HEAVY MUSIC HISTORY: Babymetal – BABYMETAL

LIMP BIZKIT. BRING ME THE HORIZON. SLEEP TOKEN. All the above have something in common – at various points in time, they’ve divided the world of rock and metal in two. For some, they’ve been the breath of fresh air the genres needed; for others, the worst thing that could have ever happened. However, perhaps no other act embodies this Marmite reaction more than three diminutive females from Tokyo, who brought out their debut album ten years ago this month. Prepare your dance moves and hail the Fox God – this is the story of the origin and self-titled record of BABYMETAL.



The genesis of BABYMETAL begins with Key Kobayashi, better known as Kobametal and his work with Amuse Inc, an artist management service heavily involved with the hugely popular, Japanese ‘idol’ scene, where entertainers are marketed for their image, attractiveness and personality. Specific to this was the Amuse Inc-founded group SAKURA GAKUIN, boasting ten to twelve members between the ages of 10 and 15. Themed around school life and club activities, one of the group’s splinter groups, or ‘sub units’ was the Kobayashi-produced and promoted Heavy Music Club comprising Suzuka Nakamoto, Yui Mizuno and Moa Kikuchi. In February of 2011, it was announced the trio would perform under the name BABYMETAL from there on, so called to denote the birth of a new kind of metal.

BABYMETAL’s first releases were on albums associated with SAKURA GAKUIN, but would go on to be featured on their debut album, like the colourful, bouncy Doki Doki Morning and the frantic thunder of Headbangeeeeerrrrr!!!!!. In 2013, Nakamoto (the oldest of the three by a year), graduated from junior high school and, by extension, had to leave the SAKURA GAKUIN group. In a move uncommon for the idol scene, BABYMETAL’s management decided that the trio would stay together and continue making music, without looking for a replacement to fill Nakamoto’s position.


The band’s next single, Megitsune, would see the touchpaper truly lit. Released on June 19, 2013, it was a viral success, with metal fans split perfectly down the middle on whether this was an utter triumph of originality or the genre reaching its absolute nadir. Most of the criticism was aimed at the vocals of the three girls, by now fully christened as Su-metal, Yuimetal and Moametal – the saccharine, squeaky pitch was as far removed from the gutturals of, say, DYING FETUS as could be humanly conceived and, as people began to delve into the group’s background and found out about their idol scene roots, comments about the manufactured image of BABYMETAL and whether or not they were little more than an industry plant began to rise.

If the vocals didn’t put people off, the elaborate backstory did: a deity only known as ‘The Fox God’ was on a campaign to bring the globe together, united through a new type of metal and had chosen the three girls to spread its gospel. Few were complaining about the musical element, though – a relentless barrage of speed metal riffs and drums, it was further proof of Japan’s ability to produce some of the best technical musicians in the world.

The album Babymetal came out on February 26th, 2014 and was received positively both in Japan and internationally. Rolling Stone Japan praised it for being “filled with elements of quality, heaviness, humour and cuteness”, Kerrang! said it was “utterly brilliant” and Metal Obsession commented that “it has made metal cute without losing any of its edge”. It also performed well commercially, topping the iTunes metal charts in the USA, Canada and the UK and even cracking the Billboard 200 a month after release.

If Megitsune was the touch paper, Gimme Chocolate!! was the explosion. Although never a single, a video for the song was released on the same day as the album and, as of writing, has over 180 million Youtube hits alone. Its mix of thrash and pop meant it became the first song to be labelled ‘kawaii metal’ or ‘cute metal’, a peculiar title given the lyrics talked about women and girls who loved chocolate but were afraid to put on weight. Nevertheless, its stratospheric reach meant BABYMETAL were being talked about across the globe; in Japan, they celebrated their success by putting on two shows at the world-renowned Nippon Budokan, becoming the youngest ever female act to perform there with an average age of just 14.6 years.

