Press
Interview with Izmatik – Mystery Step
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IMD by Joshua (J.Smo) Smotherman February 26, 2023 3:27 pmTagged With: Asia, hard rock, Japan, Metal, Rock
From Tokyo, Japan, comes a group of musicians from different parts of the world to create the band Izmatik. In the lineup, Japan, the United States, Spain, and Australia are represented. With the release of their debut EP, “Volt Vein,” the band cemented their place in the Tokyo music scene and sparked interest in a full-length album. The full-length album entitled “Mystery Step” was released in October 2022. Both records were mixed and mastered by Enrico ‘Kikko’ Sesselego, who has worked extensively with Paul Gilbert and Steve Vai.
In this interview spotlight, I chat with Izmatik about favorite songs, dream collabs, the latest music and more.
Full Q&A along with links and music below.
Are you able to choose a favorite song of all time? Or would you label this an impossible task? If yes, what’s the song? If no, what’s your current Top 3?
My favorite song of all time is “Love and Happiness” by Al Green.
What about this project makes you most proud? Was there a specific goal you were trying to accomplish with this release?
I’m proud that I could finally show the full range of what Izmatik can do and how far we’ve
come. I think that with releasing a full-length album that covers a wide spectrum of expression
gives us a strong base to build upon and lets people know who we are and what we are about.
The goal with the release was pretty simple. To release a full-length album and get it into the
ears of people who like this kind of music. I think that part has been and continues to be
successful. It has been amazing to connect with so many folks around the world who are into
prog and what we are doing.
What inspires you to create music? What motivates you to keep going?
The rush I get when I create something I think is worthy to share. It is so mysterious to me
where music comes from and why we create it. I think it is something profound that we
humans do. Like the most complex and simple language all at the same time given to us by the
universe for reasons that maybe we will never fully understand. Kind of mind-blowing really.
I’m motivated by the progress I see in myself and the band. I’m motivated to keep getting
better because I see progress. Also, it motivates me to see people who genuinely like what we
do. It is really difficult to catch peoples attention these days but I realized I can’t be the only
person out there actively searching for music that moves me. There are others and we are
connecting with them.
If you could collaborate with anyone – dead or alive, famous or unknown – who would it be and why? If it’s an indie/DIY artist, please include a link so readers can check them out.
Funny you should ask this question because this has been on my mind for quite a while. I plan to record
a series of singles this year and I have one song in particular that I want keyboards on. I’d really like to
collaborate with Derek Sherinian if possible. He is a big influence on me from his Dream Theater days
and his solo stuff. That would be a dream come true!
What was the last song you listened to? Favorite all-time bands/artists?
The last song I listened to was “Viridian” by Between the Buried and Me. My favorite band is
Voivod. I think they are the most creative band out there and they just keep getting better and
better. I also have always loved King’s X, Dream Theater, Anthrax, Faith no More.
Where is the best place to find you and stay connected?
You can find all things Izmatik here: https://linktr.ee/izmatik
I appreciate Your time. Want to say or plug any other projects before we part ways?
Thank you for your time! Just want to say that we appreciate everyone that has taken time to
check out our music. We won’t stop and can’t wait to start on the next round of recordings and
gigs. Looking forward to a great 2023!
Skylight Webzine
"Progsters Izmatik have released the exciting full-length album entitled “Mystery Step”"
“Izmatik is progressive metal, but we pride ourselves on writing songs first without the need to be overtly prog in every section. Our music can be an epic journey or a straight shot to the gut. Each song tells a story with an element of surprise and an air of mystery. ” -Jeff Curry
Izmatik is a band made up of artists from all over the world who originate in Tokyo, Japan. Australia, Spain, the United States, and Japan are all represented in the lineup. The band established their position in the Tokyo music scene and inspired interest in a full-length record with the publication of their debut EP, “Volt Vein.” On October 15th, 2022, the full-length album “Mystery Step” was published. Enrico “Kikko” Sesselego, who has collaborated frequently with Paul Gilbert and Steve Vai, mixed and mastered both albums.
Izmatik’s style is unique in the fact that they draw inspiration from a wide variety of genres. The musicians are well versed in the traditions of hard rock, classical, funk, jazz, and fusion. Yet they layer that with thrash and progressive metal. As one reviewer of their debut EP “Volt Vein” wrote, “VOLT VEIN oscillates between progressive, thrash and jazz fusion, all in such a natural way that it impacts.”
Jeff Curry, the band’s founder and writer, lists some of his early metal influences as Voivod, Rush, Faith No More, Yes, DreamTheater, Living Colour, Death Angel, Metallica, and King’s X. More recent influences would include Havok, Vektor, Opeth, Lamb of God, Annihilator, and Sons of Apollo, just to name a few.
