FiRESiGN
New York City, New York, United States | Established. Jan 01, 1997 | INDIE
Music
Press
October 16, 2007
“Aya is the Japanese incarnation of Janis Joplin.” - Woman at FiRESiGN show.
Union Square, New York - September 28, 2007 - FiRESiGN's much anticipated LP, "Anger Management" goes into post production at Disc Makers. The self-produced album, features the vocal talents of hard rock hellion from Hiroshima, Aya; and the heavy metal headbanger from Hokkaido, Masaki Yamada. Masaki, former front-man for Flatbacker, EZO and Loudness, showcases here, the full repertoire of his talents, alternating between bassist and guitarist for several tracks on the album. The overall theme of the album, however, can be accredited to Aya, herself an award winning poet and lyricist in her hometown, Hiroshima. Anger Management is an 11-track insight into the tumultuous thoughts and endured experiences that have stoked the flames of rebellion within her.
The captivatingly haunting harmony achieved on the track "Samsara" elicits a sense of the soul-shearing suffering of the Hibakusha, survivors of the bombings of Nagasaki and of Hiroshima, from which she is descended. It seems appropriate, that "Samsara" is preceded by the song, "Explode", which embraces the tension and anxiety left in the wake of 9/11. (Originally featured on the band's 2002 debut CD single, "Rise From The Ashes", a tribute to those lives lost during the September 11th attacks.) The gripping guitar riffs on these two tracks were lain down by guest guitarist Masami Doi from EP Markings and Hot Water Duxie.
"Cyber-Haters" and "Unjustified", written and arranged entirely by Aya and Masaki, focus on issues that, although, less political in nature, are no less an affront, against which these two tracks serve as rhythmic retaliation, driving home the point that, any injustice, no matter how great or how small, must be spoken out on; least the perpetrators think themselves free of repercussions.
A little more than half-way into the album, the listener is taken on a sojourn of Aya's soulful side with the LP's one ballad, "No More Dream Girl", an emotionally expressive tale of escape from the imposed expectations inflicted by assumed familiarity. This track, as well as the album's ending song, "My Soul" add to the atmospherical anguish, that is Anger Management. Not surprisingly, both songs were co-written and arranged by Goh Kurosawa, a guitarist deeply disposed to duality.
In preparing this release for print, I've gone over these songs in endless succession and when all's said and done, I'd have to say that my new personal favorite on this album would have to be, "Hammering The Way Out". If you want to find out why, you're just gonna have to buy the album and listen for yourself. Sound fair?
Scheduled release date is: October 30th, 2007, known to some as "Devil's Night" (How serendipitous. ^_^)
###
- Press Release by Past Life Publishing
October 16, 2007
“Aya is the Japanese incarnation of Janis Joplin.” - Woman at FiRESiGN show.
Union Square, New York - September 28, 2007 - FiRESiGN's much anticipated LP, "Anger Management" goes into post production at Disc Makers. The self-produced album, features the vocal talents of hard rock hellion from Hiroshima, Aya; and the heavy metal headbanger from Hokkaido, Masaki Yamada. Masaki, former front-man for Flatbacker, EZO and Loudness, showcases here, the full repertoire of his talents, alternating between bassist and guitarist for several tracks on the album. The overall theme of the album, however, can be accredited to Aya, herself an award winning poet and lyricist in her hometown, Hiroshima. Anger Management is an 11-track insight into the tumultuous thoughts and endured experiences that have stoked the flames of rebellion within her.
The captivatingly haunting harmony achieved on the track "Samsara" elicits a sense of the soul-shearing suffering of the Hibakusha, survivors of the bombings of Nagasaki and of Hiroshima, from which she is descended. It seems appropriate, that "Samsara" is preceded by the song, "Explode", which embraces the tension and anxiety left in the wake of 9/11. (Originally featured on the band's 2002 debut CD single, "Rise From The Ashes", a tribute to those lives lost during the September 11th attacks.) The gripping guitar riffs on these two tracks were lain down by guest guitarist Masami Doi from EP Markings and Hot Water Duxie.
"Cyber-Haters" and "Unjustified", written and arranged entirely by Aya and Masaki, focus on issues that, although, less political in nature, are no less an affront, against which these two tracks serve as rhythmic retaliation, driving home the point that, any injustice, no matter how great or how small, must be spoken out on; least the perpetrators think themselves free of repercussions.
A little more than half-way into the album, the listener is taken on a sojourn of Aya's soulful side with the LP's one ballad, "No More Dream Girl", an emotionally expressive tale of escape from the imposed expectations inflicted by assumed familiarity. This track, as well as the album's ending song, "My Soul" add to the atmospherical anguish, that is Anger Management. Not surprisingly, both songs were co-written and arranged by Goh Kurosawa, a guitarist deeply disposed to duality.
In preparing this release for print, I've gone over these songs in endless succession and when all's said and done, I'd have to say that my new personal favorite on this album would have to be, "Hammering The Way Out". If you want to find out why, you're just gonna have to buy the album and listen for yourself. Sound fair?
Scheduled release date is: October 30th, 2007, known to some as "Devil's Night" (How serendipitous. ^_^)
###
- Press Release by Past Life Publishing
Discography
FiRESiGN's discography includes the CD single, "Rise from the Ashes", which was written in 2001 as a tribute to those lives lost during 9/11. Originally released as a demo CD on September 11th 2002, it was later re-released in April of 2006 in order to renew public interest and prepare audiences for the arrival of their long awaited LP, "Anger Management", released on October 30th, 2007. FiRESiGN's first full-length album includes an eclectic blend of influences, eras and styles. The combination of songs create a musical mixture that is one part tortured soul, two parts rock-n-roll and employs a unique brand of musical assaying that applies the element of fire to the element of rock, giving off trace quantities of metal. The result is nothing less than anarchistic aural alchemy.
Photos
Bio
Conceptually, FiRESiGN MUSiC began in 1997 as a personal web-page project; the purpose of which, was to promote the music and poetry of a particular heavy metal hellion from Hiroshima named Aya and allow her to share her interests with the world. In 2001, the world responded with a recommendation to check out The Red Zone, a rock-n-roll venue in the Middle Village area of Queens. The resulting encounter between Aya and singer/bassist, Masaki Yamada, eventually evolved into a series of occasional jam sessions at Castle Heights, another Queens hard rock venue. Two-months later; tragedy struck as Masaki was cycling through Lower Manhattan, past the Twin Towers of New York's World Trade Center. The date was September 11th.
In the months that followed, Aya and Masaki put down on paper the feelings of angst, anger and uncertainty that had made a home in their hearts since that morning's attack. The match had been struck; the fuse was lit and it burned, slowly, steadily throughout the year, counting down the months, weeks and days until… The following fall performing as FiRESiGN, they released their first single; RiSE FROM THE ASHES: An Anthem Against Adversity and its B-Side prelude, EXPLODE. The self-produced CD which prompted the launching of their own independent label, FiRESiGN RECORDS also inspired a coordinated promotional effort, which included a new website layout and a limited print edition newsletter; FiRESiGN TiMES. This added exposure had the effect of attracting an assortment of musicians interested in joining FiRESiGN for a number of infrequent performances throughout 2002, which in turn resulted in FiRESiGN's ranking among the top 18 competitors during local Japanese newspaper, American Dream's contest to discover the best new music groups in New York that year.
FiRESiGN's member structure remained in flux for several years afterwards with the positions of guitarist and drummer being filled, out of necessity, by a steady stream of talented transients. Aya and Masaki, alongside an assortment of these musical mercenaries, proceeded to play a scattered schedule of classic indie venues; Acme Underground, Continental, Trash Bar and Mean Fiddler, just to name a few.
In 2007, FiRESiGN reprised RiSE FROM THE ASHES and EXPLODE; releasing them together with 9 additional songs on their first ever LP album, ANGER MANAGEMENT. Once again living life in the limelight, Aya and Masaki were invited to Club Europa in Brooklyn to appear as special guests of Genki Shock at the 2009 Clockwork Orange Music Festival. The event was an unprecedented success for FiRESiGN, as the band was asked up on stage for an impromptu, unscheduled performance playing to a full house of about 400 enthusiastic revelers. The crowd's outpouring acclamation heralded a new direction for FiRESiGN. Prior to that day's performance, online opinions about the band had been somewhat ambivalent; this largely due to expressions of concern from fans of Masaki over his musical migration from vocalist to bassist. Seizing on an opportunity to address some of the animosity aimed at the band, Aya and Masaki enlisted the aid of friends and freelancers to resurrect FiRESiGN TiMES, the band's now defunct newsletter. Adopting the name Derukui, in reference to the Japanese proverb regarding criticism, the five-page publication effectively answered questions concerning the evolution of FiRESiGN and the challenges they've faced along the way.
Six months afterwards, in January of 2010, Aya and Masaki were interviewed by Jeremy Kenarangi of the Japanese pop-culture review site, Rekuru. Asked to reveal her predominant musical influences, Aya listed Janis Joplin as her "original inspiration" for wanting to rock. Seeing something of herself in the psychedelic 1960's singer, Aya had recorded a cover tape of Joplin's hit "Move Over," for her audition submission to Berklee College of Music, of which she is now an alumna. Her other influences include Pat Benetar and Skid Row vocalist, Sebastian Bach. Masaki, however, when questioned as to his favorite band, chose Motörhead, but said that he would like for FiRESiGN to be able to someday open for X-Japan. The interview concluded with some promotional and playful words to FiRESiGN's fans and an encouraging endorsement from Kenarangi.
(visit firesignmusic.com for more information)
Links
