1. For those just discovering THE SUBMERGED, how would you describe your sound and the
musical journey that brought the band together?
THE SUBMERGED is fundamentally rooted in a sense of nostalgia for, and a return to, the
alternative rock of the 1990s and 2000s. The band came together in the unique atmosphere of
the online music scene, where almost anything is accepted and encouraged. By blending each
member's different musical backgrounds, we eventually arrived at the sound that defines THE
SUBMERGED today.
2. The band originated from songs that Ozzwald had written during his student years. What
inspired those early compositions, and how have they evolved into what we hear today?
Strictly speaking, I was no longer a student when I wrote the songs that became the foundation
of the band. I had graduated from university, but I had failed the national medical licensing
examination and found myself facing another year of studying. It was an uncertain period in my
life, and I had no clear idea what the future would hold.
At the time, my only real hobbies were playing Splatoon and writing music. Occasionally, I would
borrow the club room from my old university and record guitar parts there. I was also busy
working part-time to support myself, and my previous band activities had come to a halt, so I
wasn't really writing complete songs—just sketching out ideas.
I was particularly fascinated by alternate guitar tunings back then and experimented with extreme
tunings such as ABG#BBE. The fact that two B notes rang simultaneously created a unique,
chorus-like effect, and the chords I discovered through those tunings inspired me to write more
alternative-sounding music.
I no longer use those tunings because they put too much strain on the guitar. Nowadays, I
recreate those chord voicings in standard tuning instead. However, I think my desire at the time
to discover something new has had a profound influence on the sound of THE SUBMERGED
today.
3. THE SUBMERGED was formed through VRChat connections. How unique has that
experience been compared to traditional bands that meet in person?
One of the most unique aspects of our band is that we have never needed to meet face-to-face
in the real world for rehearsals or performances.
Our guitarist/vocalist and lead guitarist live in Hokkaido, while our bassist and drummer live in
Tokyo. The straight-line distance between Hokkaido and Tokyo is roughly 830 kilometers (515
miles), which is almost the same as the distance between San Francisco and Portland in the
United States.
Because of this, we rehearse and perform our sessions using Yamaha's low-latency software
called SYNCROOM. The fact that we can play together in real time despite living so far apart is
remarkable, and we're very grateful for Yamaha's technological innovations.
4. Ryoyu was managing a virtual bar, Rise Seri had experience creating 3D guitar models, and
Flare Scarlet shared similar musical tastes. How did those individual connections become a
functioning band?
To begin with, everyone was already my friend on VRChat, although some of the members knew
each other and some did not. So our first step was simply spending time together—chatting in
VRChat and holding demo sessions through SYNCROOM to get to know one another better.
Since everyone was already a highly skilled musician, this process progressed surprisingly
quickly.
One interesting story is that every member eventually started using 3D instrument models
created by Rise Serie. His modeling work is exceptionally high quality. In my case, I own a rather
unusual guitar—a blue Yamaha SG-1000—so I commissioned him to create a custom 3D model
of it for me.
5. Was there an instant chemistry between the four of you, or did it take time to develop your
creative process?
As I'll explain later, our songwriting process generally involves the members freely interpreting
the demo tracks that I create. Even during our very first session, I felt a strong sense of chemistry
between us.
In particular, our lead guitarist often brings ideas that are completely beyond my own musical
imagination. For example, the intro riff of "May Girl" was an incredible addition that elevated the
quality of the song tremendously.
6. Alternative music can mean many things. Which artists or genres have influenced THE
SUBMERGED the most?
We have been strongly influenced by Japanese alternative rock bands. Some of our biggest
inspirations include Luminous Orange, NUMBER GIRL, eastern youth, and Coaltar of the
Deepers, whose song also inspired our own band name.
7. How does songwriting typically work within the band? Does one member bring ideas to the
table, or is it a collaborative effort?
Our songwriting process usually begins with me creating a demo track and uploading it to
SoundCloud. To be honest, the demos are far from polished. The drums and bass are simple
programmed loops, and the lead guitar part is usually almost completely blank.
From there, each member takes the initiative to develop and refine their own parts before our
rehearsal day. Since I never know what kind of arrangements everyone will come up with, I
always wait for rehearsals with a sense of excitement.
I rarely give detailed instructions regarding their arrangements. If there's a critical mistake, I
might ask for a revision, but otherwise I trust each member's creativity and autonomy. I believe in
the phrases they bring to the table and then shape everything together into a finished song.
8. What are each of your musical backgrounds, and what unique qualities does everyone bring
to the group?
