RYOJI SHINOMOTO

RYOJI SHINOMOTO plays:
guitar, vocals, shamisen, erhu, dragon flute, koto, taiko drums, orchestration

discography:

Napalm Records proudly welcomes guitar virtuoso Ryoji Shinomoto, the creative force behind Japan’s Samurai Metal pioneers RYUJIN, to its roster.
The signing marks a new chapter for the Hokkaido-born musician as he steps into the spotlight with his debut solo project, ‘Children of Bushido‘ – a powerful tribute to the late Alexi Laiho and his iconic band Children of Bodom.
Released digitally on what would have been Laiho’s 46th birthday, ‘Children of Bushido‘ is far more than a collection of covers – it’s a personal pilgrimage and a heartfelt homage.
For Shinomoto, who grew up under the northern skies of Hokkaido – a region with a climate strikingly similar to Laiho’s native Finland – Children of Bodom’s sound was more than an influence;
it was an awakening.
“I first heard Children of Bodom as a teenager,”
Shinomoto recalls.
“Alexi was teaching the intro to ‘Lake Bodom’ in a Japanese guitar magazine, and I practiced it like crazy. That moment changed everything for me.”
On ‘Children of Bushido‘, Shinomoto fuses Western melodic death metal with traditional Japanese instrumentation, merging two worlds that might seem distant but share a deep emotional intensity.
Shamisen, koto, and bamboo flutes intertwine with symphonic orchestrations and blazing guitar work, transforming Bodom’s fury into something unmistakably Japanese – fierce, elegant, and spiritual.
The lead single, a reimagined version of ‘Lake Bodom‘, captures that essence perfectly.
Shinomoto reshapes the classic with a storm of taiko drums, sweeping strings, and shimmering Japanese scales – even weaving a subtle nod to the folk song ‘Sakura‘ into the solo.
“I replaced some of the original scales with hirajoshi and other traditional Japanese modes,”
he explains.
“It’s still Bodom, but through the eyes of Samurai Metal.”
Tracks like ‘Downfall‘ and ‘Living Dead Beat‘ showcase Shinomoto’s ability to balance aggression and grace, channeling Laiho’s raw energy through a distinctly Eastern lens.
The result is a blazing, symphonic experience – thunderous, emotional, and deeply reverent.
“Alexi Laiho was a hero to so many of us,”
Shinomoto says.
“When he passed in 2020, it felt like the end of an era. But his music lives on – even here in Japan, far from Finland. ‘Children of Bushido’ is my way of saying thank you.”
‘Children of Bushido‘ is more than a tribute album – it’s a bold artistic statement.
It bridges continents and traditions, celebrating both the precision of Western metal and the spiritual weight of Japan’s musical heritage.
For Ryoji Shinomoto, it’s not just about honoring a legend – it’s about carrying his spirit forward, katana in hand, into a new era of Samurai Metal.