to hear something with a kind of jazz feel but completely dark.

I feel really bad for our support drummers having to try and play this song・・・ The studio musician took my complicated drums and recorded something even more difficult. This is a once in a lifetime song, I am still surprised how the hell I made this weird one・・・

At Nagoya (名古屋) Music Farm an old man started clapping his hands and kind of dancing to the chorus.. I thought “what the f××k old man? Why are you here? And why are you dancing?” haha.

7. Dataizai (堕胎罪)

Do you know the Kagerou (蜉蝣) song Meisou Honnou (迷走本能) ? I love playing that. Yuana (ユアナ) does a cool chord pattern that makes it sound like it's down tuned but it is in regular tuning. I used a similar thing and made this song. Lots of vkei influences mixed up in it. Can you taste the old vkei rainbow in it? Taste it. Do it. No time like the present to taste rainbows.

8. Betsujigen no Reibyou (別次元の霊廟)

Because I am always going to a big cemetery near me and feeding the stray cats and just walking around like a weirdo at midnight I noticed a very beautiful mausoleum there. Plus there was a strange week when I was a kid growing up on a farm in the middle of nowhere where I went to another dimension every night, freaked my young butt out properly, but that's another story for another song!

Do you like the weird guitar sounds in this one? The magic of old old rack gear.

9. THE BLACKENED SEA

After I made Kumo Onna no KISS (蜘蛛女のキス) I was in that mode of “F××× how did I make that? And more importantly how will I top that?” I'm sure many people can relate to that haha...

Thankfully this baby came along. This one also I made completely by writing in band score/notation form so now I am in another case of “F××× how did I make that? And more importantly how will I top that?” ...I think this is my favorite work ever. It is so beautiful and Sou captured my feelings and expectations completely. His lyrics are deep but vague enough for anyone to apply their own view, that is very important.

I teared up after this one was done, like a bebe.

10. Crystal Eyes

Because we have made so many weird complicated songs I thought “make a song with a classic 90s vkei pop feel.” So I also made this one out in notation. Did you notice the same synthesizer sounds as MALICE MIZER used? One of our fans here did and I was really surprised!

Basically I love bands like LUNA SEA and BAISER so it was really natural for me to make this. The verse riff I had hanging around since maybe 8 years ago? But never found the right time to use it.

Speaking of BAISER... The first time I met Sou he mentioned them to me but I had never heard the Japanese pronunciation in person haha so I was like “??? Who? What?” Later I realized and felt like a royal dork.

Well this is a really bright and fun way to end the album, I think there are no bands really doing things like this now so I wanted to make something like this selfishly for myself just to listen to but I am really happy for all of the support! Thanks for reading this weird stuff and remember to follow your dreams and ignore that nasty stinky people of the world・・・ yep that's the message of this album, treat yo self to oldschool vkei and bawwwhumbug to stanky people who don't like it.

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The book version of En'Cell~Dis'Dein is almost completely sold out, and remaining purchases will be fulfilled on a made-to-order basis. Be sure to order it from Like an Edison by October 15th to secure your copy. The cassette version is also available, and those who can't get physical versions can find the album in any digital store.

【En'Cell♰Dis'Dein】 will hold their first oneman, (in)SANITY CELL, this November in Tokyo (東京), with another oneman scheduled for Osaka (大阪) in 2022. As kairu says, “If you are in Japan feel free to come and enjoy. Maybe we are a cool band but we are really stupid when it comes to MC time at gigs... But everyone enjoys that gap in character. Kiyoshi is always cool though. Come see cool Kiyoshi!”