Ozzwald: Yellow Magic Orchestra, Sinkouhoukoubetu-Tuukoukubun, Quruli, Luminous Orange
Ryoyu: Rush, Muse, Pink Floyd
Rise Seri: Ohayougozaimasu (Utsu-P), 9mm Parabellum Bullet, TECHNOBOYS, PULCRAFT,
GREEN-FUND, loud rock, technopop, and metalcore
Flare Scarlett: NUMBER GIRL, the Zankyo Records scene, emotional hardcore bands from
Hokkaido, and the post-punk music connected to those influences.
Because our tastes are spread across a wide range of genres, one of our strengths is that our
songs can wear many different musical "skins" while still sounding like THE SUBMERGED.
9. Being a virtual band, what advantages and challenges come with performing and creating
music in VRChat?
One of the biggest advantages is that all of our activities—rehearsals, songwriting, and
performances—can be done entirely from home.
For a traditional band, rehearsals usually mean leaving the house, carrying heavy instruments,
and heading to a studio. There are transportation costs, studio fees, and perhaps even the cost
of drinks after practice. Live performances can be even more expensive.
I don't know how things work outside Japan, but Japanese live houses often require bands to sell
a certain number of advance tickets before they can perform. Bands are expected to promote the
show and guarantee an audience. And, of course, there is usually an after-party afterward.
Virtual bands don't have any of those expenses. We can simply relax at home with a cup of
coffee or a beer in hand while rehearsing or performing.
The biggest challenge is probably nonverbal communication during performances. In a traditional
band, you can communicate with eye contact or subtle gestures to signal transitions or cues.
That's much harder to do in VR.
There are full-body tracking devices that allow avatars to express body movements more
naturally, and they can certainly help. However, wearing a lot of extra equipment while
performing can also become a distraction in itself.
10. You've organized the live event "Night of Halley's Comet" three times. How did that event
come about, and what does it mean to THE SUBMERGED?
As of the time of writing this interview (June 25, 2026), "Night of Halley's Comet" has actually
been held five times already. We hold it roughly once every two months, although not on a strict
schedule.
When we had just formed the band, we didn't really know of any live-house events that would
invite us to perform, so we decided that the easiest solution was simply to create our own event.
We knew that performing alone would not attract many people, so we decided to invite two or
three guest artists every time.
If I remember correctly, the first event took place in July 2025. Archives of every event except the
fourth one—which unfortunately we forgot to record—can still be viewed on The Submerged's
YouTube channel.
Halley's Comet approaches Earth once every seventy-five years. In other words, it's a celestial
event that appears only after you've almost forgotten about it.
That idea suits our band perfectly. All of our members have full-time jobs, and it's difficult to make
time for live performances. Other VRChat bands are much more active and can hold shows
every two weeks or every month, but that's simply impossible for us.
So "Night of Halley's Comet" has become a precious place that we gather whenever our
schedules align—just like the comet itself, something rare that eventually returns.
11. What has been the most memorable moment from those performances?
I think the most memorable moment was our very first show. We were worried about whether the
audience would enjoy it, but we were welcomed by far more people than we had expected. That
was a very important moment for us and made us feel that forming the band had been worth it.
12. How important is visual presentation and virtual world-building to your artistic identity?
To be honest, I don't think it is particularly important to our identity.
Many artists in VRChat place great emphasis on creating visual experiences that are unique to
VR. Some bands carefully design particle effects and the atmosphere of the worlds they perform
in, turning their live shows into a form of total art. I've even heard fans say things like, "I don't
want to listen to their music on Apple Music or Spotify because the songs are inseparable from
the live experience." That really speaks to the high quality of those performances as complete
artistic experiences.
For us, however, the main reason we perform in VRChat is simply convenience, for all the
reasons I mentioned earlier. If all of our members happened to live in Tokyo, I think we would
probably be performing in real-world venues instead.
That said, since we are performing in VRChat, we still try to make our shows look convincing. We
use motion capture so that it appears as though we are genuinely playing our instruments, and
we carefully arrange our virtual amplifiers and stage setup. We do put effort into making our
performances feel like a real live band experience.
13. For fans who may be unfamiliar with the Japanese VR music scene, what makes it such a
vibrant and exciting community?
One of the biggest attractions of the VR music scene is its convenience. Because of that, live
events can be held very frequently—there are performances almost every week.
There is also a world called "Shinjuku Live Street," modeled after Tokyo's Shinjuku Station,
where impromptu live performances are held almost every night.
Nearly all of these events are completely free to attend. Some artists have recently begun
experimenting with paid performances, but in general, anyone can enjoy these shows free of
charge.
Most virtual live houses have a capacity of around eighty people, and there are often long lines of
people waiting to get in.
