Rocker (feedbot)
Gold Member
If you’re reading this you’re unlikely to be Japanese. Hanabie are. This makes their new EP tricky to discuss. Most alternative, hardcore, metal, Punktastic music has its roots in American or European culture but they’re a band hailing from a different continent. They’re unusual in this context and you might not understand their words but music is a universal language; ‘Bucchigiri Tokyo’ is delightful.
Basically, Hanabie’s music is a mixture of alternative metal, pop music and a singing style you’re unlikely to hear from western artists. Their approach may seem unusual to some but if you’re a fan of BABYMETAL, Fake Island, or the recent records by Poppy or Bring Me The Horizon, you’ll find something to enjoy here.
Your experience is shaped by dominant cultural forces. What you’ve been exposed to shapes your understanding of a piece of work. To ears raised on western music Hanabie might sound odd but two things about the EP are certain. Firstly, it has solid production sound so it feels cohesive despite a playful approach to genre. Secondly, more importantly, it avoids sounding like a great big mess. This is a thoughtful EP, cleverly designed to guide you through its changing styles. The opening title track is driven by death growls and frantic double bass pedal assault while the clean vocals swing in for the choruses, making it feel familiar. With each subsequent track the songs become increasingly complex so ‘OTAKU Lovely Densetsu’ ditches the intensity for a more fluid blend of metal while ‘GAMBLER’ shifts the overall sound using an electronic palette. Finally, the journey culminates in ‘Ito Okashi My Type’, a fantastic mix of massive riffs and stunning vocal interplay (the actual closer, the fantastically named ‘Bonus Guilty Time’, is little more than a pleasant postscript).
What’s tricky about discussing Hanabie is trying not to ‘other’ them while emphasising how they deviate from what might be described as mainstream metal. The notable difference is the vocals, which mix singing, death-growls, rap-like flows and a high, almost childlike cry that isn’t common in many western styles. While Yukina is credited as lead vocalist, all four members contribute their voices, which gives the music its personality. By using fast and frantic changes in pitch and style they create a pop-up, videogame feel that’s both energetic and distinctive, heard clearly on the single ‘Metamorphose’.
Intriguingly, everything about the four-piece, from the colourful ‘manga’-styled art, to their eye-catching outfits feels inescapably curated. This is important because if you’re not Japanese speaker, you’re forced to judge them on vibes rather than lyrical themes. The EP certainly seems like a lot of fun and because that’s how the band present themselves in accompanying artworks, this doesn’t feel like a bad reading.
Music is about finding a connection, and ‘Bucchigiri Tokyo’ creates one. A joyful, energetic metal record that encourages you to go with the flow.
IAN KENWORTHY
Basically, Hanabie’s music is a mixture of alternative metal, pop music and a singing style you’re unlikely to hear from western artists. Their approach may seem unusual to some but if you’re a fan of BABYMETAL, Fake Island, or the recent records by Poppy or Bring Me The Horizon, you’ll find something to enjoy here.
Your experience is shaped by dominant cultural forces. What you’ve been exposed to shapes your understanding of a piece of work. To ears raised on western music Hanabie might sound odd but two things about the EP are certain. Firstly, it has solid production sound so it feels cohesive despite a playful approach to genre. Secondly, more importantly, it avoids sounding like a great big mess. This is a thoughtful EP, cleverly designed to guide you through its changing styles. The opening title track is driven by death growls and frantic double bass pedal assault while the clean vocals swing in for the choruses, making it feel familiar. With each subsequent track the songs become increasingly complex so ‘OTAKU Lovely Densetsu’ ditches the intensity for a more fluid blend of metal while ‘GAMBLER’ shifts the overall sound using an electronic palette. Finally, the journey culminates in ‘Ito Okashi My Type’, a fantastic mix of massive riffs and stunning vocal interplay (the actual closer, the fantastically named ‘Bonus Guilty Time’, is little more than a pleasant postscript).
What’s tricky about discussing Hanabie is trying not to ‘other’ them while emphasising how they deviate from what might be described as mainstream metal. The notable difference is the vocals, which mix singing, death-growls, rap-like flows and a high, almost childlike cry that isn’t common in many western styles. While Yukina is credited as lead vocalist, all four members contribute their voices, which gives the music its personality. By using fast and frantic changes in pitch and style they create a pop-up, videogame feel that’s both energetic and distinctive, heard clearly on the single ‘Metamorphose’.
Intriguingly, everything about the four-piece, from the colourful ‘manga’-styled art, to their eye-catching outfits feels inescapably curated. This is important because if you’re not Japanese speaker, you’re forced to judge them on vibes rather than lyrical themes. The EP certainly seems like a lot of fun and because that’s how the band present themselves in accompanying artworks, this doesn’t feel like a bad reading.
Music is about finding a connection, and ‘Bucchigiri Tokyo’ creates one. A joyful, energetic metal record that encourages you to go with the flow.
IAN KENWORTHY