\n1. For those just discovering THE SUBMERGED, how would you describe your sound and the
\nmusical journey that brought the band together?
\nTHE SUBMERGED is fundamentally rooted in a sense of nostalgia for, and a return to, the
\nalternative rock of the 1990s and 2000s. The band came together in the unique atmosphere of
\nthe online music scene, where almost anything is accepted and encouraged. By blending each
\nmember's different musical backgrounds, we eventually arrived at the sound that defines THE
\nSUBMERGED today.
\n2. The band originated from songs that Ozzwald had written during his student years. What
\ninspired those early compositions, and how have they evolved into what we hear today?
\nStrictly speaking, I was no longer a student when I wrote the songs that became the foundation
\nof the band. I had graduated from university, but I had failed the national medical licensing
\nexamination and found myself facing another year of studying. It was an uncertain period in my
\nlife, and I had no clear idea what the future would hold.
\nAt the time, my only real hobbies were playing Splatoon and writing music. Occasionally, I would
\nborrow the club room from my old university and record guitar parts there. I was also busy
\nworking part-time to support myself, and my previous band activities had come to a halt, so I
\nwasn't really writing complete songs\u2014just sketching out ideas.
\nI was particularly fascinated by alternate guitar tunings back then and experimented with extreme
\ntunings such as ABG#BBE. The fact that two B notes rang simultaneously created a unique,
\nchorus-like effect, and the chords I discovered through those tunings inspired me to write more
\nalternative-sounding music.
\nI no longer use those tunings because they put too much strain on the guitar. Nowadays, I
\nrecreate those chord voicings in standard tuning instead. However, I think my desire at the time
\nto discover something new has had a profound influence on the sound of THE SUBMERGED
\ntoday.
\n3. THE SUBMERGED was formed through VRChat connections. How unique has that
\nexperience been compared to traditional bands that meet in person?
\nOne of the most unique aspects of our band is that we have never needed to meet face-to-face
\nin the real world for rehearsals or performances.
\nOur guitarist\/vocalist and lead guitarist live in Hokkaido, while our bassist and drummer live in
\nTokyo. The straight-line distance between Hokkaido and Tokyo is roughly 830 kilometers (515
\nmiles), which is almost the same as the distance between San Francisco and Portland in the
\nUnited States.
\nBecause of this, we rehearse and perform our sessions using Yamaha's low-latency software
\ncalled SYNCROOM. The fact that we can play together in real time despite living so far apart is
\nremarkable, and we're very grateful for Yamaha's technological innovations.
\n4. Ryoyu was managing a virtual bar, Rise Seri had experience creating 3D guitar models, and
\nFlare Scarlet shared similar musical tastes. How did those individual connections become a
\nfunctioning band?
\nTo begin with, everyone was already my friend on VRChat, although some of the members knew
\neach other and some did not. So our first step was simply spending time together\u2014chatting in
\nVRChat and holding demo sessions through SYNCROOM to get to know one another better.
\nSince everyone was already a highly skilled musician, this process progressed surprisingly
\nquickly.
\nOne interesting story is that every member eventually started using 3D instrument models
\ncreated by Rise Serie. His modeling work is exceptionally high quality. In my case, I own a rather
\nunusual guitar\u2014a blue Yamaha SG-1000\u2014so I commissioned him to create a custom 3D model
\nof it for me.
\n5. Was there an instant chemistry between the four of you, or did it take time to develop your
\ncreative process?
\nAs I'll explain later, our songwriting process generally involves the members freely interpreting
\nthe demo tracks that I create. Even during our very first session, I felt a strong sense of chemistry
\nbetween us.
\nIn particular, our lead guitarist often brings ideas that are completely beyond my own musical
\nimagination. For example, the intro riff of "May Girl" was an incredible addition that elevated the
\nquality of the song tremendously.
\n6. Alternative music can mean many things. Which artists or genres have influenced THE<\/p>\n
SUBMERGED the most?
\nWe have been strongly influenced by Japanese alternative rock bands. Some of our biggest
\ninspirations include Luminous Orange, NUMBER GIRL, eastern youth, and Coaltar of the
\nDeepers, whose song also inspired our own band name.
\n7. How does songwriting typically work within the band? Does one member bring ideas to the
\ntable, or is it a collaborative effort?
\nOur songwriting process usually begins with me creating a demo track and uploading it to
\nSoundCloud. To be honest, the demos are far from polished. The drums and bass are simple
\nprogrammed loops, and the lead guitar part is usually almost completely blank.
\nFrom there, each member takes the initiative to develop and refine their own parts before our
\nrehearsal day. Since I never know what kind of arrangements everyone will come up with, I
\nalways wait for rehearsals with a sense of excitement.
\nI rarely give detailed instructions regarding their arrangements. If there's a critical mistake, I
\nmight ask for a revision, but otherwise I trust each member's creativity and autonomy. I believe in
\nthe phrases they bring to the table and then shape everything together into a finished song.
\n8. What are each of your musical backgrounds, and what unique qualities does everyone bring
\nto the group?
