Azerate Nakamura Interview 2025

Azerate has been taking the brutal death / slam world by storm with his insane and inhuman vocals.  Learn more below!

CEREBRAL REVIEWMENT:

Azerate, is that your name?  what do you go by?

AZERATE NAKAMURA:

yes my name is Azerate Nakamura 

How old are you and where do you live?

I am 34 and im originally from NY currently in california 

How did you first get into extreme music?

I started listening to blackmetal and pornogrind in sixth grade. a few older girls i was friends with put me on Torsofuck and exposed me to limewire and isohunt. the rest is history.  i was in a blackened thrash project in sixth grade it was my first band. we were called Hellion. 

I know you are also an emcee correct?  Has hip hop always been a part of your life?

Yes I am. My mom actually has history as an emcee. I took after her. I started rapping and producing at age nine on cassette tapes.  I begin learning about Schumanns Resonance and radionics in my freshman year and tried applying that to my music as well.

From social media I get the feeling that you are a spiritual person.  Could you talk a little about that?

Everything is spiritual to me and it is everything I do is devoted to my practices yes.  I have studied alchemy and the occult for many years.  I was raised in christian cult and the indoctrination ran deep.  I became strongly versed in sciences and discovered alchemy and the allegory of spiritual purification in junior high school.  Observing the patterns and symbolism over and over, my life became horrifyingly responsive to everything I thought and said.  I drove into all things taboo before long.  It started a journey of inner exploration and soul searching before discovering witchcraft and luciferianism and both of these practices illuminated me.  They saved my life. My eyes were opened to a different side of being. 

I have been known to hit a endo-keo spin and then track stand until the light turns green.  Why is your bike so tall?  Have you been riding fixed gear for a long time?

You are a savage.  That takes a remarkable amount of skill. 

I ride a tall bike for a lot of reason but being able to see so far ahead changes everything especially when you ride brakeless.  It gives me some peace of mind because prior to it’s construction, I was in a freak accident on a vintage time trial pursuit and it changed my life. Believe it or not, I actually feel a lot safer on the tall bike.  It’s exhilarating and extremely heightening of the senses.  I lost a lot of confidence after getting hurt and it’s definitely helped me overcome a lot of personal barriers.  I’m working on locking some of my tricks in on it.  It’s definitely a challenge.  To say it’s rewarding is an understatement.  I've been riding fixed over 20 years and it’s my preferred mode of transportation. 

Can you list all of your past bands?

past bands would be 

Hellion

The Veil Thinning

Alchemia Hospital 

Mindless Corruption 

Oculus

Shapeshifting 

Chapel of Autumn

Eternal Turtle 

Cinnabar Island 

Lakeborn

Malenia

Cephalophore

Darxifer

and a few others

live vocals for Esophagus 

Can you list all of your current active projects you are part of?

present bands

Ungraceful

Surgical Abnormalization

Messmer the Impaler 

Sumijigoku

Tomb of Scabs

Vid Flumina Sotra Facula

Human Ivory

Acharayim

1diazidocarbamoyl5azidotetrazole (c2N14)

Putred Incision

Dilatation 

Fetters

Paimon

Shalicu

Wakaba

Radiologist 

Silver Coil

and a few more i cannot mention at this time 

It must be so hard to keep a sense of balance with so many projects and things going on?  On top of a job or different gigs?!  Any tips for people out there trying to juggle many things at once?

I had a pretty good handle on it but the tour kinda messed up my routine a bit so I’ve been making some changes.  It’s important to know your own limits.  People who tend to be selfless suffer in different ways from those who are more selfish.  

   Musically, I’d like to say my turn around is pretty quick but technology issues typically makes things a little less convenient than anything else.  I try to stay organized, naming and dating things as you would in the kitchen or laboratory.  I do a lot outside of music.  The only time living my dreams isn’t working for me is when I neglect myself and my basic needs.  I think the best bit of information I could offer anyone is “to take care of yourself first and your loved ones and foremost. have regular, healthy conversation with yourself and ask yourself questions. Prioritize what’s important and question everything especially in a group setting with a shared goal.  Create realistic deadlines and goals that you know you can and will meet.  Be kinder to yourself.  Understand that occurrences unseen are a normalcy when we seek out to do anything.  Otherwise, have no expectation.  Take nothing personally.  Keep learning!  Things tend to get hard right before you meet a goal.  Never give up!  Keep your word and always follow through! 

You do a good amount of features correct?  How do those usually go?  Are bands seeking you out or are you contacting bands you’d like to work with?  Then they send you the song and you record vocals at home?

