In an interview with EarthQuaker Devices, drone metal guitarist Wata spoke softly as she explained her extensive signal chain. The chain in question included a complex effect loop switching setup, a cavalcade of distortion and modulation pedals, a standalone Roland Space Echo tape delay unit, and a towering pair of Orange amplifier stacks. Wata, one third of the world-renowned metal band Boris, is one of modern guitar's premier players in no small part due to her mastery of noisemaking effect units. One has to assume, however, that with such an involved setup, that the doom metal guitarist, herself draped in all black with a matching Les Paul Custom, must see the silver lining in such a heavy and dower musical form.
The Origin Story
It would be no surprise to find out that Wata's influence reaches far and wide in the metal community. Such a globally-minded musical form brings her and Boris all over for the ravenous headbangers of the world. While it's true that Wata hails from Japan, the language she speaks with her Les Paul Custom, fuzz pedals, and Orange amps is universal. Her influence on metal guitar is apparent with Boris appearances in Los Angeles, Paris, Adelaide, Milan, and Barcelona, just to name a few, making for a globally-reaching metal community.
The Secret Sauce
In Wata's interview with EarthQuaker Devices, it’s clear that her love for analog effects and amplification runs deep. Highlighting the different stops in her signal chain from the modified fuzz circuits to the standalone Space Echo, it is clear that Wata's sound comes from a place of calculation but also spontaneity. Each piece clearly sits in a considered spot for building on an authentically massive and sprawling sonic profile. With a genre like experimental metal being your bread and butter, your setup will surely not have something for everyone, but for someone, it'll have everything.
Our Call
With Wata, we're treated to the joy of going all out. Even in such a dark and hazy genre like drone metal, the love for vintage gear and the life such gear can breathe into a skilled player is apparent. A worldwide doom metal community has to be onto something, you've gotta think!