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THE KANMURI. “YOUR NAME IS HEAVY METAL” The final performance of the tour at Shibuya Spotify O-WEST
Tatiana Romanova
06.02.2025
THE Kanmuri / THE冠 is a Japanese heavy / thrash metal band formed by Tetsuya Kanmuri in 2003. The band perfectly combines heavy rhythmic metal riffs with comedic performances and sarcastic lyrics.
THE Kanmuri is the project of vocalist Tetsuya Kanmuri, who was born on September 7, 1971, in Uji City, Kyoto Prefecture. He graduated from Bukkyo University, where he studied modern sociology. In 1991, he formed the heavy metal band "So What?" and in 1995 they released their first album, which was a major debut. After disbanding in April 2003, he began his solo career as THE Kanmuri. On the other hand, he is active in a wide range of activities, such as bands like SKUNKRICE and SKOMB, and he has also appeared on TV frequently, acts as Uji City Tourist Ambassador, runs a radio broadcast, he is a wrestler as well, and yearly organizes the popular "Dai Kanmuri Festival" (see our last report in Russian).
Social orientation
THE Kanmuri is known for his outstanding metal vocals, humor, and often society-oriented lyrics. In some earlier interviews, Tatsuya Kanmuri said:
"When I was in elementary school, I thought that by the time I turned 30, I would already have a house, a wife, and kids. But in reality, I was living in an apartment with a rent of 50,000 yen and working part-time. So, my lyrics are non-fiction; they are based on actual experiences."
Every THE Kanmuri album always includes songs about the melancholy of a salaryman.
"There are quite a few office workers among my drinking buddies, and many of them have teenage children, so it's hard to raise kids while working at the company. Listening to them, I think they're really admirable. I see those who carry their business backpacks as warriors."
Humor and Sarcasm
Before listening to songs, it is better to watch THE Kanmuri on YouTube and absorb their style and message. By observing Tetsuya Kanmuri's costume, his movements on stage, and even their album titles like "Heavy Metal with Scar", "Heavy Metal Came Back," and "Deadly Heavy Metal, " it's obvious that the comedic element is significant.
"When I was in junior high school, I was awakened to hard rock by Van Halen, and that kind of music was popular at the time. I was born and raised in Japan, and I digested Western music in my own way as a Japanese person; that is how Japanese heavy metal came to be."
"There are many bands that express the absurdity and contradictions of everyday life with anger, but I try to convey anger in a funny way. Basically, I'm angry a lot, but anger and sadness can be laughable when you look at them from the outside. I think the idea of expressing yourself differently has been around since my childhood in the Kansai region, where people believe that a tragedy can become a comedy."
Photo: Tatiana Romanova
THE KANMURI "YOUR NAME IS HEAVY METAL" tour began in mid-November 2014 and included four performances through the end of 2024, with the final one on January 24th. While technically this was the last show of the tour, in reality, it marked the beginning of the New Year party, filled with fun and important band-related announcements as well. The venue is very famous and is surrounded by several other big and small live houses in the vibrant heart of Shibuya.
At 17:00, the pre-sale of the tour goods began in front of the live house entrance, and even though there was no line of fans, the staff was very busy serving customers. Exactly at 18:30, the venue's doors opened, and the audience gradually moved in. I was lucky to stand in the fifth row in front of the center of the stage.
At 19:00, the band members appeared on stage one by one in the following order: bassist Toshiki Omomo, drummer YOUTH-K!!!, guitarist K-A-Z, and vocalist Tetsuya Kanmuri. He was dressed in his traditional armor outfit with some kind of fur boa over it, which looked maximally eclectic and ironic. I provided a detailed description of the stage costume in previous report of the Dai Kanmuri Festival (Osaka) 2024 (written in Russian).
