How else do you start an album than with an Attack on Titan quote? With their opening track “The World is a Cruel Place… And It Is Also Very Beautiful” Europe’s Ankor proves that there is no better way. With brutal breakdowns, intricate storytelling, and catchy choruses, the band’s exciting rise has seen them take the metalcore world by storm, culminating with the release of their Shoganai mini-album in 2024. I got to chat with vocalist Jessie Williams and guitarist David Romeu about how anime permeates into their music, remixing some of their newer songs, creating their own story world, and of course their love of Attack on Titan . Can you tell me a little about your anime journey? How it started and where you are now? Are there genres you gravitate toward? What is your favorite anime series or movie of all time? Jessie : There was a big TV channel where we’re from that used to show anime all day, so we were very lucky to be able to watch it since we were kids. Anime has always been very important to us. I can’t choose one genre as I enjoy many, but I love dark, horror and mystery anime and manga. My favourite anime series of all time has to be Naruto and my favorite movie is Spirited Away . David : The first memory of my life is me sitting on a kids chair in the kitchen of my parents’ house watching the first episode of Dragon Ball Z . Watching Son Gohan running away from a saber-toothed tiger had an immense impact on me. I am who I am in a big way thanks to Son Goku and his friends. So, Dragon Ball is without a doubt, the anime of my life. Although, I think Attack on Titan is the best anime ever created, followed very closely by Naruto and Naruto Shippuden . RELATED: Baths' Will Wiesenfeld: My Life And Music Would Be Nothing Without Boys' Love Art Did you get into music around the same time as you got into anime? Were they separate interests for you or does one inform the other? Jessie : They definitely go hand in hand. I’ve always loved openings and endings and I think they’ve had a big influence in our music, whether directly or indirectly. David : I started learning the openings and endings of my favorite anime when I was 12 or 13. At first it was just with an old keyboard and trying to learn and sing the lyrics in Japanese. Then, when I was 15, I grabbed an electric guitar and never looked back. So music and anime were strictly united for me. Tell us a bit about this new EP and remixes! Jessie : It has been quite a journey! We released the first song (or chapter, as we’ve called them) from the mini album in December 2022. We just released the last one, almost two years later. We’ve put our hearts and souls into each song and video, creating a meaningful story and connecting with our audience. I would say it’s our most special album up to now. David : We tried to express seven different states of mind that happen during a process of loss or grief, using a story where Jessie is the main character. We wrote, recorded, directed and edited all the seven music videos ourselves. It was a very difficult process, as we also recorded and produced our music, but this allowed us to be 100 percent ourselves and have total freedom to express what we wanted, and we got a very close connection with the audience. I think that’s the main reason for the growth of the band these last months. Our fans and the audience in general were touched by the story and lyrics because they felt them very intensely. What do you think it is about your style of music, and heavy music in general, that draws anime fans to it? Jessie : As I said earlier, openings have had a big influence in the music we make, so I think other anime fans recognise that too! We’ve had fans use some of our choruses in AMVs that they’ve made, and I have to say, it was the coolest thing ever. RELATED: Anxious: Cowboy Bebop is Infused in the DNA of Bambi Who are some of your musical inspirations? Have you learned or been inspired by any anime openings, endings, or OSTs? Do you find your interest in anime influences your approach to songwriting or lyrics at all? Jessie : Many anime OSTs have inspired me, like Attack on Titan , Naruto , Tokyo Revengers , Nana , Your lie in April .… and I can say the same about their stories. Anime definitely imparts valuable life lessons. We see characters overcoming obstacles, wanting to be better every day, showing us the importance of friendship, honesty and perseverance. So it’s a huge yes, big influence. David : Yes, everyone in the band has really big influences from anime and J-Rock in general. We try to mix our metal music with those elements, also with electronic and more modern sounds, but to be honest we don’t even think about it while we write music. We’ve been listening to this our entire life, so it’s a part of us! If any of your songs could be used in an anime, which song would you want and what type of show would it be? If any character from any anime or manga you’ve watched/read could join Ankor, who would you like it to be and what would they do in the band? Jessie : This is a tough question because I think most of our songs would be perfect for an opening, but maybe the chorus in “Darkbeat” would be a great one, as it’s a song that speaks about perseverance. And the chorus of our latest song, “Shoganai” would be great too! If I had to choose a character to join Ankor… I think it would be Nana Osaki, from Nana , to sing with me. David : I would love to have Naruto in our band, we would never stop rehearsing and improving our skills! Have you encountered many other anime fans in other bands? Do you think there was anything unique about the European experience of getting into anime? Have you felt that in interactions with other anime fans at all? Jessie : I think there are loads of anime fans in the metal industry. A lot of people from our generation have also grown up watching it and reading manga. We have many anime tattoos, so talking about them is always a great way to break the ice with new bands and fans we meet! RELATED: Lacuna Coil's Cristina Scabbia: It's Natural For Anime and Metal to Go Together Is there anything you’d like to plug or say to the Crunchyroll audience out there who may not be familiar with your music? Jessie : Of course! If you’re into anime and anime OSTs I believe you’ll find that connection in our songs, and if you’d like to recommend us something to watch, please do! Thank you for reading us <3
