Asterism at Guitar Monsters Japan Vol. 2
Japanese heavy metal trio Asterism exploded on stage at Guitar Monsters Japan Vol. 2.
Asterism at Daikanyama Unit, Tokyo, Japan on 8th March 2025
Having seen many video clips of Asterism doing instrumental covers of well-known hits, I was looking forward to seeing them live. Asterism’s performance in Daikanyama was part of the Guitar Monsters Japan Volume 2 show which also featured Sahaji and headliner Marty Friedman.
Asterism consists of brothers Mio on drums and Miyu on bass (he plays an insane custom-built seven-string ESP bass) and Hal-ca on guitar and vocals. While the band formed already in 2014 and the first single came out in 2016, these three talented Japanese musicians are still in their twenties. Who knows how far this trio will go?
Asterism’s members are all technically advanced instrumentalists. They call themselves a heavy metal band. Their version of metal is largely instrumental. But when they do have vocals, the music often slows down and becomes less technical and more melodic. It adds a kind of J-pop/alt rock touch to the metal. This is a vital part of what sets Asterism apart from the pack.
The band’s record releases have featured many cover songs of rock classics and Japanese anime theme songs. A ton of touring in Japan and internationally has made these youngsters seasoned performers which was evident on the live album released last year. This evening in Daikanyama, the band’s many tours and gigs shone through in the rock-solid performance. This terrific trio was a joy to watch.
The performance included favourite tracks such as “Metal Gandhara”, “The Zombie”, “Stars” and their latest single “Crescendo”. To the audience’s delight, they managed to get headliner Marty Friedman to guest with them on what appeared to be a new song during the set. After Marty Friedman’s headline set, Asterism and Sahaji joined him for an unexpected encore performance of Bryan Adams’ “Summer of 69”.
