 BABYMETAL is a group who needs no introduction at this point. Still, let's introduce them. They're one of the torchbearers for the ever-so-popular Metal/Punk Idol trend going on lately. They're one of the most internationally successful Japanese bands currently active and they're also just pretty all-around amazing! They released their debut self-titled album in 2014 and, besides heavy touring, were pretty quiet throughout 2015. Finally, we got the announcement that their next album "METAL RESISTANCE" would be coming out this year on April 1st (no joke). To kick off this release, "KARATE" is the first single from that album. "KARATE" is an AMAZING song and a great way to bring the group back into form! "KARATE" brings back the heavy metal pop we've come to expect from BABYMETAL, but there's actually a much more mature sound here. Gone are the kids asking for chocolate, they are replaced by some seriously heavy and emotional rock music. It's always a cliche to say that a band matured, but that's really what happened here. As amazing as their first album was, a lot of Americans saw it as a fad, or a joke, or even a meme (too much baby, not enough metal?). Obviously not everybody thought that, otherwise we might not be writing about them in 2016, but it was enough people thinking this way that it made an impact. I think "KARATE" is a song that long-time fans can definitely enjoy, but it might even serve to bring in those people who previously wouldn't take this group seriously. Maybe "KARATE" isn't quite as catchy as some of BABYMETAL's past singles, but I think it's a fantastic next step in their discography. I can't wait for "METAL RESISTANCE"! UPDATE 3/18: BABYMETAL has released a music video for "KARATE". It's a bit minimalist, which has caused some A-To-J staff to voice some concern over the quality vs the assumed budget. We also wonder if BABYMETAL is ever going to alter their aesthetic, even slightly. Still, I'm enjoying this video, personally. "KARATE" Official Video -Justin BABYMETAL Is: SU-METAL (Leader, Main Vocals) YUIMETAL (Vocals, Screams) MOAMETAL (Vocals, Screams) For More Information: Website: http://www.babymetal.jp/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/BABYMETAL Twitter: https://twitter.com/BABYMETAL_JAPAN Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BABYMETAL.jp BABYMETAL - METAL RESISTANCE Trailer
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  "Love Song/Rock's" is another Vandead Bakery release that we're reviewing at A-To-J Connections following their amazing performances at Anison USA. One of the group's more recent singles, it's a much harder-rocking couple of songs than their previous work and shows a marked shift in style and direction. "Love Song" is a heavy rock piece, bearing almost no similarities to idol pop whatsoever. It's one of the group's more successful singles to date, for good reason. It does have a lot more edge than Vandead Bakery's older material, so maybe it's a hint at the direction the group will take in the future. I sure hope so! The B-side, "Rock's", follows in the hard rock footsteps of the former track. It's actually even heavier, with a great riff and chorus. To be completely honest, I think "Rock's" should have been the real single here. It's much more memorable, much heavier, and just so well-put-together. I love the performances on both songs, but this one really takes it to the next level.  "Love Song/Rock's" is one of the only Vandead Bakery releases available on iTunes (in the US, anyway) so it's pretty accessible to everybody. The only other one on there is "Namikaze Start Dash" (also reviewed by us), so go check them both out! I'm sure this is only the beginning of Vandead Bakery's career, and they have a bright future ahead of them.
-Justin Vandead Bakery Is: Kiya Nanaka For More Information: Official Website: http://office-freestyle.net/page333840.html Blog: http://ameblo.jp/vandead-bakery Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Vandead-bakery- Kiya Twitter: https://twitter.com/Kiya_bakery Nanaka Twitter: https://twitter.com/nanaka_bakery  BAND-MAID is a hard rock/metal band who have been making waves for a couple years with their intense and powerful performances. Writing and playing all the music themselves, some people have questioned if this band made up of all girls could possibly be the real deal and they assure us time and time again that they are. Their latest album "New Beginning" was one of my personal favorites of 2015 and definitely deserves a listen. "alone" is their latest single and comes out well ahead of the May release of their upcoming EP "Brand New MAID". The first thing you'll notice about "alone" is that it's a HARD song. Maybe harder than most of BAND-MAID's previous work. It's a little darker too, but it still remains super catchy. Even with a slight change in tone, BAND-MAID's formula remains the same, which is exactly what fans probably want from them. Vocalist Saiki ATSUMI has such a strong voice and is backed by some of the most talented musicians in the Japanese hard rock scene, female, male, or otherwise. There's not much to say about the PV, since it's just a performance video, but the song is amazing. BAND-MAID is setting themselves up to be an international sensation, one release at a time. They're making their US debut this year in Seattle at SakuraCon and playing in the UK as well. I can't wait for their new EP, and I know this band has potential for global recognition, and they certainly deserve it. -Justin BAND-MAID Is: Vocals: Saiki ATSUMI Guitar,Vocals： Miku KOBATO Guitar： Kanami TOUNO Drums： Akane HIROSE Bass： MISA For More Information: Website: bandmaid.tokyo Twitter: https://twitter.com/bandmaid YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJToUvYrmkmTCR-bluEaQfA BAND-MAID - alone MV  Track List 1) Namikaze Start Dash 2) Get down 3) Aoki Symphony Vandead Bakery is a new-ish idol group who caught A-To-J's attention recently, performing at the Los Angeles event Anison USA. They released a handful of singles in 2015, and "Namikaze Start Dash" is the first of a couple that we're gonna tell you about. "Namikaze Start Dash" is an upbeat song like so many other idols have done before, but it's not quite as hyper as what you normally expect from modern idols. The production leaves the backing music a bit low in the mix, bringing Vandead Bakery's emotional vocals to the forefront. Something about their vocal delivery serves to bring them closer to the listener, reminding you that these are real people singing their hearts out, which is something a lot of bigger producers try to hide in the mix. The song itself excellent, and the performance is equally great.Track List  The first B-side, "Get down", is surprisingly heavy. Backed by thick bass pads, the group's crooning vocals mix pretty well with the harder techno beat. This song has probably my favorite chorus out of the three. Finally, there's the second B-side "Aoki Symphony". The song starts out with an unexpected ska-like intro, which carries on throughout the song. The chorus sounds so triumphant, like something you would hear during a big fight in a mecha anime. It's definitely the most stand-out song here if only for the unique sound you hear so rarely from an idol group.
