Last week actor Tomoya Nakamura (currently starring on the TV drama "Bishoku Tantei Akechi Goro," based on the manga of the same name) participated on the program.  Utada sings the drama's opening song, "Time."

Queen Bee was formed in 2009 by vocalist Avu-chan and after gaining popularity, signed with Sony Music in 2011. They have released a total of eight albums, with their most recent, 12D ("Juni Jigen"), having just been released at the beginning of February 2023.  In Japan, the group is known as "Ziyoou-vachi."

You may better recognize them from the theme songs for Tokyo Ghoul (ending theme HALF), Dororo (opening theme Kaen), and most recently, Chainsaw Man (ending theme VIOLENCE).

Tickets go on sale February 21 at 10AM PST. Tickets are $30, plus fees, and will be available from Ticketmaster.

It's currently unknown whether or not they'll be holding any other shows while they're here in America but it's entirely possible that a stop on the east coast is warranted to pair with the two west coast events. All the same, it's also entirely possible that the band will fly right back to Japan from the west coast. We'll keep an eye out for any future announcements.

4/7/23-4/9/23 Seattle, WA - SakuraCon (exact date TBD)
4/11/23 Los Angeles, CA - The Regent Theater

LOVEBITES', for those of you who are unfamiliar with them, is an all-female Japanese metal band in the vein of European power metal and UK heavy metal. The group was formed in 2016 and have gone on numerous international tours which, sadly, have not included the United States.

"Judgement Day" is the long-awaited fourth full album from the band and the first since the departure of founding-member Miho. It is also the first to feature Fami, the successor to the bassist position. It is the first release since 2021's EP "Glory to the World."

I'll be back in a few days with my thoughts on the album.

Start times as follows:

8PM JST
11AM GMT
6AM EST
3AM PST

Check it out here:

Tracklist for Judgement Day:

1. We Are The Resurrection
2. Judgement Day
3. The Spirit Lives On
4. Wicked Witch
5. Stand And Deliver (Shoot 'em Down)
6. Victim Of Time
7. My Orion
8. Lost In The Garden
9. Dissonance
10. Soldier Stands Solitarily

I'm using a pair of Grado HF-2 as my primary headphones, along with JH Audio JH13s as my on-the-go option.

For those of you who haven't been exposed to NEMOPHILA before, they're an all-female band from Japan. The band was first formed in 2019 and they came onto my radar during the pandemic for their breakout song Oiran. The group released their first album, "Revive," in December of 2021.  NEMOPHILA consists of vocalist Mayu, ex-Disqualia guitarist Hazuki, Mary's Blood (currently on hiatus) guitarist Saki, bassist Haraguchi-san, and drummer Tamu Murata. Mayu alternates between clean and dirty vocals and can give you a throaty growl with the best of them.

On a side note, Tamu Murata is married to Akira Yamaoka, who you might recognize as the man behind a lot of Silent Hill's music, and damn, I love Silent Hill's music (shout out to Mary Elizabeth McGlynn)

The album starts off with the titular song Seize the Fate, and sets the tone of the album: it's going to be aggressive and fast.

One of my favorites from the album is 炎天 -ENTEN-. I've always been a sucker for the Shamisen when used outside of traditional music, like with Wagakkiband. The shamisen is not of NEMOPHILA's usual instruments but they use it to add a bit of flare to this track. Backing vocals are also reminiscent of Japan's Noh dramas and contrast with Mayu's growls.

ZEN is a song that is sure to get your head banging. It's one of those heavy, on the border of sludgy but not too slow songs. Saki and Hazuki's guitars intertwine with each other but still stay distinct, especially towards the middle of the song. I dig the use of layered vocals towards the end but feel like they dropped off a bit too early, kind of off a cliff. I initially expected some sort of crescendo.

Back into the wild shifts gears to a more industrial metal song (think Fear Factory, MDFMK, maybe a little Marilyn Manson) but with that NEMOPHILA touch. Mayu uses more clean vocals in this song as opposed to the dirtiness of the two prior to it. This one is not as heavy as some of the others, but makes for a good listen.

Rock'n'Roll Is? is a bit of a polarizing song. I've seen people have both positive and negative reactions to it. I can't deny it's got some groove to it. It borders on being a power ballad and is definitely lighter than most of the songs I like from the band. It's more of a rock song than metal.

STYLE is also a polarizing song and a departure from the rest of NEMOPHILA's music. STYLE reminds me of rap-rock in the vein of KoRn. The fact it contrasts from their usual songs is part of the meaning itself (or maybe I'm reading too much into it): everyone has their own life and their own style, so think about it, and be yourself, because when it comes down to it, you are your own person and your life is yours solely.

Waiting for you is a very, very happy song. If Rock'n'Roll is? was light, this is a cloud. Like one of those inspirational anime songs, not that there's anything inherently bad about it. Very pop rockish.

If Rock'n'Roll is? is kind of like a power ballad, now I here is definitely one. It's not a song you would expect from the band given the breadth of their other music, but wouldn't be out of place if it had been a cover. They did cover Journey's Separate Ways, after all. That's got to be my favorite Journey song. With that said, I think NEMOPHILA's Life is another good example of their work, even if it is in that ballad territory.

The next two songs, A Ray of Light, and ADABANA, were two of the singles released on YouTube long before the album came out. I remember staying up until A Ray of Light's release and just had to write about it that day, sleep be damned. Didn't hurt that it was my day off. Both of these songs are bangers and I've had them on repeat for quite a bit. If the previous three songs were a break in the middle of the album, A Ray of Light and ADABANA both go hard to bring things to a close. They're both songs that I would put forward as songs that I would recommend to new listeners of the band. These are core NEMOPHILA. I'd put them right up there with Oiran, DISSENSION, and MONSTERS.

The final song, Soaring ~to be continued~ is very fitting for an ending song. It sounds like something right out of a credit roll. Very upbeat, and I would be surprised if we heard it outside of being the last song at a concert when they do the waving and the bowing and the throwing of guitar picks.

And that, my friends, is "Seize the Fate."  A great second showing from the band with some solid songs to add to your playlist.  If you're new to NEMOPHILA, make sure to check out their previous album, REVIVE.   

Quick picks: A Ray of Light, ADABANA, and ENTEN.

Don't forget, the band will be hitting the United States next March. They'll be making stops in San Francisco, Los Angeles, and New York. I'll see you there.

They'll be starting in Sacramento before hitting up San Francisco, Los Angeles, and San Diego. South by Southwest is up next, plus a stop in Houston, and Dallas, and finally, New York. Sacramento is a bit of an odd duck but I guess they really enjoyed their time at Aftershock Festival last year.

