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Post by Admin on Oct 26, 2018 17:53:22 GMT
 The Japanese heavy metal idol trio Babymetal is making their foray into graphic novels with the upcoming release Apocrypha: The Legend of Babymetal by publisher Z2 Comics but the story has been shrouded in mystery. What kind of story has comic artist GMB Chomichuk (Insane Jane, Moonshot: The Indigenous Comics Collection Vol 1) put together? The comic's official summary only offers a few clues.  In an exclusive reveal with Anime News Network, Z2 Comics has made public eight gorgeous pages ahead of the graphic novel's October 30 release date. The pages recount how the Fox God– an entity frequently highlighted in BABYMETAL's music and performances – takes three reincarnating protagonists on a time-traveling journey from prehistoric Kyoto to modern day New York City.  |
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Post by Admin on Nov 1, 2018 17:50:10 GMT
 Ultimately, though, Yuimetal leaving Babymetal is unlikely to make a shred of difference to the band’s future or their popularity. This is not Bruce quitting Maiden or Rob Halford leaving Priest, is it? It’s not even Head leaving Korn. Be sensible.  Aside from the likelihood that Yuimetal will be swiftly and seamlessly replaced, she was neither the band’s lead singer nor, as far as we are aware, a major contributor to the songwriting. Sadly I’m not currently available, but I’m sure the masterminds behind-the-scenes will be able to find someone suitable that can learn the dance routines and all the mad lyrics. Personally, I wouldn’t be remotely bothered if Babymetal didn’t sing live at all and just appeared in holographic or CGI form, with the entire show on tape. The point of going to see Babymetal is not to bask in the organic, analogue glow of good, old-fashioned real music: it’s about going to have your face blown off by a ridiculous, high-concept light show to a soundtrack that sounds like vicious, techy metalcore re-imagined via Nintendo and LSD with the songs sung in a language you barely understand by three – or maybe even just two – intergalactic goth-pixies. And who doesn’t like the sound of that? As long as someone shows up, in the flesh or on screen, to sing the bloody tunes, all is well in the metal universe, surely? If all else fails, the Fox God will sort it. Don’t worry. |
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Post by Admin on Nov 26, 2018 17:47:18 GMT
You’d think the term “big in Japan” was tailor made for Marty Friedman. Despite being recognized as a guitar god around the world, Friedman transcends his musical achievements in Japan, thanks to more than 700 appearances on Japanese TV and hosting the popular show Rock Fujiyama.
Almost immediately after moving to Japan in 2003, Friedman was asked to make his first TV appearance in his new home country; an idea that didn’t initially appeal to him: “[TV] did not interest me at first. They said [Rock Fujiyama] is all about making fun and having fun with American and non-Japanese music — heavy metal and stuff. I’m like, ‘I’ve been doing heavy metal for the last 20 years. I love it. I don’t really want to make fun of it.’”
He continues, “They said, ‘Look, just try it once, see what you think.’ I did, and it was just a wonderful atmosphere. This was just really a big stimulating thing and I love doing it.”
Having written two books about Japanese music, we asked Marty Friedman about Japan’s biggest modern metal export, Babymetal, and if the group represents the type of Japanese culture Marty loves. “Contrast is very common in Japan, not only in music, but in food and all kinds of cultural things,” Friedman explains. “Sometimes by trying these weird things that, normally, you wouldn’t think they’d ever work… sometimes it’s absolute magic. I like to be a part of trying to make that magic, and that’s what Babymetal is.”
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Post by Admin on Jan 17, 2019 17:37:01 GMT
Over the years we’ve become accustomed to seeing all many of musical generes move into the Rock Band library, with a range of tunes that will happily suit everyone. Now though it’s time for kawaii metal to hit the airwaves, as Babymetal headline the latest Rock Band 4 content additions.  Yep – and you may well have to excuse my ignorance – but I’ve never heard of kawaii metal either, and I’m not entirely sure that it’s something I really want to hear. But when new content arrives in Rock Band 4, interest levels always rise. And that is the case here as available right now to purchase, download and then jam along with are two new tunes to the Rock Band 4 library, with tunes from Babymetal and Godsmack in place. They are… When Legends Rise – Godsmack Starlight – BABYMETAL |
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Post by Admin on Jan 21, 2019 18:00:55 GMT
 Is Tokyo really a great rock city? Are there people still into rock there? "Tokyo and Japan in general is never going to be too far from rock or a guitar, so to speak, in the heavy-sound music. I kind of have my own theory on that.  "I think it comes from the distant past of traditional Japanese music. This traditional music has an instrument that's called the Shamisen which is kind of like a guitar. It's a three-stringed instrument that's aggressively picked with this big pick-type of thing. "Even older people are not too afraid to hear a distorted sound of a guitar. I just think it's part of the culture." Living there and knowing music so well and being such a fan of so many types of music, do you see anything in Japan on the horizon that could break in America? "A lot of times people make plans to do that, and it doesn't happen. And a lot of times people don't make plans and it does happen.  "A good example is Babymetal. When they first started, the farthest thing from their mind was to play outside of Japan, and it just happened. It was just so well done, it just fit into whatever was happening in America at that exact right time. "There's so much cool stuff, anything can pop anywhere at any time. There's a band, or maybe not a band, but a unit called PassCode that I'm really into right now, and I just did something with them, kind of a 'mockumentary' video for their singles, I just love this unit. "It's a little bit like Babymetal, but it's hard to explain. Very tricky musically, and it's not traditional metal - it's extremely aggressive, and there's cute girls in it, so where's the downside?"  |
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