Music Club XII: No speak Engrish

[Maxximus 353]

He said ROOLZ ARE ROOLZ, Gringo. Nothing we can do now but try to get him grounded.

[Omega 354]

Love you! :)

 

BABYMETAL - ギミチョコ！！- Gimme chocolate!!

 

[video=youtube;WIKqgE4BwAY]

 

I very seriously considered making both my selections Babymetal because I think they're awesome. Whilst they don;t always sing live I know that Su-Metal the lead singer can do the vocals live even while doing most of the dancing. Also if anyone says there is no dancing in metal this proves them wrong, dancing and metal is awesome!

 

Dir En Grey - Hageshisa to kono mune no naka de karamitsuita shakunetsu no yami

 

[video=youtube;v7IXmV6A6Bk]

 

the songs title and principal lyric means "The violence and the darkness of the burning heat entwines in my heart" or "The scorching darkness that is violently wrapped around my hear" depending on the translation. that i itself is such an amazing lyric. Plus Kyo the lead singer has got to have one of the top 10 voices in Metal being able to do the death growls and the screams and then actually sing as well. Given that they've been very gimmicky in the past as part of the visual kei movement they're some real depth to some of their music like this.

[Evil Gringo 279]

Dammit, I was going to pick that Dir En Grey song!

 

Ah well, back to the drawing board on pick number 2.

[dsrchris 190]

Meggles

 

BABYMETAL - ギミチョコ！！- Gimme chocolate!!

Nope. I don't get it. And I've tried. I've had friends pontificate for months now about how great BabyMetal are, and just...nope. Sorry dude, they don't do anything for me. I even tried checking out a couple of other vids when I got to the end of this one, and I just can't find a way in. I like J-Pop, I like Metal, but it looks like I'm not a fan of a combination of the two.

 

It's not entirely god awful, but it is a 2/10.

 

 

Dir En Grey - Hageshisa to kono mune no naka de karamitsuita shakunetsu no yami

I don't mind this. Musically it's pretty cool, if not just a little repetitive. I quite like the breakdown around the 2 minute mark, that was kinda cool. I can't rightly decide whether I like the vocals or not? They've got that kind of Mike Patton-esque eccentricity to them, but I don't know if it all sits right with me. Maybe it's the language thing, and I'd get along with it better in English? I guess we'll find out the further into this club we get.

 

Not bad, but not anything I'd go out my way to hunt down. A solid 7/10.

[Omega 354]

Dammit, I was going to pick that Dir En Grey song!

 

Ah well, back to the drawing board on pick number 2.

 

This was my fear since I had nothing in reserve really after this. The lesson here is suck up to the guy running the club! :)

[Guest Inno]

Conspiracy! What about me? What about Inno?

[Guest]

Inno! How could I forget?! I'll slip you in somewhere.

[Guest]

BABYMETAL - ギミチョコ！！- Gimme chocolate!!

This is total rapidfire at the start but then they start singing. I don't know, this whole J-Pop concept is a bit creepy for my liking, gather some girls, put them in a school uniform, market them to the fullest and then replace and repeat. Instrumentally it's OK on the first listen but the whole presentation is just weird man, totally not my zone. Pixelate that shiz.

1/10

 

Dir En Grey - Hageshisa to kono mune no naka de karamitsuita shakunetsu no yami

I can totally see where Deeser is coming from with the ranging vocals like Mike Patton but this is batshit crazy levels that Patton wouldn't risk at all. This dude has some stamina, but his vocal chords surely must be on the brink of destruction? It's not my thing though, way better than your first pick but gets bonus points for the insane voice.

4/10

[Evil Gringo 279]

BABYMETAL - ギミチョコ！！- Gimme chocolate!!

 

I actually like this! Don't get wrong it is not something I'd go out of my way to listen to but as Shaun said, the actual playing is spot on and the vocals add a weird catchiness to the mix that I can't dislike even though my brain says it is not quite right. The only strange thing is the dance moves in the video - it looks like they want to please an Afro-American with their mouths. Still, a solid 6/10

 

Dir En Grey - Hageshisa to kono mune no naka de karamitsuita shakunetsu no yami

 

This is a band whose transformation over the years has been one to fascinate from a distance, from their almost J-Pop beginnings in the visual kei movement through to now were Kyo looks like he hates, despises, pities and is disgusted by everything around him at the same time whilst the world sounds like it is falling down around him thanks to the playing of his band mates. His vocal range is staggering and he is as nearly every one has pointed out very Mike Patton like in his ability to climb the ranges with a little bit of Danni Filth thrown in. If you wished there was a slightly softer Japanese Cradle of Filth with some Slipknot like breakdowns then Dir En Grey are the band for you - well at least their current product is. 8/10

[Guest Inno]

Alpha, Beta, Gamma, whatever

 

BABYMETAL - ギミチョコ！！- Gimme chocolate!!

Shite. Didn't jump on the Babymetal bandwagon that seemed to erupt over the summer as it was shit. It's still shit. It probably will remain shit.