For those of you not on the west coast, take this opportunity to see them! I know we've been hoarding them (and have seen some people complain as such) but here's your chance. Tickets are an absolute bargain at $20 and you can count me in for San Francisco and Los Angeles.

Previously, there was a Mexico City show, but it has since been canceled. Some fan speculation is that there is a lack of available equipment for rent, and thus, cancellation. Maybe next time.  I know you guys down south don't get too many bands over there.  

NEMOPHILA is touring in support of their second album, "Seize the Fate." Check out our review here.

List of dates as follows:

3/7/23 Roseville, CA - Goldfield Trading Post
3/8/23 San Francisco, CA - Great American Music Hall
3/9/23 Los Angeles, CA - Echoplex
3/12/23 San Diego, CA - House of Blues
3/14/23 Houston, TX - Scout Bar
3/16-3/17/23 Austin, TX - SXSW
3/19/23 Dallas, TX - Trees
3/20/23 New York, NY - Gramercy Theater

Don't forget your earplugs.  It's going to be loud.  

In addition to the awards ceremony, fans can also tune in to see TWICE perform on The Kelly Clarkson Show on March 2nd.

Meta will be hosting a TWICE Ready to Be Pop-Up Experience on March 4th and 5th in Los Angeles. but there are no further details available yet. With the event happening during their visit to the city, fans are speculating whether TWICE will be making an appearance at the event to promote their upcoming new song and tour in North America.

 Link to Pop-Up Experience announcement: Link

Stay tuned for more updates.

Produced by Poo Bear, known for his work with Justin Bieber, Ed Sheeran, and Usher, "Moving Pieces" showcases the seven-member group's individuality while highlighting their synchronicity as a team. The accompanying dance routine in the official music video, choreographed by Travis Payne, who has worked with Lady Gaga and was part of the Michael Jackson "This Is It" tour, will also drop on the same day as the single's release on YouTube.

Travis Japan is also set to release their first digital EP on June 5th, which will include additional songs from their ongoing national TV commercial campaigns, such as "Charging!" and "Still on a journey."

Group leader Kaito “Chaka” Miyachika, expressed his excitement about their new single and the EP:

"Our long-awaited 2nd Single “Moving Pieces” has finally been announced! It is a song that captures the dynamic future of Travis Japan and invites people everywhere to gather and just have fun.

It was produced by Poo Bear, who we recorded with in person in Miami, and choreographed by one of our two so-called “birth fathers”: the incomparable Travis Payne.

We hope that everyone will give it a listen and get excited for our upcoming EP as well!"

Seeing popular concerts in Japan is always a gamble, a literal lottery, where you don't know if you'll be able to actually go. You apply, and you pray your number comes up. Add to that the whole thousands-of-miles-away part and seeing concerts for foreigners is very difficult. It's hard to plan ahead when you don't know if you'll even have a ticket waiting for you, which sometimes means paying quite a bit for a last-minute ticket.. Some of Japan's franchises have held dedicated foreigner lotteries like Hatsune Miku's Magical Mirai and Love Live! in an effort to make things easier (I previously attended Aquors Fourth Live in 2018 through the foreigner lottery).

Walkure Final Live Tour 2023 ~Last Mission~ takes place on May 20-21 at Tokyo's Ariake Arena, May 27-28 at Osaka's Maruzen Intec Arena, and June 3-4 at Chiba's Makuhari Messe. Tickets were hard-won with many people purchasing DVDs and Blu-Rays in an effort to make a win come true.

But, thankfully, for those of you not in Japan, you do have the option of watching the concert in theaters. A live simulcast will be available for Asian countries. America and Europe will have to settle for a time-delayed broadcast.

I'm very pleased with the inroads that Macross has been taking over the last year, including various theatrical movie stints. Not too long ago, if you were unable to view the concert in person, you were stuck waiting for a DVD or Blu-Ray release. Now, internet broadcasts and watch parties are becoming more and more common.  The exact information for the North American and European screenings has yet to be announced but keep an eye on https://liveviewing.jp/overseas/walkure-lastmission-eng/ for details.  For those of you in Asia (namely Hong Kong, Taiwan, South Korea, Thailand, and Singapore), the info is already up.  

You can also be a maniac like me, and fly over there. When one of my friends told me that he had an extra ticket, I jumped at the chance. I just came back from Japan a couple of weeks ago, and here I am, planning for one more run.

I'll be attending the final final, on June 4. This will be the first time I see Walkure, and sadly, the last time.

I've been a fan of Macross since the mid 90s when local Bay Area TV stations helped expose many a person to anime, Macross included. Macross has been a big part of my life.  I've been lucky enough to see (and meet) May'n and Megumi Nakajima in America, but this is going to be the first time I do anything Macross over in Japan.  

Macross as a whole marked its 40th anniversary in 2022, and here's to many more years.

Macross Official
Website: https://macross.jp/news-detail/22142/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MacrossBigwestOfficial
Twitter: https://twitter.com/MACROSS_BIGWEST

SANKYO presents Walküre FINAL LIVE TOUR 2023 ~Last Mission~
June 4, 2023
Live Viewing Event (delayed stream in certain regions)
Organized by BIGWEST
Distributed by Live Viewing Japan Inc.

Magical Mirai will be held in Osaka during August 11-13 and Tokyo during September 1-3. You can choose between a daytime show and a nighttime show, and it also includes access to exhibits. There are two seat options and the cost of the ticket is either 9700 yen for the SS tier seat (center of venue) and 8700 yen for the S tier seat (rear and edge of venue).

There's also a separate accommodation plan for foreigners which includes hotel rooms and special goods. This year, the special goods are a luggage tax and a mesh pouch. Osaka and Tokyo have two different tags and pouches, so take a look. There are different price levels depending on how close you want your hotel to be. Some hotels are within walking distance while others are a train or bus ride away.

Osaka Exclusive Items

Tokyo Exclusive Items

Note that the accommodation plan has a different (and earlier ending) application period than the ticket applications!

The ticket lottery is open between April 21 and May 22. Accommodations are open between April 24 and May 15.  Lottery results will be announced on May 27.  This gives you plenty of time to map out your trip and snag a decent deal on a flight.  

Please check https://magicalmirai.com/2023/index_en.html for further details on each performance and to apply for tickets.

The girls toured the eastern half of America earlier this year, and now it's time for the western half. As of press date, they're actually already at Lollapalooza in Chicago. This two-date set gives way to Minneapolis, and then further west to Denver, Salt Lake City, Portland, Spokane, and finally, my neck of the woods, California.

This time the capital gets some love with a show in Sacramento, and then they head down south to Los Angeles. That ends the US portion of the trip. They've got one more show in Mexico City and that's that. BAND-MAID then returns to Japan at the beginning of September.

