FATHOMLESS SKYWALKER
Interview by Marc Bowie and David Cirone
March 6, 2026
Japanese symphonic metal band FATHOMLESS SKYWALKER is carving out a unique space in the heavy music scene by blending high-fantasy cinematic grandeur with the traditional sounds of their homeland. In this exclusive interview, the band discusses their latest sake-themed anthem “SAKEKAGURA”, how their “pirate” identity drives their high-energy songwriting, and their mission to share Japanese culture with a global audience.
“SAKEKAGURA” is a fun song celebrating sake and drinking in general. How did you create the collaboration with Kaelhakase from the Japanese Folk Metal?
CHIHIRO: “SAKEKAGURA” is a song I started composing myself, but the moment the theme was set to “Japanese style” and “sake”, Kaelhakase’s voice instantly popped into my head!
TAKUMA: After last year’s album Anthems of the Resilient, we wanted to mix in male vocals alongside CHIHIRO’s main vocals, so I’ve been handling more guitar-vocal sections. We were composing “SAKEKAGURA” along those same lines, but then we thought, “If it’s a song about sake, we know a band that sings about booze all the time!” So we reached out to Kaelhakase from Japanese Folk Metal. It was a perfect match!
“SAKEKAGURA” seems like a blend of metal and traditional folk music (or min’yo), particularly during the opening. What led you to blending those genres?
CHIHIRO: I’ve always loved Japanese-style music a lot, and our first full album Anthems of the Resilient includes the track “Samurai ~The Proud Warrior~”, which became the most popular track from the album on Spotify. Because of that, we decided to go all-in this time and create a proper Japanese-themed single.
TAKUMA: Up until now, we’ve incorporated folk nuances from various countries into our metal style. This time, since the setting is Japan, we blended in our own country’s folk songs.
FATHOMLESS SKYWALKER – SAKEKAGURA
Your music has an anthemic quality, and you’re influenced by movies in both your visual and musical style. What are some of your favorite films and how have they impacted your songs?
CHIHIRO: I absolutely love the Pirates of the Caribbean series! The grand music combined with stunning visuals creates such an epic adventure. It really inspired me, and I wanted to create something like that myself. Our signature song “Pirates of the Fathomless Sea” is packed with elements from the movie in both the music and its video, so please check it out and see if you can spot them.
TAKUMA: Many of our past songs have been inspired by movies and anime too. I’m a huge fan of fantasy films like Lord of the Rings, so that influence is big. “SAKEKAGURA” draws a lot from samurai movies and Japanese anime.
TAKUMA, your guitar tone has an aggressive style, but your sound is easy to hear in the middle of some pretty dense orchestration. How do you make your tone stand out without overpowering the symphonic elements?
TAKUMA: Thank you! For recording and mixing, we rely on Hiro from STUDIO PRISONER, and his skills make a huge difference. First, we make sure CHIHIRO’s vocals shine the most, while keeping the orchestra intact. Then we weave the guitar through the gaps and make adjustments so the bass lines and drum beats stand out clearly too. In live performances, I go really wild, so the guitar gets even more aggressive!
Let’s talk about balancing heavy riffs with symphonic melodies. What comes first in your composition process, and why?
CHIHIRO: The songs are split roughly half from me and half from TAKUMA. When I start one, I begin with melody, chords, and a basic rhythm for the drums, then we develop it together afterward.
TAKUMA: I’m the type who composes more by feel than theory. I start with “I want this kind of beat!” and build the guitar riff and drums first, then add melody, have CHIHIRO refine it, and then we finish it together. For “SAKEKAGURA”, CHIHIRO handled most of it. As for bass lines, in the past they’ve often been root-note follows or extensions of the guitar riff, but this time CHIHIRO said she wanted to make a “bass intro” and created a demo. After that, NINO arranged the bass lines, recorded them, and ended up joining the band. So her first song and music video turned out this way, which is really great!
We want to build infinite worlds. The Fathomless Pirates set sail on adventures to countless worlds together with our fans.
Your band name suggests fantasy and mythology right away, and your visuals bring that to another level. How do you describe the world of FATHOMLESS SKYWALKER?
