PassCode - AXIS MV Review

I've always been a fan of my idol music coming with a side of screaming. PassCode is an idol group who meets all the requirements for a perfect, uh, meal? They have the screams, the heavy techno-meets-metal backing music, and a pretty cool cyberpunk-lite aesthetic. This latest MV, "AXIS", serves as a nice appetizer for their upcoming album in May, and also the last time I describe music as if it is food.

Backed by some Babymetal-inspired digital hardcore, "AXIS" is a nice and heavy song. "Digital" is also a good word to use here, since there's a lot of vocoder/autotune vocals going on here. It's pretty fitting for a group who calls their fans "hackers". I hate to compare them to Babymetal (that's such a common comparison for any idol group who uses metal elements) but there are a lot of musical similarities. PassCode breaks free from their contemporaries with a few unique elements, though. The song has a fairly dark tone, something hiding deep in the melody that even cute idol vocals can't quite break free from. It's like all the sweetness is being fought back by the digital madness going on in the production. We also get an element I absolutely can't live without, in the form of Imada Yuna's black metal screams. This group can dance and smile all they want, but there's no escaping the pure darkness of this video.

Speaking of the video, it's probably good to touch on that quickly. The group members dress is all black and white hoodies, with standard idol uniforms nowhere in sight. It's a minimalist video for sure, mostly featuring the group and their backing back playing in front of greyish backgrounds. There's some cool visual glitches and minor color effects enhancing the cyberpunk atmosphere, but it's mostly just a clean and minimal video. It fits the song pretty well!

"AXIS" is an exceptional entry into the "idol-meets-digital-hardcore-meets-metal" formula; I firmly believe that PassCode is one of the best groups in the genre. I'm looking forward to "VIRTUAL", the full-length album dropping on May 25th. Until then, I do really hope they drop another single soon. If their last album is anything to go by, "VIRTUAL" might just blow us all away in a glitchy mess of hardcore EDM metal.

-Justin

PassCode Is:
Takashima Kaede (高嶋楓)
Imada Yuna (今田夢菜)
Minami Nao (南菜生)
Ogami Hinako (大上陽奈子)

For More Information:
Website: http://passcode-official.com/
Blog: http://ameblo.jp/passcode-official/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCi0W2TYXQYftZFHoNcL1JIw
Twitter: https://twitter.com/passcodeO
Vine: https://vine.co/u/1091681703380062208

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PassCode - AXIS MV