Thankfully, tickets did not sell out instantly for the California shows. Last time around, I had absolutely zero chance of buying a ticket at face value for the San Francisco show. I was out in the field with zero cell signal. By the time I returned to civilization, tickets were long sold out. It was the first US tour since 2019, and the first time in San Francisco in god knows how long. Maybe since 2017's J-Pop Summit? Between last year's tour and now, Japanese bands are making up for lost time. We've seen a lot of names grace the US in the last eight months alone and we're not done yet.

Anyway, back to the single.

The single starts out with some very aggressive guitarwork from Kanami before the rest of the band joins in. There's not much else to say; let the music your ears and Saiki's voice fill your thoughts.

I appreciate how Misa's bass comes through prominently in the mix. All too often the bass gets lost in the mix.

I also appreciate how the band acknowledges their foreign fanbase and includes subtitles right off the bat. Many bands fail to appreciate their fans overseas and fail to capitalize on opportunities to blow up big. Shows outside of Japan are seen as something of an afterthought, and there are a very limited number of acts that have been able to come back tour after tour to America and elsewhere. I'm proud to say that BAND-MAID is one of them.

On a base level, Shambles can be interpreted as sticking to your guns and never giving up. "Follow the path of Shura," the Buddhist demigod of war. Those who walk that path are determined and unyielding and will continue onward no matter what troubles they face. "No thoughts of 'can' and 'can't,' No giving up just 'because'.."

The titular "shambles" are the ashes in the wake of your journey. "You were here, leave your mark."

This is the kind of song all of us needs at some point in our lives. For most of us, nothing comes easy and every step is a battle.

For those of you who are familiar with the manga and anime Kengan Ashura, the above should make sense, and Shambles is the ending theme for the second season. I'm not sure if Shambles will make its way onto any of the setlists but I wouldn't be surprised if it did.

All in all, the song is a solid piece of hard rock and can stand alone even without its anime tie-in.

Check out the single here:

Tour dates as follows:

8/3/23 Chicago, IL - Lollapalooza Aftershows
8/4/23 Chicago, IL - Lollapalooza
8/6/23 Minneapolis, MN - Varsity Theater
8/8/23 Denver, CO - Summit
8/9/23 Salt Lake City, UT - The Depot
8/11/23 Portland, OR - Crystal Ballroom
8/12/23 Spokane, WA - Bing Crosby Theater
8/14/23 Sacramento, CA - Ace of Spades
8/15/23 Anaheim, CA - House of Blues Anaheim
8/18/23 Mexico City (MX) - PABELLON OESTE

I've previously mentioned Battle Beast as having plenty of songs based on Kentaro Miura's Berserk series. It's been a while since they've come to America (five years, in fact) but they're finally back again. They'll be accompanying Kamelot on this tour, much like they did in 2019. This year's local stop will be at San Francisco's Regency Ballroom, which has played host to many a metal show and is probably the venue I've gone to the most times in my life along with The Warfield, also in San Francisco.

Kamelot and Battle Beast previously played at the Palace of Fine Arts in October 2019. This also happened to be the same date as a Babymetal show in San Francisco. You might be questioning my choice of seeing Kamelot and Battle Beast instead of Babymetal given the media we cover here on The-O Network, but my excuse is that I was already planning on seeing them the week after at The Forum in Los Angeles. As an aside, Babymetal does have a tour coming up with their California stops being at YouTube Theater in Los Angeles for two nights, on October 11 and 12.

I'm picking Kamelot again this year over another event, in this case, PAX West, which takes place this weekend. It technically begins on the same day as the San Francisco Kamelot show, September 1, but I decided to go to Kamelot first, and PAX on the days after. In any case, expect some coverage from us at PAX West in a few days.  Both Ken and Sal, two of our major contributors, will be there start to finish.

Kamelot is touring in support of their newest album, "The Awakening," which was released on March 17 of this year. One of the standout songs for me from "The Awakening" is the song New Babylon. It is, by far, the best song, and features Simone Simons from Epica and Melissa Bonny from Ad Infinitum (two more bands you should check out!). Also great songs are Eventide, The Great Divide, and NightSky. From looking at some of the initial setlists for the tour, the band will be utilizing Melissa Bonny quite a bit as guest vocalist. The band will be balancing "The Awakening" against some of their other albums and you can count on hearing some classics like Rule the World, March of Mephisto, and Karma.

Battle Beast doesn't have a new album as of this year but they did release "Circus of Doom" in 2022. I recommend the tracks Wings of Light, Master of Illusion, Eye of the Storm, and Armageddon. For those looking for the Berserk songs, check out Kingdom, Victory, Iron Hand, Show Me How to Die, and The Eclipse.

You may have also heard vocalist Noora Louhimo as part of League of Legends' metal band Pentakill. I was a little shocked the first time I heard that oh-so-familiar voice during one of the pauses during League of Legends' annual Worlds tournament.

They'll be joined by Xandria, another killer band from Europe. The newest lineup features Ambre Vourvahis on vocals joined by founding member Marco Heubaum, along with Rob Klawonn, Tim Schwarz, and Dimitrios Gatsios. I'm really pleased with the new lineup. Ambre has the capabilities of both growls and operatic vocals which you will be able to hear on their newest album, "The Wonders Still Awaiting," which was released earlier this year. Reborn, You Will Never Be Our God, and Asteria are some strong songs from the album that you should check out.  It's been a while since I've had the privilege of seeing Xandria in the states and they've always been a good band to check out.

For those of you in Japan, Kamelot will have a few shows in November. They'll be in Osaka on November 1, and on November 3 and 4, in Kawasaki (south of Tokyo). One of my friends lives over in Kawasaki so it might be cause to visit, wink wink. Japan happens to be the only Asian country that Kamelot will be visiting this fall.

Thus ends this crossover post for now.  We'll be back with coverage of the San Francisco show if all things go as planned.  After that, we'll be resuming our Japanese coverage with the group Passcode as they embark on their first United States tour.

Tour dates as follows:

8/17 Silver Spring, MD - The Fillmore
8/18 Worchester, MA - The Palladium
8/19 New York, NY - Webster Hall
8/21 Montreal, QC (CA) - Corona Theatre
8/22 Toronto, ON (CA) - The Opera House
8/24 Chicago, IL - The Vic Theater
8/25 Minneapolis, MN - Varsity Theater
8/26 Kansas City, MO - The Truman
8/27 Denver, CO - Odgen Theater
8/30 Seattle, WA - Showbox SoDo
9/1 San Francisco, CA - Regency Ballroom
9/2 Los Angeles, CA - The Wiltern
9/3 Phoenix, AZ - The Van Buren
9/5 Houston, TX - House of Blues
9/6 Dallas, TX - The Echo Lounge
9/8 Atlanta, GA - ProgPower USA
9/9 Orlando, FL - Hard Rock Live

11/1 Osaka (JP) - Umeda Club Quattro
11/2 Kawasaki (JP) - Club Citta
11/3 Kawasaki (JP) - Club Citta

The band has gone through multiple iterations and currently consists of Nao Minami, Kaede Takashima, Hinako Ogami, and Emily Arima. Three of the members have been part of the group for upwards of eight years, with Emily being the more recent addition in 2021.

