As reported by Guitar World, Trivium singer Matt Heafy recently spoke about his collaboration with My Chemical Romance singer Gerard Way. Earlier this year, Heafy released a new record called Rashomon, which is part of his new black metal project, titled Ibaraki. Among the songs that make up that album is a track titled “Rōnin,” which features My Chemical Romance singer Gerard Way.
While Way has been known to scream and yell throughout his work in MCR, “Rōnin” displays a fascinating new degree of heaviness from the singer. In talking about this collaboration with Way, Heafy says, “I knew Gerard would blow people’s minds… it’s the concept of the guy from Trivium and the guy from My Chemical Romance doing a black metal track together. It would break the elitist mindset of what black metal can be.”
Heafy goes on to add:
“I’d never heard him scream but I just knew it would work. Just from talking, I knew he was into the genre. We’d discuss things we liked or disliked about the genre and things we’d change if we could. That’s why this record has so many things that are philosophically un-black metal.
“I was telling him about the things I thought I had to do and he told me, ‘No, that’s not what black metal’s about – it’s about breaking the rules and attitude!’ You don’t have to sound like this or that or burn down any churches… it’s about writing what you feel is right and making music from the soul. I learned so much from him, especially when it comes to this record. Gerard and I felt like outsiders looking into this genre [with admiration for] the torchbearers of the genre.”
You can check out the song “Rōnin” below. Some months back, we interviewed Heafy regarding his new black metal project, working with Way, and much more. You can find a link to that interview below as well.