The summer of 2014 saw BABYMETAL play their first shows outside of Asia. Booked to make their UK debut at the last ever Sonisphere Festival, they were bumped up from the smaller, Bohemian tent to the main Apollo stage due to their demand; two nights later, they headlined London’s Kentish Town Forum, again upgraded from Camden’s Electric Ballroom. By the time November rolled around, they filled the legendary Hammerstein Ballroom in New York and, four nights later, headlined a sold out Brixton Academy; within 18 months of that, they performed at Wembley Arena and broke the record for the most merch sold at the venue in a single night.

These days, the novelty and success of BABYMETAL has certainly plateaued off, but their first few years were the definition of lightning in a bottle. Rarely has a band risen so meteorically through the ranks so soon after a debut record and, whether those at the time thought it for the better or worse, nobody can deny it was memorable.



Babymetal was originally released on February 26th, 2014 via BMD Fox Records/earMUSIC.

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ALTERNATIVEFEATURESINTRODUCINGNU-METAL

So few bands have the strength of sound to carry the allure of enigma. Shrouded in mystery, GAUZE IS dropped their debut album Colors of Revenge on Christmas Day – a multifaceted gift of melancholy synths and bombastic aggression. With no knowing who they are, or where they’re even based, we caught up with them about their bold first steps into the scene.



Firstly, we couldn’t help but ask, just who are they? “GAUZE IS is whoever or whatever you want us to be,” they reply. “However, the shapes that comprise this project currently go by the names The Swan, The Scorpion, and The Frame. The idea of GAUZE IS has been in the making for the better part of five years now but wasn’t truly born till the pandemic started.”

The record has a mature and established feel, making it feels less like a debut and more like a fluid, confident array of songs from a band that’s well established. “You have your entire life to write your first record,” they point out, “and now that ours has finally been given to the world we couldn’t be more proud. Personally, it’s one of the biggest accomplishments of my life.”

There’s a plethora of sounds ranging from DEFTONES to NINE INCH NAILS. there’s a brooding that interlaces with GAUZE IS’ menacing edge. “To list all the bands and artists that have influenced this project would be an endeavour in itself,” they ponder. “Granted, there are a few bands that when listening to some of the songs on this record you can definitely see where we drew inspiration from. We all have fairly similar taste in music with a few one offs for each of us that we bring to the table when writing. Some deeper lore about us is that we have been doing this [playing music together] far before GAUZE IS was ever a thought. So we really have focused in on each other’s writing styles.”


A record of bitterness, sorrow and rage, it’s beautifully morose at times while at others much more assertive. This weaving of narratives throughout the record was a murky discovery experience. “I knew that there was going to be a general idea behind what Colors Of Revenge was going to be but couldn’t see what the full picture was,” they recall. “The record would then get twisted and turned in ways I wouldn’t have thought about without some new sound being created with all the electronic stuff we used or a guitar riff being run through a multitude of pedals or a lyric that I had written years ago that didn’t have a place then but found its home on Colors Of Revenge and would end up helping push the idea further.”

The writing process with a birthing of struggles, the songs being as unconventional, and unruly, as their creators. “Honestly, I don’t think there was a way of knowing if the songs had the balance needed to sign off on it. Many nights were spent staying up beating my head against the wall trying to figure out if the song could make it out of production hell and actually be good enough to release. Luckily, I have these two to fall back on and get an honest opinion from. Then when it got to a point of ‘okay, this is the best we can do at this juncture’, I would feel comfortable enough to work with our producer who would then help the songs be realized to its fullest potential.”

On the flipside, once the songs were tamed and the three piece has the basis for what the songs could form, the experimentation was rewarding. “That was my favourite part about this record and trying to figure out what would work. I spent what feels like the entire time working on this record trying to find the right ‘sound’ for each song and then just continuing to build off one sound after another. The songs went through so many adaptations before they reached the point they are at now, from just experimenting with different synths and effects.”

