MWAM fans, now it’s time for change again – a band in wolf masks, all thrashing guitars and bilingual battle cries, announces their return. And yet, fans of Japan’s Man with a Mission wouldn’t have it any other way. The Shibuya-born quintet – equal parts myth and mayhem – have just announced the Asia leg of their Howling Across the World tour, which sees them land in Bangkok this December.
If you were there in 2018, you remember. The sweat-drenched fervour at Nakarin Space. The way ‘Raise Your Flag’ made everyone in the room believe they were leading some stylish, rock-fuelled rebellion. That night, Man with a Mission played their first ever show in Thailand as part of the Chasing the Horizon tour. It’s been six years, and the pack is finally circling back.
This time, they’re headed to MCC Hall at The Mall Lifestore Bangkae on December 14. And they’re not coming alone. Singapore gets its turn at Capitol Theatre, while Zepp Kuala Lumpur is on the list too. Add to that another four stops – Guangzhou, Shanghai, Seoul and Taipei. For a band whose very existence feels like a fever dream – lore has it they’re hybrid super-creatures created by a mad scientist in the Antarctic – they’ve managed to carve out a surprisingly lucid discography.
Their sound is hard to pin down, mostly because they refuse to stay in one lane. One minute it’s alternative rock, the next it’s borderline nu-metal with synths and hooks that could soundtrack an action film. The lyrics slide between English and Japanese without asking permission, because that’s the point – no rules, just instinct. It’s this refusal to conform that’s kept them thrilling for over a decade.
Details for the Bangkok show – tickets, prices, release dates – remain under wraps for now. But they won’t stay hidden for long. Updates are coming, the countdown has begun, and in the meantime, consider this your official cue to start stalking Man with a Mission’s Instagram.