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Japanese Christian metal band Imari Tones just released a double album “Nabeshima” that incorporates Japanese traditional culture into Christian heavy metal.
As a Christian band based in Japan, the members of Imari Tones have always wondered what Christian music for Japanese people should sound like. Based on this question, they made “Jesus Wind” in 2017, which was a concept album about Christian history in Japan. That album became a favorite for their passionate fans all around the world. But they didn’t stop there. This time, they went even further and they incorporated Japanese traditional music and its cultural essence into their Christian metal music. The result is something the world has never heard before: Japanese Traditional Christian Metal.
“Nabeshima” is Christian metal music based on Japanese tradition. This is an album Imari Tones was destined to make. The album title “Nabeshima” is derived from an old Japanese porcelain art from the 17th century. It’s a fact that Imari Tones’ band name was inspired by old Japanese Imari porcelain. Nabeshima was of the highest quality among those Imari potteries from the 17th century. Ever since seeing the Nabeshima potteries for the first time, Tak Nakamine, the singer and guitarist of the band, has always been wanting to make music like that. Otherworldly, multi-dimensional, simple yet compelling beauty with Japanese tradition.
His ambition has become true on this album. When he finished writing all the songs, Tak decided to call this album “Nabeshima”, because he was certain this was the best music Imari Tones could ever make. Imari Tones are happy to present this one of a kind spiritual music to the world. Musically this album is very diverse. While it contains very intense power metal songs, the other songs are more progressive. The whole album has a mysterious overtone, with Japanese traditional vibe. Being a double album with 24 songs, this album surely has a big volume. Half of the songs are sung in English, while the other half are sung in Japanese.
Even though it has a Christian message, “Nabeshima” has multi-cultural, diverse elements. “Nabeshima” takes listeners to a mysterious journey to ancient Japan, where Samurai spirit meets Christian faith. Japan is a Buddhist country and while its Christian population is very small, it is known that some of the Samurais and Daimyos were Christians before the Tokugawa shogunate banned Christianity for more than 200 years. If there was music for those old Christian Samurais, this probably is what it would sound like. There is no doubt Imari Tones are modern day Christian Samurais, with this traditional metal sound of “Nabeshima”.
Here are some of the songs from the “Nabeshima” album.
“Passion” https://youtu.be/gRDrZD56ZSM
“Lord’s Prayer” https://youtu.be/5VQYYy6_LDI
“God Anthem” https://youtu.be/9pvCFg7EapI