The resulting record is a bold and expressive first release, one that GAUZE IS can be satisfied with, that their blooming fanbase has gobbled up. The hunger for this record feels like big things are on the horizon. “I’m proud of all the work done for Colors Of Revenge. Each song has something on it that I can look at and think to myself ‘I can’t believe we figured out how to make that work. Are we really going to get away with this?’. Lyrically speaking though, Wounds Will Heal is probably the one that is the most important to me. We are hoping that here in the coming months the record will be played to a live audience. I’m dying to play shows again.”

Colors Of Revenge is out now via self-release.

Like GAUZE IS on Instagram

Ryujin: Samurai Metal

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Ryujin: Samurai Metal


“It’s the Samurai metal sound!” Ryoji Shinomoto says with a laugh. This is perhaps the best and most succinct way to describe the enticing sound of RYUJIN. With a debut album now out in the wide world, people can now get stuck into this exciting power metal band expertly blending in traditional Japanese soundscapes. However, there’s more to learn about the quartet.



Beginning their musical journey under the name GYZE, RYUJIN are a bit of a reinvention of themselves. It can sometimes be tricky for a band to change their name and presence; Ryoji explains the very simple catalyst for the change. “Well, I am proud of GYZE’s activities. I’m proud of what GYZE does, but it seems to be hard to pronounce and I’ve always been told (it sounds like) ‘guys’. Matthew (Heafy) also didn’t understand how to pronounce it at first, so we talked about changing the name. He suggested RYUJIN, after my name.”

Sometimes it seems a name change can be as simple as that, but this can also present new challenges in a world of linked accounts. “The issue was that changing names and linking to past works on Spotify and other sites did not work well.” Not necessarily a cautionary tale, but always worth bearing in mind!

In terms of changing up their sound and potential challenges that can present, Ryoji goes on to explain, “as a challenge, there were more clean vocals than before. This was Matt’s idea.” For those already familiar with the album, there is a lot of collaboration evident from TRIVIUM’s Matt Heafy, but it’s cool to see that the partnership runs deeper than simply guest appearance on a selection of songs. It was almost a bit of a chance meeting the way Ryoji tells it, a great example that sometimes meeting musical heroes can lead to great outcomes.

“At first, after a recent interview, the reporter and Matt were talking about us on X. It was around the time that his IBARAKI was released, and he was also talking about the three tones. Both he and I were using the shamisen. We saw them talking and got in touch! I asked him to be my guest at first and he agreed to do more. He is so comfortable that at times he is more Japanese than us! He’s a legend, yet he’s polite and has never once acted like a pompous ass. Of course, he is half Japanese, but more than that, he himself knows more about Japan than we Japanese do, and I never felt uncomfortable with him in any way. He is one of the finest gentlemen I have ever met. I am sincerely grateful and would like to learn a lot from him, not only his music but also his attitude.”


While his presence is obvious on the tracks within the album, musically, Heafy’s style doesn’t overpower that of RYUJIN and it’s clear to hear and from Ryoji’s explanation it’s a very natural partnership.

As from Ryoji’s own explanation of the sound being like Samurai metal, the record is full of traditional Japanese musical influence. “It was a genre that no one had ever done before,” Ryoji explains, before going on to breakdown the foundation of how they achieved the sound. “Japanese music and Eastern music are unique, and they don’t all go together well. However, the shamisen is a percussive stringed instrument that adds energy. Taiko drums produce deep bass sounds that cannot be obtained with regular drums. The ryuteki, hichiriki, and sho of gagaku create a very mystical and mystical space. The Chinese erhu also plays melodic lines with a completely different approach than the violin. Also, many of the scales are unique, so adding a little essence to them will make them very familiar to Japanese people. Integrating it with metal requires a lot of knowledge and ingenuity. In the first place, ancient Japanese music was from different ethnic groups with different musical theories!”

On the surface, the album presents a very well blended mix of familiar metal aspects such as power and symphonic death metal. These in turn are laced with the traditional musical stylings discussed, but as Ryoji details, there is so much more beneath the surface than simply picking aspects that sound okay together and running with it. It’s clear from the way he tells it that a very detailed approach has been taken to ensure the individual aspects work harmoniously while still retaining their own identity.

