FASTKILL (Japan)

FASTKILL was born to thrash!! And they are born in the country where Thrash Metal never dying, never!! Japan has always served great thrash/ heavy metal bands since the era of Sabbat, Metalucifer, Barbatos, Terror Squad, King's Evil etc. Those are among the important names to mention in the history of Japan's Thrash/ Heavy Metal. Now, it's continued with Fastkill, Destruction’s worshipper. They have at three demos & the latest they offered was their debut album which's actually a compilation of their greatest songs from all that demos. Japanese thrash metal is meant to be harsh, brutal & absolutely holocaust!!

 
Greetings there!! How are Tokyo & the life there? First of all, the common question, describe about the band Fastkill & tell us a brief history about the band.

 
Hey my bro Amin what's up? Yeah we're doing quite fine here in Tokyo, hanging out, boozing and, definitely, thrashing! The FASTKILL’s history of devastation was begun in 1996 when Jiro (Guitar) and Suguru (Bass) got together. During that era they released two demos titled “Conflict in Hate” and “Senseless Sadistic Souls”. In 2000, Kaz (Drum) and I (Toshi-Vo) joined the band. After several rehearsals we released 3rd demo “Total Thrashing Massacre” which gathered great reaction from all over the world. And at that time we started playing gig in Tokyo. Aki (Guitar) came to the band in 2003 after we decided to have another axman. Last year finally our 1st full length “Infernal Thrashing Holocaust” was unleashed from Satanic Lust Records.

 
How was your recent gigs, playing side-by-side with Nunslaughter?

 
The show turned out to be nothing but awesome one, as I expected. They, NUNSLAUGHTER, are totally evil and their stage completely killed!! Great songs and playing, especially I was quite impressed with their performance. Of course other bands were great as well, needless to say. The night eventually we played only 4 songs cuz there was no enough time. The night so many bands appeared and when our turn came the time was almost running out so we spare it to NUNSLAUGHTER. But I was just fine to have been there and share the atmosphere with them.

 
The band have just release the debut album, Infernal Thrashing Holocaust end of last year, introduce to those who still don’t know about it. What are the responses you get after its release more than half year? What’s the review that really impressed you, who gave it? How was the sales going?

 
Ok this album sounds nothing but 100% pure THRASH METAL. We've stuck to playing and resurrected it because we've been worshipping ’80s thrash atmosphere absolutely and felt there are not so many bands in this era whose sound is really thrashing. So we wanted satisfy all the freaks, of course including ourselves, who desire to this old school stuffs. We've got, to my joy, so far great responses from tons of metal maniacs all over the world. The sales are going good and beyond our expectations.

 
Most of the tracks in this debut have already release in the previous demos like Kill For Pleasure, Sense Of Ignorance, Agony etc…. your explanation about this? Are they re-recorded or the original songs taken from the demos? Usually, the debut album will contain mostly new songs, but why didn’t the band complete the debut album with all new songs?

 
You’re right. Almost all the tracks, except “Drenched in Blood”, “Evil Force” and “Feel the Hatred” were just picked up from our past demos and re-recorded. As I mentioned above, our first and second demo were made by Jiro / Suguru with drum machine. We wanted to let people know about FASTKILL with our best tracks and best performance, as a starter. So in that mean, our first album is kind of “The best of FASTKILL ’96 – ‘04”. But we consider this as our first album to the world.

 
Your debut demo, Conflict In Hate released & spread widely in US, Europe & South America but rather than Japan distributions itself. What’s the reason for that? I read a statement from the band that Japanese metal scene is not progressed & grown well at that time, is it true? How many copies of this demo are spread?

 
At that time Jilo, who is the mastermind of FASTKILL, thought there were not much great bands here in Japan. The scene was weak and almost as good as dead. Just modern thrash-like stuffs were on mainstream, which really frustrated him. That's why FASTKILL was born, to play real THRASH METAL. As to first copy they were probably only 100-200 I guess.

 
After Conflict In Hate, the band again successfully released 2 more demos; Senseless Sadistic Souls & Total Thrashing Massacre. What can you tell us about both demos, like the songs appeared, the responses, how many copies were spread etc. and what are the better progression can be compare with the latest debut album?

 
“Senseless Sadistic Souls” was recorded, same as the first demo, by Jiro and Suguru. Because of lack of member Jiro took vocal and Suguru programmed drum tracks. The demos were recorded in short time and poor sound production though they sound still thrashing to me. The responses were not bad and what made us feel great most was the review of S.O.D zine. I couldn’t believe when I found our name on that! “Total Thrashing Massacre” was first stuff after Kazu and I joined. At that time we’re totally freaked out when we’re checking the sounds in studio after recordings. Since this was our first recording in studio with drum it sounded really something! Yeah I still remember that moment clearly. This demo gathered up big interest and we got offer for gigs. About 500 copies were out I think.

 
Fastkill originally created in 1996 by only 2 persons & you both work as a duo until the second demo. What is you aim when you decided to form this band & how did you work as a band with just 2 persons inside? Why did you took a long period to complete the band with drummer & vocalist, how did you get them?

 
At the first ere when they got this band started they were in another band so FASTKILL was kind of their side project. After releasing the 2nd demo they decided to concentrate on FASTKILL and then started to look for vocal and drum. It wasn’t long Kazu and I joined after they put member-wanted add on record shop. As you know to play this kind of music it’s really tough to find member, especially drummer, though they had no difficulty to find. I guess we’re kind of destined to play together, in the name of Thrash, hahaha.

 
Who are the major influences for the band, I guess you can’t deny Destruction, Kreator or Tankard, won’t you? Song entitled Sense Of Ignorance is really similar to Destruction, your comment? And why did the band often to cover Tankard’s The Morning After on your live appearance?

