An Interview with NECRONOMIDOL at Hyper Japan Summer Festival 2019 (July 14th, 2019 Sunday)

The following Interview was a part of Group Interview made up of Press from Selective Hearing, NerdOD, Bunkazilla and an independent Journalist, Erin.

On behalf of Selective Hearing, I would like to thank Derek, Ricky and the members of NECRONOMIDOL for giving us their time and answering our questions. I would also like to extend my thanks to the representatives for NerdOD and Bunkazilla, as well as Erin, for sharing their questions and allowing me to include them in this interview. Without their contributions, you would only see two questions on this page.

Finally, I would like to thank the team behind Hyper Japan who made the event itself happen, and I would also like to express my thanks towards Mischa for allowing these interviews to take place. Without her this interview would not have been a reality. Thank you.

Celebrating its 10^th Anniversary, Hyper Japan kicked off their first event of the year with their Summer Festival on Friday the 12^th of July 2019. Held over the course of three days at the Kensington Olympia Exhibition Centre in London, England, Hyper Japan currently stands as the biggest Japanese Culture convention within the UK.

With two floors to fill, Hyper japan goes above and beyond when it comes to dedicating itself to showcasing the joys of Japanese culture. From anime, manga, plushies, snacks, films, tourism and travel booths, alcohol, art and music - as well as a dedicated food area - Japanese paraphernalia line the stalls for all to see. Attendees can also attend a maid cafe, take part in various workshops, watch showcases and even listen to and watch live music performances from Japanese groups and singers on the Hyper Live Stage, or listen to and watch performers and coverists on the Hyper Street Live.

This year, Hyper Japan's Live stage turned black with the appearance of NECRONOMIDOL. With performances held on the Friday and Sunday of Hyper Japan weekend, the group certainly made an intriguing entrance thanks to their chilling aura and Gothic attire, all tied together perfectly by the billow of smoke that encompassed the sides of the stage.

Made up of five members - Kakizaki Risaki, Imaizumi Rei, Tsukishiro Himari, Kenbishi Kunogi and Michelle - NECRONOMIDOL seem sombre upon first appearance, but soon erupt into an enigmatic and upbeat performance once the music begins. With an elaborate story to tell, NECRONOMIDOL create an almost theatrical, undeniably moving performance thanks to their emotive choreography and haunting vocals.

From the ground floor to the balcony above, NECRONOMIDOL lead their listeners into a chorus of chaotic energy song after song, before finally taking time out of their busy schedule to hold a meet and greet. Met with a rather impressive outcome, old and new fans alike came to meet the members of NECRONOMIDOL for a few brief moments before deciding whether or not they would partake in the cheki (Polaroid) shoot with the girls.

On Hyper japan's final day, Selective Hearing - as well as NERDOD, Bunkazilla and a student, Erin - were able to sit down and chat with NECRONOMIDOL before the groups final appearance on the Hyper Japan Live Stage. From their image to performing abroad and more, let's take a deeper look into the minds of those who make up NECRONOMIDOL.

The Vengeance Of An Idol Wronged - 'scions of the blasted heath' by NECRONOMIDOL (EP Review)

*The following EP was sent for Review purposes. My opinions my own, but my love for NECRONOMIDOL is unwavering. Just so ya know.

**If you see any typos, blips, issues or misspellings seen within this review, please feel free to point them out. I am but a mere mortal, and us mortals make mistakes. Help me to improve this space bit by bit, typo by typo.

With their new EP release - the first to feature the groups 2019 lineup, as well as the debut of the two most recent members - NECRONOMIDOL are set to blacken stages further with scions of the blasted heath, a 5 song EP that will feature songs themed around trauma, entropy and conquest, whilst exploring Lovecraftian influences along the way.

With jacket art drawn by manga artist Jun Hayami, a new collaboration track as well as some returning composers, NECRONOMIDOL's latest in music is sure to intrigue a few new listeners, whilst also bringing the older fans back with even more catchy tunes and invigorating compositions.

Are you ready to delve into the depths of Idol Hell?

(This Review has been cross-posted with Selective Hearing, where you can read a far more condensed version of this post if your eyes cannot handle the sheer amount of letters and mumbo-jumbo)

With the halfway point for 2019 encroaching upon us in swift fashion, it makes sense for NECRONOMIDOL to deliver unto us all some brand-spanking new music. A mid-year release, some fans might find the timing of scions of the blasted heath a little later than usual for a group, however this EP could not have been dropped at a better time, and here's why:

Promotions for the groups latest release will begin just a month shy of NECRONOMIDOL's up-coming July tour, EUROPEAN INQUISITION, which starts in France on July 11th, and will see the group perform in London, Birmingham and Inverness in the United Kingdom, as well as the Netherlands, Germany, Finland and Sweden, with the latter three countries being a first for the group to conquer, performance-wise.

scions of the blasted heath also acts as the official EP debut for newest members Kenbishi Kunogi and Michelle, who both debuted with the group back in January this year.

So whilst the latest NECRONOMIDOL release may be a late edition for some, the timing could not have been better planned, as scions of the blasted heath comes at a point where NECRONOMIDOL will be promoting their European tour a lot more heavily. This EP will also serve as a great starting point for newer fans and listeners who may be attending the up-coming shows for the first time. Likewise, scions of the blasted heath will act as a fuel for the more seasoned listener's excitement, allowing older fans to truly soak in the atmosphere of NECRONOMIDOL right before their tour is set to begin.

Either way, this EP will certainly deliver some much-needed anticipation when it comes to the groups European tour, as well as the overseas stage debut of Kunogi and Michelle.

I feel this group needs little to no more introduction, but if you are curious about the group and what they do, please check out my handy-dandy NECRONOMIDOL Introduction which goes through a bit of their history, as well as the groups releases and music videos. For now though, it's time to take a dive into this EP release and hear exactly what it's all about.

With a little bit of Lovecraft, a dash of trauma and a pinch of light-hearted Idol-ness thrown in there, scions of the blasted heath will drag you into a world of atmospheric beauty. Are you ready to delve into NECRONOMIDOL's intricately-spun web?

It's time to lose ourself in the music.

The Quintet's Revival: NECRONOMIDOL Introduce New Members and Reveal Early 2019 Plans

During the later hours of January 13th, 2019, NECRONOMIDOL returned to its quintet status during their sponsored live show, BEYOND vol. 1, held at Shibuya CYCLONE in Tokyo, Japan. With this show, not only were new members were introduced, but announcements for the first quarter of the year were made, marking a busy but entertaining beginning of the year for Japan's ultra-dark Idol group.

Starting with the first announcement, NECRONOMIDOL finally revealed the identities of the newest members to join the group. After much speculation and anticipation, it was revealed that Kunogi Kenbishi and Michelle had joined NECRONOMIDOL, returning the group to its five member formation.