The group's most recent release is the GROUNDSWELL EP from June of this year so I would expect a number of songs from it.

They'll be making stops in Dallas, New York, and finally, Los Angeles.  For links to tickets and more info, please check out the official website here.

Like a lot of groups of this nature, you can describe them as being female-fronted metal. The four members do not play instruments themselves but do handle vocal and dance duties. If you had to make a comparison, Babymetal is apt, if only because Western fans of Japanese media are well-acquainted with them. Much like Babymetal, PassCode performs with a backing band. PassCode, in comparison, does have more harsh vocals than Babymetal does, and features more electronic elements and effects as opposed to "pure" metal.

Earlier in March, the group participated in Japanese band Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas' Mega Vegas festival alongside Love Live's Liella!, MAN WITH A MISSION, ROTTENGRAFFTY, SiM, RAISE A SUILEN, Maximum the Hormone, and coldrain, amongst others.

I will be making the flight down from San Francisco to Los Angeles, where and one of my colleagues and I will be making our way to The Echo. Towards the beginning of the year, we saw NEMOPHILA at the same venue.

Tour is as follows:

9/3 Dallas, TX - The Cambridge Room
9/5 New York, NY - Gramercy Theater
9/7 Los Angeles, CA - The Echo

On September 1, San Francisco's Regency Ballroom is a mainstay of metal shows.  I've seen countless shows here.  Its formal name is the "Scottish Rites Bodies Regency Center" and first opened in 1909 as a masonic lodge.   It's been many things over the years including a movie theater, a banquet hall, a dance studio, and finally in 2002, a concert venue.  When sister venue Warfield Theater closed in 2008 for renovations, the Regency Ballroom became the go-to for shows.  Upon the Warfield's reopening, they then began sharing hosting duties.

As mentioned, Xandria has a whole new lineup.  Xandria's first incarnation was formed in 1994 by Marco Heubaum and has undergone a few changes over the years, with its current lineup consisting of Heubaum on rhythm guitar, Rob Klawonn on lead guitar, Tim Schwarz on bass, Dimitros Gatsios on drums, and Ambre Vuorvahis on vocals.  They released their eighth album, "The Wonders Still Awaiting," in February of this year.  

As openers, Xandria had limited time to play, but came out strong.  They led with You Will Never Be Our God, one of the singles from "The Wonders Still Awaiting."  This was followed by Reborn, which was the first song revealing the new lineup.  The single Ghosts rounded out the songs from the new album.  The band did not feature only their new material but also brought in Nightfall, from their sixth album, "Sacrificium," and Valentine, from their fifth album, "Neverworld's End."

Ambre brings the ability to mix both clean and harsh vocals.  She may not be able to pull off quite the same operatic performances of her predecessor, Dianne van Giersbergen, but she's no slouch in that department.  Growls expand the band's organic capabilities and help bring some punch on-command.  I'd be interested in seeing her rendition of We Are All Murderers.  One of the memorable points of their previous US tour was seeing that song performed alongside Once Human's vocalist Lauren Hart supplying growls.

Xandria is still the symphonic metal band I came to love so many years ago.  Heubaum has kept the band's identity together even throughout various band member and vocalist changes.  This can be a challenge for a band, especially over the course of decades.  The sound has evolved, but at its core, it is still very much "Xandria."  Heubaum knows how to utilize the strengths of each vocalist, and he's found a good one in Ambre.

It was a treat to see Ambre live in America.  Hopefully, we'll be able to see them more soon.

Battle Beast has quickly picked up in popularity over the years.  They may no longer have Anton Kabanen at the reins, but this does mean that the band has been able to truly grow into its own.  It's less 80s and more of a modern kind of sound.  Battle Beast plays a brand of power metal that I'll just call "dance metal."  Much like Kabanen's current band, Beast in Black, Battle Beast makes you just want to groove.  

A lot of Battle Beast's current strength comes from their longtime vocalist Noora Louhimo, who has been with the band since 2012.  Founding members Juuso Soinio, Eero Siplia, Janne Bjorkroth, and Pyry Vikki present a link to the band's origins.  Joona Bjorkroth, brother of Janne, joined the band after Kabanen's departure and took up the role of lead guitar.  

The band released their most recent album, "Circus of Doom," in 2022.  The band does not have as much of the cyberpunk and Berserk-based music as in previous days but this has not slowed the band down at all.  They've rapidly grown in popularity.
 
Tonight, Noora once again wears a pair of horns upon her head.  Describe Noora's outfits as being a goddess, a witch, or what have you; she oozes power and strength, and she's got the voice to back it up.

Much of the setlist tonight consisted of "Circus of Doom" with the titular lead track, Circus of Doom, leading off the charge.  It is accompanied by Eye of the Storm, Where Angels Fear to Fly, Wings of Light, and Master of Illusion.  Straight to the Heart and King for a Day from "Bringer of Pain" rounded out the set.  King for a Day is a strong representation of what I mean when I say "dance metal."  You just unconsciously start to sway to the music, and it's kind of fun, honestly.  The very final song was Eden, from the previous album, "No More Hollywood Endings."  This is by far one of Battle Beast's best songs out of their entire discography, and I hope to see it every time they play live.  Eden's hook and chorus are very, very memorable.  Everything about the song is just so damn good.

And thus, that leaves us with one more band: Kamelot.  Kamelot is, technically, a US band, but you'd never guess it based on the lineup.  Thomas Youngblood and Sean Tibbetts are the longest-standing members of the band ever since its days in Florida, but the band also counts Oliver Palotai, Alex Landenburg, and finally, Tommy Karevik, as part of it.  Karevik followed in the steps of Roy Khan, whose voice and vision helped put Kamelot on the map.  He's more than made his mark on the band over the last decade of time.  On a side note, Landenburg was not present due to the birth of his child; Adde Larsson rushed to America in order to take over his role.  

Kamelot is an exemplar of the power metal and symphonic metal genres, and a heck of a visual show all on its own.  You will not find Kamelot lacking in terms of audio or spectacle.  

Accompanying Kamelot on this tour is Melissa Bonny, on loan from Ad Infinitum (a band I hope to see soon on tour in America!).  She assists with both clean female vocals and growls, substituting for names like Alyssa White-Gluz from Arch Enemy.  Melissa also features on the best song from "The Awakening," New Babylon.  It's a song I was dearly awaiting and loved every moment of it.

