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Interview With Takafumi Matsbubara of Formless Master

If you crave martial arts and grindcore insanity, have I got the band for you. Formless Master is a new project from Japanese guitarist Takafumi Matsubara (GridLink), in collaboration with members from US grindcore bands Deterioration and Invidiosus. These freaks call themselves black belts in Karate Grindcore, and hot damn, this stuff hits hard. Their debut First Strike pummels like a thousand round house kicks to the skull. The only moment it relents are at the opening of each song, as they tend to begin with a martial arts movie sample similar to Mortician and Wu Tang Clan. First Strike mashes primitive screams and growls with ludicrously fast blast beats. Matsubara's riff style is equally discordant and innovative, he unleashes the shred over each cacophony.


Hell-o Takafumi! How are you?
Hi!! I’m fine. Thanks for giving me a chance to talk about Formless Master. 

What's your favorite song on the new Formless Master album?
Of course, "First Strike." Because it is the first song I wrote for this band. I really concentrated to change the way to write songs and make my own goregrind. 

You're based in Japan, and your band mates are in the states. What is the creative process like, when your band mates are in another continent?  
Gridlink was the same situation. I get used to this situation. 
Now everyone can make music with musicians live abroad. That is so easy.  But it is very difficult for PC musicians to make organic music. 

I needed to know about members playing style. I listened to Invidiosus and watched movies again and again. After understanding them, I started to write songs. 

Recording was so hard. Because we had many things to do. 
I went to Minnesota and recorded 4 songs a few month ago. That was so interesting and so easy. We can use both recording style. I think it makes our music more interesting. 
What do you consider to be the heaviest riff of all time?
BPM. Just a joke. I don’t consider the heaviness so much. 
Love for grindcore, anger and passion make riffs heavy and fast. I think so. 

What's your favorite martial arts film? Why?
Old Kyokushin karate movies. Because they are strange and strong. 
I watched Willie Williams versus a bear when I was a child. I have believed it was real fight. 


What's your favorite  on screen death in a film?
Mist last scene.

What's your favorite film, in general?
Ummm.. I am not a serious movie fan...I love old Japanese horror movies. Oh, I loved The Blair Witch Project. I really want to visit the woods in Maryland.

Is playing through a tiny guitar amp your secret for that nasty guitar tone? 
Haha. I used to use it. But now I use quilter guitar and bass amps. They are smaller than lunchbox. My current guitar tone is made by Unknown Pedal Australia distortions. 

Do you play fighting video games? If so, which is your favorite character to play as? I'm a sucker for the original Mortal Kombat Trilogy. 
I used to do. Though I am weak, I prefer real fight.

Who are some bands you've been excited to listen to lately?
Deterioration, Die Choking, Exposed As Rot, Vulva Essers, Shitbrains, Happy Pill Trauma, Chepang, Triac..... sooo many bands. All of my friends band. 

As for Formless Master, Absurd God and Libido Airbag gave me some influence. 

Who are your guitar heroes? 
Mick Mars. So heavy.
Jeff Beck. So progressive. 
Chuck Schuldiner. So cool.
Rocky George. So Metal. 
Sooo many heroes. 

What else  are you excited for in the future? 
Sparring, practice, recording and live shows.

Thank you Takafumi for going one on one with the Grim-1. Anything you would like to say in closing?
Tortoiseshell cats are so cute. 

 Listen to Formless Master via HPGD Productions here.

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