Onmyo-za

major - active (1999 - )

Onmyo-za is a band that is difficult to categorize. The band members themselves introduce their music as "Yokai Heavy Metal," with yokai (creatures from Japanese folklore) being the subject matter for many of their songs. This however, does not give full scope to the wide range of styles that the band performs, including pop, rock, ballads and their own special matsuri (traditional Japanese festival) style compositions that end every concert performance. Admittedly their music is deeply influenced by orthodox heavy metal, but there are also many aspects of traditional Japanese music woven throughout their compositions.

The unusual band lineup of two vocalists, one female and one male, backed by twin guitarists and drummer strengthens the band's conceptual focus of contrasts and opposites, which in turn gives rise to the meaning of the band's name, Onmyo-za, "the fusion of darkness and light."