The Kamelot set list is the longest of the night, as is due their headliner status.  As a band spanning more than two decades of time, that is quite a lot of albums to pick songs from.  I've opined as much in past articles; when you've got so many good songs, how do you choose just a few to be featured on a live set?  

Rule the World, Karma, Forever, and March of Mephisto represent some of the older albums.  All good songs.  I would like to hear a little more of the older albums; as mentioned, I cut my teeth on the albums "Karma" and "Epica."  I would love for Center of the Universe, The Mourning After (Carry On), or III Ways to Epica to be played live.  It's kind of weird realizing how I've been listening to the band for twenty-odd years, but the same can be said for Nightwish, who I've also covered as a crossover in the past.

The final three songs of the night would be Phantom Divine (Shadow Empire), One More Flag in the Ground, and Liar Liar (Wasteland Monarchy).  Phantom Divine has quite the catchy chorus and I've got it stuck in my head as I write.  

I'm quite pleased that Melissa Bonny was used for much of the night.  Seeing her name listed for almost half of the set was a joy, and will have to do until Ad Infinitum comes to town.

The set list is quite balanced, to be honest.  Even with "The Awakening" as their newest release, it only garnered four songs tonight.  On a lot of tours for a band, you'll hear half of the set for a tour in support of an album, but not here.  There were two or three songs from most of Kamelot's albums from the last decade and a half with the exception of "Poetry for the Poisoned," which I guess has fallen into a black hole.  I still remember being hyped for the 2010 tour and then being disappointed upon the news that the tour had been postponed not even a week before the show.

It was brought up to me that with the vocalist shift in 2012, people from the old days like myself have gotten fewer and far between.  Given how it's been more than a decade since Karevik joined the band, I suppose I might be of a dying breed.  Those who were able to see Roy Khan live may have dropped the band after the shift, and those who came after Tommy joined may not be interested in the older albums for a similar reason in the opposite direction.  I do think that not listening to all of Kamelot's albums is a mistake; they're all damned good, no matter which vocalist you first heard.  

If you're a fan of bands like NEMOPHILA, Lovebites, Yousei Teikoku, or Aldious, I think you should give the bands tonight a shot.  

If you're reading this, you've still got a few more chances to see Kamelot, Battle Beast, and Xandria live.  Don't miss out, especially if you're close to Atlanta. The ProgPower festival is this weekend, and it'll be a hell of a lineup.  Ad Infinitum will be present at the show.  I had been hoping the announcement of their ProgPower performance meant a tour would be coming too, but, alas.  Kamelot, Unleash the Archers, Ad Infinitum, Visions of Atlantis, Delain, Wind Rose, Battle Beast, Seven Kingdoms, and Beast and Black.  Wow, that's a lot of names there.  That's not even the whole list.  

As for me?  I'll be going to see PASSCODE in Los Angeles come Thursday.  It's their debut tour in America, after all.

I first learned of the band via the good ol' YouTube algorithm back in January. I was driving back from Las Vegas and the song Osaki ni Shitsureishimasu came on via autoplay. I had never heard it before, but I loved it. The combination of shamisen with modern electric guitars and drums

For those of you familiar with Japanese workplaces, it's also a counter-culture punch against forced nomikai (drinking parties) and the titular "osaki ni shitsureishimasu" uttered when people leave before their colleagues, even when there's still work to be done.  Some of my friends in Japan absolutely loved the song and its video as a rebellion against workplace norms.

Osaki ni Shitsureishimasu was a hit and it garnered the interest of not only various festivals around the world but Epic Records Japan, a subprint of Sony Records Japan, to which the girls are now signed to.  

The band released their first major label album, "Reborn Superstar!," under Epic just a couple of months ago. They embarked on a European tour and now an American tour. They've received quite a bit of backing, undoubtedly to capitalize on the exposure garnered by Osaki ni Shitsureishimasu. They are however more than that, and describe themselves as being "Harajuku-core," after the famed area of Tokyo known for its fashion and art. Musically, I would describe them along the lines of metalcore with a bit of electronic influences and a punk spin to their lyrics.

They'll be performing at three festivals in the US, namely Blue Ridge Rock Fest in Virginia, Louder Than Life in Kentucky, and finally Aftershock Festival in Sacramento.

Interspersed between those festivals will be a series of stops alongside Star Wars metal band Galactic Empire. After Louder Than Life, they'll be supported by the bands Fox Lake and Dropout Kings.

Tour dates as follows:

9/9 Danville, VA - Blue Ridge Rock Fest
9/12 Greensboro, NC - Hangar 1819
9/13 Spartanburg, SC - Ground Zero
9/14 Atlanta, GA - Masqeurade
9/15 Orlando, FL - The Social
9/18 Houston, TX - Warehouse Live
9/19 Austin, TX - Come and Take it Live
9/20 Dallas, TX - Trees
9/22 Louisville, KY - Louder Than Life Festival
9/23 New Kensington, PA - Preserving Underground
9/24 New York, NY - Gramercy Theater
9/26 Fort Wayne, IN - Pieres
9/27 Joliet, IL - The Forge
9/28 Madison, WI - The Annex
9/29 Des Moines, IA - Lefty's
9/30 Denver, CO - Marquis Theater
10/1 Colorado Springs, CO - Black Sheep
10/3 Phoenix, AZ - The Nile Theater
10/4 San Diego, CA - Brick by Brick
10/5 Los Angeles, CA - Whisky a Go Go
10/6 Sacramento, CA - Aftershock Festival

It's been a good six months since tickets went on sale, right before I went to Japan for the first time this year. I learned of the tour only a few minutes before boarding the plane and was unable to purchase a ticket. By the time I resurfaced in Tokyo many hours later, practically everything was gone.

Given that BABYMETAL toured Europe with Sabaton earlier this year, it was inevitable that they'd be hitting America as well. I don't think anyone could have guessed they'd be working with a name as big as Metalocalypse's Dethklok, though.

The remaining shows for the tour include Salt Lake City and Vancouver, followed by a run down the west coast of the United States. Of note is Sacramento's Aftershock Festival, which has a penchant of attracting Japanese bands. Both BANDMAID and NEMOPHILA played at last year's Aftershock, and this time around, we have BABYMETAL and HANABIE. Following Aftershock is a sprint into the desert in Las Vegas and Phoenix, and then, the last shows of the tour.

The two-night finale takes place on October 11 and 12 (Wednesday and Thursday) at the YouTube Theater in Inglewood, CA. Originally, it was just a one-night affair, but after the original date sold out quickly, a second show was added. I actually stood around in a store in Tokyo so I could buy a ticket. I'm sure the shopkeepers wondered what I was doing standing near a wall for so long. Fighting for tickets, that's what.

