Following their first visit to Japan at the CRYSTAL LAKE‘s event「TRUE NORTH FESTIVAL 2017 ‘」, the metalcore band from Thailand ANNALYNN will go back to Japan for the second time as a support act for While She Sleeps on 1/22 at Daikanyama UNIT, Tokyo. The band will release a Japanese version of their first major EP「Deceiver / Believer」 released from Warner Music in Thailand on BAKU-ON.fb/RADTONE MUSIC on 3/6. Before the day’s Live, we interviewed the members in the dressing room at the venue.

Bon (Vocals) Boss (Guitars) Pob (Guitars) Eak -AREX- (Bass) Mong (Drums)

« Okay, let’s do what we like without paying any heed to this concern! Let’s make a very deep and low sound! »

NM Mag: Thank you for tonight.
BON (Vo.): First of all, we apologize for our poor English.
MONG (Dr.): My English is terrible.
BOSS (Gt.): Everyone is terrible (laughs).

NM Mag: (Laughs). I don’t think so.
POB (Gt.): I only studied at school.
BON: But I’m trying my best to speak because English is an international language for communicating with people from different countries.

NM Mag: You came to Japan this time as part of your Asian Tour, right?
BON: Yeah, this Asian Tour was supposed to be done from Manila to Hong Kong, then to go through Taipei and Tokyo, but the tour started in Hong Kong because the Manila show was canceled.

NM Mag: This is your second visit to Japan, but when you first came to Japan, you performed at the CRYSTAL LAKE「TRUE NORTH FESTIVAL」held in October 2017 and at the Shinjuku Antiknock event.
BON: I had a hard time communicating with the audience when I first came to Japan, but I enjoyed the show very much. I think the show tonight will be even better.

NM Mag: Let me ask you basic questions. When was ANNALYNN formed?
BON: I started the band’s activities in 2003 when I was a university student. I and AREX (Ba.) grew up in the same area and attended the same university.
MONG: I auditioned 10 years ago and joined ANNALYNN.
POB: I joined eight years ago.
BOSS: I recently became a member about two years ago.
BON: The band ANNALYNN has been working for a long time, about 15 years. So some members left because they couldn’t take responsibility for the band.

NM Mag: It’s hard to keep up with the band.
BON: That’s right. Being a member of ANNALYNN carries a great deal of responsibility.

NM Mag: How is the current Thai metal scene?
BON: Not bad, but not as good as before.

NM Mag: For example, how is it compared to 10 years ago?
BON: Ten years ago there was a strong and wonderful metal community. At that time, if we did Live, maybe 500 to 700 people would have gathered.

NM Mag: That’s a pretty big scene!
BON: That’s amazing because it happened every week.
POB: Ten years ago.
MONG: It’s not the story now (laughs).
BON: At the moment, maybe at most 100 people. Everyone went in a different direction as an adult.
MONG: Maybe listening to different music.

NM Mag: Did it flow into the current mainstream music?
BON: Like dance music. Isn’t that a phenomenon happening all over the world?

Thank you for your straight answer (laughs). Have you ever worked in a band other than ANNALYNN?
BON: ANNALYNN is the first band I and AREX formed in our lives.
MONG: Before I joined this band, I played in 3 other bands. I’ve played melodic metal and industrial metal like FEAR FACTORY.
BOSS: After graduating from university, I was a musician playing at a Jazz club in Chiang Mai. At that time, I was scouted by BON.

NM Mag: ANNALYNN’s sound has changed so much through its growth that I can’t describe it in one word. For example, in the album「STARE DOWN THE UNDEFEATED」released in Japan in 2017, we can feel the influence of German Metalcore from the huge and tight sound.
AREX (Ba.): Thank you, I’m glad. I like CALIBAN, a German metalcore band I’ve played with in the past.
BON: In terms of influence, the initial urge that made me want to do a band was LIMP BIZKIT. When I first heard their album「Significant Other」I was shocked like « What’s that! ». Right now, my favorite band is DEFTONES.
POB: Same, DEFTONES. What I like about high gain guitar sounds is definitely their influence. Besides, I like BLINK-182 and YELLOWCARD, they are easy listening compared to DEFTONES (laughs).
BOSS: It’s NORMA JEAN, MESHUGGAH for me.
MONG: (He imites MESHUGGAH’s guitar) D~~~~n , D~~~~ n (all laughs). I’m MACHINE HEAD. I think 1999’s「The Burning Red」is the best album. At that time I was totally immersed in Nu metal. I was also influenced by SEVENDUST and FEAR FACTORY.
AREX: I like the skate punk because of MTV. I was Inspired by pop and punk like THE OFFSPRING and GREEN DAY. Then, I grew up listening to the same music as BON.
BON: Yes, I and AREX were growing up listening to the same music.

