WOWOW comment on DIABOLOS

Translated by:  Sweiled

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(xxx) = Words not explicitly said in the clip. To explain better…
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                                                     New Album DIABOLOS

Yes, if you look at the image as a whole, it’s intense; it’s fleeting; it’s painful; it’s beautiful [1]…… Probably?

Well, I believe I’ve expressed the changes in the characters’ mentality and such through the songs pretty well. And also…… I adopted a new sound approach for most of the songs. I think I’ve managed to complete the album well. The beauty you find amidst the intense emotions you feel, as well as the pain – the more you listen to it, the more strongly you’ll feel the pain. I think I’ve completed such (an album).

[1]激しい hageshii: violent; vehement; intense; furious; tempestuous
はかない hakanai: fleeting; transient; short-lived; momentary; vain; fickle; miserable; empty; ephemeral
切ない setsunai: painful; trying; oppressive; suffocating
美しい utsukushii: beautiful; lovely

Album Title “DIABOLOS”

It was the image I had in mind of the characters which appeared in each song... It has the meaning of “devil” originally, but it does not hold such a literal meaning to me...... Hmm, it’s the… darkness in humans. The darkness that every human being possesses in their heart… I wanted to express that.

No human being is perfect, right? No matter how virtuous one may seem, they are bound to possess some evil thoughts [1] to a certain degree. But all of that is also the reality (of who you are). You start realizing your own existence by first coming to terms with that. ......DIABOLOS has such a theme.

[1]悪意 akui: ill will; malice; spite; evil intention; bad faith

Recording

The recording of the album...... How long did I take, really? ......April...... I’ve been doing it since around April. Hmm, but I wasn’t just doing the recordings for this album, I was also doing the recordings for songs intended for the next album at the same time. That was why the recording dragged on.

Originally, I...... Un, I think it’s since this project started (lit. work), I get three hours of sleep normally, but recently I’ve been getting mostly one or two hours of sleep only. I think losing that [sleep] is a little too much to take. [1] And it became a work that took up all my time, including my private time.

It was tough, really. (bitter laugh) Not enough time.

[1]Actually he said kitsui here, which means pain. Or you can interpret it as hard in this context.

The thoughts included in “BLACK STONE”

Well, all of it, the things and all the songs, are derived from that one story, so I don’t really want to explain it. [1] But if you talk about the keyword included in it, there was one other thing…… This feeling I had at the time this song was created. One and a half years ago, well, one year before this song was released, my... my friend passed away. [2] And even though we were starting a new project, well, the 1 year death anniversary was approaching, that is, his… his (1 year death anniversary). ...That we are moving forward, we wanted to... show (him) that too.

[1] He is somewhat famous for not wanting to explain his themes and stories. Instead he prefers letting the listener create their own images and stories.
[2] I believe he was about to say “my staff” (from the way he said uchi no) before he switched to “my friend” (boku no nakama)

“MOON” Project

Through the reopening of the “MOON” project this time, the focus will be on the story set at a much earlier time than the previous one. [1]

But, regarding the songs in the album, each of them is separate, and so, even if you don’t know that story, you can listen to it and create (your own). Well, it’s like looking at puzzle pieces; it was also created based on such a mood. After you’ve gotten it, you will be able to fit in the pieces one by one. [2] Un, I think that will be a good way to do it. I did think that it will become a long story when I first wrote it, but I couldn’t really put them in order. And in my mind… well, I’m writing a novel and I believe I will definitely release a novel in the future as well. They are separated into first... first, second, third and fourth chapter. The work I did previously under “MOON”, all the concerts, movies and artwork, was taken from the fourth chapter. But the story I’m doing this time takes place between the second and third chapter, the interval right in between…… Hmm, I wonder when I’m ever going to finish this story.

Well, year 20... 2008, I think it can be completed by then. Yes.

[1]The previous MOON project – MOON album, Crescent album, Moon Child, Kagen no Tsuki tour and Jyougen no Tsuki tour.
[2] Literally, he said “you’ll be able to understand it bit by bit,” but because he gave puzzle pieces as examples, I decided to go with “be able to fit in the pieces one by one”.

Tour of the grandest scale

I’m making the concert into something you’ll find interesting on its own, and also as a story which is starting now. You’ll understand if you come and watch it; you’ll be able to understand it the moment you see it. I made it so that the concert will pull you right into the world (I’ve created). I don’t make concerts of such a grand scale normally, because I do know my own limits. But I dared to go beyond that (this time) because I feel that I won’t be able to move forward if I don’t clear this (stage). If possible, I want to make a concert which is more intense.

X'mas live in Tokyo Dome

An unforgettable Christmas. Yes, I’ll make it a Christmas you’ll never forget your whole life. You’ll definitely be able to bring something back with you (from the concert)...... Yes, I think it will be such a live. Well, this is something I’ve always said, “It won’t be what you expect, but definitely better than what you anticipate [1]. All the trust you give me, I will definitely repay it... by letting you be deeply moved by the concert.” Look forward to it.

[1] Again, I tweaked the sentences because I can’t do a literal translation without sounding cheesy and... odd. @@;; So I wrote the implied meaning of the sentence instead. Original was “予想は裏切る、(I’ll betray your expectation) 期待には絶対にこたえる (and fulfil your anticipation)”

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