Izmatik consists of individual members who are all working musicians. Doing what they love while earning a living. The band contributes this professional knowledge to all of their work, whether it be live, in the studio, or in composition and arrangement. “We want this band to write the kinds of songs we want to hear and to make the finest music they can.” - SKYLIGHT WEBZINE
Metal Rules
Izmatik are a Tokyo based progressive metal band, the brainchild being bassist Jeff Curry. They have a wide variety of influences, including thrash metal and even jazz fusion. Some of their songs are short and speedy, others are epic anthems. Their lyrics mostly deal with topics such as dystopian futures, self-empowerment and more abstract ideas. The group released a four song mini album called ‘Volt Vein’ in 2020, and they released their full length album ‘Mystery Step’ on October 15th, 2022. At this moment, the band are booking shows, creating even more works, and are promoting their latest LP. (With the help of me!)
First impressions? Fantastic! Great prog metal riffs (often think Dream Theater’s ‘Panic Attack’ in terms of style and intensity) with plenty of exotic and unexpected note choices, and great beefy bass lines that are just as catchy as the guitars. It’s no surprise the bassist is the brains behind the project, but he doesn’t unnecessarily steal the show apart from when he performs rare solos. Much like the legendary Steve Harris! The singer has a powerful yet clean and not overly aggressive voice, and sings intriguing melodies, too. I’d describe her as a (softer) female version of Stryper’s vocalist. Some melodies are better than others, the weaker ones simply mimic the riffs, but absolutely none are even close to bad. Oh and the drums? Just as smart as everything else with a range of dynamics and instruments. Think Tool in terms of stylishness and contrasts.
So yep, near flawless performances from everyone and killer songs! I say ‘near’ because I suppose I have heard slightly better ideas. In particular, are the vocal melodies A Perfect Circle level? Not QUITE, but almost. (Yes I measure perfection based on APC). But who am I to complain? I should have finished pointing out how good the vocals are the first time I mentioned them. Lazy and flawed writing from me? Nope, I was actually being very clever and am saying we’re all human, myself included. - Metal-Rules
Metal Rules
Izmatik is the project of bassist Jeff Curry. In 2020 he released a four song EP titled: VOLT VEIN. That work is a true work of art because it gives a real lecture on how to combine different styles so different from each other and sound incredibly good. To give you an idea, we can say that VOLT VEIN oscillates between progressive, thrash and jazz fusion, all in such a natural way that it impacts.
It is difficult to find a weak point in such an ambitious album at a compositional level. The mix is ​​a masterpiece. All the instruments are perfectly perceived, which contributes a lot to better appreciate the compositional landscapes of each song. Although at times a somewhat dated recording is perceived, the truth is that the compositional quality and the level of execution compensate for those details.
Among all the qualities that Iztamik offers, we can highlight its wide compositional spectrum and its ability to go from one genre to another with great ease. It is very clear that he knows the musical characteristics of each terrain and takes advantage of them. Technically they offer interesting passages, however, they do not come to surprise at the level of their compositions.
Iztamik is currently working on the release of their first full-length album. It is expected to be ready in mid-October. They even already have the presentation date scheduled in Tokyo, Japan (which is where the project is based). What they let you hear in VOLT VEIN makes us think that what is to come will be truly monumental. - Metal-Rules
Skylight Webzine
"Izmatik band creates a fantastic musical overdose by combining Thrash and Fusion!"
Thrash metal and jazz fusion are both influences on the progressive metal band Izmatik. Bassist Jeff Curry of the band Izmatik is based in Tokyo, Japan. The tracks range from brief thrash pieces to grand anthems. The lyrics typically discuss a bleak future, personal empowerment, or more abstract ideas. Izmatik has a four-song EP called “Volt Vein” that was released in 2020. The artist is now working on a full-length album that will be released on October 15th, 2022.
“Izmatik is progressive metal, but we pride ourselves on writing songs first without the need to be overtly prog in every section. Our music can be an epic journey or a straight shot to the gut. Each song tells a story with an element of surprise and an air of mystery. ” -Jeff Curry
Izmatik is a band made up of artists from all over the world who originate in Tokyo, Japan. Australia, Spain, the United States, and Japan are all represented in the lineup. The band established their position in the Tokyo music scene and inspired interest in a full-length record with the publication of their debut EP, “Volt Vein.” On October 15th, 2022, the full-length album titled “Mystery Step” is expected to be released.
Enrico “Kikko” Sesselego, who has collaborated frequently with Paul Gilbert and Steve Vai, mixed and mastered both albums.
Izmatik’s style is distinctive in that they are influenced by a wide range of genres. The players are knowledgeable with the hard rock, classical, funk, jazz, and fusion traditions. But they add thrash and progressive metal on top of it. “VOLT VEIN” oscillates between progressive, thrash, and jazz fusion in such a natural way that it impacts, according to one critic of their debut EP.
The band’s founder and writer, Jeff Curry, cites Voivod, Rush, Faith No More, Yes, DreamTheater, Living Colour, Death Angel, Metallica, and King’s X as some of his early metal influences. Havok, Vektor, Opeth, Lamb of God, Annihilator, and Sons of Apollo, to mention a few, are more modern influences.
Izmatik consists of individuals who are all working musicians in their own right. Doing what they love while earning a living. The band contributes this professional knowledge to all of their work, whether it be live, in the studio, or in composition and arrangement. “We want this band to write the kinds of songs we want to hear and to make the finest music they can.” - SKYLIGHT WEBZINE
Discography