CHIHIRO: “World creation.” We want to build infinite worlds ourselves. The Fathomless Pirates set sail on adventures to countless worlds together with our fans. Whether through your imagination, our live shows, or various other ways. We’d be happy if everyone finds their own way to have fun with it.
TAKUMA: After “Pirates of the Fathomless Sea”, the band’s “pirate vibe” stuck with us, and it set our course toward a world full of adventure. Things tend to get pretty wild when we start drinking, which has led to making brighter songs. (laughs) Of course we love dark worlds too, but right now “Comrades! Happiness! Booze!” kind of stuff really suits us best.
Your lyrics use a lot of English and you’ve built English subtitles into your music videos. What led you to set your sights on international fans right from the start?
CHIHIRO: Both TAKUMA and I were originally drawn to Western music, but operatic metal vocals weren’t that popular in Japan back then. So instead of targeting only Japan, we naturally looked overseas where operatic metal is more familiar. Lately, though, it feels like Japanese anime and culture have exploded overseas. That’s why we challenged ourselves this time with fully Japanese lyrics and a fully Japanese-style track. We’d be thrilled if people around the world come to love Japan even more.
TAKUMA: When I was little, my dad’s job took me to explore lots of different countries. I got to experience so many cultures, races, and values. I can’t speak any language other than Japanese, though! But lately, my love for this “land of harmony” where I was born and raised has grown stronger. And I really want to share more of our country with the world.
FATHOMLESS SKYWALKER – Pirates of the Fathomless Sea
Your music videos have some pretty exotic visual themes and costumes. What ideas have you cancelled because they were just too wild to film?
CHIHIRO: For “Pirates of the Fathomless Sea”, we researched like crazy at first to somehow shoot on an actual pirate ship. But since we’re not signed to an agency, it was way over our budget!
NINO: From my high school concert band days playing flute and piccolo, I can handle most non-reed wind instruments. So there was an early idea for me to borrow CHIHIRO’s shinobue and play the flute behind the guitar solo!
TAKUMA: Yeah, we really planned to film NINO playing shinobue behind the guitar solo. But on the shooting day, we couldn’t make it work with the schedule. We’ll put it in the next one! Also, since it’s a sake song, we wanted to include a scene of everyone totally wasted, but I have to drive, so we gave up on that too.
TETSU: For “SAKEKAGURA”, I’m styled around a Buddhist monk, so I thought about shaving my head… but in the end I realized I cherish my hair too much after all.
On stage, I let the characters from each song possess me. I perform different worlds through voice, expressions, and movements.
When you create such a rich fantasy world in your videos, how do you carry that over to your stage performances? How do you build the fantasy feeling without the sets and costume changes?
CHIHIRO: On stage, I let the characters from each song possess me. I perform different worlds through voice, expressions, and movements. Someday I want to master quick costume changes so I can play in each song’s outfit! Like Katniss from The Hunger Games, which is the theme of our track “REVOLUTION”.
TAKUMA: At shows, I play with the mindset that I’m the captain of the Fathomless Pirates. Depending on the song’s world, I perform cheerfully, rally everyone like a leader with my yells, or unleash all my rage and play ferociously. Outside of that, I try to live boldly and freely like a pirate every day.
NINO: I make sure to fully act out the song’s theme or scene, performing staging where emotions come through visually as well as sonically. Plus, I myself am kind of a fantasy being, so there’s no problem!
TETSU: Since costume changes aren’t possible, I consciously aim for a neutral look that works with any song. Beyond that, of course playing, but I express the theme through expressions and atmosphere.
Which FATHOMLESS SKYWALKER songs get you pumped up the most playing live?
CHIHIRO: Of course it’s “Pirates of the Fathomless Sea”! The audience naturally starts looking like crew members, so the unity in the venue is incredible.
TAKUMA: At shows, “The Loyal Paladins” often opens the set. That intro after our entrance gives the feeling of the heroes returning to the stage! And–tied for first–“REVENGE OF THE DEAD”. The dark story lets me unleash tons of aggression in my singing parts, so it pumps me up!
NINO: “The Loyal Paladins.” The moment the song starts, I feel like I’ve already won. When the 16th-note groove in the chorus locks perfectly with the drums, it’s the best!
