BAND-MAID – New Beginning (Review)

J-Rock Reviews

BAND-MAID
New Beginning

Review by David Cirone

BAND-MAID - New Beginning Review

BAND-MAID might get your attention with frilly costumes and the playful “Welcome home, master” slogan on their YouTube channel, but there’s no fronting when it comes to their music. These girls are here to shred and get your head banging.

Something about the maid outfits just makes your jaw drop even lower when they bust out heavy metal grooves like opening track “Thrill”and the follow-up new song “Freezer”. It’s just non-stop from there across New Beginning‘s 9 tracks. If you’re hungry for the hottest young girls metal band from Japan, there’s just no beating BAND-MAID right now. Reminiscent of Wolfmother’s debut CD, this is a band that’s found its sweet spot and is super-clear about what they’re about.

BAND-MAID New Beginning review

“Thrill” and “Real Existence” have already won scores of overseas fans through YouTube play, but the additional material shows proof of an exciting accelerated growth. Vocalist Saiki is killing it on “Arcadia Girl” (probably her most confident song yet). Bass (Misa) and drums (Akane) hold down the low end on “Price of Pride” and “Don’t Apply The Brake”, and guitarists Miku and Kanami flare super-hot on “Beauty and the Beast” and “Don’t Let Me Down”.

As a primer for the band’s live show, New Beginning is BAND-MAID’s calling card to the world. If (more likely, when) they hit your town, get your tickets fast and make sure you’re up front for when the lightning strikes.