JAPAM is a band that combines influences from the technical grooves of progressive music and the melodic appeal of 90s pop and rock music. This group creates a soundscape that is energetic and infectious, and is sure to be a crowd-pleaser for all varieties of audience members. TEO magazine described this dynamic group as “Fun, fast-paced, a little weird, pretty much sums up JAPAM!”
Today, BuzzMusic is proud to present a brand new single by JAPAM called “Roak”. This track is their from their sophomore EP release called “Sickboy”. “Roak” is a hard-hitting, groove oriented jam that will have you reaching for the volume knob. There is a genre-bending combination of heavy metal drum beats, growling bass, intense guitar riffs, but with vocals that are both reminiscent of pop music and conform to your typical heavy metal growling. Clearly comfortable with both genres, this band has a truly unique sound. The “Sickboy” EP was mixed and mastered by renowned US producer Taylor Larson, whose credits include Periphery, From First to Last, Veil of Maya and Asking Alexandria. “Roak” is a truly magnificent offering from this unique band.
Check out JAPAM’s "Roak" on Spotify today, we promise you won’t regret it!
Thanks for catching up with us! To start us off, where are you all from, and how did you meet and get this group together?
The band started out as Seb’s (guitarist/composer) brainchild. He had a handful of demos, and a bit of a Soundcloud following and decided it was time to take his songs to the stage. Having played together in a previous band in our hometown of Adelaide, South Australia, he asked me to sing for the at-the-time, nameless project – I happily obliged. Not long after we recruited Jack to play drums and Whitey to fill the position as bassist. We jammed as a 4 piece for a while before deciding a 2nd guitarist was needed to fatten up the sound. Soon after, Dre joined the fold – and the rest is history.
Who would you say as a group your biggest influences are?
As individuals we listen to many different styles of music, but if I were to name a few bands that I think have influenced Japam’s sound as a whole, I’d have to say bands like Periphery, Sevendust, Bring Me The Horizon, Sikth and other melodic, heavy bands with a strong groove.
Personally, to say you guys are just a metal band I think would be incorrect as you have a clear influence of multiple genres. Has this always come naturally to you or did you work to define your sound more gradually?
I don’t think we ever go into a writing session with the intention of crafting a deliberate sound. Seb usually starts out with an idea for a song, he builds on that idea, and his influences unintentionally shine through. The same goes when writing vocal melodies.
What does your creative and writing process usually look like? How do these songs come together?
It’s usually a 2-part process. Seb writes and records a rough demo containing the guts of the song, with main guitar and bass parts, programmed drums and sometimes minor production (synths, keys etc.). He then sends the demo through to me and I write the melodies, lyrics and harmonies (usually in that order) through a process of adlibbing and later refining the parts I’ve written.
What lies in store for JAPAM beyond the release of your new EP, “Sickboy”?
We aren’t quite sure yet. We’re just enjoying the release at the moment and lapping up the positive responses from our fans! I’m sure a release show will be on the cards at some point in the near future, but we’ve had to postpone that due to line-up issues and our drummer undergoing elbow surgery. Either way, we look forward to any surprises the future brings and will definitely keep our fans updated!
Connect and stay up to date with JAPAM through the bands Instagram!