Japanese metalcore act Sable Hills formed back in 2015, but the musical bond between brothers Rict and Takuya Mishima started much sooner than that. Both had been in a band together that they started back in high school. Guitarist Rict and vocalist Takuya both began their respective instruments at age 14, with Takuya first starting to scream while doing karaoke and both brothers getting more serious and joining bands both around a year or two later.
Sable Hills took four years before they released their first full-length, Embers. An album that showcased their international melodic death metal and metalcore influences. Rict notes that their favorites of the two genres would be “old school stuff like As I Lay Dying, Killswitch Engage, August Burns Red. In melodic death metal, I really like In Flames, Soilwork, and Nightrage.” It’s these influences that can be heard directly in the band’s music – a distinctly older and more metallic feeling than many of today’s acts within the genre with a focus on guitar heroics.
They followed it up with 2022’s Duality. It was with that album that they began to maneuver in more international waters. Rict notes, “It’s a big step for a Japanese band to be abroad.” A particularly proud moment for the band was winning a Japanese competition [Wacken Metal Battle Japan] that allowed them to perform at Wacken Open Air festival in 2022, though he states, “we are proud of everything we have done together so far with Sable Hills.”
Wacken was the first time that Sable Hills had played in Europe. It also marked the beginning of what led to their signing with European label Arising Empire. “It’s a funny story,” Rict says. “One of the Arising Empire’s staff is Robin Baumann (Venues). He is a friend of a friend. We had a chance to meet each other in Germany at Wacken Open Air. We played there and we met him there. I didn’t know he was working for Arising Empire, but Venues was signed with Arising Empire so I asked him to introduce me to someone from that label. He said it was him [laughs]. We were surprised. That was how we signed with them.”
European record deal in tow, the band began recording their follow-up, which is titled Odyssey. Rict acknowledges that with previous releases the band focused a lot on the guitarwork, but this time with a new clean vocalist in Wataru Yuasa they wanted to emphasize the singing more. He also noted that while he did the recording of all of the instruments and vocals, they chose Atrium Audio to mix and master the album, resulting in “the sound of the album changing from the last album.” He also says that Takuya’s screaming style has changed significantly as well.
With a big, international release, the band was very honored to receive what they considered to be a passing of the metalcore torch from fellow countryman Kenta Koie of Crossfaith with a guest appearance on the song “Battle Cry.” “They are an older band, but they gave us their respect. They gave us a chance to play together sometimes. They are nice guys. Kenta especially has taken care of us a lot. We have been drinking together and playing together. He’s a good guy,” explains Rict. “It’s an honor to feature him on the new album. He’s a legendary guy in Japan, especially in the metalcore scene. He’s one of the pioneers in Japan.”
The single “Battle Cry” takes some influence from the video game Armored Core. “I’m a heavy gamer,” says Rict. “Recently, I have been addicted to Valorant, which is a first person shooter. But our musical influences come from Armored Core and Silent Hill, Sonic Adventure, Final Fantasy, Dragon Quest as well as games like From Software’s Bloodborne and Dark Souls.” He says that while he sometimes listens to heavy metal while he plays, he also enjoys listening to the soundtracks that accompany the games themselves. He also states that some of Takuya’s lyrical influences come from movies as well as games.
It’s tough for a Japanese band to break into the international market like Sable Hills has, but Rict also explains that it’s tough for a heavier band to even get a foothold in their own country as well. “I think the heavy metal scene in Japan is very separated from the rock scene. There are very few bands that can play in huge rock festivals in Japan. There are no super big metal bands like Metallica or Slipknot, so there isn’t much of a chance to get exposed by the Japanese audience that are not metal listeners.” He also notes how much of a smaller scene there is in Japan as opposed to that of Europe or North America.
That said, the future is bright for Sable Hills and they are pushing forward. They will be competing in a massive Wacken Open Air competition in the Philippines soon. After that they will be playing some shows in Japan, including their own festival called Frontline Festival. They will be headlining that, and are very proud that this year they have three international bands coming, which are Unearth, Bleeding Through, and Floya. Last year was the first time for the festival, in which there was only one foreign act, Phinehas. Rict is quite proud of the fest’s growth, noting that “I think it’s going to be even bigger this year!” With Frontline Festival in August, the band will stay active for the rest of 2024. “It’s still secret but we have a few shows in Japan towards the end of the year,” he concludes.