HMT welcomes "Bree Bree" to the Blog!
Writer's Introduction
Music is my passion. I've been a little rocker since the pre-school
days. I was raised on late 70's and early 80's metal and hard rock.
I've always had a slightly different taste in music than the other
"kids".
 |
| Mike "Bree Bree" Jacques |
During the mid to late 2000's I became very bored with
American music. It became stale and repetitive. I was bored and
desperately needed something new. I sifted through the internet, music blogs and youtube playlists.
I found Japanese metal! Now, I know music in Japan isn't anything new.
Any historian can tell you that. However, the metal scene has exploded
in Japan over the past decade. Here are some of my personal favorites
from each sub-genre.
Band- Maximum the Hormone
This band is always my first recommendation for people looking to get
into metal in general or a way to ease into Japanese music. They can be
compared to a band like System of a Down (and there are many Youtube videos that do so). A band that cites Red Hot Chili Peppers, The Ramones, Tool, and The Deftones as influences. Despite fusing every genre imaginable creating a mish-mash
that just shouldn't work, it makes the music fun to listen to and
allows non-metal fans to find a part of the music to latch on to. My
wife, in particular, is not a metal fan but has taken a liking to the
band, even going as far as learning the dance for one of their most
popular videos "Koi No Mega-Lover".
Songs
like "A.L.I.E.N." starts with blast beats and pig squeals,
transitioning into a funk rock, slap bass breakdown with tribal vocals
and ending the song with a Japanese Pop sing-along are things that sound
like they just shouldn't go together.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TdwT5JlH8gM
"What's
Up People?!" is more of a straight-forward rock-metal song and is a lot
more focused yet still has their distinct sound .
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EGL-sz1atnI&list=PLEEcU32DT70usxavcGcrTAEATPs-yuWNr
This
last one is a self-titled song? Can you do that? It encompasses so
many different sounds and genres, yet manages to be cohesive. Easily one
of my favorite songs from the band. They wisely chose it to close out
their latest record. I'll leave out most of the songs details for you to
enjoy on your own. Keep in mind the first minute and half or so are not
actually part of the song. I'm not even sure what's going on there.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f5uj-utlho4
Band- Inhale
Here
is a band that sounds like they came from Massachusetts about 12 years
ago. Formed in 2006 they've only been able to release one record.
"Heaven and Hell" was released in 2009. It's a solid metal-core record.
Unfortunately, since then, they've been searching for a new vocalist
since the original left shortly after the release of the record. They
are writing and releasing new material while still looking for a
vocalist.
"Heart Rejection" is a great
introduction to Inhale. It's the album opener and immediately gets your
attention with a blistering metal riff. With a catchy chorus and a
traditional metal breakdown and guitar solo it makes you feel like
you're hanging out at the New England Hardcore and Metal Fest.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D_pe5NOt3xM
"Dark
Days" is the only song they've released with a vocalist since their
record in 2009. It's a shame because I really enjoy the vocals on this
song. This track shows the musical growth of the band with some
keyboards in the background, some odd time signatures and better
structured guitar solos.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=22N1ZIZGtyQ
"Rise"
is latest song to be released, back in April 2015. A song with
constantly changing tempos and complex guitar passages, it really
showcases the true talent that the band has. It can stand on it's own a
great intrumental metal track but I can only imagine what a great vocalist could add to this track.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HvRm1qeFM5Q&spfreload=1
Here is a live video from 2016 with a vocalist but the audio is not great.
Band- Shatter Silence
A
great band that takes traditional melodic death metal and adds their
own sound to it. I immediately fell in love with this band.
"Our
Future Will Not Rot Forever" was my introduction to the band. The song
from their debut
album instantly grabs you with a bouncy guitar riff. That riff flows into a very ethereal chorus that caught me off guard the first time I heard it. I listened to the song multiple times in a row because it was so damn catchy. The closing guitar solo is surprisingly reserved despite the chaotic nature of the song's intro and the somewhat technical main riff.
album instantly grabs you with a bouncy guitar riff. That riff flows into a very ethereal chorus that caught me off guard the first time I heard it. I listened to the song multiple times in a row because it was so damn catchy. The closing guitar solo is surprisingly reserved despite the chaotic nature of the song's intro and the somewhat technical main riff.
After
listening to that song so many times, I managed to track down the
record and buy it. The album opener does not disappoint. "Opening of the
End" is an example of the band's sound that remains consistent
throughout the whole record. This time around though, the guitar solo is
not so reserved, the song structure is more straight-forward and the
chorus is catchier. It was evident that the band wanted to blow out your
stereo with this track.
The
band is still going strong, having released an album in late 2015.
Their sound remains unchanged which is something I don't have any issues
with. I still enjoy listening to them as much today as when I first
discovered this band for myself. Here is "A Courage of Convictions" from
their self-titled record.
...and
here is a full set from Osaka PIT FEST in 2015. They are incredibly
consistent and rarely make mistakes. During this set they alternate
between old and material without missing a beat.
Band- Death I Am
I'll close out the list with a rager.
Death I Am is a band that writes music that is both brutal yet
incredibly intricate at the same time. Exhibiting amazing talent while managing to still write songs that listenable. Is listenable even a word? The vocalist has amazing range with no assistance from any effects or post processing. He has even uploaded a video to his personal YouTube page to showcase his ridiculous vocal technique. For a band with only one guitarist (currently), one bass player and drums, they manage to have a HUGE sound.
"Subatomic Shower" is a song that gives me chills every time I listen to it. Very reminiscent of the tech-metal legend(s) Necrophagist, this song blends hard hitting riffage with nimble fingered leads and takes an unexpected turn into a jazz infused interlude.
"Entheogen" and "Moira" are a couple of songs with a little more groove but manage to sustain energy throughout the entire track.
"Calculating
Fate" is the latest single from their newest self-titled record.
Despite losing a guitarist before recording this record, they managed to
continue writing songs without losing substance.
Well,
there it is. My personal picks to introduce Japanese metal to people
looking for new music! I have many more if anyone is looking for even
more recommendations. I am constantly looking for new music. I am open
to writing new lists or getting input from the metal community so let's
keep it going!
\m/
ReplyDeleteKiller!
ReplyDeleteHave you heard Yellow Machinegun?
Not until today but I liked what I heard!
DeleteMr Bree Bree Seems to have quite a bit of knowledge in the Genre and particularly in the Japanese venue. His descriptions are meticulous and I would say helpful to those familiar with this music genre as well as those discovering it for the first time. His personal inflections ie: his wife willing to listen and in turn learning the dance added a humorous anecdote to his review. Well done and welcome.
ReplyDeleteThank you for your kind words. To know that people appreciate music as much as I do is inspiring.
Delete