Both BABYMETAL and Dethklok should need no introduction, each having been active for over a decade at this point.

BABYMETAL released their long-awaited new album "The Other One" in March. They had released singles from the album, once per month, as a build-up prior to the release. The album is quite good and shows that the group has evolved way beyond their name.

Dethklok released their own new album, "Dethalbum IV," just over a month ago. Dethklok's music is decidedly much, much heavier than BABYMETAL, given that they are a death metal band with all the growls and blackness that you can expect from that genre.  I've been a fan of Dethklok ever since I saw the very first episode of Metalocalypse where they make coffee, of all things, very metal.  That first album has a special place in my heart and songs like Thunderhorse and DethHarmonic are ones I hold dear. Dethklok has transcended their origins as "just" a band meant for an animation.  "Dethalbum IV," much like their other albums, is more than enough to stand on its own.  Horse of Fire and SOS stood out for me on the album and I think they'll earn their way into my musical rotation.

For this tour, founding members Sumetal and Moametal are joined on this tour by Momometal, who officially replaced Yuimetal earlier this year. Yuimetal officially departed the band in 2018. Momometal was part of a trio of candidates and won her position over two other experienced performers from the groups Sakura Gakuin and Morning Musume. Momometal herself hails from Sakura Gakuin.

As of right now, I'll be attending the finale alongside another of our members, Sal.  We'll see you there.  Expect a follow-up article in the days afterward.

The entirety of the tour dates is as follows:

8/30 Houston, TX - 713 Music Hall
8/31 Dallas, TX - Southside Ballroom
9/2 Orlando, FL - Orlando Amphitheater
9/3 Atlanta, GA - Coca-Cola Roxy
9/5 Nashville, TN - Nashville Municipal Auditorium
9/6 Cleveland, OH - Agora Theater
9/8 Pittsburgh, PA - UPMC Events Center
9/9 Wallingford, CT - Toyota Oakdale Theater
9/10 Alton, VA - Blue Ridge Rock Festival
9/12 Philadelphia, PA - The Mann Center
9/14 Boston, MA - MGM Music Hall at Fenway
9/15 New York, NY - Hammerstein Ballroom
9/17 Sterling Heights, MI - Michigan Lottery Amphitheater
9/18 Toronto, ON (CA) - RBC Echo Beach
9/20 Grand Rapids, MI - GLC Live at 20 Monroe
9/21 Chicago, IL - Byline Bank Aragon Ballroom
9/23 Louisville, KY - Louder Than Life Festival
9/24 Milwaukee, WI - The Rave/Eagles Club
9/25 Minneapolis, MN - The Fillmore
9/27 St Louis, MO - Saint Louis Music Park
9/28 Omaha, NE - Steelhouse Omaha
9/30 Denver, CO - Fillmore Auditorium
10/1 Salt Lake City, UT - The Complex
10/3 Vancouver, BC (CA) - PNE Forum
10/4 Seattle, WA - WaMu Theater
10/7 Sacramento, CA - Aftershock Festival
10/8 Las Vegas, NV - Pearl Theater at Palms Casino Resort
10/10 Phoenix, AZ - Arizona Financial Theater
10/11 Los Angeles, CA - YouTube Theater
10/12 Los Angeles, CA - YouTube Theater

^{ARTICLE AND PHOTOS: BRIAN LEE}

I attended both of the finale shows in Los Angeles at the YouTube Theater. YouTube Theater is a relatively new addition to the Hollywood Park complex which also includes SoFi Stadium. Just to the north is the Kia Forum (technically not part of Hollywood Park, just adjacent), which BABYMETAL played at in 2019 for their METAL GALAXY tour. It's one of the larger collections of venues you will find in Los Angeles and many a show has been played amongst the three, plus various sports (football at SoFi and basketball and hockey at the Forum. The LA Clippers are currently building the Intuit Dome to the south of Hollywood Park and plan to open in 2024). 

It's been a long five years since BABYMETAL graced our shores with a tour. Ohisashiburi, minna. 

BABYMETAL's center and primary vocalist is Su-metal (Suzuka Nakamoto). She is accompanied by Moametal (Moa Kikuchi) and the newest member of the group, Momometal (Momoko Okazaki), who replaced original member Yuimetal (Yui Mizuno), who departed in 2018. All three are battle-tested and hail from BABYMETAL's parent group, Sakura Gakuin. Their very first song, "Doki Doki Morning," was a proof of concept from Sakura Gakuin that spun off into an international force of nature. I've seen BABYMETAL every time they've come to America, including their first US show at The Fonda back in 2014. I left San Diego Comic-Con early that year just to see them live. I've been in the pit. I've been at the fence front and center at the Forum. I've been part of the wall. Needless to say, I am an ardent supporter, although nowadays you might be more likely to find me either in a seat or inside the photo pit.  

Initially, I was only going to attend the second show on Thursday but at the suggestion of a friend, decided to fly down last minute for Wednesday as well. I left work at midnight and by five in the morning was at the airport to catch the first flight to Los Angeles. This proved beneficial as I was able to watch the entirety of the show on Wednesday night. After our designated photo time on Thursday, the photographer corps was sadly shuttled out of the main hall so we could bag-check our gear. This happened to be during "Megitsune," which is, by far, my favorite song from the band. I did my best to headbang but it's a bit hard to do so while walking upstairs, especially if you're trying to do the windmill part towards the end of the song.

The set list was, surprisingly, not all about the group's most recent album, The Other One. Most bands will play the bulk of a tour setlist consisting of their newest album, partly to spur sales, but also so new fans who may have only listened to that album can hear songs they recognize. I was somewhat disappointed because The Other One is quite good as an album. Only somewhat, because the rest of the set was full of some of the band's best and most recognized songs.

"BABYMETAL DEATH" is the band's traditional opening song for most of their shows and has been played hundreds of times live. This was followed by the group's initial claim to fame, "Gimme Chocolate!!," which helped spread them far and wide in 2014. "PA PA YA!!," from the album METAL GALAXY and featuring Thai rapper F.HERO, was up next, and is actually quite a fun song (Matsuri da! Matsuri da!), with F.HERO rapping a passage towards the end. "Distortion," featuring melodic death metal band Arch Enemy's Alissa White-Gluz, marked the fourth song of the set. The song "BxMxC" blends blast beats and rapping, this time with Su-metal handling the latter.

Throughout the tour, the sixth song of the set has switched between "MAYA," "Mirror Mirror", and "Believing," all of which are from the most recent album. The seventh song, "Monochrome," also comes from The Other One. It slows things down and is a welcome break from the rest of the set's frenetic energy. The girls even had a bit of fun by asking the crowd to turn on all the lights on their cell phones to create a sea of stars. Su-metal herself had a cell phone and took a selfie with Momometal and Moametal. They're all smiles for the last two dates of a long tour and I wish you could have seen their faces.