Photo: Tatiana Romanova
He greeted the audience with the words, "Heavy metal is back!" and the show began with this song. Energetic and funny, the song "Ossan" was second. Everybody was jumping and singing it out of their minds. In the final part of the song, Kanmuri-san very naturally imitated crying and pretended that he was going to be sick, which is a part of the song lyrics.
People say that a metal band is only as good as their drummer, which is absolutely correct. YOUTH-K!!! He maintains a thick, rough, and intense rhythm permanently. It was like an endless thunderstorm.
Photo: Tatiana Romanova
Bassist Toshiki Omomo, who also serves as a backing vocalist, wore a long black skirt adorned with sparkling decorations and maintained a perfect sound line between the drums and guitar. K-A-Z 's guitar is low, heavy, yet melodic. He is a tall man with an interesting makeup and unique performing style, but Tetsuya Kanmuri is so active on stage that attention instinctively shifts to the vocalist.
During the show - this is not just a music concert; it is a real show - Tetsuya Kanmuri changed his costumes at least four times. At one point, he appeared on stage with a child-sized motorbike attached to his belt at the front. He also performed in a leather jacket, cap, and black sunglasses, both as a homage to Rob Halford.
During one of his outfit changes, we were fortunate to hear an impressive instrumental part that K-A-Z began with his solo dedicated to John Sykes. It was both respectful and beautiful.
Kanmuri demonstrated all aspects of his vocal technique: a strong, dense voice that abruptly shifted to belting, screaming, roaring, and melismatic tones, all while being accompanied by perpetual movement across the stage, sarcastic dancing, and expressive facial gestures.
Photo: Tatiana Romanova
He was wearing rough chains around his neck that looked like he had just escaped from a cage. At one point, he let two fans on either side of the stage sing after him and softly commented, "I love you." The fans looked like winners. Another time, he approached the edge of the stage and allowed fans to come closer and touch him physically. That was one of those critical moments when more than half the audience quickly surged to that side of the stage, pushing aside clumsy people like me. His way of interacting with fans is very intense and responsible; each person feels attention directed at them and tends to give feedback, which makes people come to his live shows again and again.
In the middle of the gig, he announced THE Kanmuri band's next event in April, a summer album release, and the next Dai Kanmuri Festival in October 2025. Earlier, he mentioned that Shibuya Spotify O-WEST is his favorite venue, which he has been using for thirty years.
Photo: Tatiana Romanova
The Kanmuri show has one unique peculiarity - an absolutely prolonged positive charge that corrects your mood to the status "So, Fxxg What?!", which is necessary the most. It finished after 21:30, and as we were leaving the venue, rain began, which was good because we all needed to cool down.
The set list:
1. 帰ってきたヘビーメタル / Kaettekita hebimetaru / Heavy Metal is Back;
2. おっさん / Ossan / Old Man;
3. 傷だらけのヘビーメタル / Scratched Heavy Metal / Scratched Heavy Metal;
4. マスカラ / Mascara;
5. HELL YEAH;
6. 俺なりのペインキラー / Orenari no painkira / 俺なりのペインキラー;
7. RIKI;
8. エビバディ炎 / エビバディ炎 / Everybody Flame;
9. 地獄で会いましょう / Jigoku de aimashou / See You in The Hell;
10. 中三インマイドリームス~行ってみたいなLAに~ / Nakasan inmaidorimusu ~ ittemitaina LA ni ~ / Junior High Schooler in My Dreams: I Want to Go to LA;
11. 帰郷 / Kikyō / Homecoming;
12. 糞野郎 / Kuso yarou / Bastard;
13. 初志冠徹 / Shoshi kanmuri touru / First intention crown;
14. 担がれた冠 / Katsuga reta kanmuri / The Crown Carried;
15. さらば / Saraba / Farewell;
En.
16. YOUR NAME IS HEAVY METAL
17. 哀罠メタル / Ai wanna metaru / I Wanna Metal;
18. 日本のヘビーメタル / Nihon no hebi mataru / Japanese Heavy Metal.