It’s not all plain sailing though, mixing instrumentation and playing styles that could be considered worlds apart presents unique questions that require different approaches. Ryoji is very forthcoming when laying out the potential pitfalls. “There are times when it is impossible to play due to the structure of the instrument, and it is frustrating when that happens. For example, Japanese flutes are not very fine and are not suitable for fast scales. Unfortunately, it’s not included in this album, but the single Oriental Symphony that I released last time was composed using gagaku instruments, so I recorded the entire song itself at 430khz. However, it is difficult to practice, so I don’t really recommend it. In other words, ethnic instruments are sometimes not suitable for tonal music, so it was difficult to balance that.” But balance it they have and the self-titled album is a testament to the hard work and perseverance of these highly talented musicians.

Of course, RYUJIN are not alone in fusing traditional music from their native country with that of metal. There are several other artists such as THE HU and BLOODYWOOD making a significant mark doing just that. Ryoji only sees this as a positive, a great way for wider, more diverse audiences to be introduced to music they would otherwise have overlooked through lack of exposure to it. “There are bands from many different countries in the world that fuse the music of their own country with metal! This is very exciting. I hope to see more samurai metal from the West and other countries emerge in the future!”

In terms of what the future holds for RYUJIN, Ryoji sums things up nicely. “Hopefully we can do a worldwide tour. We are planning to perform at some European festivals. We are also writing some new songs, because I got a lot of inspiration from going on tour at the end of last year!” So, we can certainly expect more Samurai metal and hopefully some greater live exposure which can only be for the greater good.

Ryujin is out now via Napalm Records.

Like RYUJIN on Facebook.

BRUCE DICKINSON - THE MANDRAKE PROJECT

BRUCE DICKINSON - THE MANDRAKE PROJECT

February 26, 2024, 2 days ago
(BMG)

Nick Balazs

Rating: 9.0

review heavy metal bruce dickinson



“Here is the soul of a man…” The soul of a solo career that lay dormant for nearly 20 years, but now has awakened. Bruce Dickinson has set aside the Maiden flag for the time being for the realization of his seventh studio album. Back with the ever dependable Roy Z at his side along with drummer Dave Moreno and keyboardist Mistheria, The Mandrake Project stands taller than the last decade of Maiden albums and is toe-to-toe with his best solo material. The master storyteller does it again.

The Mandrake Project is a logical progression and mixture of Chemical Wedding and Tyranny Of Souls with notes of his early material. It’s thundering heavy metal with some rockier moments and an overhead of nebulous darkness and mysticism. Some songs hit right away, like the robust opener and first single “Afterglow Of Ragnarok” with its unusual chorus and the brilliant follow-up in the Deep Purple-ish “Many Doors To Hell” – one of the best songs he’s ever written. “Mistress Of Mercy” possesses a feel akin to “Road To Hell” plus a main riff reminiscent of Velvet Revolver’s hit “Slither”. Second single “Rain On The Graves” is like a beefed up track from the Balls To Picasso-era and fits much better in the context of the album and while its chorus is simple and repetitive; it’s a definite earworm.

Others take more to sink in like “Resurrection Men” with a western type feel and a chorus with a rockier outlook that could have fit on Skunkworks. The song takes a turn in the middle section with a classic Black Sabbath groove with Bruce crushing it vocally. Second last tune “Shadow Of The Gods” is definitely William Blake inspired and broods with gloomy basslines as Bruce paints picture of a complicated world before exploding into electric guitars at the 4 minute mark with aggressive vocals; the softer concluding section harkens back to “Chemical Wedding” in its rhythm and vocals. These two songs are expertly crafted and grow upon each listen.

