Ibaraki - Rashomon (Red White & Black Splatter Vinyl LP)

Ibaraki - the name for a terrifying Japanese demon taken from feudal legend - is more than a solo record for Trivium frontman, Matt Heafy. As he tells it, it's the end-result of a journey to find his voice. It's personal, it's deep, and as he explains, it's inspirations include everything from an adoration for the extremes of black metal, to the exuberant storytelling of Gerard Way, to the adventuresome worldliness of tragic bon viveur Anthony Bourdain. It's a reflection of his multifaceted interests as well as a profound affirmation of his Japanese-American identity, and one that led him to confront one of his family's most tragic moments. Like the artist behind it, there is much to the story of Ibaraki and it began with a timid email to one of black metal's most revered and influential figures, Ihsahn of Emperor. But Ibaraki was more than just an expression of Matt and Ihsahn's deep creative resonance. Matt got by with a little help from his friends, too. While primarily written by