Review Summary: One of the most unique, diverse and ultimately addictive albums to be released during the Japanese 'nu metal' movement.
Believe it or not, Japan also had a relatively short lived nu metal craze. Fronted by the popularity of bands like Rize, Dragon Ash and, later on, Maximum the Hormone, there were a few cookie-cutter nu metal bands during this time (most infamously a band called Creepy Crawl, who virtually were a Japanese replicant of Korn), but one band that refused to follow any sense of nu metal 'normality' (for lack of better words) was Missile Girl Scoot. The group's talents and sheer ambition was enough to make them stand out from the other nu metal bands in Japan during this time. However, what also made Missile Girl Scoot absolutely different from the rest of the nu metal groups was their highly unique combination, which often blended elements from hardcore punk, pop punk ska and alternative metal, which ended up to sound slightly reminiscent to straight nu metal, but with tons more to offer than the typical groups. With the release of their 2000 debut, "Fiesta!", Missile Girl Scoot release their most aggressive, and finest, album in their catalog, which had other nu metal groups in Japan itching their heads and taking notes.
The album's official opening track, "Big Mouth", is one of the group's most popular songs, and for good reason too. The song starts off like an innocent ska-influenced song, but blasts off into a straight nu metal banger, with one of the frontwomen, JU-NN, belting the listener with razor-sharp growls and rants. However, the bridge is of a punk-influence, and has the group's other frontwoman, U-ri, singing playfully alongside the group. The night-and-day switch-up manages to capture Missile Girl Scoot's style wonderfully, and is obviously one of the major key tracks on the album. "Fake Sista Ain't ***", on the other hand, follows a much more straightforward nu metal style, with both frontwomen rambling along the staticy song melody. The song's clean hook is perhaps most noteworthy, as its melodious charm definitely sets itself apart from the rest of the song's more bleak and heavy nature. "One Track Mind" is a track entirely influenced by punk rock, with a frantic rhythm and pummeling lyrics from JU-NN and snarled crooning from U-ri. A fantastic track, and one of the most lively ones on the album as well. However, another album classic then slowly comes on, alongside the "Big Mouth" track. That track, "No Needs", attacks the listener at full force with a confrontational screamed chant from both JU-NN and U-ri, before breaking off into JU-NN's frustrated rapping style. The song then breaks off into the bridge, which is sung by U-ri, and follows an apocalyptic tone, with U-ri's strained wails matching perfectly with the loud and grim band performance. This track alone is a fantastic example of how nu metal should be done, and carries the same kind of angst and attitude that nu metal pioneers like Korn and early Deftones first welded into the scene.
Essentially, the uniqueness of Missile Girl Scoot can have an absolute end-result that you will either love greatly, or deeply despise. Needless to say, the group's ambitious debut has more than enough to offer, and its blend of nu metal aggression and light punk fluff is highly charming in itself. Nonetheless, this group, and album in particular, is highly recommended, and its fantastic sound remains to be truly recognized. Check this one out, as one can only truly experience Missile Girl Scoot themselves, rather than by reading a description.