I do quit a bit.  I’d say that’s pretty balanced.  But these days a lot more people are reaching out to me than me to them and I feel a sense of accomplishment from that.  Maybe five are so years ago I was more into directly contacting bands and artist I grew up listening to.  Even now sometimes I shoot my shot and get shot down or left on read.  It’s become easier to accept and it took me a while to get here.  As I became more recently established, I have become more selective about approaching other artists.  I’ve been contacted by quit a few extremely talented musicians to feature on their material or to even start a new project and it’s beyond flattering.  I’m honored to work with all the people I’ve had the pleasure of creating with thus far.  Everyone has taught me so much in ways they could never understand.  Not to mention the praise I receive from them and their individual fan bases.  It fuels so much inspiration to keep going. 

Can you tell us your favorite vocalists?

I love a lot of different vocalist for a lot of different reasons

my top five are

-deep gurgle of Surgical Abnormalization 

-BT of Knifefight

-Richard original vocalist  of FLESH

-Hugo Ojeda of the original Esophagus 

-Anon of Induced and Bleeding

I am also a big fan of Haruka, Larry, Angel, Don, Skuta and WHS

Are you totally self taught or did you have some mentors?  Who would you say helped you?

My exhale guttural style is self taught as well as my grindcore croaking and gurgles. 

I learned inhales recently and got some really good pointers from Deep Gurgle, Parasitic Infection, Victor of deformed Esophagus, Hugo Ojeda, and a few undiscovered fans who are extremely talented and coming to establish themselves in the community as well.  I learned 3 different predator techniques this year.  Two exhaled one inhaled.  Currently trying to master them and have been developing my own way of implementing my style into using them.

You took over vocal duties for Esophagus on a tour. How did this come about? What was that experience like?

Around this time last year, I initially made contact with Victor.  They were preparing for a US tour and getting ready to announce a new single.  We talked on Instagram for a little while after I have responded to a few story posts. One was an inquiry about vocalists and since it was one of my favorite bands, of course I responded immediately.  I was asked to do a vocal cover of one of their songs which I did and sent to him. 

I seemed to get pretty good feedback on it then I was sent an instrumental and asked to record over that.  I was urged to sound monstrous.  I said I wasn’t confident in my ability to do the predator vocal sound and he told me that that’s OK because it isn’t necessary. 

I did my best and sent the recording, I wasn’t very proud of it, and he seemed to be happy with it and asked me how I felt about performing with them live.  Of course I was ecstatic. within a few weeks time, I was given a set list of songs to learn and rehearse.  Leading up to us meeting in Houston these songs would be the only songs I listen to for three months.

In March, we met up at the Gulf Coast death fest 3.  We had a great time but the initial tour that was set up was canceled and we only got to play at the festival.  I definitely felt bad for the guys because they had come all the way out from Chile so I in communication with a few other people begin trying to plan a West Coast tour for them closer to the end of summer. 

Little had I known a very prominent contact put us in line to travel in Mexico.  I also didn’t know that the guitarist of Esophagus, Mauro, was a big fan of Ungraceful, and was encouraging Victor to give me a shot on the tour.  I was weary and confused because I didn’t know what had happened with Hugo and every time I would ask questions it seemed to trigger a lot of tension.  I wanted to initially reach out to Hugo and inquire directly, but I was advised from the drummer to avoid him at all costs so far as to block him.   But I didn’t, and then the whirlwind of confused fans and unnecessary comments.  I received quite a bit of passive support from Hugo and one of his bands when we started sharing videos of practice and performances in Houston.  Likes on posts and stories.  Still I had a lot of pressure on myself because I knew they were big shoes to fill and to add to that stress, a lot of the fans were talking.  Despite Victor encouraging me not to do predator vocals I push to do them to give the fans what they wanted.  

Being on tour is an amazing and yet horrifying feeling.  It is truly a love labor.  There is an immense amount of uncertainty that is as thrilling as it is stressful.  We got to travel to so many beautiful places and we had the privilege of meeting so many beautiful and diehard fans.  I have been all over the United States, but it was my first time leaving the country.  MEXICO IS INCREDIBLE and we got so much love when we were there.  It was quite an eye-opening experience.  I ultimately had to drop out of the tour, as finances became an issue, and I had to be concerned for the well-being of myself and my partner, who was basically managing everything by the time we met up with the rest of the band.  What started off great quickly turned into a nightmare, and we realized that we were being taken advantage of, money was being kept and withheld from us as well as important information.  There was not a level of mutual respect, which made it difficult to remain on the same page with the drummer.  The tour was unorganized and very unprofessional.   There were many things promised prior that did not happen.  We were not paid for anything and we were lied to about the band getting paid for shows.  Language barriers. The list goes on.  We lost majority of our savings in the process.  But even still, meeting so many lovely people. Discovering new friends and family is unmatched and my heart swells for the bonds we made along the way. 