TETSU: “Pirates of the Fathomless Sea.” The venue sways like one big ocean!
CHIHIRO, how do you prep your voice for these soaring notes? And how do you rest your voice when you’re surrounded by these “wild” crewmates in your band?
CHIHIRO: One week before a show I activate alcohol-free mode. I also have GERD and asthma, so I begin adjusting my condition with meds a week ahead too. On the day of a show, I get up early and go to karaoke for vocal warm-ups! FATHOMLESS SKYWALKER has a lot of hard songs, even though I write them myself. To rest my voice during shows, TAKUMA handles a ton of the title calls and crowd hyping. Since NINO joined, she helps too, so I’m really supported by my crew.
Many listeners get absorbed into the large, powerful sound of symphonic metal, and it’s easy to miss some of the small touches that make these songs special. What musical details in your compositions do you want fans to notice that they might not catch on the first listen?
CHIHIRO: Above all, my obsession is counter-melodies. In middle and high school I played trombone. Then, while at university, my major was vocal, and I minored in trombone and piano. Trombone often handles those intertwining inner lines with the main melody, and I loved playing them so much that I had to bring it into our band’s songs. When listening to our songs, please listen for them behind the choruses.
TAKUMA: I tend to sneak in obsessions that listeners won’t even notice. In a 3/4 song, I’ll suddenly through in a 4/4 measure, or slightly change tempo. It’s hard to catch, but I’m proud of those little things that make our songs what they are now.
NINO: For “SAKEKAGURA”, my first time recording with the band, I wanted to prioritize the main melody, so I didn’t go too flashy and just added fun touches to the end of sections. My own breathy bass arrangements and techniques for other songs aren’t on the recording, so you’ll only be able to hear them live.
TETSU: In loud sections, drumming needs a certain consistent volume, but I vary the touch to match the song’s scenery without changing volume, expressing emotion and scale. If people notice things like “This cymbal opens up here,” or “The bass drum has a soft beat feel here,” I’d be really happy.
What song should fans blast real loud to introduce FATHOMLESS SKYWALKER to their parents and neighbors?
CHIHIRO: I’d blast the festival-vibe “SAKEKAGURA” and turn it into a big party with everyone.
TAKUMA: If the neighbors are cheerful types, “SAKEKAGURA” and “Pirates of the Fathomless Sea”! For something heavier, “REVOLUTION” and “Dystopia Survivors”.
NINO: I’d want them to listen to the whole album Anthems of the Resilient. For people who don’t usually listen to metal, “Revolution”, “The Loyal Paladins”, and of course “SAKEKAGURA”.
TETSU: Play “Pirates of the Fathomless Sea” and kick off a grand banquet announcing the dawn of the symphonic metal pirate era!
FATHOMLESS SKYWALKER
Forging a path through the realms of symphonic metal, FATHOMLESS SKYWALKER fuses cinematic grandeur with the raw power of heavy metal. Led by the spellbinding voice of CHIHIRO, the bone-crushing riffs of Takuma, and the thunderous drums of Tetsu, this band crafts soaring anthems of war, destiny, and resilience.
Rising from Japan’s underground metal scene, they made their mark with “Pirates of the Fathomless Sea”, storming to #4 on Japan’s iTunes Metal Ranking in 2024, followed by the top-ten success of “SEVEN DEADLY SINS”. The saga continues with their debut album, Anthems of the Resilient, followed by latest single “SAKEKAGURA”. With orchestral arrangements by Freddy (SERENITY IN MURDER) and guest appearances by top metal bassists, the album has already won praise from Japan’s metal elite. THOMAS (SEX MACHINEGUNS) calls it “an uppercut into the stratosphere,” while Eyegargoyle (AILIFDOPA) declares, “This is the best in Japan’s symphonic metal scene!” Prepare for battle. Raise your horns. FATHOMLESS SKYWALKER has arrived.
On JPU Records:
Homepage: https://jpurecords.com/fathomless-skywalker
Anthems of the Resilient Album: https://jpurecords.com/products/fathomless-skywalker-anthems-of-the-resilient
SAKEKAGURA Single: https://jpurecords.com/products/fathomless-skywalker-sakekagura
