All photos, including header, by Takashi Konuma (@takashi_konuma)

Three cities.
Three nights.
Three unique shows.
Experimental metalcore project KNOSIS will keep you on your toes.

Kayla Hamilton (@kaylazomboid) gives us the lowdown on KNOSIS’s latest One-Man Tour in Japan.

Breaking it up into three parts, today we start from the very top.

CONPASS Osaka 23^rd of July 2024

A question I get asked often as a reviewer and ultimately a massive music fan is how I can see the same band repeatedly. The answer is easy, every show brings out something different. From the energy of the crowd, the acoustics of the live house to even just the emotions of the band, it is very possible to see the same act night after night and experience something new every time.

No band has embodied that sentiment for me though more than KNOSIS.

This recent run of shows marked the bands triumphant return from their European festival run. Spaced out over a week, they kicked off the tour in Osaka on the 23^rd of July at CONPASS Live house.

Walking up to the venue in Osaka, the line of KNOSIS fans snaked down the road. While one-man shows are standard in Japan, the concept is still quite novel as somebody coming over from Australia. To know that every single person in that line is there for one band and one band only, there is a sense of comradery that unites everybody.

This also could be something quite unique to the Osaka scene. The buzz in the air was evident. Familiar faces greeting each other and the chatter amongst the fans rang out the room. There is a stereotype of people from Osaka being a little louder and looser than their Tokyo counterparts and I must be honest, it was evident at CONPASS. Once the lights dimmed and the band walked onstage, the crowd lit up and united in their enthusiasm.

For first time, I was witnessing KNOSIS as a trio. Notorious vocalist Ryo Kinoshita can now be found with a guitar in his hands, and I was indeed curious as to how this dynamic would work. Would his energy be the same? Would he be able to rally the crowd in the same way? Well in Osaka, the answer was a resounding yes. Going from their intro into a new song, ‘腐敗- Fuhai’, the crowd was hot already. The kawaii infused nu-metalcore banger had the punters jumping and by the time they powered into the familiar ‘奈落 – Naraku’ there was sort of looseness employed across the board. Yes, the pit went hard and yes, there was headbanging all round- but it just felt very relaxed and free. Ultimately, people were having a good time.

Now, KNOSIS sets have taken a sort of segmented approach. As Ryo juggles playing guitar and his frontman duties, there are sections that allow him to dip into that classic energy we all know. This is where the unity between the trio of musicians really comes to life. On bass and electronics, the young whizz Kosuke Tano is in charge. His funky, relaxed demeanour is a front for the extraordinary work he puts in with the samples and other elements that bring a KNOSIS show together. One of the most unique aspects is what can only be described as the rave/remix section. Leaving Ryo to do his thing on the mic, the light show hits and the room is suddenly a party. The enigmatic frontman ends up off the stage and on the floor, engaging and hyping every soul in that room. The remixes of ‘神喰 – Kamigurai’ and ‘奈落 – Naraku’ thundering away.

In the wake of the sonic bedlam that had just ensued, the band start to slow things down. Addressing the crowd in a jovial way, it never fails to make me smile to see the way the audience embrace KNOSIS. The familiarity, the sense that you are in the presence of old friends- it is what leads to such a raw honest performance, especially in Osaka. This is the section where they play their two ballads, ‘火脂- Hiabura’ and ‘暗月’. The emotional whiplash is astounding. Gut wrenching, vulnerable and melancholic, this part of the show drags you into the feels and leaves you fighting back tears. The subtle moments from drummer Moroishi Kazma add an extra layer to the affair. His dynamic movement behind the kit throughout the show works as the backbone of this entire set. From brutal heavy to light and soft, his fills and flows are remarkable.

Not wasting anytime though, the band head towards the finish and it’s all power from here. Smashing through and encouraging ferocity, the fans take this moment to let loose. While Osaka crowds are typically pretty free, there wasn’t a sense of urgency in their movement. There was not a sense of having to go wild completely- even as they demanded KNOSIS’ infamous Fire Boys cover of ‘Yarushikanee’. Of course the band delivered, but there was a sense of this cover being played out- at least from the band’s perspective but I will touch more on that later.

One of the most heart warming things at these shows, and it is something that is quite common, is the way Ryo mans his own merch desk. While it may come from necessity a lot of the time, the way he speaks and engages with every single person who comes to the desk after the show is admirable. With a line lasting longer than the show itself, there was probably not one person who walked out of that venue in Osaka without having a conversation with the man himself. Thus, creating a community amongst the fans and this is where that earlier sense of familiarity seems to have been cultivated.

KNOSIS return to the Kansai region this Friday, supporting CROSSFAITH on their Nara edition of the ARK tour. Tickets still available here.

KNOSIS will also be embarking on a regional tour in September, check the flyer below for dates.
While they are currently not accepting notifications, head here for any updates, or alternatively, the bands social media channels.