"METALI!!," featuring Rage Against the Machine guitarist Tom Morello, closed out the band's newer songs. This song was actually released just a couple of months ago in August. Its first live debut was at the Zepp Haneda in Tokyo on August 16, and two weeks later was played in Boston. You can describe the song as a Japanese folk festival song, but with a heavy dose of metal applied.

On an aside, I would like to mention that BABYMETAL has truly made inroads across the globe, collaborating with lots of bands from every corner. Bring Me the Horizon, Sabaton's Joakim Broden, Arch Enemy's Alissa White-Gluz, the abovementioned Tom Morello from Rage Against the Machine, Tak Matsumoto from B'z, Polyphia, F.HERO, Dragonforce, and the list goes on and on.  BABYMETAL, not being tied down to one particular kind of metal, is able to mesh with various other genres of metal and music seamlessly.

As mentioned, "Megitsune" came late in the set. The crowd exploded after the first riff was played as the girls began the sprint to the end of their performance.  This was paired with another classic BABYMETAL song, "Headbanger." These are both from the initial album and are two of the group's strongest songs. No live set is complete without them.  "Megitsune" kicked off a large circle pit on the floor and the only reason it paused at all was so fans would be able to respond to the cues in later songs to begin the pit anew.

The final song of the set for this tour has generally been "Road of Resistance" (featuring Dragonforce's Herman Li and Sam Totman, who will be touring the US next month, for that matter). This would be followed by a trailer video for the tour, followed by the classic "See you!" from the girls, and then it was time to leave. For Thursday, a different video was played with an anti-bullying message and the mention of the "wall of death."

For veterans, that means one thing: "Ijime, Dame, Zettai," better known as "IDZ." This was the first time (and only time) they played that song for the entire tour. So, for BABYMETAL fans, the finale show was a special one. One last burst of energy before the end.  Fans clearly had fun with multiple pits, circle pits, and crowd surfers being seen throughout the night.  One memorable surfer was dressed as a yellow banana and I had thought he was a Pikachu before being corrected by a friend.  

Well, that's one smile I can show you

Is Dethklok back?  Maybe?  jk it's YES

But of course, BABYMETAL is only half of this tour. Their co-headliner is the death metal band Dethklok, and it's been a while since Dethklok went on a proper tour. They played at both of the Adult Swim Festivals in 2019 and 2022, plus Festival Supreme in 2014. Before that? Not since 2012 for a tour. For Dethklok fans, that was an incredible wait, and it was worth it.

Dethklok is the band featured in Adult Swim's Metalocalypse animated series. Created by Brendon Small, the series spanned four seasons and ended its original network run in 2012. An animated special, Metalocalypse: The Doomstar Requiem, aired in 2013. Metalocalypse: Army of the Doomstar, which was released in late August of this year, serves as the final chapter for the Dethklok saga. It is paired with Dethalbum IV, which was also released at the same time as Army of the Doomstar. For the foreseeable future, this is the last time you'll be able to see Dethklok live.

Dethklok's live band consists of Brendon Small on guitar and lead vocals, Gene Hoglan on drums, Bryan Beller and Pete Griffin on bass (depending on the date), and Nili Brosh on guitar. Small also provides the voices of in-universe band members Nathan Explosion, Skwisgaar Skwigelf, and Pickles.

The best way to describe Dethklok's set is one long music video. Brendon Small and company played onstage with videos for each song played on the big screen behind them. The performers themselves were practically invisible except as silhouettes with just a little bit of rim light. The set list ranged from the beginning (the "Duncan Hills Coffee Jingle," "Thunderhorse," "Mermaider," "Awaken") to the new ("Aortic Desecration," "SOS"), to everything in-between ("The Gears," "Bloodlines," and many others). These are the full versions of the songs that, if you have only watched the animated series, may have never seen or heard in their entirety.

Sadly for me, no "DethHarmonic." If you've looked at many of the other bands I've covered, there's a common denominator in that most of them are power metal. "DethHarmonic" musically fits right into that niche.

This was a perfect send-off for Dethklok. A sold-out tour spanning the United States, featuring so many of the band's songs. A straight hour of melodic death metal, which is my favorite kind of death metal.

One humorous part was during the second break featuring Dethklok mascot Facebones, in which Facebones says, more or less, don't get too high, so you don't annoy your fellow concertgoers. California being California, this was a cue for a multitude of expelled smoke (use your imagination) all around the floor section. This isn't the first time this has happened but it could be the last.

One of the final songs, "SOS," is lyrically a fitting end to the Dethklok saga: "Last breath / Skyward / Dark sign / Closing line / No time / To mend this life / Take this hand / This last time"

As a bit of a twist, BABYMETAL performed first on Wednesday followed by Dethklok, and on Thursday, this was reversed, with BABYMETAL closing out the tour.

Thoughts for the tour? I wish BABYMETAL had played more songs. For the bulk of the tour, it was eleven songs (minus festivals, which have an understandably reduced time slot). For both of the Los Angeles shows, the night was over by approximately 1030 PM, which, for many a metal fan, is way before their bedtime. You could have tacked on another hour of playtime split any way you'd like between the two groups and would have been fine. Dethklok played for an hour but slammed through a total of seventeen songs on each night.  I would have loved to see "Karate," "Akatsuki," and "Kagerou," or even "Metal Kingdom" and "Metalizm" from BABYMETAL's new album.

I'm pleased at the number of cities this tour went to. More than two-dozen shows meant that most people shouldn't have been too far from one. Many a Japanese tour has consisted of Los Angeles and New York, and maybe Texas, or maybe San Francisco, and nothing else. Due to the Aftershock Festival being fairly close to San Francisco it did mean I had to go down to Los Angeles for a proper show, but this just meant I was able to meet up with friends, some of which I don't get to see too often.

According to Japanese sources, (check out some cool photos from the official band photographer while you're at it; not gonna lie, I'm jealous he got to shoot the whole thing) the entire tour had 110,000 attendees.  Not bad.  YouTube Theater alone would have accounted for one-tenth of that number.  

This was my first time at YouTube Theater and I don't think it'll be my last. They have some comfortable chairs and the sightlines are pretty good. I sat in the 100s on one night and the club level on the other, and both had great views. Up in the 200s you have a commanding view of the stage from above.  The club level is right next to the bar if you're wishing to drink during the show.  It's also possible to watch the show from the bar itself. 

Coming up on November 29 at YouTube Theater is The Last Rock Stars which consists of Yoshiki, Hyde, Sugizo, and Miyavi. They last played in America earlier this year at the Palladium in Los Angeles and the Hammerstein Ballroom in New York.