0/10

 

Dir En Grey - Hageshisa to kono mune no naka de karamitsuita shakunetsu no yami

Do I have to hand back my METALCARD if I admit I hate the grunting style? I love the riffs, but hate the vocals. This does nothing to change that opinion, sadly. The actual music is good, I'd listen to an instrumental version no problem... just "UGGGGGGGGGH Raaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!" ruins the whole thing for me :/

5/10

[Maxximus 353]

Shut up, Megz

 

BABYMETAL - Gimme chocolate!!

I've been avoiding this "band" purely from the gimmick along so this will be the first I've heard them. I'm honestly not looking forward to this at all. Here we go... Well... it's starting off okay. The music's not bad. Don't care for the dancing at all.... until they opened their mouths... I'd gladly trade the vox for more dancing. Christ, people like this? I mean, I can see and somewhat understand the novelty of the gimmick being a draw, but people actually like this unironically? The solo was okay but it sounded to synthy for my taste. Yeah, I don't really hate this as much as I thought I would. It's not good and I don't care what they call themselves, it's not metal, but I don't hate it, I just don't like it. I guess it would be okay for an anime theme or something but as just a stand alone band or group I wouldn't listen to it. Ever. I will give it a bonus point for the gimmick. Still better than Slipknot. 5/10

 

Dir En Grey - "Hageshisa To, Kono Mune No Naka De Karamitsuita Shakunetsu No Yami"

I've actually seen a live performance from these guys and really liked it. I've even seen this video a few times. Musically they're very good and somewhat unique. The singer is a f*cking maniac and SUPER talented. Like Mookie said, I have no idea how long this kids vox can hold out without him doing himself permanent damage. Hopefully a long time because this is straight up killer and way WAY better than Megz' first choice. The only thing about this track I didn't like was the duration. It wasn't anywhere near as long as I would have liked. Short and to the very brutal point. 7/10

Edited September 4, 2014 by Maxximus

[Omega 354]

Ha ha, I love babymetal without irony and Maxx is wrong to say this isn't metal, if you don't like it that's fine no one likes everything except maybe TPIB. If Nintendo-core is a thing then kawaii-metal is too. Yes you have to somewhat look past that it's really a put together act designed for a purpose but so was audioslave or any supergroup. Like I say I don't expect people to like a mixture of pop vocals and metal but let's not be hasty here and start saying the music isn't music. I'm mates with a guy who writes for metalhammer and he was at the side of the stage for their performance in the uk and he said it totally changed his opinion on them from being dismissive like Inno and now he's a fan.

[Guest Inno]

I'm not dismissive, I just don't like it :D

[Omega 354]

Saying you didn't jump on the bandwagon is pretty dismissive of anyone who does like them mate, however you want to put it. I know what you meant but still. I found them off a random youtube video, to be hipster about it. :D

[Maxximus 353]

You're right, Megz, I shouldn't have said it's not metal. That was pretty snobby in retrospect. It's for sure music, just not music I like. I was surprised that I didn't straight up hate it as much as I thought I would. It's silly and fun and I scored it as such. I don't think I was unfair at all and I'm not saying anyone said I was.

 

They're way better than Slipknot :lol

[Omega 354]

I don't think your score was unfair at all, that's your business entirely my friend. :)

 

I just get a bit arsey when I hear the whole "It's not metal". Like metal can't ever be fun and happy and not take itself totally seriously. It must be angry white boys screaming into a mic whilst guitarists chug out riffs and it must be dark and serious. F*ck that. I love listening to metal that at the end of it makes me smile and feel happier than when I started and has dance moves I am seriously impressed about being able to do repeatedly and in perfect time. Babymetal is ten times more enjoyable than any output from Metallica in the last 10 years and I'm serious about that. I still don't mind if you hate it after giving it a listen, that's what the club is all about. :)

[Maxximus 353]

What was surprising was the fact that I didn't hate it. I may even check out some of their other stuff out of curiosity and what you said about Metallica was hammer hitting nail right on the head.

 

Some of my very favorite metal is sludge and a lot of it is far from serious. Anthrax is my favorite thrash band and everyone knows how fun and silly they are so I'm totally with you on that.

 

Still didn't care for the dancing but it's at least better than that hardcore dancing garbage. :lol

[Omega 354]

It grew on me totally. I didn't get it first time, but I watched this and Doki Doki Morning and then suddenly I realised I liked the weird juxtaposition of Metal and J-pop. You should check out the Sonisphere performance of Gimme Chocolate to see Su-Metal (the lead singer) sing live it's massive impressive how controlled her voice is and still doing the dancing.

 

in fact here it is...

 

[video=youtube;SsBF_QLDK6w]

[ShaolinHandLock 73]

BABYMETAL - ギミチョコ！！- Gimme chocolate!! - I went into this fully expecting to hate it. I actually liked it. I hate my life. 8/10.

 

Dir En Grey - Hageshisa to kono mune no naka de karamitsuita shakunetsu no yami - Well this is possibly a first for me in the music club: two positive reviews in a row. I enjoyed this one too. 8/10.

[Omega 354]

I win the internet. Also I think Shao now deserves to be free from the 2/10 gimmick. :)