Tenji Sa Reta

Official band picture of Tenji Sa Reta, from left to right Ando, Iodhann, Miko, Kumo and Aya.

Tenji Sa Reta (てんじ さ れた) is a rock band from Kyusigai, Sokoku. The band is a cultural project supported by the Kakuri community in the state of Mirei, consisting of active master students in music. During their short history, the band has been able to start an international career, partially because of the inclusion of the song "Helreich" in the popular TV-series MEPA-12X.

Even though the band has four core members, it is part of the band's set-up to include guest musicians and guest vocalists in order to create a wider variety in musical styles and instrumentation. Even though the band labels itself as punk rock, its musical style can be labelled more like hard rock or metal pop. Despite being a guitar rock band, they frequently use synthesizers and samplers to create their soundscapes. The band mainly uses the Kakuri language in their songs, which is a small minority language within Sokoku. In order to reach out to a wider audience, so called courtesy Bahaso is used in the lyrics as well. Curiously enough, the band's most successful song so far is a duet with a guest male vocalist completely in Stoldic.

History

The band formed in 7690, when vocalist Matsunoki Aya (b. 7665) and bass player Nagare Miko (b. 7667) were added to the existing Kakuri musical project. Miko joined a couple of months before Aya, already in 7689. Drummer Taki Ando (b. 7660) and guitarist Atarashi Kumo (b. 7670) were also members of the predecessor band Akai Ten.

After playing gigs mostly in local establishments in Kyusigai, the band gets a fluke opportunity to accompany a Sokokan delegation registering Exemplar Mirei at a Mellanhand Orkanan registry in Herrkulla, Vittmark. In total they perform at four concerts, ending the mini tour at the prestigious Musse i Parken festival in Månsta. It results in some media attention and CD sales, but also more attention domestically.

Back home, both released singles did not chart in the Sokokan sales Top 50, but they still get a chance to provide a song for the popular TV-series MEPA-12X. The bands does an all-or-nothing approach, producing a bombastic songs with sampled bass synths and double guitar, as well as lyrics completely in Stoldic. While the track was meant as an incognito contribution under a fake band name, the Kakuri leadership urges them to do it under their own name. The single version of the song "Helreich", released on the same day as when the episode aired, miraculously makes it into the Top 10. The track is also included on the internationally released compilation "Unsafe at any speed" in 15 countries and released as a single in Vittmark, where it reaches #2 in the sales charts.

"Helreich" controversy

It was only after the track peaked that it was revealed that the unlisted guest vocalist was no other than Sokokan MP Sven Tömse, who was the only person available at the Hotel Exemplar Mirei to deliver the spoken word parts in Stoldic with a fittingly dark bariton voice. This caused some controversy, since Tömse is not registered as a performing artist, which is an official requirement in Sokoku. While Tömse could not be prosecuted for this violation because of his parliamentary immunity, the band still was facing charges for the offence. However, Tömse stated that if he could not be fined for the violation, neither should anyone else be for a similar offence. The case was settled out of court by the Kakuri community inviting five Sokokan non-Kakuri vocalists for future guest apearances with the band.

Members

• Matsunoki Aya (vocals, second guitar)
• Atarashi Kumo (guitar)
• Nagare Miko (bass, backing vocals)
• Taki Ando (drums, keyboards, synthesizer, sampler, backing vocals)

The band's production manager Iodhann Åberg is sometimes seen as fifth band member, since his role in managing keyboards, second guitar, backing track and sound engineer is seen as pivotal for the band. He is even appearing on stage on many occasions. He is however a member of the Nubugaru community, so not a Kakuri, which means he is not allowed to contribute to the artistic concept or songwriting.

Even the stage sound engineer Ogawa Ryou and VJ Arakawa Rin are listed as support members due to their importance for the band's concept.

Beside that, the band even invites guest members for shorter or longer co-operations, like guitarist Yoritaka Hiromi, vocalists Motozawa Tsubasa, Ota Yuu, AKEBI and Hamamoto Rin and sound producers Iwayanagi Hajime and Iwasaki Takemi. More unexpected contributors or performers include the Mirei state MP's Satou Kotomi and Sven Tömse (the latter being guest vocalist on "Helreich") and Guso leader Murasaki Yu.

Discography

Cover art of the Vittmarker single of "Helreich" by Tenji Sa Reta

Singles

• "ぶれいこ" (Jiyūna tori)
• "もっと ひょじ!" (Jiyūna tori)
• "へルれいく" (Jiyūna tori)
• "Helreich (へルれいく)" (Skiv FF) - released only in Vittmark

EP's

• "st" (not on label) - 4 track CD sold only during a Vittmark tour with the first two single and their b-sides.

Album

• "じゆう の ため に たたかう" (Jiyūna tori) - 14/15 song album

Tracks on compilations

• "つき お こえて" on "Precious metals" (SSS) - Sokokan band sampler for export
• "わたしのじんせい お つかむ" on "Out with it" (Jiyūna tori)
• "へルれいく" on "MEPA-12X OST 3" (SiDa Records)
• "Helreich (へルれいく)" on "Unsafe at any speed" (15 different versions)