\nOzzwald: Yellow Magic Orchestra, Sinkouhoukoubetu-Tuukoukubun, Quruli, Luminous Orange
\nRyoyu: Rush, Muse, Pink Floyd
\nRise Seri: Ohayougozaimasu (Utsu-P), 9mm Parabellum Bullet, TECHNOBOYS, PULCRAFT,
\nGREEN-FUND, loud rock, technopop, and metalcore
\nFlare Scarlett: NUMBER GIRL, the Zankyo Records scene, emotional hardcore bands from
\nHokkaido, and the post-punk music connected to those influences.
\nBecause our tastes are spread across a wide range of genres, one of our strengths is that our
\nsongs can wear many different musical "skins" while still sounding like THE SUBMERGED.
\n9. Being a virtual band, what advantages and challenges come with performing and creating
\nmusic in VRChat?
\nOne of the biggest advantages is that all of our activities\u2014rehearsals, songwriting, and
\nperformances\u2014can be done entirely from home.
\nFor a traditional band, rehearsals usually mean leaving the house, carrying heavy instruments,
\nand heading to a studio. There are transportation costs, studio fees, and perhaps even the cost
\nof drinks after practice. Live performances can be even more expensive.
\nI don't know how things work outside Japan, but Japanese live houses often require bands to sell
\na certain number of advance tickets before they can perform. Bands are expected to promote the
\nshow and guarantee an audience. And, of course, there is usually an after-party afterward.
\nVirtual bands don't have any of those expenses. We can simply relax at home with a cup of
\ncoffee or a beer in hand while rehearsing or performing.
\nThe biggest challenge is probably nonverbal communication during performances. In a traditional
\nband, you can communicate with eye contact or subtle gestures to signal transitions or cues.
\nThat's much harder to do in VR.
\nThere are full-body tracking devices that allow avatars to express body movements more
\nnaturally, and they can certainly help. However, wearing a lot of extra equipment while
\nperforming can also become a distraction in itself.
\n10. You've organized the live event "Night of Halley's Comet" three times. How did that event
\ncome about, and what does it mean to THE SUBMERGED?
\nAs of the time of writing this interview (June 25, 2026), "Night of Halley's Comet" has actually
\nbeen held five times already. We hold it roughly once every two months, although not on a strict
\nschedule.
\nWhen we had just formed the band, we didn't really know of any live-house events that would
\ninvite us to perform, so we decided that the easiest solution was simply to create our own event.
\nWe knew that performing alone would not attract many people, so we decided to invite two or
\nthree guest artists every time.
\nIf I remember correctly, the first event took place in July 2025. Archives of every event except the
\nfourth one\u2014which unfortunately we forgot to record\u2014can still be viewed on The Submerged's
\nYouTube channel.
\nHalley's Comet approaches Earth once every seventy-five years. In other words, it's a celestial
\nevent that appears only after you've almost forgotten about it.<\/p>\n
That idea suits our band perfectly. All of our members have full-time jobs, and it's difficult to make
\ntime for live performances. Other VRChat bands are much more active and can hold shows
\nevery two weeks or every month, but that's simply impossible for us.
\nSo "Night of Halley's Comet" has become a precious place that we gather whenever our
\nschedules align\u2014just like the comet itself, something rare that eventually returns.
\n11. What has been the most memorable moment from those performances?
\nI think the most memorable moment was our very first show. We were worried about whether the
\naudience would enjoy it, but we were welcomed by far more people than we had expected. That
\nwas a very important moment for us and made us feel that forming the band had been worth it.
\n12. How important is visual presentation and virtual world-building to your artistic identity?
\nTo be honest, I don't think it is particularly important to our identity.
\nMany artists in VRChat place great emphasis on creating visual experiences that are unique to
\nVR. Some bands carefully design particle effects and the atmosphere of the worlds they perform
\nin, turning their live shows into a form of total art. I've even heard fans say things like, "I don't
\nwant to listen to their music on Apple Music or Spotify because the songs are inseparable from
\nthe live experience." That really speaks to the high quality of those performances as complete
\nartistic experiences.
\nFor us, however, the main reason we perform in VRChat is simply convenience, for all the
\nreasons I mentioned earlier. If all of our members happened to live in Tokyo, I think we would
\nprobably be performing in real-world venues instead.
\nThat said, since we are performing in VRChat, we still try to make our shows look convincing. We
\nuse motion capture so that it appears as though we are genuinely playing our instruments, and
\nwe carefully arrange our virtual amplifiers and stage setup. We do put effort into making our
\nperformances feel like a real live band experience.
\n13. For fans who may be unfamiliar with the Japanese VR music scene, what makes it such a
\nvibrant and exciting community?
\nOne of the biggest attractions of the VR music scene is its convenience. Because of that, live
\nevents can be held very frequently\u2014there are performances almost every week.
\nThere is also a world called "Shinjuku Live Street," modeled after Tokyo's Shinjuku Station,
\nwhere impromptu live performances are held almost every night.
\nNearly all of these events are completely free to attend. Some artists have recently begun
\nexperimenting with paid performances, but in general, anyone can enjoy these shows free of
\ncharge.
\nMost virtual live houses have a capacity of around eighty people, and there are often long lines of
\npeople waiting to get in.