Can you tell us anything about Hugo/Esophagus “fallout” if it’s even that kind of thing?  Are band mates on good terms?  

There isn’t much to say. Victor was why Hugo left. Mauro stayed with Victor and was trying to see things through.  But I felt as if Victor should have started something new instead of trying to take the band from Hugo.  Seemed spiteful.  Ultimately, like most of us, I think Hugo inspired Victor and Victor wanted to be recognized in that same way.  As far as I am concerned Hugo doesn’t speak to either of them.  After what i experienced, I can see why. 

What is your relationship with Esophagus like?

We do not speak. I am only associated with Hugo, the real Esophagus.

Which of your many many projects are you MOST excited about and focused on currently?

They are all exciting for their own reasons.  It is difficult to say.  I think the most anticipation I have for releasing a project is a secret one I recorded almost four years ago with Larry Wang. Tracked 12 songs in two days.  That and the much anticipated return of Paimon. 

Do you have one favorite band?

Ungraceful before I joined lol

Induced or Vile Discectomy 

Do you have a favorite food or kind of food?

inarizushi, 

taro shashu, 

blue lotus, lavender and butterfly pea tea 

Can you name 3 pros and 3 cons of touring?

--3 pros--

CONNECTION 

Great way to meet your tribe, network, good exposure, helps develop people skills. 

FOOD AND TRAVEL

I fell in love with so many new things and places. 

CONFIDENCE

It will inspire you to strive for more. It makes it feel as if nothing is out of reach. Great for when you are chasing what you love. 

--3 cons--

HYGIENE AND HEALTH

It’s hard to keep clean and to eat right. Not sleeping and being in public settings has its own list of concerns. I learned of my privilege very quickly. 

DISCONNECTION

Sometimes people you think you know or are close to will show you different things in pressing situations.  There can be confusion and frustration at times and it’s up to you to remain self disciplined in your integrity. 

UNCERTAINTY

No matter how prepared you are, you cannot prepare for everything. 

Thank you so much for these answers and bringing your positive energy to the scene!  Can't wait to hear more from you!  Any last words??

I appreciate you with the utmost gratitude. Stay tuned!  Chaos governs us all.

Just a thank you to everyone. These last few years have been pretty dark for a lot of us.  I wouldn't be here without all the love and support you all give me. In these ways I am rich so I seek to enrich.

Ungraceful Interview 2024

Ungraceful is beefy, chunky, groovy riff filled 4th dimensional slam, with untouchably nasty vocals.  A 27 minute journey in a brutal dimension that is rather infectious and addictive.  This two-man group was nice enough to sit down and answer a few questions.  Enjoy!!

 

Thank you for taking the time to answer some questions!  Who do we have the pleasure of speaking with?

Ungraceful is a two-man project.  Jake writing and playing all instruments, Azeraté on the disgusting vocals.  Am I getting that right?  Any other members included in the process?  

Jake: “This is Jake and I’ve sent all your questions to Azerate and will include his answers too. And yes, we’re a 2-man show. “

Speaking of process, what is the Ungraceful writing and recording process like?

Jake: “Typically, I start by setting a tempo and developing a solid riff. Once that’s recorded, I let go mentally, allowing the tempo to drive the process as I continue jamming and see where things naturally evolve. Much of the writing involves thinking, ‘What would sound best next? How do I get there?’- always trying to stay a few steps ahead. 

The transitions between riffs are often more important than the riffs themselves, as I focus on hooks, building momentum and creating climactic moments. Slam is a straightforward genre, which makes it challenging to keep things interesting. Some songs have taken weeks to complete, while others come together in a single day. For example, when I wrote Schizophrenic Machete Assault, I set the tempo at 120 bpm, hit record, and the song’s structure was done in one take. Once you add drums, the creativity really starts to flow, and you often discover ways the guitar can be improved, leading to back-and-forth adjustments. It’s a long, evolving process.”

Azerate:  Unfortunately, we live a distance from each other.  As of now, Jake writes drums, then tracks guitar and bass, exports a demo and forwards it to me. I take time to listen and create a solid mental image before creating any phasing. In some instances I get into a trance state and usually will power through a note of words or phases in one take. As the technicality of the music progresses, with Jakes encouragement, I begin to experiment with laying techniques and variations of vocal styles.

Artificial Aberrations is such a crazy album, already mentioned on online forums and youtube comments as easily one of the best of last year.  Were those songs a long time in the making?  How do you guys feel like it was received?

Jake:  I believe I started writing the first song for that album about a month after the release of "There Is No God Here."

