Review Summary: J-Rock act Band-Maid return a second year in a row with some of the finest rocking tracks we will hear all year
Band-Maid has been a band i have recently gotten into via online resources, the first album i listened to by them was 2017 release entitled "Just Bring It", and man was i impressed. I think the most important thing to note dealing with this band is that, this is an all girl band and the instrumentation is this f'ing good. Every song on that album slammed, production was perfect for their sound, the bass was super thick and always audible, when i say the guitar shreds... it shreds. When it comes to J-Rock this is the top of its class and dare i say is more enjoyable and fun than common competitors "Babymetal". The lead vocalist is consistently great in every song, if you're a fan in any way of J-Rock, i don't know how you can dislike the album. Every song was more catchy than the last and just killed it on all fronts.
To my surprise, the band drops another album not even a year apart from each other entitled "World Domination". This is a bold move, and this type of thing could conjure up a lot of risks, such as, would their sound become stale after throwing all of this material in such a short period of time? My answer to you is hell the f' no. This album is just as good if not better than their previous effort. The first single "Domination" lets you know straight away that these gals are not playing around. I really do not think there is a weak point on this album, the drums are thrashing, pummeling and so damn interesting. The bass once again so damn thick and fits into the mix wonderfully.
The guitar is a thrill to listen to and the riffing is fun and punchy, guitar solo's are equally as thrilling, songs like "Turn me On" and "Fate" feature very well phrased guitar solo's. Every little bit of instrumentation is heard so clear and crisp, this overall mix is superb on every track. Songs like "Fate", "Play" and "Clang" are just pure joy, fun and full of energy. The choruses are huge and the tracks manage not to fall into the rabbit hole where the traditional rock formula acts as a hindrance, rather they utilize these bridges and verses extremely well despite not having the most complex of song structures. The drums keep things interesting and bouncy, paired with the groovy bass lines, its a match made in heaven.
The two slower tracks near the ending of the album are equally as enjoyable as the higher octane ones and act as a nice change of pace. Offering well needed breathing room in the middle portion of the album. Being almost 10 minutes longer than previous effort in "Just Bring It", the band utilizes the time super well and there isn't a dull moment in this 57 minute run-time. The only negative i can see dealing with this album is that the songs might be a little too poppy for the more hardcore listeners that want to be br00tal all the time. This album is super enjoyable in all fronts, vocals are fantastically catchy, full of personality and soul. As a sole rock album, this album is superb and would have any guitar, drum or bass efficianato bowing down to this sheer instrumental prowess.
If this is the rock we are getting on a frequent basis across these next couple years i am all ears to see what this band can do next. If i had 3 words to describe this album it would be Bouncy, Energetic and Fun, if you're a fan of any of these activities in you daily routine, there is a likely possibility that you will enjoy this album.
Recommended tracks:
Alive-or-Dead
Spirit!!
Play
Fate