SAXON DRUMMER NIGEL GLOCKLER LOOKS BACK ON TOURING WITH MÖTLEY CRÜE IN THE '80S - "THEY WERE DOING A LOT OF PARTYING, AND SOMETIMES WE WERE SEEING THE POLAROIDS FROM THE NIGHT BEFORE" (VIDEO)

Guesting on VRP Rocks, Saxon drummer Nigel Glockler shares his experiences touring with legendary acts such as Ozzy Osbourne, Motörhead, and Mötley Crüe, providing exclusive insights into the behind-the-scenes world of rock and metal music in the 1980s.

Nigel recalls a surprising turn of events when Ozzy bailed on a tour, leaving his bandmates tranded. He also reflects on his cherished memories of touring with the seminal rock band, Motörhead, including the honor of being a part of one of Lemmy's final tours. Plus, Nigel vividly recounts the lively encounters during Saxon's tour with the sensational Mötley Crüe.

On touring with Mötley Crüe:


"They were great. Nice guys. I got on great with Nikki Sixx. You hardly ever saw Mick Mars; didn't see him apart from the gig a lot (of the time). Obviously they were doing a lot of partying, and sometimes we were seeing the Polaroids from the night before (laughs). Me an Nikki ended up having an arm punching competition - I think he started it actually - and I won. One morning in the hotel I went down and said 'Come on, man, where is it?' and he was 'No, no more! I can't take it!"



SiX By SiX, the progressive power trio comprising Ian Crichton (Saga), Nigel Glockler (Saxon) and Robert Berry (3.2), are pleased to announce the release of their sophomore album ‘Beyond Shadowland’ on InsideOutMusic on April 26, 2024. The band reconvened in Berry’s own Soundtek Studios in the San Francisco Bay Area in 2023 to bend, shape, hammer and caress their diverse musical talents into 11 impressive new tracks. With this album, they continue to define and build upon their unique melodic space, welding guitar-driven rock, metal and prog into a unique and powerful sonic setting.

To coincide with the announcement of the new album, the band have released the first single “The Arms Of A Word”, a track which reflects on the division driven by a click-bait driven media.

Ian Crichton comments: “On the new record we kept our style but have written stylistically some quite different tunes. I gave Robert a lot of parts, sections, licks, middle 8's, etc. He added verses, bridges, etc... and vocals! He's a brilliant arranger. Of course, Nigel is a powerhouse. As always, he played great on this record.”

Nigel Glockler adds: “Playing with Ian and Robert is always terrific. Making this album was a productive time. Ultimately, we narrowed things down to eleven tunes. Good ones too! I left the sessions feeling very pleased. I think everybody’s going to be impressed with the new album.”

Robert Berry continues: “I’ve always believed that music has the power to bring people together. This record is a testament to that notion. As always, working with Ian and Nigel on an actual second album was a moving experience for me. Truly special.”

Beyond Shadowland will be available as a Limited CD Digipak, Gatefold 180g Black 2LP (featuring 4 exclusive bonus tracks) & as a Digital Album. The artwork was once again created by Rob Fowler.

Preorder here.



Tracklisting:

“Wren”
“The Arms Of A Word”
“Can’t Live Like This”
“Obiliex”
“Only You Can Decide”
“Titans”
“Outside Looking In”
“Spectre”
“Sympathise”
“One Step”
“The Mission”

Vinyl-only bonus tracks:

“Six By Six Orchestra Medley”
“The Arms Of A Word” (Instrumental)
“Honor Bridge”
“The Mission” (Instrumental)

“The Arms Of A Word”

JOE SATRIANI AND STEVE VAI TALK STAGE VOLUME, DAVID LEE ROTH AND MICK JAGGER (VIDEO)

Joe Satriani and Steve Vai's friendship with each other (and the guitar) started as kids in New York. It’s still going strong five decades later, and for the first time they are joining up for the Satch/Vai tour. In the clip below they share stories of working with iconic frontmen David Lee Roth and Mick Jagger, along with harrowing tales illustrating the importance of wearing earplugs!



For the first time ever, after more than 50 years of friendship, it's the Satch-Vai 2024 Tour! Believe it not, this is the first time Joe and Steve will tour as a duo-bill, and it comes along with plans to release a new musical collaboration.

