March 1, 2010
FACT
members:
Takahiro (Guitar, Vocal)
Kazuki (Guitar, Vocal)
Hiro (Vocal)
Eiji (Drums, vocal)
Tomohiro (Bass, Vocal)
Since forming 10 years ago over a mutual love for heavy music, this five-piece has been developing a unique, technically impressive sound that fuses myriad musical influences into something altogether new and indisputably their own.
“The band started out being a metallic hardcore band, but then started developing from there,” explains guitarist Kazuki. “We kept adding new sounds to it; bringing in elements of dance music, electronica, synths, and a lot of poppy, catchy tracks, and having all that come together. We’re trying to do something a little bit different than your typical band.”
What gives FACT such an impressive arsenal of sonic tools with which to create is the band’s obvious love of music with an edge, whether it be old-school thrash metal, contemporary punk, or hardcore, as well as their penchant for crafting powerful hooks that inject a crucial pop element into the mix. It is the union of the key elements of all these genres and more that make FACT’s music not only compelling, but surprisingly broad in its appeal.
Another unique aspect of FACT is their visual presentation; the band wears traditional Japanese masks, not only hiding their personal identities, but hopefully, some of their external musical signifiers, as well. The idea is to keep you guessing, yet interested, at the same time.
“One aspect of the masks is to try to have people listen to the music rather than looking at us and seeing we’re just another Japanese band,” Kazuki explains. “Another aspect is it’s a traditional Japanese mask, so people will know we’re a Japanese band, but still won’t know what we’re all about, so they have to listen to the music to find out what it is. It’s a way to accept we’re Japanese, but also that we’re here for the music, not looks, or things like that.”
Since their inception, FACT has had to work tirelessly to advance their music and careers; Kazuki says at home, Japanese bands aren’t often met with the same enthusiasm as their Western counterparts, nor are they lent the same level of credibility. American bands sometimes attract attention just by virtue of being American, rousing interest from some who might not otherwise be interested.
Pair that with the fact that FACT operate in a loose “genre” of sorts that isn’t incredibly widespread outside of Japan’s big cities, as well as a dearth of venues to play aside from those in Tokyo, and you can start to see why FACT have evolved so radically. Contents under pressure often exude unpredictable, explosive results.
“Where we’re from, there’s no music like this; not many bands, even indie bands out there, do what we do,” Kazuki says. “As for our genre, playing live, it’s more accepting to play in America than Japan, just because we sing in English, and the genre isn’t widespread in Japan yet. There’s a certain core fan base, but it’s not as broad of a fan base as in the U.S.”
In the end, it’s been American bands, including some of those FACT has played with in Japan, who’ve been one of the greatest helps in spreading the band’s music outside their home. Stutterfly, who performed with FACT, passed along FACT’s sampler to other bands, including Rufio and the Used, and the bands have since proclaimed themselves as fans. The support of these and other artists, who’ve both inspired and challenged FACT since the band’s inception, has had an immeasurable impact on the group’s latest efforts. With a new album in hand and U.S. tour, it seems FACT are about to make a mark of their own.