One major challenge is that most VRChat users either don't know that the VR music scene exists
or simply have no interest in it. The number of users who are genuinely interested in music is
relatively small—my impression is that there may only be two or three hundred active fans.
Even so, thanks to the efforts of many bands and artists, new people are gradually becoming
interested in the scene, and I have high hopes for its future.
14. Has technology expanded the possibilities for collaboration and creativity in ways that
traditional bands might not experience?
Absolutely.
The fact that we are able to perform alongside bands that could only exist online, just like
ourselves, feels almost miraculous. Technology has made collaborations possible that simply
would not have happened in the traditional music world.
15. What themes or emotions do you hope listeners take away from your music?
To be honest, we don't intentionally try to put a specific emotional message into our music.
More than anything, we hope listeners simply enjoy the feeling of the sessions themselves—the
rhythm, the interplay between the instruments, and the colors of the chords.
16. Are there any songs in your catalog that hold special meaning for the band?
"May Girl" holds a special place for us because it was the first song for which we created a music
video. The song has no lyrics and no specific message. Instead, it perfectly represents our desire
for listeners to simply enjoy the chords and the atmosphere of the music itself. In that sense, I
think it is an ideal expression of what THE SUBMERGED is all about.
17. How do you balance the virtual aspect of THE SUBMERGED with the emotional authenticity
that fans connect with?
I believe that fans are able to feel genuine emotional authenticity in virtual concerts because so
many artists before us have worked hard to make virtual live performances feel as real and
meaningful as traditional ones.
Because of their efforts, virtual concerts have gained legitimacy and emotional weight. As a
band, we want to continue contributing to that by putting on high-quality performances and
making our live shows feel even more real and immersive.
18. What has surprised you most about the response you've received from listeners around the
world?
So far, we haven't really received much direct feedback from listeners overseas, so my answer is
actually about our Japanese audience.
One of the happiest moments for me was hearing that someone had bought our album and was
listening to it on a portable music player. Knowing that our music had become part of someone's
daily life was incredibly meaningful.
19. Are there plans for new music, albums, or future installments of "Night of Halley's Comet"?
On August 15, we will be holding "Night of Halley's Comet International," a special edition of our
event designed to welcome American audiences by taking place at a time that corresponds to
Friday night in the United States.
Several outstanding Japanese bands will perform, and the American band Seen IT will headline
the event.
We also have plans to perform at Tachikawa BABEL, a live house in Tokyo, on September 21,
where we will be sharing the stage with bands that primarily perform in the real world.
We intend to continue releasing new songs alongside our live activities. We are currently
planning our second album and hope to release it sometime between March and May of 2027.
20. Looking ahead, what are the biggest goals and dreams for THE SUBMERGED?
Our immediate goal is to reach a point where we can receive support from an outside producer
or a major label.
As an online band, we often feel the burden of having to handle our own promotion despite not
necessarily having the expertise to do it well. Being recognized as a band that has commercial
potential and is worthy of professional promotion would itself be a major achievement for us.
Beyond that, we don't currently have any grand ambitions or dreams. In a sense, our biggest
goal is simply to continue creating music and to find people who believe in what we're doing.
So, if anyone would like to support THE SUBMERGED, we're always open to new opportunities
and collaborations.
Fun Questions
21. If each member had to describe THE SUBMERGED in three words, what would they be?
Ozzwald: Glare, Chord-Driven, Alternative
Ryoyu: Loud, '90s, Sub Pop
Rise Serie: Impulse, Rebellion, Noise
Flare Scarlett: Britpop, Introverted, Independent
22. If you could collaborate with any artist, living or dead, who would it be and why?
I would love to collaborate with Akiko Yano. Just imagining her free-spirited piano playing and
distinctive vocals becoming part of one of our sessions is incredibly exciting.
23. What's the funniest thing that's happened during a VRChat rehearsal or performance?
Nothing particularly funny comes to mind, unfortunately. We tend to take rehearsals and
performances surprisingly seriously.
24. Which song best represents THE SUBMERGED to someone hearing you for the first time?
I think "May Girl" is the easiest entry point into our music and the song that best represents the
spirit of THE SUBMERGED.
25. Finally, what message would you like to send to fans and newcomers who are just diving
into THE SUBMERGED?
THE SUBMERGED is an online band inspired by a return to the alternative rock of the 1990s and
2000s.
Our live performances are completely free to attend—all you need to do is install VRChat. We
are constantly working on new music, so we hope you'll join one of our shows or check out our
songs on YouTube and streaming services.
Thank you for listening, and we hope to see you somewhere in the virtual world.