Interview originally published July 4th 2020

Back in 2020, Noise ‘n’ Visuals was able to chat with a young metalcore band from Tokyo, The Cards I Play. With a few singles out and itching to play live again, the band was ready to test themselves amongst the competitive Tokyo metalcore scene.

Almost three years have passed since we initially spoke to them and The Cards I Play have gone from strength to strength. The band have built a solid following, released a tonne of music, including a full-length album and are now on the verge of releasing a new EP.

Catching up again with guitarist Daniel and the newest member of the band, bass player Daiya, it is easy to see that the path for The Cards I Play has not been straightforward. Nor has their sound. That is to be expected though, as the band did not have an easy start, forming just before COVID hit.

“…I believe we only had, like, two singles out and had only played one show. That was when we were trying to get the ball rolling but then COVID hit, so we couldn’t play any shows for like a year or so,” Daniel recounted.

“So that’s why we focused on writing a whole album ’cause we had nothing else to do, we couldn’t play shows.”

Once COVID guidelines started to lift, the band were more than ready to get into gear. From playing shows again and really feeling out their music with the re-introduction of that live element, it was not long till the album was released. Along with taking them on their first tour, the year and a half from the album’s release got that ball rolling again.

The full album, Retrograde, which was released in March 2022 was different from their first two singles and marked an evolution in the band’s sound.

“Recently we are more on the stance of let’s just try to do everything we can. Let’s not just sing or just scream. Let’s like combine everything we can do and try to make ourselves more unique.”

This mindset has led to the band writing a new EP. ‘Everything We Love’, which is set to be released on July the 7th, is a combination of influences that each member has brought to the table. From a mix of eclectic metalcore bands like Paledusk, and classic rock bands like Red Hot Chili Peppers to even, old school hip-hop the band is determined to bring something new and authentic to the table.

If the first two singles, Fate and In Circles are anything to go by, then listeners are in for a treat. With July set to be a busy month for the band, it is only up from here. Kicking off over the weekend with the release of In Circles, the band will also be hosting the fourth edition of their own event ‘B4’ with SOUNDDROWN and Life Is Sampling.

Inspired by the current state of rock and hip-hop and the fact the band is inspired by both genres, they created an event that embodies this love.

“B4, it stands for breaking borders, building bridges. That concept, is all about, we have rappers and DJs and bands all in one event,” Daniel explains.

“And food!” Daiya adds.

“yeah, we have like pizza every time,” Daniel laughs.

Held on the 22nd of July and being the official EP release party, this event is just one of the many shows that The Cards I Play will be a part of this month. If you aren’t lucky enough to catch them in Tokyo, then hopefully it will be only a matter of time before they are able to head out overseas tour. Perhaps an Australian tour with Ocean Grove? Well, that is a goal for this young band.