Japanese "dramatic speed metal band" MINSTRELIX, featuring American female vocalist Lola, have confirmed two live dates for Japan. They are as follows:

December

13 - Crescendo - Tokyo
19 - Nishikujo Brandnew - Osaka

According to Lola, who contacted BW&BK; with the update, another show is in planning for January in Kawasaki, Japan, but details are still being sorted out.

As previously reported, MinstreliX released their new mini-album, Reflections, in Japan via Black Listed Records back in March 2009. BW&BK; recently caught up with Lola, an excerpt from the interview is available below.

“I know that I make the band stand out mostly because of my looks,” she says. “I’m more worried that people from outside of Japan will criticise me, saying something like its not real Japanese metal because I’m not Japanese. But, that would be very silly; there are bands from all over the world that have folks from other countries joining them. Kamelot, for example, they’re American and their vocalist Roy Khan is Norwegian. Why is it so strange for me to do the same? I just happen to live here and wanted to sing. It’s not like they imported me from the States just so I could sing with them nor was my purpose in coming here to join a band. I’m just doing what I love doing. So far, I’ve had nothing but positive feedback from within Japan and abroad, but you never know what people are actually thinking.”
“I think what I like most about Japanese culture is the way that everything is done properly,” Lola says of living in Japan. “I find when I go home to visit that there are so many things that are done half-assed. People’s way of thinking here is that if it’s not done perfectly and correctly it’s not worth doing, or keep doing it until it’s perfect. I feel the American way of thinking is ‘Hey, it’s good enough!’ I can’t say that this has influenced my lyrics or performance, but it has inspired me to better perfect my singing. I have to admit, if I had joined a band in the States I don’t think my singing and performance would have improved as much as it has singing here. I’m not a natural perfectionist so it has been very difficult for me to adapt to the strict social rules. Everyone looks and acts so proper here, perfectly arranged fashion and hairstyles, politeness, formality. I’m still rough around the edges, but I have done away with a good deal of my random tendencies.”

Go to this location for the complete story. Click here for Reflections audio samples.