This was my first time listening to Vandead Bakery, and I can confidently say this single has me wanting even more. They're definitely a group to get excited about, and I really recommend giving these songs a listen. -Justin Vandead Bakery Is: Kiya Nanaka For More Information: Official Website: http://office-freestyle.net/page333840.html Blog: http://ameblo.jp/vandead-bakery Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Vandead-bakery- Kiya Twitter: https://twitter.com/Kiya_bakery Nanaka Twitter: https://twitter.com/nanaka_bakery  Famed metal idol outfit BABYMETAL have finally revealed the details of their upcoming album "METAL RESISTANCE", which was announced late 2015. The album will be released on April 1st, 2016, ahead of their upcoming world tour.
We now have the album art, track list, and a release date for the first single off of this album. The first single will be called "KARATE", which will be available on February 25th. No word yet on whether or not there will be a PV. The album art is below, and is strikingly similar to their debut self-titled album. The track list is as follows: 01. Road Of Resistance 02. KARATE 03. Awadama Fever 04. YAVA! 05. Amore 06. Meta Taro 07. From Dusk Till Dawn 08. GJ! 09. Sis. Anger 10. No Rain, No Rainbow 11. Tales Of The Destinies 12. THE ONE (English version) -Justin   Seiko Oomori is a bit different, as far as "idols" go. She's generally considered more of a standard pop singer and she does write her own songs, but she often likes to refer to herself as an idol. She's definitely controversial, experimenting in both musical sound and public image. She has been known to perform covered in blood, and to be generally vulgar and violent while maintaining some "cute idol" traits. I like to refer to her as a rebel idol, whether that labal applies or not. This is her latest single, a double A-side. It's pretty par for the course for Seiko Oomori, sound-wise, and there's absolutely nothing wrong with that. The first A-side, "Aishiteru.com", reminds me immediately of Kyary Pamyu Pamyu. The similarities between the pre-chorus melody and Kyary's "CANDY CANDY" are slight, but noticeable just the same. Oomori has a really unique voice, though, and that sets them apart pretty well. The song is super catchy, and structured pretty much like a standard pop song. There's not much to say about it honestly, it's just a cute song backed by Oomori's stand-out voice. Aishiteru.com MV The second A-side, "Gekiteki JOY! Before After", is much softer. Oomori sings at almost a whisper, over a bouncy but shy beat. This song, structurally, is a lot more experimental than the former. There are a lot of parts at work and they mix together nicely. This for me is the song that shows Oomori's songwriting prowess and personality the best of the three. Gekiteki JOY! Before After MV Finally, we get to the B-side, "Fan Letter". On the surface, this is a pretty standard folky acoustic piece. It's Oomori's voice once again that really sets it apart. She transitions cleanly from a barely audible whisper to a much more forceful tone countless times through the (admittedly short) song. It sort of reminds me of the B-side from "Magic Mirror", her last single.
