HeavensDust at Shibuya Club Asia

HeavensDust are best known for combining rock and heavy metal with traditional Japanese instruments, or “wagakki”. Shortly after the release of remix album Re:BURN, and just before embarking on their US tour, the band hosted the event Emerge From Silence at Shibuya Club Asia. The show’s line-up included four other heavy bands with differing styles, and concluded with a performance by HeavensDust themselves.

Seeing wadaiko drums being set up next to the conventional drum kit, one could already anticipate an unusual set coming up. As an SE with a traditional Japanese flair started playing, the six members of HeavensDust took their places on stages. Their outfits ranged from simple suits, through bassist you+'s visual kei-inspired look, to the traditional garb of shakuhachi player MASTER SOU-ZAN. The band’s mix of attire hinted at the mixture of genres that makes up their signature sound.

The show kicked off at a high pace with the rumbling guitar riffs of Distressed. The group’s impressive stage presence, and especially Shin's strong voice had the crowd fired up within moments. KoREDS’s drums and KAI_SHiNE's wadaiko didn’t seem to clash, instead working in almost perfect harmony – together, the duo created a solid base for the band’s sound. As the temperature rose during Unknown Pain, frontman Shin smiled, shouting "It's hot!" Then, throwing off his jacket, he walked around the stage, even singing directly into the lens of a tablet an audience member was filming with.

More Than This started with a shakuhachi flute solo, and within seconds, the club seemed to sink into the atmosphere of an historical epic. The more measured Drowning followed, Shin's softer singing in this track having a harshness to it that gave it a certain spice.

Then, a battle between the drums and wadaiko ensued, as the crowd clapped eagerly to the rhythms. As the bassist you+ joined the drummers, cheering on the audience, the temperature rose once again, leading into the aggressive Annihilation. "Shibuya, raise your fists!" screamed Shin, energy spilling over the edge, with sharp, loud sounds intertwining with penetrating shakuhachi melodies, once again giving a peculiarly Japanese flavor to an otherwise conventionally heavy song. Halfway through, the band stopped to thank their guests and fellow bands for playing the show.

The atmospheric Gaze (Through Your Heart) started on a quieter note, with Shin’s soft, moving singing supported by 5hiNo''s backing vocals. The song progressed and gradually intensified, overcoming and enchanting the audience. With only the guitar and wadaiko continuing to play, members gradually disappeared off stage, and, left alone, KAI_SHiNE brought the set to an impactful conclusion.

The crowd clapped for an encore, and soon, out of nowhere, shrill blasts of MASTER SOU-ZAN's shakuhachi resounded in the darkness as HeavensDust slowly retook their places on stage. Starting with the wagakki, World Goes Gray (Re:GRACED Mix) led one to feel as if they were in a place far removed from the concrete jungle of Tokyo, before heavy electronics and irregular beats forcefully dragged one back to reality. There, Emerge From Silence drew to a close.

The show at Shibuya Club Asia ended on a high, with both bands and fans tired yet happy. One understood that HeavensDust are a band that are not only interesting to listen to, but whose shows have a truly unique atmosphere that lovers of both loud music and Japanese culture should add to their “to see” list.


Set List
1. Distressed
2. Unknown Pain
3. More Than This
4. Drowning
5. Taiko and drum battle
6. Annihilation
7. Gaze (Through Your Heart)

ENCORE
World Goes Gray (Re:GRACED Mix)