For those of you in Europe, heads up! You're getting another chance to see BABYMETAL if you didn't see them this spring with Sabaton. The UK/Europe tour begins on November 14 in Oslo.  They'll be headlining and that should mean a longer set.  

For those of you in America, you will have the opportunity to see BABYMETAL in Las Vegas at the Sick New World festival in April 2024.  It could be a while til we see them again after that. 

If you're in Japan, they'll be performing at the end of the month.  On 10/31 they'll be at the Kobe World Memorial Hall, 11/1 at the Nippon Gaishi Hall (Nagoya), and 11/3-4 at the MAKUHARI MESSE (Tokyo).  All of these performances will be part of NEX_FEST and NEX_FEST -Extra-.  Tickets are still available for Kobe, Nagoya, and Tokyo on the 4th.  If you can't make these shows, BABYMETAL does regularly perform in Japan every year so you shouldn't have to wait long for another chance. 

Wherever you happen to be, I hope you get to see them soon.

BABYMETAL's setlist:

1. BABYMETAL DEATH
2. Gimme Chocolate!!
3. PA PA YA!! (feat. F.HERO)
4. Distortion (feat. Alissa White-Gluz)
5. BxMxC
6. MAYA (10/11) / Mirror Mirror (10/12)
7. Monochrome
8. METALI!! (feat. Tom Morello) (with KAMI Band solos)
9. Megitsune
10. Headbangeeeeerrrrr!!!!!
11. Road of Resistance (feat Dragonforce)
12. Ijime, Dame, Zettai (10/12 only)

Dethklok's setlist:

1. Deththeme
2. Briefcase Full of Guts
3. Birthday Dethday
4. Awaken
5. Bloodlines
6. The Gears
7. Hatredcopter
8. Dethsupport
9. Duncan Hills Coffee Jingle
10. Aortic Desecration
11. I Ejaculate Fire
12. The Duel
13. Murmaider
14. Thunderhorse
15. Fansong
16. SOS
17. Go Into the Water

The Babyklok Tour took place at:

8/30 Houston, TX - 713 Music Hall
8/31 Dallas, TX - Southside Ballroom
9/2 Orlando, FL - Orlando Amphitheater
9/3 Atlanta, GA - Coca-Cola Roxy
9/5 Nashville, TN - Nashville Municipal Auditorium
9/6 Cleveland, OH - Agora Theater
9/8 Pittsburgh, PA - UPMC Events Center
9/9 Wallingford, CT - Toyota Oakdale Theater
9/10 Alton, VA - Blue Ridge Rock Festival
9/12 Philadelphia, PA - The Mann Center
9/14 Boston, MA - MGM Music Hall at Fenway
9/15 New York, NY - Hammerstein Ballroom
9/17 Sterling Heights, MI - Michigan Lottery Amphitheater
9/18 Toronto, ON (CA) - RBC Echo Beach
9/20 Grand Rapids, MI - GLC Live at 20 Monroe
9/21 Chicago, IL - Byline Bank Aragon Ballroom
9/23 Louisville, KY - Louder Than Life Festival
9/24 Milwaukee, WI - The Rave/Eagles Club
9/25 Minneapolis, MN - The Fillmore
9/27 St Louis, MO - Saint Louis Music Park
9/28 Omaha, NE - Steelhouse Omaha
9/30 Denver, CO - Fillmore Auditorium
10/1 Salt Lake City, UT - The Complex
10/3 Vancouver, BC (CA) - PNE Forum
10/4 Seattle, WA - WaMu Theater
10/7 Sacramento, CA - Aftershock Festival
10/8 Las Vegas, NV - Pearl Theater at Palms Casino Resort
10/10 Phoenix, AZ - Arizona Financial Theater
10/11 Los Angeles, CA - YouTube Theater
10/12 Los Angeles, CA - YouTube Theater

KILLT MELT LAND is a relatively new band on the Japanese scene but that does not mean the members themselves are new. Both vocalists have been part of the music industry in some higher profile capacities and the other members are no slouches either.

P-SAMA, also known as Shiina Hikari and Pikarin Shiina (hence, P-SAMA) first found success under the label avex trax and released a number of singles and albums. She also has a career as a fasion model and has appeared in multiple print magazines. P-SAMA handles both clean and dirty vocals and her screams are one of the band's focal points.

RIE, also known as Fujishiro Rie, is the second clean vocalist. She is part of AIKATSU STARS! as the singing voice for the characters Laura Sakuraba, Rei Kizaki, and Sumire Kihami in the game and anime franchise Aikatsu! RIE and P-SAMA's vocals intertwine and provide dynamism that a solo vocalist simply cannot.

RyO, also known as Ryou Yamabuki, is a guitarist and former member of the currently on-hiatus band Elfriede.

The bassist, MRKM, has supported various bands in the Tokyo scene and also has a career as a tattoo artist.

Finally, the drummer, YanoMe, is also active in the Tokyo scene and a prolific graphic designer and artist.

The band currently has two music videos available on YouTube. Their first release, "Rewrite," was used as TV Asahi's World Pro Wrestling's fighting music. When it popped up on my feed, I instantly paid attention. I was a bit disappointed that it was the only song available to listen to.

But their second release, "Be I Am," is what cemented them as a band I wanted to see. There's just something about the chorus I really like.

The band later released a compilation video of some of the other songs from their debut set. From the snippets in that video, I really want to hear the full version of "Judgement." They also included parts of the songs "Get Crazy" and "Fake Me Out."

The band will have two upcoming showcase lives at Shibuya Kinmirai Kaikan. The first is on this upcoming Friday, February 2, and has the bands EMANON and InFix as support. The second takes place a month later on March 1 and has dimrays on support. Tickets are 4500 yen and are available on Lawson's L-tike website HERE.  If you can't make it to either of those, the band will also take part in a few other lives on 2/18 at SHIBUYA THE GAME with DEXCORE and Azami, 2/23 at Shinjuku Zirco Tokyo with Little Lilith, Mana Diagram, and PaleNeØ(OA), and on 3/9 for LUPINUS ROCK FESTIVAL 2024 spread around Shimokitazawa's many live houses with a bevy of other bands.  

I'm not sure how exactly to describe their sound. It's not death metal, but heavier than rock, maybe metalcore? There are electronic elements here and there. The vocals go between clean and dirty vocals thanks to their dual vocalist. They're a little too polished to be an "indepedent" group so there's definitely some backing behind them (if the production values of the "Be I Am video" weren't evident enough).

You might question the wisdom of flying back to Japan so soon after leaving, but sometimes, you do what you have to do.

If you get a chance, check them out.

 The band's official website is HERE and their twitter is HERE.