Trivium singer and guitarist Matthew Kiichi Heafy is delighting fans today by releasing the first single from his long-awaited and much-anticipated IBARAKI project.

IBARAKI were recently selected as one of the most anticipated releases of 2022 by Revolver.

IBARAKI — the name for a terrifying Japanese demon taken from feudal legend — is the end-result of Kiichi's continued journey to find his voice. It's personal, it's deep, and its inspirations include everything from an adoration for the extremes of black metal and beyond.

It was Kiichi's exposure to Ihsahn's (of Emperor fame) solo work that would inspire the gradual craftsmanship that would eventually become IBARAKI. It was also the beginning of a friendship and creative collaboration that would eventually compel Ihsahn to take a leap of his own into a newfound role as producer on the project. While much of the material for IBARAKI was assembled over months and years — as much a songwriting process as an exchange of ideas between friends — it wasn't until the pandemic that the space was created and the idea could really flourish.