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Inkakai

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Inkakai
OriginRovaniemi, Finland
GenresImperial/Imperial Core
Years active1997 (1997)–2009 (2009), as Bleak
2009 (2009)–2009 (2009), as Flamer
2009 (2009)–2021 (2021), as Fireal
2021 (2021)–present, as Inkakai

Inkakai is a Finnish-Japanese-American rock band founded in 2021 by singer/songwriter Caleb Daniel Lit. The group became an anonymous masked collective in 2013. They originally formed as Bleak in 1997, briefly performed as Flamer in 2009, and as Fireal from 2009 to 2021.

History

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Bleak (1997–2009)

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Bleak was founded in 1997 in Rovaniemi by singer Caleb Daniel Lit together with local musicians. The band was active at the grassroots level and in 2005, they signed a recording contract with Helsinki Music Company. Bleak released one studio album, Burns Inside (2006).[1] The band's first hit was the song "Fate", performed by Lit and Ana Johnsson for the Jade Warrior movie soundtrack, and co-written by Lit, Johnsson, and Tomi Malm.[2] On January 19, 2007, "Fate" won the NRJ Radio Award for "Best Nordic Song".[3] Bleak performed around Finland, including at Kokkola Rock Festival in 2007[4] and received regular radio play. Burns Inside peaked at #12 on the Finnish Top 50 Album Charts and stayed on for 8 weeks.[5]

Members:

  • Caleb - vocals
  • Madu - guitar, vocals
  • Crab - guitar
  • Zeta - bass
  • Junior - drums[6]

Fireal (2009–2021)

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Bleak announced on their website that after 12 years, the band was breaking up due to internal and musical disagreements.[7] In 2009, they began performing under the name Flamer and were the opening act for the band HIM at Helldone Festival.[8] They later changed the name to Fireal.[9] On September 9, 2009, Fireal released their first single titled: "The Imperial".[10] In 2010 they released their video for "Halo"[11]

Fireal's debut album The Dark Side was released on April 27, 2011, under the label Warner Music Finland. The album debuted at number 41[12] on Finland's official charts[13] and was selected as YleX's Album of the Week.[14] The song "Breathe" was composed together with Max Martin.[15] The song "Ariel" was placed in rotation on Finnish radio station YleX and was voted as one of YleX's "most coveted"[16] songs in 2011.

The band has cited musical influences such as grunge bands Alice in Chains and electronic groups The Prodigy. In interviews, they have pegged their musical style as "Imperial".[17] Their style has also been called "cinematic", and they were featured in the movie soundtrack for Harjunpaa and the Priest of Evil.[2] Additionally, the film includes footage of Fireal performing.[18]

Fireal announced that in 2012, they would be taking a break from touring.[19]

In 2019, Fireal returned from a seven-year break with a new single "The Smoke" and announced they were preparing a new album.[20]

Members:

  • Caleb Daniel Lit
  • Teijo Jämsä
  • Hepe (Antti Eräkangas)
  • Waino (Tuomas Wäinölä)
  • Jay (Jari Ilomäki)[21]

Inkakai (2021–present)

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In 2021, after a lineup change, the band announced they were changing their name to Inkakai.[22] The Japanese-American-Finnish band members[23] are anonymous and wear black katanas, masks and hooded clothing with red fire symbols. All this is done to represent the meaning of the new name 陰 火 会 INKAKAI (shadow, fire, society).[24]

Keeping in line with the musical styles of previous bands Bleak and Fireal, Inkakai's style is described as “Imperial” or "Imperial Core" - alternative rock with influences of nu-metal and 80's to 90's electronic music.[25]

The first single from the band was “The Smoke”.[26] Previously recorded under Fireal and then re-released, "The Smoke" was one of the first songs the band ever wrote. Written in 1993 and then recorded as a demo 10 years later, it finally reached the studio and nearly became an album release in 2013.[20] "The Smoke" has hit over a quarter of a million views on social media since its release.