This single is nice, though maybe not super memorable or special. I do love the second song, but I think this single overall is just a good teaser for Seiko Oomori's upcoming album, "TOKYO BLACK HOLE", which comes out in March. I do recommend giving these songs a listen if you're a big Seiko Oomori fan, but otherwise I'm sure the album will do a much better job of introducing new listeners to this incredible musician. -Justin Serena Kozuki (上月せれな) Single Review (Saikyo Melody / Kokuhaku Three Count / Night Jungle War)2/18/2016
Saikyo Melody (2014)  Track List 1) Saikyo Melody 2) High Tension Girl 3) nerve 4) Saikyo Melody (Karaoke) 5) High Tension Girl (Karaoke) The first single is "Saikyo Melody", and it's one that uses a mix of different styles. First up is the title track. When you listen to the track itself you can hear synths buried deep in the mix, but it's the rock instrumentation sticks out more. The production quality here pretty low, but it has a certain charm to it. Definitely the type of song to get hyped to in a live! The first B-side, "High Tension Girl", is super high-energy and fun. I love the song and the video game sound effects used in the mix, it's a cool combo, but not as cool as the second B-side. The third song on this single is a cover of the BiS song "nerve", and one of the best covers I've heard of the song so far. It's a lot faster than the original and the heavy guitars definitely add some depth. Where BiS had multiple voices and a major label budget, Serena Kozuki's version relies more on diverse instrumentation to fill the song out. Once again, my only wish here is for the production to be just a little better, especially on a song that will draw comparisons. That aside, it ends this release on a strong note. Saikyo Melody (Live) High Tension Girl (Live) nerve (Live) Kokuhaku Three Count (2014)  Track List 1) Kokuhaku Three Count 2) Hajimete no Chuu 3) Kokuhaku Three Count (Karaoke) The second single is "Kokuhaku Three Count". The title track itself is fairly basic as far as idol songs go. The production is a bit better this time around, but it's still a little muddy in parts. Other than this one slight aside, the song is good. It's a bouncy and catchy pop single, but maybe the least interesting out of the three singles here that I'm going to talk about here. Don't get me wrong, I still like it though I was left wanting just a little moore. It's certainly a fun song that I'm sure is best witnessed live. The B-side, "Hajimete no Chuu", is a cover of the Tatsuya Kimura (of SMAP) song of the same name. I love Serena's version, it's probably my second favorite (after SCANDAL's cover) of the song that I've ever heard. One thing that sets it apart is the fact that it's so upbeat and cute. Generally versions of this song are pretty slow, but this one throws all that out the window for a high-energy performance that I think I enjoy more than the single track itself. Night Jungle War (2015)  Track List 1) Night Jungle War 2) Kamatte Datte! 3) Night Jungle War (Karaoke) 4) Kamatte Datte! (Karaoke) The third single is "Night Jungle War". The song is a pretty hard rocking song, especially for an idol. It gives off the feeling of something like an indie BiSH song. It's a great song, but the production quality is again pretty low. It's really good though and I'd love to hear it done with better production similar to what she did with "Saikyo no Melody". Don't let that keep you from this amazing song though! The B-side, "Kammate Datte!", is much more standard idol pop. It's pretty cute, and actually seems to have production better than "Night Jungle War". If it were up to me, I'd love to switch those around. I think bouncy, poppy synths like the ones in "Kammate Datte!" would sound pretty cool in a messier mix. Night Jungle War (Live)Kamatte Datte! (Live) There you have it! Serena Kozuki's first three singles! Be sure to check out her social media for more info on her and keep an eye out for more on her from A-To-J Connections!
-Justin For More Information: Blog: http://ameblo.jp/sere7-kozuki/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/Serena_Kozuki
 Tamahime-sama starts off with the perfect introduction; the song "Dotou no Ren-Ai" may not be Togawa's most memorable song, but it begins with a de-tuned synth line, with Togawa's vocals crawling out and drenched in reverb. It sounds like something you'd hear in a cathedral, straight out of a vampire movie. "Teinen Pushiganga" is where Togawa starts to showcase her incredible sense for a catchy chorus and beat. The song sounds almost traditional, with a monotonous drum beat, jangling guitar, and wispy flute throughout. Togawa's voice is powerful, and carries the song perfectly. "Konchugun" (a Halmens cover) brings us firmly into the 80s, with some synths and thick bass. Togawa manages to jump from idol to opera singer at a moment's notice with one of the best vocal ranges I've ever heard. This becomes a trend throughout her career, bringing bubbly (if a little dark) pop together with opera-style music. The album takes a bit of a darker turn on "Yuumon no Giga", bringing back that super dark cathedral sound. It sounds like something out of a movie for sure. "Tonari no Indojin" is twisted with chirping synths and Togawa's powerful voice, until it explodes with violins and drums about halfway through. Track six is "Tamahime-sama", the title track. In my opinion, it's one of the best songs of Jun Togawa's career. The way the synths, percussion, and Togawa's amazing voice all mix together is perfect. It sounds pretty upbeat, but de-tuned and sinister. It sounds like something menacing is lurking underneath those bright synths. Jun Togawa - Tamahime-sama Live "Mori no Hitobito" is like a horrifying lullaby, and "Odorenai" brings us back into some kind of pop territory. It may be the strangest pop you ever hear, but it's just so infectous. Finally, we reach the closing track. "Mushi no Onna" is based heavily on Pachelbel's Canon, with Togawa's almost child-like voice and some gorgeous violins. Whenever she performed this song live, she would do an incredible punk rendition, but the studio version is a beautiful lullaby and the perfect end to one of the most unique pop albums of the 1980s. Jun Togawa is extremely influental and important, if only in a scene which stays far from the mainstream. Her debut album was only a taste of what would come, but it's a definitive statement of her career, and just an amazing album overall. -Justin
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