The history of "Coven Japan" goes back as far as 2016 when two metal maniacs Akihiro Ito and Taka from Tokyo Japan started to make some demos. They have composed songs, played, recorded, mixed, and mastered all songs only by themselves.
Their songs are inspired by NWOBHM such as Angel Witch, Satan and 80's metal, Mercyful Fate, Celtic Frost and 70's hard rock, Japanese rock, metal and Japanese animation songs etc.
As another influence, 80's hardcore. especially their attitude. So Co-Founder Ito and Taka are also Vegan Straight Edge and Animal Rights and environmental activists. so, there are some songs written about animal rights, veganism, human rights and the earth crisis that we all have faced now.
They are proud that they are Japanese and treasure Japanese identity also in song-writing and want to spread their own original Japanese metal with Japanese identity to the world.
So their songs are written in two languages. Verse and bridge parts, it is written in an old(Medieval) Japanese literary style.
The oriental accents and unique rhythm from old Japanese literary lyrics are also one of their special characteristics.
And they think that singing along together is one of the best parts of heavy metal. so chorus parts, are written in English as the world's common language for sing-alongs together in the world.
Catchy and hooky melody is also one of their strengths.
They are also Japanese animation and comic fans, namely "Otaku". so they have been growing up with watching and reading lots of Japanese comics and animations since childhood and especially love dark fantasy genres such as "GHOST IN THE SHELL", "Akira" , "Death Note" , "Tokyo Ghoul" , "Evangelion" etc.
They think that Japan's own culture is great as called "Cool Japan" and gives good inspiration and it is proud to the world. so, always have been thinking about the ideas and ingenuities of not only songs but also the jacket art and everything for fighting against lots of world metal bands.
For example, many heavy metal cover arts tend to resemble, so they didn’t want to do the same thing for fighting against many world metal bands. so they put the elements of cool Japanese animation into the jacket art for impressing difference and let people recognize it Japanesey at first sight.
Their own Japanese metal is based on traditional metal like NWOBHM and in addition, twin guitars and female vocals, also putting and mixing various elements like above catchy Japanese animation songs etc as Japanese identity into their songs, so it is a really unique style as the strengths and the one and only in the world.
For the above reasons and their own originalities, in the end of 2016 their demos were caught in the eyes of many record labels' attention in the world as soon as they put it out on the internet and they got many offers to release the debut EP.
In 2017, their debut EP "The Advent" (12' records, CD) was released by Svart Records in Finland.
Cassette tapes were released by Heavy Chains Records in Australia.
They got the additional press and many fans too.
At that time in 2017, they were still just a metal project, Not band. so started to look for players for doing their show.
At the end of 2018, finally found all of the other members.
In 2019, they started to play in Tokyo in earnest as a band 'Coven Japan' not just a project. as performing some shows they have gradually got also Japanese fans steady.
The appeals of their live performance are attractive twin lead guitar harmonies and riffs, powerful rhythm and groove, one and only her voice.
They got some offers from promoters overseas.
In 2020, though due to covid-19, unfortunately performing at some festivals were postponed and canceled.
But they performed at some online metal festivals including Roadie Crew Metal Festival twice in Brazil. This is the first and only one as Japanese band.
At the same time, they had released some demos only on the internet and subscription from 2018 to 2021 for doing their show. Because there are only four songs in the Debut EP, it was necessary to release other demos for doing shows in a hurry.
but they originally had an idea to brush up these demos and combine other unreleased songs for the first full-length album as a physical format such as vinyl record, cd and cassette tape. So, they didn't actively promote the demos on subscription. even though that situation, it had gotten good rankings in the world including i-tunes weekly ranking the 9th in Germany.
Coven Japan's fans are obviously increasing in the world.
Now, they have just finished making the first full-length album. You will listen to their first full album in near the future.
Don't miss it and Check out the Samurai Newcomer from the Land of the Rising Sun!
