Written for New Noise Magazine: October 2024Full of Envy
“We’ve been together for 30 years, we’re still learning.”
– Nobukata Kawai
“I wonder what everyone will think when they hear this, and whether they will enjoy it,” admits songwriter and guitarist Nobukata Kawai. “I have a mixture of anticipation and anxiety; I really want to play in front of everyone soon.”
Eunoia is the eight full length from the group and is set to be released October 11 via Temporary Residence. Although they have been around for 30 years, they still manage to keep the motivation year after year, release after release, to the absolute excitement of everyone who follows the band. Even after a monumental lineup shift in 2018, Eunoia is the epitome of what it means to love what you do, creating even more growth and invigoration with the new lineup.
“We were fortunate to have the opportunity to perform abroad from a young age,” explains Kawai. “We have learned so much from music that it’s impossible to talk about it all. Even though we’ve been together for 30 years, we’re still learning; we want to continue to express that on stage.”
You are My Only Hope
“Music should never disappear from this world.”
– Nobukata Kawai
According to Kawai, the concept of creating this album was to honestly face their own powerlessness. Between the lineup change in 2018 and the pandemic shortly after, times were definitely difficult, especially due to things largely out of the band’s control. Even though it has been a hot minute since everything seemingly changed Envy, Kawai still believes in the band and the album.
“(We were) searching for a little hope, and recording the emotions gained from daily life in a diary-like manner. Even without explaining the songs, Tetsu’s lyrics were wonderful and added depth to the piece. It has been six years since the member line-up changed, and the good relationship of trust has been strongly reflected in the work.”
The first single, “Beyond the Raindrops,” features vocalist Tetsu Fukagawa’s most bold and brash work of his career. A mixture of shoegaze backdrops and pop melodies in enriching soundscapes, this track was a no-brainer to release as the first single. Oddly enough, this song almost stayed a demo but quickly became a favorite. Fukagawa does admit, however, it was a big step.
“This was a new challenge for me. I wrote the lyrics with a focus on sounds that fit the melody rather than the meaning of the words. I think it ultimately gave Envy a fresh impression.”
Also among album track standouts are the second single, “Whiteout,” just released; it is filled with as fast a pace as you can get in a beautiful post-hardcore world that Envy is well known for. While the group has been doing it all since the early 90s, each project is a new test and it sometimes takes a second to come together as a group. Kawai is proud to say that it obviously happened again, despite various roadblocks.
“The moment when this album began to come together was when all the members overcame various difficult times and started composing together for the first time in several years. Sad news that I cannot change may continue, but it was a moment when I strongly felt that music should never disappear from this world.”
It’s Just a Phase
“There were times when we felt like we might never be able to play again.”
– Nobukata Kawai
“I was saddened by the fact that wars are continuing in various places,” shares Kawai. “This is a personal thing and has nothing to do with the work, but my daughter was in a traffic accident early in the pandemic and was on the verge of death. Only my wife was allowed into the hospital, and I could do nothing but pray to the moon outside the hospital. When the doctor in charge told me at a regular checkup a year later that there were miraculously no aftereffects, I realized that I still had so many tears left in me.”
It may have been a bumpy road for not just the members of the band, but basically the entire world; that, however, didn’t stop the fight to survive, whether it was day to day life or maintaining the notion of being a band. It’s definitely been a slow grind for the past few years, but it seems like we are finally pushing through, still licking our war wounds. The main takeaway, as I see it, is we are all in this together, and Envy is the foundation that we didn’t know we needed.
“Due to the pandemic, the release tour for our previous album, Fallen Crimson, was almost canceled,” reflects Kawai. “Music is not our job, but it is a big part of our lives, and there were times when we felt like we might never be able to play again. The sense of responsibility to protect our work and our families, and we felt like we were being crushed. I think everyone reading this feels the same way.”
“I hope you enjoy this album,” beams Kawai. “We’re a live band, so if you enjoy listening to this album, I hope you’ll come see us at the venue. I hope to visit as many countries and regions as possible. I’m looking forward to the day I can meet you all.”
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Photo courtesy of Ota Yoshiharu