MAH / Vocals
SIN / Bass
SHOW-HATE / Guitar
GODRi / Drums
SiM (Silence iz Mine) conquered their native country with a volatile mix of nü-metal and postmodern hard rock injected with hardcore attitude. The self-described “Reggae PUNX from Japan” broke into the US rock scene with hard-charging singles, including the No. 1 smash “The Rumbling.” With the release of PLAYDEAD via UNFD, the alt-metal four-piece set their sights on the world. The band’s music conjures the melodic bombast and rhythmic punch of early 2000s heavy hitters like Korn, Linkin Park, and Deftones, with precision blasts of chunky metalcore and the renegade spirit of classic reggae, two-tone ska, and punk that’s supercharged generations of subculture. They’ve created six full-length studio albums, three mini-albums, and an EP since their formation in 2004. SiM wrote 2022’s “The Rumbling” for the massive anime Attack on Titan: The Final Season Part 2 and “The Rumbling” shot to No. 1 on Billboard’s Hot Hard Rock Songs. It quickly racked up over 110 million streams on Spotify, and the official music video crossed 47 million views on YouTube. They sold out the world-famous Nippon Budokan in 2015 and the 17,000-capacity Yokohama Arena in 2016. The same year, they made their US live debut at Knotfest Meets Ozzfest. “The Rumbling” also appears on PLAYDEAD, SiM’s sixth studio album, alongside “UNDER THE TREE,” the barnstorming “DO THE DANCE,” and “RED,” the theme song for the Netflix anime Kengan Ashura.
SiM began in Shonan, Kanagawa, Japan. Prior to the band’s formation, frontman MAH played in a high school group heavily inspired by Nirvana, Muse, Sublime, and punk. The reggae/punk vibe persisted as SiM took shape, while the band’s heavier side evolved toward more aggressive metal. SHOW-HATE joined the band on guitar in 2006, and SiM’s debut album, Silence iz Mine, followed two years later. In 2009, the current lineup was completed by SiN on bass and GODRi on drums.
A new orchestral version of “The Rumbling” appears on PLAYDEAD, SiM’s sixth studio album, alongside “UNDER THE TREE” (22 million streams on Spotify), the barnstorming “DO THE DANCE,” “KISS OF DEATH,” “Die Alone,” “Sad Song,” and “RED,” which is the theme song for the Netflix anime Kengan Ashura.
“The theme of the lyrics is ‘the meaninglessness of division,’” MAH says of “RED.” “We all have different cultures, speak different languages, have different physical attributes. But when you cut through the skin, what flows out is the same at the end of the day—bright red blood. The division is the very thing we despise the most. We want everyone to view us as their friends and family.”
That broadminded and welcoming attitude runs throughout everything for which SiM stands. As a teen, MAH felt inspired by the crossover combustion of The Clash, The Specials, and Rancid (particularly their seminal album Life Won’t Wait) and later bands like Linkin Park and Deftones. The goal is to translate and transform the spirit of that music for the next generation with a SiM twist.
“Even though we play reggae and hardcore, we don’t call ourselves a reggae or hardcore band,” MAH says. “I believe SiM’s music is heavy without being ‘too’ heavy. Everything is well balanced. And at the same time, we focus on making every song as catchy as possible, with not only the vocals but the guitars, too. We always think about striking the perfect balance, which helps make SiM unique.”