 It wasn’t until about a year and a half later that the full album came out, so it took quite a while. Originally, it was supposed to be another 7-song EP, like the first release. But after connecting with Azerate, we decided to write two brand-new tracks just for fun, unrelated to the EP. Those songs eventually became our 2022 single.

Alex from Inherited Suffering Records reached out after hearing the singles and wanted to plan our next release. 

He suggested we combine the singles with the tracks we had planned for the EP and turn it into a full album. This meant we had to re-record the EP tracks to match the tuning and mix of the singles, and that’s how the album officially came to life. 

Telekinetic DNA Removal was actually written about a week before the album’s release, and we included it to round the project out to nine songs. I knew we had something special but it was definitely still received better than I thought.

Azerate: The album was finished for sometime but revisited after we signed with Inherited Suffering.  In preparation of the release, the entire album was re-recorded and sounded vastly different from its predecessor. The successor is what you all know to be “Artificial Aberrations”. Revisiting them allowed for us to refine our writing and sounds, while pushing the boundaries of our ability. I (azerate), personally feel it was underestimated; which allowed for a greater impact than either of us expected.

I am continually grateful for Inherited Suffering for seeing the diamonds in the rough, and helping build awareness to the general masses. I can say this is one of the most unique projects I have had the pleasure of participating in. Jake is a masterful musician with unmatched skill and creativity.

How did working with Reality Fade come about, and what can you tell us about your upcoming 2nd full-length?  What are your fans in for?

Jake:   Again, we were lucky enough to have them reach out to us. As Azerate would tell me, it was a manifestation. I was talking for some time about wanting to possibly get in with Realityfade due to their community engagement and continued support of their bands also their drip is always sick as fuck. 

As for the next album, I would say there’s a bigger focus on riffs and technicality. I wanted to take all of the great aspects of Artificial Aberrations and turn it up to 11. All of our work so far has been written with the idea in mind that a good drummer could play it. I’ve basically thrown that idea out and now we’re just going full on demon mode. As of me writing this, I’d say we’re about 50% done with the album. 

Azerate:  After convening at the Bronx Zoo in New York city, we went to New Jersey and had our first live practice.  During this time, we had just received merch from Russia and began sharing posts about the releases online.  It was at this time we were contacted directly by Reality Fade. 

The new music is an evolution of the alien sonic captured in our music.  I believe it to be more visceral, suspenseful and off putting.  As we develop as artists and as people; our preferences and taste change too. While I feel that Artificial Aberrations had a more rigid concept in place, this 2nd album is more advanced yet naturally took form.  It’s primal, cold and calculated.  I believe Jake and I’s characters are expressed much more clearly this time around. 

Artificial Aberrations was the sound of us getting a foot in the door, and this next album is us comfortably taking the couch.

How did the name Ungraceful come about?

Jake: Ungraceful started as a social media tag I used for a long time, mainly for my art page on Instagram and a few entrepreneurial ventures that didn’t pan out. 

Over time, it evolved into a regular personal Instagram account, but the name stuck. When I began making music, I was brainstorming for a name, and after searching ‘Ungraceful’ on Spotify and not finding any other artists using it, I decided the ungraceful legacy will keep going. 

Can you name 3 bands that you take influence from?

Jake: I’ve been blasting a lot of Syphilectomy lately. Deprecation is another favorite—another two-man band, but those Russian morherfuckers know how to write a good slam. 

Speaking of, We’ve been compared to Abominable Putridity a few times, which I guess is a compliment. Maybe that’s why Alex reached out. who wouldn’t want to work with the discount version of their favorite brutal death metal bands?”

Azerate:  Traumatomy, Putrescent and Inpoexia

Can you name a few upcoming bands that we should check out?

Jake:  That’s a better question for Azerate cus I’m a mainstream poser.                             Azerate is a living almanac for the deepest, darkest underground caveman shit.  Also he’s in like 39 bands, check them all out. 

Azerate: Be on the look out for Surgical Abnormalization, Knife Fight, Sumijigoku, and any project featuring Hugo Ojeda.

What is something about you that fans of your music would be surprised to learn?

Jake:  I’m actually just three raccoons in a trench coat, it’s a miracle that we’ve actually made it this far. 

Azerate:  We are just like you. fans of some brutal music who decided to make our own.            To be honest we are both full of surprises, quirks and niches but above all else, Jake doesn’t know he’s black so I constantly call him ni**a to remind him  cause that’s my ni**a”

Thank you both so much again for the interview!!!  Cannot wait for more from you guys!

UNGRACEFUL BANDCAMP

UNGRACEFUL INSTAGRAM

UNGRACEFUL APPLE

UNGRACEFUL SPOTIFY

UNGRACEFUL TIDAL

INHERITED SUFFERING

REALITY FADE