An announcement from Imari Tones
– Yokohama, Japan, 20th February 2021
Imari Tones, a Christian metal band from Japan, is pleased to announce that they are now signed to Sliptrick Records, a metal label based in Europe (Latvia, Italy).
We will work with them to release our latest album “Nabeshima” soon in 2021.
We have been making music independently for a long time. But this is a decision to release this very important album [Nabeshima] in the best way.
Sliptrick Records is a relatively new metal label that keeps growing. They have some successful bands on their roster but one of the reasons we chose to work with them was their strong tie to Japan. They are working with many legendary metal bands from Japan and they can deliver our music to those audiences who love Japanese music. For a Japanese band like us, it strategically makes sense.
(Check their “Asian” roster. It’s a great honor to see our name listed along with a Japanese heavy metal legend Saber Tiger and other big names such as Mary’s Blood and LOVEBITES.)
https://sliptrickrecords.com/roster/asia/
Also it’s a great opportunity for us to reach European audiences. In the past we have played in the USA and also had fans in South America. However we haven’t really had a chance to reach Europe, even though it is one of the biggest markets for heavy metal music.
The decision of getting signed to a record company was not an easy one. Not only because we are a band with an independent spirit, but also because we are a Christian band.
Music business is all about idol worship. That’s one of the biggest reasons we were always independent. We wanted to stay true. We wanted to be pure.
But no one can change the spiritual message we put in music, just like no one can change God’s Word. That’s where our real battle is. It’s all in our music.
We prayed to God, and made a decision to jump into the music business and fight our best as a metal band. This is our continuous challenge to the music industry and its system.
We want you to know that we believe Sliptrick is the right people to work with. We took time and prayed.
Being a heavy metal label, they have some demonic images here and there. Some of our fans may not like them.
However we felt that they have this independent spirit just like we do and their focus is more on music rather than money. (Go check some bands on their roster. Not all of them are big, but they all have great sounds. That means they do their business based on music, not on money.)
Their roster is fairly diverse and they have some Christian bands, too. We are pleased to be a part of them and play our Christian Metal music together in this diverse world.
(As a Japanese Christian band that plays Metal music with Traditional Japanese flavor, you can say we are “diverse”, too.)
Also I have to mention that we went through another lineup change, as you can see in the picture.
As you already know, our (previous) drummer Koji Maya has been unable to play because of his shoulder injury and other issues. We’ve been talking with him about the possibility of his coming back but unfortunately we had to make a decision to go on without him. Good thing is we have met a new drummer already. His name is Shinryu and he is a great drummer as well as a great martial artist. (There will be a more detailed announcement about the new lineup.)
Once again I’m asking you to understand, that this is a decision we made in order to continue making music.
We have to go on. We have to grow. And we want to grow together with our fans.
We appreciate your prayer. We really do.
Please pray God will guide us in spite of our imperfection.
We are hoping we can experience this journey together.
We will work hard to release “Nabeshima” in the best possible form.
I can promise “Nabeshima” album is the best thing from Imari Tones.
There will be an awesome 24-song double album.
And there will be unforgettable “hit songs” coming.
Please support us so that we can make them “hit songs” in a literal sense.
In Jesus’ mighty name we rock!
Tak “Tone” Nakamine / Imari Tones (Japan)
(Photo by Shinichi Ohara – photoshin.com)