Asterism - "Church" - First Reaction 

"Church" isn't just a song, it's an emotional experience that takes you away on a journey far away, created by a couple of teenagers and masters of their craft. Almost every song from their "Guernica+a" album has that effect. I can't listen to this track without getting my eyes wet 🥲

Gunfire is also an awesome song by Asterism

At one of their gigs in the city of Fukuoka, where they were initially based, they finished their set early and asked the crowd for encore suggestions, a few of which they played. Being a jazz fan I asked them to do a walking-bassline 4/4 ad lib on the blues scale, and they did so with ease (cycle of 5ths progression). Can play anything, and well.

Wasn't sure if I left a backrounder on them before, but since you said you're just learning about them, here is a little info: Haruka Noma, guitars (“HAL-CA”) Miyu Yoshinaka, bass Mio Yoshinaka, drums They were formed in 2014 when Noma was 11 and the brothers were 12 and 14 respectively. They were all playing at a talent fair for young musicians in their hometown, when one of the music scouts noticed them, had a hunch and suggested they play together. Most of their current youtube catalogue is fan-made live video footage, much of it at the Hard Rock Café in Fukuoka. There are also a few clips from their one tour in the U.S., when they played Austin and Los Angeles. From the start, they have written most of their own music, covering a wide range of styles. The brothers bring a lot of jazz and funk ideas into their playing. Miyu plays 4,5 and 7-string basses, which are co-lead instruments in his hands. They are all phenomenal talents, but the big draw has been Noma, known by her first name Haruka or by her stage name Hal-Ca. She has been likened to a reincarnation of Jimi Hendrix and Stevie Ray Vaughan, with bits of Joe Satriani, Nuno Bettencourt and Akira Takasaki, among others, thrown in. Even in the Japanese scene, with its overload of extraordinarily technical instrumentalists, she stands out. She also writes most of the band’s music. Best clips to start with are: “Rising Moon” (their first professional MV): ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-IfxMi0Bx4x0.html “Blaze” (Live): ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-51Pxkp8lGAs.html “Light in the Darkness” (Live): ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-QpxNcZoNjVU.html “Yunagi” (Studio live): ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-8Kjntjpnn7U.html “Dawn” (Live): ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-buQPvINJcA0.html “Day 26” (Studio live) ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-6qcxU-rikgs.html To see Haruka practicing at home, these are fun: “Practice Homework”: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-_Fm9BBwsihw.html ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-KPqpt7pxCoQ.html ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-dPvCGHVc4C0.html ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-JtP_o2bOjvA.html ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-JiOeOw_YzMY.html ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-6AoVTmGZAS0.html ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-Jd1dwy36poU.html ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-ptTm2KOWt_w.html ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-jFDssmQnn3Y.html ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-oRGzOp-wFt4.html

This one is a work of genius. Their technical proficiency is already amazing, but what's scary is the maturity of their compositions. Thanks for coming back to them. Most talented power trio since Cream, IMO.

You should check out the live version of this where she went even more crazy on that guitar. She is one of the best guitarists on earth.

another great and uber talented band - she's the most exciting new guitar player i've seen in a very long time...

" Church " is actually the 4th part of a 5 part EP called " GUERNICA " ( as in the famous painting by Picasso based on the events surrounding the bombing of the town of Guernica in the Spanish Civil War ) The other parts ( in order are ) 1) Music 2) Gunfire 3) Faced ? Burned 4) Church 5) Day 26 Worth giving the whole thing a listen in order - it's quite the musical saga . BTW in some of their more recent tracks Hal-Ca has started doing vocals - some fans think it's a good idea - some not so much 🤷‍♂

They made their mark as an instrumental trio. I was lucky enough to see them at a small club in L.A. in 2019. HAL-CA, backed with bassist MIYU, does sing on some of their more recent tracks. Check out 'STARDOM' for instance: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-MJvFAD43jWg.htmlsi=1YgD7hZBqpKCTXyf Extra points for identifying as many of the bands/artists they are paying homage to in the music video as you can. : )

HAL-CA: YAMAHA PACIFICA 611 VFM YAMAHA REVSTAR & Custom bridges and whammy bars MIYU: 7 string custom ESP GUITARS 4 and 5 string E-II STREAM + EBS MultiComp & EBS Billy Sheehan Signature Drive HAL-CA “Rising Moon” 9th Kyushu/Okinawa FINAL STAGE [Excellence Award & Audience Award] ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-BMMZB4U_mEk.html November 1, 2015. HAL-CA : 12 years old. MIYU (bass) - 13 years old. MIO (drums) - 15 years old.

I still would like this whole live-in-studio session of Guernica to be officially available on DVD/BluRay.

Bootsie Collins was so impressed with them that he produced 2 songs for their first album and brought Buckethead as guest artist. They had Buckethead in their first album as guest musician?

When I by chance got to see them back in 2019 at the SXSW music festival in Austin I was literally blown away so I looked for them on RU-vid and began following them ever since. Last year they toured here in America last year giving free shows, I almost got on a plane to go check them out in Los Angeles when they were busking across the street from the famous Chinese restaurant. I've bought all of their EPs and albums except their latest one still trying to get used to it, its a bit too much Jpop for my bones. Besides that they are a force to watch live they know how to put on an amazing show.

Finally, a church I can worship at! 🤘

that 7 string bass is one of the coolest things ever. any idea what make it is ? never mind - it's an esp. god is hal- ca an amazing force.

Haruka!!! 🎸🔥🤘

Okay. I liked that a lot. Reminder for Eruca Sativa- Fuera O Más Allá.

❤❤❤🤘🤘🤘 that was seriously cool

Please listen to the tune Gunfire from the same session. They are all top tier musicians, and Haruka Noma (aka Hal-Ca) is one of my favorite guitarists of all time. No one will ever be better than Buckethead though imho. Fun fact: Buckethead has done some work with Asterism in the past.

🤘🏻⭐⭐⭐🤘🏻

Rising Moon is worth a look.

That little girl stands only four feet eight inches tall. She must do some kind of exercise to make her small hands reach so many frets at one time.