In keeping members anonymous, Inkakai wanted to keep the focus on the musical group as one single entity or concept, rather than on individual band members or their personal lives. Since their inception, they have always cited Star Wars and sci-fi as a huge artistic influence. The masks not only keep members anonymous, but also align with their core visual and musical vision.[17]

Members (known only by their symbols):

  • △ Voices, Strings, Keys
  • ◻ Noises, Samples, Keys
  • ○ Drums, Voices
  • ◇ Base. Voices
  • ● Strings, Voices
  • ▮ Strings

Discography

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Singles

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Year Name Album
2022 "Drown" Single Release[27]
2019 "The Smoke" Single Release[25]
2011 "Ariel" The Dark Side[28]
2010 "Breathe"
"Halo"

Albums

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Year Album Band Record Label
2011 The Dark Side Fireal Warner Music Finland[29]
2006 Burns Inside Bleak Helsinki Music Company[1]

References

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  1. ^ a b Burns Inside - Bleak | Songs, Reviews, Credits | AllMusic, retrieved 2021-10-12
  2. ^ a b "Fireal: Beyond the Gothic idiom with Finland's hottest alternative act". Maximum Rock Magazin (in Romanian). 2012-07-26. Retrieved 2021-09-28.
  3. ^ "Ana Johnsson biography, informations, listen titles, links to the artist - Electra Radio". www.electraradio.com. Retrieved 2021-09-30.
  4. ^ "Kokkola Rock: Neverstore (SWE), Agnes, Bleak, Hanna Pakarinen, Maj Karma, Sturm und Drang ym. @ Kokkola, 04.08.2007 {3} - keikkatiedot ja liput | Meteli.net". METELI. Retrieved 2021-10-26.
  5. ^ "Finland Albums Top 50 (July 26, 2006) - Music Charts". acharts.co. Retrieved 2022-01-22.
  6. ^ "Bleak", Wikipedia (in Finnish), 2021-01-11, retrieved 2021-11-10
  7. ^ "www.bleakmusic.com - Official Bleak website". 2009-12-06. Archived from the original on 6 December 2009. Retrieved 2021-10-12.
  8. ^ "Flamer performing at HELLDONE FESTIVAL 2009, Tavastia Dec 28-31 - News - Tiketti". Tiketti.fi. Retrieved 2021-09-28.
  9. ^ "FLAMER Changes Name To FIREAL". BLABBERMOUTH.NET. 2010-01-28. Retrieved 2021-09-28.
  10. ^ "Fireal". Rock Scene. Retrieved 1 October 2021.
  11. ^ "Fireal "Halo" Video Released". www.blabbermouth.net. 22 August 2010. Retrieved 1 October 2021.
  12. ^ "finnishcharts.com - Top 50 albums for the 18th week of 2011". finnishcharts.com. Retrieved 2021-09-26.
  13. ^ "Suomen virallinen lista Albumit". www.ifpi.fi. IFPI Finland Ry. Retrieved 2021-09-30.
  14. ^ "YleX Albums of the Week, December 2011". yle.fi (in Finnish). Retrieved 2021-09-26.
  15. ^ "Max Martin | Credits". AllMusic.
  16. ^ "Soittolista | YLEX". 2011-08-12. Archived from the original on 2011-08-12. Retrieved 2021-10-12.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  17. ^ a b "Fireal - Interview". PETE'S ROCK NEWS AND VIEWS.COM. 2019-10-02. Retrieved 2021-09-28.
  18. ^ "Fireal New Single Available for Streaming". www.blabbermouth.net. 8 December 2010. Retrieved 1 October 2021.
  19. ^ "FIREAL: Touring break update". Metal Shock Finland (World Assault ). 2011-09-04. Retrieved 2021-09-30.
  20. ^ a b "Interview with Fireal 2019". Eatmusic. 2019-12-08. Retrieved 2021-09-28.
  21. ^ "Fireal". www.maxmartinfansite.com. Archived from the original on 2021-05-18. Retrieved 2021-11-10.
  22. ^ "Facebook.com: Fireal Changes Name to Inkakai". Facebook. Retrieved 2021-09-28.
  23. ^ Pete (2021-05-18). "Inkakai". PETE'S ROCK NEWS AND VIEWS.COM. Retrieved 2022-06-30.
  24. ^ "Inkakai Interview with metalworld.com" (in Spanish). Retrieved 2021-10-12.
  25. ^ a b "INKAKAI - Share New Single "The Smoke"". Retrieved 2021-10-12.
  26. ^ "Inkakai". PETE'S ROCK NEWS AND VIEWS.COM. 2021-05-18. Retrieved 2021-10-17.
  27. ^ "INKAKAI - Share New Single "Drown"". Retrieved 2022-11-07.
  28. ^ The Dark Side - Fireal | Songs, Reviews, Credits | AllMusic, retrieved 2021-10-12
  29. ^ "Fireal Albums and Discography". AllMusic. Retrieved 2021-10-24.
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