NM Mag: The Japanese version of 『Deceiver / Believer』 will be released on 3/6. Please tell us about this work, including the meaning of the title song「Deceiver / Believer」.
BON: The songs in this opus are based on what I experienced about 10 years ago. At that time, my family was in a difficult situation and I was in the worst situation. So we needed strong mental strength to get out of that woes. And the conclusion to survive in this world was to « stop believing in God ». The title「Deceiver / Believer」comes from that experience.
MONG: This work was released in Thailand in 2017, and here in Japan will be finally released in March 2019.

NM Mag:『Deceiver / Believer』 sounds incredibly ferocious. What happened to the band?
BON: Hahaha, thanks to the new member! The previous guitarist did not want the sound of a guitar with low tuning bass. So he was trying to balance him in. But after he left the band and BOSS joined, I felt like, « Okay, let’s do what we like without paying any heed to this concern! ».
POB: Yeah, « Let’s make a very deep and low sound! »
BON: It sounded really great (laughs).

NM Mag: Suddenly, I was surprised to hear a sound like EMMURE (laughs).
POB: Yeah! That’s exactly right (laughs).
BON: But I’m honest that the result of pursuing the style I want is the sound of this time. We are not giving much attention to what is said around us and we have an honest sound in「Deceiver / Believer」.

NM Mag: Chad Ruhlig (Vo. FOR THE FALLEN DREAMS) participates in the title song「Deceiver / Believer」. How did you decide to feature him?
BON: I played with FOR THE FALLEN DREAMS seven or eight years ago, and I was in contact with the band. That’s why Chad involved in the take-off of this song. Thanks to the footage he shot in the United States and then he sent me, Chad is also participating in the MV. We don’t have the money to go there (laughs).

NM Mag: The instrumental song「Codes」in the middle of the album plays a role like an interlude that has the effect of changing the atmosphere of the album.
BOSS: This is a song I wrote. I played the guitar with deep delay and reverb while thinking about the concept of the work. I finished it in no time.

NM Mag: In what style does ANNALYNN make music?
POB: Basically everyone is involved in songwriting. For example, if you find a guitar riff that you can use, make a demo with guidelines for the whole song. At that point, about 50% of the work is still to go to finish the rest of the song with the band. The band’s rehearsal room is in my house, where we gather and share ideas and directions for the songs.
BOSS:「Deceiver / Believer」was a very smooth completion.

NM Mag: When did you start the production?
BON: I started writing the songs in December 2016 and completed them in six months. This is a very fast pace for a Thai band. By the way, the recording engineer is Drof, who is also the Live engineer tonight. Another person, Tunwa, was involved in recording the vocal part.

NM Mag: I think the sound production of「Deceiver / Believer」has evolved dramatically compared to past works. I wonder why.
POB: What used to be a 6-string guitar became a 7 or 8-string guitar. I decided to talk to BOSS for a new sound. I changed the bass to 5-string, so I guess that led to the evolution of the sound.

NM Mag: Here in Japan,「Deceiver / Believer」released in March 2019 has been released for over a year since its release in Thailand. Are there any plans to release new songs produced during that period?
BON: We will be releasing a new song「Welcome To The Crew」on 1/25. It keeps the direction of「Deceiver / Believer」and incorporates new elements.
POB: This song uses electro drums that we’ve never used before. And I think you can feel the groove that has never been seen before. ANNALYNN is a band that keeps trying new challenges.

NM Mag: Is the new song「Welcome To The Crew」also released on a Major label in your home country?
BON: It’s a release from the same Major as「Deceiver / Believer」. The label is very supportive of the band’s activities and the relationship is going well.

NM Mag: I think ANNALYNN will increase the number of people who are interested in Thai metal bands. Could you give me some Thai metal bands?
BON: Yeah, maybe TERESA and LAST FIGHT FOR FINISH.

NM Mag: Do you know MELODIUS DEITE, a melodic speed metal band from Thailand?
BOSS: I know MELODIUS DEITE, but it’s a different band from us. There is no chance for us to get directly involved in this kind of different scene.

NM Mag: Finally, please give a message.
BON: ANNALYNN always plays music that makes us happy. So ANNALYNN has no goals. I’m glad if Japanese metal fans accept our music. Japan is a special place we always want to play.

SONG LIST:

1. Finish Him
2. 10 Dimes
3. Deceiver Believer feat. Chad Ruhlig (FOR THE FALLEN DREAMS)
4. F.E.A.R
5. Codes (Instrumental)
6. I Am Unbroken
DECEIVER / BELIEVER（LIVE）*
F.E.A.R（LIVE）*
* Japan Edition Bonus Track

ANNALYNN
「Deceiver / Believer」
2019.3.6 In Stores
RADC-117 / ¥2,000 (w/o tax)
BAKU-ON.fb / RADTONE MUSIC

[INTERVIEW] ANNALYNN Metalcore band from Thailand 1st Major EP「Deceiver / Believer」by NM Mag Japan March 2019

Interview: Osamu Sawada
English Translation: Gaëlle GEDDA

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