Interview: Abigail (Japan) - Touring With Stälker

Infamously branded as "The Most Evil Band in Japan", Abigail are embarking on a double headline Australasian tour with Aotearoa's own speed metal demons Stälker. Playing together this weekend at Tāmaki Makaurau's Whammy Bar and Te Whanganui-a-Tara's Valhalla, Stälker's hi-decibel lead guitarist Chris Calavrias (formerly of Razorwyre) fired a bunch of hard-hitting questions in the direction of Abigail's Yasuyuki. Miss these all-killer gigs at your peril...

Abigail (JP) & Stalker (NZ) NZ Tour 2025

Friday 9th May - Whammy Bar, Auckland w/ Wolfshead, Cesura
Saturday 10th May - Valhalla, Wellington w/ Osseous Tomb, Retaliator

Tickets on sale HERE via UTR

Chris Calavrias (Stälker): What inspired the dark themes in your music and how do you think your Japanese heritage influences your style?

Yasuyuki (Abigail): Back then when we were in junior high school, metal was very popular and everyone was listening to it. Loudness, 44 Magnum, Earthshaker, Rajas, X-Ray, Mari Hamada, Megumi Hayakawa, Majoran, Action, Sniper, etc. I got influenced by my group of buddies. We wanted to buy lots of records but we didn't have the money, so when one of our friends did buy them, we would ask him to dub them onto tapes. We were hooked to it. Of course, we were listening to overseas heavy metal at the same time like Iron Maiden, Judas Priest, Accept, Night Ranger, Motörhead, Black Sabbath, Ozzy, Metallica, etc. And so we decided to start a band and I began to play the guitar. After I was into black thrash metal like Venom, Slayer, Bulldozer, Hellhammer, Celtic Frost, Kreator, Destruction etc. Then I formed thrash metal cover band with local high school friends. It was no named band. Just play fun.

Maybe Japanese schools are tough. For example electric guitar was banned in our high school. So our band work was a secret. After I was into black metal. Then formed the Abigail with Youhei. Abigail was formed in January 1992. Original members are Yasuyuki (bass and vocals), Youhei (drums), Yasunori (guitars). I wanted to play black metal like Bathory, Sodom, Hellhammer, Darkthrone, Mayhem. So I asked Youhei, a friend from school who was into thrash metal like Slayer, Bulldozer, etc. to play drums. I recruited Youhei’s friend Yasunori to play guitar. We released first demo tape in June 1992. After that, we continued to play shows in Tokyo. We released first album Intercourse & Lust on Modern Invasion Music in 1996. After we released full albums Forever Street Metal Bitch”, Fucking Louder Than Hell, Ultimate Unholy Seath, Sweet Baby Metal Slut, The Final Damnation. Also we are touring in the United States, Europe, Canada, Australia, South America, South East Asia.

What can New Zealand fans expect from your tour?

Yes finally we will play shows in New Zealand. But I have no idea how many audience coming to our shows. I hope New Zealand metal fans enjoy our performance! We will play Japanese black thrash yakuza sounds!

I want to enjoy our live performances in a relaxed atmosphere. Sure need with beers. Of course I love great Stälker. I’m fucking looking forward touring with this fucking metal band. Also I’m looking forward meet NZ local bands and fans!

I think even first timers will enjoy Abigail live shows. I hope you will be drink lots of beers and head banging! I think our sounds will remain the same. Keep on far east black thrash metal sounds!

Abigail have been labeled "the most evil band in Japan" — how do you respond to this reputation??

Most evil band in Japan. Okay I have explanation our sounds and roots. Our band name taken from King Diamond album. It was intuition. For some reason Abigail came to my mind. Of course I loved Mercyful Fate and King Diamond. I thought it was cool like Bathory. Yes Venom, Sodom, Motörhead are very big influence for my music life. Bathory, Hellhammer, Bulldozer, NME too. Also I influenced from hardcore punk fast sounds. I was playing thrash metal cover band with high school friends after school. It was good practice for me. I love Sodom’s 'Outbreak of Evil'. This song is very simple guitar riffs and easy to play guitar beginners. But very difficult to play evil sounds like original version. It’s magic. It’s very influenced for us. I think this is most evil band in Japan!

Are there any specific artists or filmmakers that have inspired your music / visuals?

The music influenced from Venom, Sodom, Bulldozer, NME, Carnivore, Hellhammer, Celtic Frost, etc. As for movies Takeshi Kitano. His Yakuza movies are amazing. And Akira Kurosawa too.

How do you think adult entertainment (porn) has influenced your aesthetic and style?

First of all I was influenced the lyrics from Venom, Sodom, Bulldozer, Mentors. Their lyrics are really fit the songs. I mixed descriptions from Japanese porn magazines that I liked into a black metal songs. Japanese porn magazines have a lot of descriptions. Then they were very dark and heavy.

Japan had a long history of porn culture. Our first album jackets are by old Japanese artists Katsushika Hokusai. Then I was very influenced the lyrics from Venom, Sodom, Bulldozer. Our sound is a combination of that sound, lyrics and Japanese erotic lyrics.

I used to distribution work in adult video entertainment long time ago so maybe that’s a natural influence. But also write lyrics about war, alcohol and metal. We’ve performed in many countries so far and never had any problems. I think the New Zealand fans will enjoy our shows too.