 
Definitely there is no doubt about it, the influences of those great German bands but at the same time Bay area stuffs like EXODUS, VIO-LENCE and LAAZ ROCKIT are big to us as well. RAZOR, BLOOD FEAST, DEVASTATION, POSSESSED and WHIPLASH are needless to comment here, The Morning After” is one of our faves so we did often on stage. You can check out what we have done so far from our set list on our site and also check some cover songs. What’s next? Maybe Toxik’s “Heart attack”!

 
The vocalizations of Komori in some way similar to Schmier of Destruction but sometimes sound like Gerre of Tankard, is he really inspired by both persons? Who write the lyrics for Fastkill & what are they all about?

 
Oh really? It’s great honor of me that you picked up both great singer in comparison, I’ve never thought about it though, hehehe… Of course they are my favorite singers and can’t deny their influence. Especially Schmier is ideal icon of thrash vocalist to me. My opening scream of “Sense of Ignorance” is homage to him. But actually my most favorite singer is Sebastian Bach of Skid Row. Jiro wrote most of the lyrics that FASTKILL ever released. I wrote several stuffs like “Evil Force” and “Feel the Hatred”. Currently I’m writing for new songs and you will see lots of mine from now. They are, of course, about death, kill, pain, evil, and Satanism…something like typical stuffs that suit sound and so Thrash Metal’s should be, I think. They have not much meaning in it you know.

 
When did you start listen to thrash metal & what’s the first metal album you bought? Are you really dedicated yourself into thrash metal, hoe about death, black metal etc? What is your top 5 favorite thrash metal albums all the time?

 
It varies by the members. For me METALLICA, MEGADETH, SLAYER, PANTERA, JUDAS PRIEST, and BLACK SABBATH changed my way when I was in high school. The first thrash metal album I bought was “…And justice for all” of METALLICA. I’m into early death metal bands as well like PESTILENCE, CANCER, OBITUARY, CARCASS, CANNIBAL CORPSE and DEATH. 5 top Thrash album? …Really tough question. “Epidemic of violence” of Demolition Hammer, ”Infernal overkill” of DESTRUCTION, ”Terrible certainty” of KREATOR, ”In the sign of evil” of SODOM, ”Bonded by blood” of EXODUS, ”The full treatment” of AGGRESSION, “Seven churches” of POSSESSED, no no, too much to put in only 5!!

 
What would you say about the thrash metal world today? Your comment about the latest Kreator’s Enemy Of God & Destruction’s Metal Discharge? Can you express your personal appreciations through each of these bands; Destruction, Kreator, Sodom, Tankard, and Nuclear Assault:

 
Yeah I’m enjoying their new stuffs. Both are great albums. It’s cool that the band that was active in 80’s are still thrashing and releasing good albums. DESTRUCTION is, for me, still top of my greatest thrash metal bands list. KREATOR had changed their style but can never be ceased from the list of great band. DESTRUCTION and KREATOR is playing here Japan next month and I’m totally excited and bloody sure that this gonna be awesome! There is nothing to say about SODOM and TANKARD…they always rule!!!!! Their latest stuffs are also great, still thrashing and keeping their style. I haven’t checked NUCLEAR ASSAULTs’ new one. But glad to hear about their reunion. As you know their vocalist, Jhon Conelly, sounds really characteristic and you can recognize him even after hearing one verse. That’s what I really want to be, building my own style.

 
Now, I’m keeping an eye on WITCHTRAP, TOXIC HOLOCAUST, and BYWAR. Of course as you may know that there’re awesome bands in Japan too. SABBAT, ABIGAIL, TERROR SQUAD, GRIM FORCE and KING’S EVIL shouldn’t be missed.

 
Have you heard about Malaysia? What’s you comment about our country? Do you get any contact from here, have you heard about any Malaysian bands or any Southeast Asian bands?

 
Kazu (Drum) bloody loves Malay since he learned Bahasa Melayu in University and has visited there several times. He said their people, foods, atmosphere, everything suit him greatly. I know your country has one of the biggest metal scene and we have tons of mails and lots kind of offer, which we really appreciate. I know several people there who dedicate to keep the scene flow and holding good relationship..I checked ABIGAIL’s live video in Ipoh and glad to find there’re so many metal heads in cut-off denims with many patches and in metal shirt, same as everywhere!! Someday we strongly hope playing in Malay, seriously!!

 
The band is planning the split with Colombian Witchtrap, so tell us about it. Are you gonna record new songs for this split, how will the sounds of the new songs? When can we expect this split release or may be the second album sooner?

 
Yes we hope it will be released around end of this year. We’ll put 2 new songs and cover song and some live tracks. We exactly know what people really expect us and what we can do. So the sound must be nothing but Total Thrashing Devastation, of course!!Second album will be after several split albums. The bands we’ll share disks are almost fixed. Each band is great and must be awesome stuffs!!

 
I think I’ve covered mine. Thanks for your time answering this interview!! So the rest is yours, close this interview with anything you want. Thanks!!

 
Firstly all of my thanks go to Amin who set up this great opportunity and give us honor of being featured in his first issue and waiting for this lazy Japanese’s answer patiently. Terima kasih banyak. You rule, man! And second my thanks go to you who support the scene floating. I promise we’ll thrash forever and never let you down. We’ll release several split albums with several bands in future so pls check out our site (www.fastkill.net) for latest info whenever you have time. I really hope to see you guys someday in Malay. Till then stay metal and Thrash on!!!

 
28 August 2005 / by Toshi

 
FASTKILL’s Discography
Conflict in Hate Demo, 1996
Senseless Sadistic Souls Demo, 1999
Total Thrashing Massacre Demo, 2001
Infernal Thrashing Holocaust Full-length, 2004