In December 2009, they released an album 0. as a limited release of 500 copies in Aomori. Since the album created a lot of buzz and they were flooded with inquiries, they eventually released the album nationwide as 0.6.
As the intense worldview of their lyrics grabbed the attention of listeners with quick ears, they made a major debut with 爆弾の作り方 (How to Make a Bomb) released from Sony Music Associated Records in June 2010.
“a band led by Hiromu Akita from Aomori”
It was the only information officially shared about the band, but they have expanded their fan base by word of mouth, mostly through the Internet, to such an extent that their latest album ねえママ あなたの言うとおり (Hey Mom, It's Just as You Say) went up to number 8 in the Oricon weekly album chart.
When performing live, they have a unique style where they play behind a screen that covers the whole stage and projects various images to go along with the music. Their shows have been much talked about, and some say it gives the audience a sense of watching a film and enjoying live music at the same time.
They are also known as their music videos with CG animation and have won a variety of awards worldwide.
In 2010, their music video for 夏を待っていました ("Waiting for the Summer") won the Excellence Award at the 14th Japan Media Arts Festival. amazarashi’s 夏を待っていました and サカナクション's アルクアラウンド were the only music videos that won the awards that year.
Furthermore, they have attracted interest throughout the world as they won prizes at Annecy International Animated Film Festival (originally a part of Cannes Film Festival) in France, SIGGRAPH ASIA 2011 (the world’s biggest computer graphics event), one dot zero 2011 (a digital animation festival in London), and more.
More info can be found on their official homepage at http://www.amazarashi.com.
Suisou
amazarashi Lyrics
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雨が近いことをさとる
ショッピングモールの駐車場では ベンチに腰掛けた春が
ATMが開くのを待っていた
陽射しは依然 退屈な音量で オルゴールみたいなジャズは
この町に似合うことを自覚してるから
鳴るべくして鳴っているのだ
僕らは恐れが充満した 喫煙室で暮らしてるから
今日が終わることに焦りも恐れもなく
清書された一日を 目でなぞる様に そしてあくびを噛み殺しもしない
誰かそのエアーポンプの電源を切ってくれないか
さもなくば僕がそうする
見てみろよ これが世界の全てだ
シャッター商店街 環状道路7号線
地元のラジオから流れるスタジアムロックが
大仰なエンジン音で ネズミ捕りに捕まった
退屈も悪くないって言葉は 退屈以外を知ってはじめて言えるんだ
そして あのパチンコ店の看板
あれが世界の果てだ
The lyrics of amazarashi's song "Suisou" paint a vivid picture of the mundane and often suffocating aspects of daily life. The imagery in the first paragraph conveys a sense of impending unease and a foreboding atmosphere, with the creaking sound of train tracks like the labored breathing of someone with asthma, signaling the approaching rain. The scene at the shopping mall parking lot with the arrival of spring, a person sitting on a bench waiting for an ATM to open, and the jazz music playing in the background all contribute to the mundane routine of life in the town, where even the sun shines with a monotonous melody, aware of its place in the surroundings.
The following paragraph delves deeper into the sense of suffocation and fear that pervades the lives of the individuals in this setting. The metaphor of living in a filled aquarium due to haste and inhabiting a smoking room filled with fear illustrates the confinement and anxiety that define their existence. Despite the passing of another day without urgency or fear, the act of silently tracing the lines of a neatly written day and suppressing a yawn speaks to a life devoid of passion or purpose, trapped in a cycle of monotony.
The third paragraph introduces a plea for relief or change, symbolized by the request to turn off the air pump and the declaration to do it oneself if necessary. The description of the world as seen through apathetic eyes, with shuttered shopping streets, a busy ring road, and stadium rock blaring from a local radio, highlights the banality and confinement of the environment. The realization that boredom is not necessarily a negative state can only be grasped by those who have experienced more than just monotony, hinting at a deeper yearning for meaning.
The final paragraph captures a sense of resignation and acceptance of the limited scope of the world these individuals inhabit. The image of the pachinko parlor sign being the end of the world encapsulates the notion that their existence revolves around mundane routines and limited horizons, devoid of excitement or transcendence. The lyrics of "Suisou" ultimately portray a bleak and suffocating reality, where individuals are trapped in a cycle of monotony and fear, yearning for a change that may never come.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Hiromu Akita
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind