Japanese epic metal project FIRST CONTACT, led by BLOOD STAIN CHILD guitarist and producer RYU, mark their first anniversary with new single ‘My Spirit Falls’, out now worldwide.

Built on a foundation of heavy metal and fused with the grand, epic soundscapes that have become FIRST CONTACT’s signature, moving between Celtic folk, cyber-trance and rock. ‘My Spirit Falls’ pushes the project forward with soaring melodies, intricate guitar work and a powerful bassline, while demonstrating the freedom at the heart of RYU’s vision for the project.

Since launching FIRST CONTACT, RYU has approached the project without the restrictions of a conventional band. Its line-up is fluid, with vocalists able to come and go depending on the needs and character of each song. ‘My Spirit Falls’ puts that concept firmly into action.

The track sees FIRST CONTACT vocalist TanTan joined by Sadew of BLOOD STAIN CHILD, but in an unexpected role. Rather than the ferocious screams for which he is best known, Sadew contributes clean vocals, revealing a completely different side to his voice and creating a striking contrast alongside TanTan.

Sawa of Aldious once again handles bass, with the song giving her plenty of opportunity to shine through a particularly prominent bass performance. RYU writes and performs the remaining instrumentation, including a highly technical guitar solo that sits at the heart of the track.

The release arrives one year into FIRST CONTACT’s journey and follows the project’s first anniversary ‘Galaxy Cruise’ mini-tour, which kicked off in Osaka.

RYU comments:

“This time, we’ve combined a straight-up metal track with FIRST CONTACT’s signature epic sound. The guitar solo is seriously technical, and there’s a killer bass showcase too. Please check it out!”