Interview – February 24, 2025
For the first time in their career, the Japanese band Lovebites is coming to Latin America, performing at the first edition of the Titans of Metal festival on March 1 at Parque Bicentenario in Mexico City.
We had the chance to talk with guitarist Midori Tatematsu about her first impressions of coming to Mexico and the growing, highly admired Japanese metal scene.
How do you feel about coming to Mexico for the first time and sharing the stage with major bands like W.A.S.P. and Six Feet Under at the first Titans of Metal Fest?
This will be our first live performance in Latin America, so we are especially excited about it. As a band, it’s a great honor for us to share the stage with these metal legends, and personally, I really want to see them perform because I’ve never had the chance to attend one of their concerts.
The world is currently fascinated by Japanese bands like Babymetal, Band-Maid, and of course, Lovebites. Where do you think this fascination with your country’s rock scene comes from?
I think each band has a different appeal, but one thing is that, to varying degrees, an exclusively Japanese musicality is woven into their songs. As a band, of course, the most important thing is the music, but at the same time, as performers on stage, it's crucial that the overall package is attractive.
In Lovebites, we don’t put typical Japanese culture or subculture at the forefront, but I do believe that the atmosphere we create is different from what people in the West are used to.
What do you think about the fact that the most internationally recognized rock and metal bands from Japan are mostly female-led?
There are many all-female or female-led rock and metal bands in Japan that define the music scene there. That has greatly helped in bringing forward outstanding musicians within the Japanese scene.
Especially since the rise of Babymetal, more people in Japan’s general population have come to enjoy metal music, making it easier for new bands to emerge. Although the global metal scene is still male-dominated, I am proud that Japan has produced so many high-quality female bands.
Japanese rock and metal have a very distinct sound. What do you think sets Japanese music apart from what we're used to in the West?
I think there are many reasons. In terms of song structure, most Japanese pop songs have a verse and a pre-chorus before the chorus, and the same applies to rock and metal. In general, Japanese songs tend to have more complex structures and developments than Western songs.
When it comes to melodies, we often use a unique scale called the Japanese pentatonic scale, which gives our music a distinct touch. Also, when singing in Japanese, the melody tends to have more detailed movements due to the characteristics of the language. Personally, I think Japanese songs often have an emotional impact by using specific chords.
The band's name is based on a Halestorm song. What other bands have inspired Lovebites in its musical journey?
There are so many! But to give you some examples, our influences are truly diverse, ranging from power metal bands like Angra, Helloween, and Stratovarius to British hard rock and heavy metal like Iron Maiden and Motörhead. We also take inspiration from thrash metal bands like Metallica and Slayer, and in terms of guitar playing, melodic death metal bands like Children of Bodom and Arch Enemy have had a huge impact on us.
Have you considered releasing an album entirely in Japanese?
Honestly, I don’t think that's something we would do. First of all, I believe the universal language of metal is English. If Helloween had sung in German, we wouldn’t have been able to enjoy Eagle Fly Free, for example.
We also value the message in our lyrics and believe that English is the best way to communicate that message to the widest audience possible. Plus, as I mentioned earlier, the characteristics of the language change how melodies are created. We try to compose melodies that work well with English lyrics, and Asami's vocal delivery changes depending on the language. So no, I don’t think Lovebites would ever make a full album in Japanese.
Your album Judgement Day was released two years ago. Does it still have more to offer live, or are you already working on new music?
Right now, we are touring Japan to promote Lovebites EP II, which was released last year. So, although we are not in a clear songwriting phase yet, we are constantly gathering new ideas, and those ideas will definitely be used in our next album.
You're about to celebrate a decade with Lovebites. What do you think about the band’s growth so far?
Thanks to all of you—our fans in Mexico and around the world—Lovebites is becoming more and more recognized, and we feel that the band is growing stronger. I truly appreciate it. Thank you so much!
Thanks to our fans worldwide, we can perform live in many cities, and every time we do, we grow as musicians. But we’re still only halfway there. We want even more people around the world to enjoy Lovebites’ music, and we’ll keep working hard to make that a reality!
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