The great, classic bands have an unmistakable "trademark" sound. The Doors, the Stones, the Pretenders etc.: One measure and you know who you are listening to. By early 2018, Band-Maid had firmly established their own trademark sound. It had echoes of those three and other, heavier bands like Guns 'N Roses and even Metallica, with a jazzy, funky underlay unique to Band-Maid. Now they began to experiment with more sounds and structures from outside mainstream rock.
We can say at this point that Band-Maid transcend genre. Their compositions defy the typical categorizations that imprison so many
Western artists. Here are a few examples in that evolution:
“Turn Me On” (Live, 2018)
Start with the raw rock vibe of “Take Me Higher”, add thunderous funk riffs on the bass, throw in some poppy backing vocals and a short, fiery metal guitar solo, and this is what you get. As always, Akane slays it on the drums, constantly playing with the rhythm, and adding those crazy fills.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l9ibUQ-V-Z4
“Glory” (2018)
This is a short song, yet covers a lot of ground musically, experimenting with rhythm and tempo changes, vocals syncopated with the instruments, and as usual with Band-Maid, lots of excursions by the bass and drums that somehow work.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TAMiLTiXPpU
“Bubble” (Jan. 2019)
Another surprise: A groovy song with the vocals hopscotching among multiple styles (even toying with something close to rapping), and as always, imaginative bass and drum lines.
Loved the cinematography of the second video. Clearly, this group has their own unique sound. Amazing talents all around.
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