Hayato is a DIY-inspired multi-genre musician hailing from Japan. He got his start by forming the progressive metal group Cyclamen in 2008 and being its primary songwriter/guitarist/vocalist. After relocating to the UK for a short time, Cyclamen's lineup changed like crazy and I'm not going to bother listing every single person involved cause I don't think that info is even available somewhere, but long story short, Cyclamen's early years had a bajillion lineup shifts and an uncertain future. A lucky successful split with Haunted Shores (now famous for swapping members with Periphery) helped to launch Cyclamen's music to the West.
Cyclamen then recorded an EP and a full-length entitled
Senjyu in 2010.
Senjyu marked the start of a now-continuing trilogy of concept albums about an omniscient immortal entity who desires to feel love and relation again after a lifetime of disillusionment. The music on
Senjyu is all over the place, ranging from brutal technical metal to serene almost silent post-rock to slow chugging post-metal to what some have dubbed "math-jazz". After moving back to Japan and rebuilding Cyclamen's lineup yet again,
Senjyu's sequel, 2013's
Ashura, continued the concept from another perspective - one more bent on revenge from the events in
Senjyu, and thus containing a more streamlined progressive metal sound nearly all the way through.
To compensate for the removal of post-rock influence, Hayato started another band in his half-permanent residence in Bangkok entitled Withyouathome. While a little basic, he totally understands how to write post-rock music successfully and mix it in a way that easily brings both peace and awe to the listener, just as it should. It would not be an overstatement to call WYAH's debut one of my favorite post-rock records of all time. It's really that good. Hayato has also released some solo tracks that follow the serene acoustic vibe that some of his WYAH work has.
Throughout all his projects, Hayato's songwriting is very meticulous and thought-out. Most of my favorite songs are the ones where he showcases his distinguishable lullaby-esque falsetto, sharply contrasting with the throaty yells in his metal work. His lyrics are mostly Japanese, but some songs are all English and a few are mixed language. All of Hayato's projects except for one can be downloaded for free (technically Name Your Price) via his
Bandcamp page. The one that isn't is a solo acoustic rendition of his song "Hope" benefiting Red Cross of Japan still aiding those in need after the Tohoku earthquake/tsunami/nuclear disaster of 2011, and even then it only costs 1$. Why is so much of his material free if he's not on a label and not getting money except from custom orders and other merch?
Because he's a cool down-to-earth guy and knows that he can't beat illegal downloading on the internet. He wants to stay involved with his fanbase (as also evidenced by his numerous YouTube and social media posts) and the easiest way to do that is to directly communicate with them. You can't do that with a disconnect between proper product and consumer. So why'd I make this thread?
Well, you can stream pretty much all of his work on the Bandcamp page, and if you decide you'd like to download some of it, I suggest actually making a purchase. I paid 5$ for the WYAH album because I know (and he does too) that Hayato won't be able to sustain the cost of living by splitting his merch money with his...oh, 8 8 or so different bandmates for much longer. Every little bit counts, and I greatly appreciate not only the music he's put out but also the positive mood and humble attitude with which he presents himself. He deserves more than just barely getting by, and you can help him with that.
Yata promoting the DIYosphere hard.
Djent on.
