Modena’s konoha 木ノ葉 return with “oceano / radica”, a two-track release that continues the band’s sharp, introspective approach to modern screamo and channels our beloved vibes of cinematic European skramz. Out July 28th, 2025, the release features songs that have long been part of their live set, now formally documented and available for streaming and download. The release is also paired with a mini-tour vlog from Turkey, tracing recent shows made possible by Mevzu Records.
Konoha (meaning “leaf” in Japanese) is a five-piece band from Modena, Italy. Originally formed around 2020, the project was forced into hiatus shortly after due to the pandemic. It wasn’t until 2023 that the band regrouped and fully restarted.
Their debut EP “Komorebi” arrived in September 2024, co-released through a network of labels including Non Ti Seguo Records, 1a0, Tapes4Profit, and international DIY allies such as We’re Trying Records, Friendly Otter DIY, Dancing Rabbit, Mevzu Records, Entes Anomicos, and Salto Mortale.
Musically, konoha plays a guitar-driven, emotionally intense brand of screamo that pulls from a wide spectrum of past and present influences. Their lyrics, sung in Italian, lean into themes of personal reflection, disillusionment, and the difficulty of finding meaning in a world where it’s increasingly hard to see oneself clearly.
Their aesthetic and lyrical motifs often reference Japanese culture and manga, tying into the band’s name and broader identity.
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On “oceano / radica”, they split the focus in two directions.
“Oceano” looks outward. The band describes the track as a meditation on environmental and societal breakdown: “Oceano is a track that aims to draw attention to the decaying world in which we live, both climatically and socially. Us, human beings, are the main character of this toxic environment, simultaneously victims and perpetrators of this seemingly endless vicious cycle.” They emphasize the role of awareness in breaking the loop: “Only through self-awareness we can prevent the inevitable descent into failure.” A melody played on the ocarina at the start of the song creates a brief moment of calm before the instrumentation tears back in.
“Radica” shifts inwards. “It’s a more personal song about the struggles and misunderstandings that may arise when interacting with people with different sensitivity and emotional upbringing.” The band mentions prejudice, superficiality, and emotional disconnection as key barriers to mutual understanding—and personal growth. “Through these lyrics we wanted to highlight the fact that the work we can do to improve ourselves should never be considered complete.”
The songs were recorded with Luca Bonfiglioli handling instruments and pre-mixing at Associazione Ekidna, while vocals were tracked by Federico Ascari in Carpi. Final mix and master were done by Mario Rizzotto of Pioggiadanza Produzioni.
Since their return to activity, konoha have shared the stage with bands like Viva Belgrado, Gillian Carter, Raein, and Alas. After the release of “oceano / radica”, they’ll head out for a run of shows in Germany and France alongside Soastasphrenas, including a slot at the first edition of Was Bleibt, a new screamo-focused festival in Karlsruhe.
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The band is also working on a four-way split, though details remain under wraps: “At the moment we can’t add anything else except that we are honored to be part of this project and we can’t wait for it to come out.”
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