\nOne major challenge is that most VRChat users either don't know that the VR music scene exists
\nor simply have no interest in it. The number of users who are genuinely interested in music is
\nrelatively small\u2014my impression is that there may only be two or three hundred active fans.
\nEven so, thanks to the efforts of many bands and artists, new people are gradually becoming
\ninterested in the scene, and I have high hopes for its future.
\n14. Has technology expanded the possibilities for collaboration and creativity in ways that
\ntraditional bands might not experience?
\nAbsolutely.
\nThe fact that we are able to perform alongside bands that could only exist online, just like
\nourselves, feels almost miraculous. Technology has made collaborations possible that simply
\nwould not have happened in the traditional music world.
\n15. What themes or emotions do you hope listeners take away from your music?
\nTo be honest, we don't intentionally try to put a specific emotional message into our music.
\nMore than anything, we hope listeners simply enjoy the feeling of the sessions themselves\u2014the
\nrhythm, the interplay between the instruments, and the colors of the chords.
\n16. Are there any songs in your catalog that hold special meaning for the band?
\n"May Girl" holds a special place for us because it was the first song for which we created a music
\nvideo. The song has no lyrics and no specific message. Instead, it perfectly represents our desire
\nfor listeners to simply enjoy the chords and the atmosphere of the music itself. In that sense, I
\nthink it is an ideal expression of what THE SUBMERGED is all about.
\n17. How do you balance the virtual aspect of THE SUBMERGED with the emotional authenticity
\nthat fans connect with?<\/p>\n
I believe that fans are able to feel genuine emotional authenticity in virtual concerts because so
\nmany artists before us have worked hard to make virtual live performances feel as real and
\nmeaningful as traditional ones.
\nBecause of their efforts, virtual concerts have gained legitimacy and emotional weight. As a
\nband, we want to continue contributing to that by putting on high-quality performances and
\nmaking our live shows feel even more real and immersive.
\n18. What has surprised you most about the response you've received from listeners around the
\nworld?
\nSo far, we haven't really received much direct feedback from listeners overseas, so my answer is
\nactually about our Japanese audience.
\nOne of the happiest moments for me was hearing that someone had bought our album and was
\nlistening to it on a portable music player. Knowing that our music had become part of someone's
\ndaily life was incredibly meaningful.
\n19. Are there plans for new music, albums, or future installments of "Night of Halley's Comet"?
\nOn August 15, we will be holding "Night of Halley's Comet International," a special edition of our
\nevent designed to welcome American audiences by taking place at a time that corresponds to
\nFriday night in the United States.
\nSeveral outstanding Japanese bands will perform, and the American band Seen IT will headline
\nthe event.
\nWe also have plans to perform at Tachikawa BABEL, a live house in Tokyo, on September 21,
\nwhere we will be sharing the stage with bands that primarily perform in the real world.
\nWe intend to continue releasing new songs alongside our live activities. We are currently
\nplanning our second album and hope to release it sometime between March and May of 2027.
\n20. Looking ahead, what are the biggest goals and dreams for THE SUBMERGED?
\nOur immediate goal is to reach a point where we can receive support from an outside producer
\nor a major label.
\nAs an online band, we often feel the burden of having to handle our own promotion despite not
\nnecessarily having the expertise to do it well. Being recognized as a band that has commercial
\npotential and is worthy of professional promotion would itself be a major achievement for us.
\nBeyond that, we don't currently have any grand ambitions or dreams. In a sense, our biggest
\ngoal is simply to continue creating music and to find people who believe in what we're doing.
\nSo, if anyone would like to support THE SUBMERGED, we're always open to new opportunities
\nand collaborations.
\nFun Questions
\n21. If each member had to describe THE SUBMERGED in three words, what would they be?
\nOzzwald: Glare, Chord-Driven, Alternative
\nRyoyu: Loud, '90s, Sub Pop
\nRise Serie: Impulse, Rebellion, Noise
\nFlare Scarlett: Britpop, Introverted, Independent
\n22. If you could collaborate with any artist, living or dead, who would it be and why?
\nI would love to collaborate with Akiko Yano. Just imagining her free-spirited piano playing and
\ndistinctive vocals becoming part of one of our sessions is incredibly exciting.
\n23. What's the funniest thing that's happened during a VRChat rehearsal or performance?
\nNothing particularly funny comes to mind, unfortunately. We tend to take rehearsals and
\nperformances surprisingly seriously.
\n24. Which song best represents THE SUBMERGED to someone hearing you for the first time?
\nI think "May Girl" is the easiest entry point into our music and the song that best represents the
\nspirit of THE SUBMERGED.
\n25. Finally, what message would you like to send to fans and newcomers who are just diving
\ninto THE SUBMERGED?
\nTHE SUBMERGED is an online band inspired by a return to the alternative rock of the 1990s and
\n2000s.
\nOur live performances are completely free to attend\u2014all you need to do is install VRChat. We
\nare constantly working on new music, so we hope you'll join one of our shows or check out our
\nsongs on YouTube and streaming services.
\nThank you for listening, and we hope to see you somewhere in the virtual world.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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