Eloy Casagrande deixa o Sepultura que anuncia novo baterista para a tour de despedida Sepultura anunciou o baterista Greyson Nekrutman

Eloy Casagrande deixa o Sepultura que anuncia novo baterista para a tour de despedida
Sepultura anunciou o baterista Greyson Nekrutman



Com uma carta assinada pelos 3 integrantes remanescentes, o Sepultura anunciou a surpreendente saída de Eloy Casagrande da banda.

Às vésperas de iniciar a turnê de despedida pelos próximos 18 meses que vai celebrar os 40 anos da banda, o anúncio da saída de Eloy pegou os membros do Sepultura de surpresa.

Clique aqui para saber mais sobre a turnê de despedida do Sepultura.

“No último dia 6 de Fevereiro, em uma reunião extraordinária, o baterista Eloy Casagrande comunicou à banda e aos empresários que está se desligando do Sepultura pra seguir carreira em outro projeto. Fomos pegos de surpresa, sem aviso prévio ou qualquer tipo de debate sobre como fazer a transição. A comunicação foi feita e ele se desligou imediatamente da banda, abandonando tudo relacionado ao Sepultura.”

Para a tour Celebrating Life Through Death, o Sepultura anunciou um novo baterista para honrar a trajetória e o legado do grupo, o americano Greyson Nekrutman, que assume as baquetas no lugar de Eloy e mandou a seguinte declaração:

“Hoje expresso minha sincera gratidão pela incrível oportunidade de me juntar aos lendários integrantes do Sepultura em sua turnê de despedida. Contribuir para esse legado é um privilégio que me enche de honra e entusiasmo. A abordagem destemida do Sepultura para explorar novos territórios na esfera do metal é algo que eu sempre admirei e usei como inspiração em minhas próprias empreitadas musicais. Estou ansioso para somar à arte da banda, para me conectar com os fãs que sempre apoiaram o Sepultura durante sua evolução e também para criar novas experiências eletrizantes no palco. Um brinde aos novos capítulos que escreveremos, aos palcos que conquistaremos e à poderosa música que vamos apresentar em todo planeta”.

Confira comunicado oficial do Sepultura na íntegra:

“Depois de 2 anos de concepção e muito trabalho, que envolve a banda, os empresários, a equipe de roadies, gravadoras, advogados, promotores locais e agentes de viagem… Depois de firmar um acordo com a 30e no Brasil e a Cobra Agency no resto do mundo para anunciar uma tour de despedida, anúncio feito no dia 8 de Dezembro de 2023, para celebrar 40 anos de história intitulada “Celebrating Life through Death”… Depois de abrir as vendas dos ingressos e de ter tido uma resposta maravilhosa dos nossos fãs, esgotando várias praças pelo mundo, abrindo novas datas e criando uma expectativa mágica e muito positiva… Depois dos ensaios marcados e confirmados, de toda a estrutura pronta para encarar os próximos 18 meses de shows e celebrações…

No último dia 6 de Fevereiro, em uma reunião extraordinária, o baterista Eloy Casagrande comunicou à banda e aos empresários que está se desligando do Sepultura pra seguir carreira em outro projeto. Fomos pegos de surpresa, sem aviso prévio ou qualquer tipo de debate sobre como fazer a transição. A comunicação foi feita e ele se desligou imediatamente da banda, abandonando tudo relacionado ao Sepultura. A nossa história é feita de desafios e são eles que alimentam nossa criatividade e determinação. Não seria agora, depois de tudo que passamos nesses 40 anos, que iriamos desistir, pelo contrário!

Sendo assim, estamos muito felizes em anunciar o espetacular baterista Greyson Nekrutman, que será o nosso parceiro nas baquetas para honrar o compromisso que temos com a Sepulnation e com todos que fazem parte desta celebração!

Sempre fortes e unidos na energia positiva de respeito e gratidão.
Nos vemos na estrada! Vamos celebrar,
Andreas Kisser, Derrick Green e Paulo Xisto