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Bands You Should Check Out: Maximum The Hormone

Hello welcome to the second blog in this mini series if you enjoyed this blog you may also want to check out me previous BYCO blog. I also would like to say thanks to all the people that read my previous blog! On with today!

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Maximum the Hormone

Maximum the Hormone is what can be described as one of the biggest Japanese metal bands ever, what else is funny is, not a lot of people in the States or UK know about them. Though I am sure a lot of people who are reading my blog may recognize some of their music. They did the second opening and ending themes for the anime Death Note. You know the cool metal one that Suede liked. They also did the ending theme for Akagi.

If Japan is like looking into a fun house mirror at western culture, then Maximum the Hormone is like listening to a fun house mirror of western music. Combining Speed Metal, Power Pop, Hardcore Punk, Rap, Screamo, and Nu Metal MTH is one of the most diverse bands I have ever heard. If you put their discography into random, you would go from headbanging Metalica sounding song, to a Minor Threat style hardcore song, to a danceable Reel Big Fish 3rd Wave Ska sound.

Since I don't speak Japanese I can't really review the lyrical content, so instead of doing a normal review for their full length studio releases, I will just tell you the themes present and give you my rating on their music.

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ASA Crew (1999)

ASA Crew was the first release from Maximum the Hormone, it wasn't really a hit for them, but it was the album that launched their careers. It was also the first and only release to feature the original line up, their original guitarist and bassist left for undisclosed reasons.

As for the stylistic and genristic sound, this entire record is speed metal, inspired most likely from Slayer, Metallica, and Anthrax. It's really a headbangers wet dream, fast music, no slow songs all power!

The recording quality on ASA Crew isn't as good as their later releases, so you can't get that bass bump, which is the only thing holding this back from being a speed metal classic.

ASA Crew gets a 90%

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Mimi Kajiru (2002)

Mimi Kajiru is the first album with the current lineup. Its better for it to, better guitar riffs, and some of the best bass I have ever heard.

What is the sound for this record? What ever genre Primus is, hardcore punk, and oddly enough power pop. With a new singer, the band didn't rely on screaming as much as they did on ASA Crew, which allowed them to do some more genre exploration, specifically into the power pop genre (very BFS sounding in a couple songs).

The downside is this is a very short record, its considered a full length release but its the size of an EP. Tt left me wanting and I was disappointed.

Mimi Kajiru gets a 85%

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Kusoban (2004)

This was the record where they found their sound.

The first song starts as a J Pop song moves into a metal riff. The Genre changes don't stop there it flips into a Nu Metal song, with the next track, and if you listen to the entire album there are 5 more genre changes, sometimes multiple in one song. This is notable as the first album to feature prominent vocals from their drummer, Nao, the female vocals add in a great depth.

I am trying to think of something wrong with this record, I mean it is short, but it is very good, good enough to shake that off. It's not perfect by any means but no problems I can name.

Kusoban gets a 92%

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Rokkinpo Goroshi (2005)

This is an epic album.

The genre of this album is Maximum the Hormone, yes it is so unique that I cannot, define it. It's just one of those things if you hear it you know its them. I could say it's Nu Metal, Pop, Power Pop, Thrash Metal, Speed Metal, 50's Doo wop, Blues, Emo, Punk, and Hardcore, but that doesn't give enough credit to this CD.

No quips with this one either, the length is even improved, I have a problem with a couple of music nerd things, but beside that THIS IS A DEFINITE BUY, but buy it in digital format or you'll have to pay 40 dollars to import a CD.

Rokkinpo Goroshi gets a 95%

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Bu-ikikaesu (2007)

This is my favorite MTH album. It has the song's Zetsubou Billy and What's Up People from Death Note, Akagi from Akagi, and my favorite single off this album (that may result in me loosing my man card) Koi no Mega Lover

Same thing about genre I said with Rokkinpo Goroshi. The best improvement in this album? LENGTH, you get 50 minutes of headbanging fun out of this bad boy. I am not even going to what I don't like about this album because its so damn good.

Bu-ikikiaesu gets a 99%

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How are they live?

This is a unique case because I have seen Maximum the Hormone live, it was actually my first concert I have ever been to, and they were the first band that played, it was during the 2008 Saint Patrick Days Dropkick Murphy's Tour . The drummer Nao and screaming vocalist Daisuke, when they came out handing fliers saying "We with the band", not understanding until they got on stage that they WERE the band.

As for the show itself, it was a great 30 minute set, they didn't play any of their poppy stuff, probably to appease an American audience. They are as good as it was on album to which is rare. They also kept telling us to shut the hell up, in between songs which was hilarious. The crowd REALLY got into them, out of the 1,275 people at the New Oasis, probably 400 were moshing. My brother got out of the pit, saying it was one of the most intense pits he had ever been in as lip was bleeding.

Sadly MTH isn't touring now due to complications from Nao's pregnancy, but they are recording a new album and will be touring after Nao gives birth and recovers!

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I hope you enjoyed today's band, if not read yesterdays blog by clicking the link at the very top, or read tomorrows, blog where I will be featuring a band that went from almost being on top of the pop charts, to being a staple in the indie community.

Bands You Should Check Out: Say Anything

Welcome to the first Bands You Should Check Out blog. In this mini series of blogs I will be talking about 6 bands, you should check out no matter what your genre tastes are. Each blog will look at a band from a different genre, so if you don't like one band maybe the next day there will be a band more to your taste.

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SAY ANYTHING

Say Anything is Power pop/Emo/Pop Punk, they have released 3 studio albums ...Is a Real Boy, In Defense of the Genre, and Say Anything. Their songs generally deal with subjects ranging from psychosis, Jewish culture, phone sex with an underage girl you met online, and drug use. These guys may be considered stylistically emo, but don't let prejudices on what the genre is, sway you away from listening, or you'll miss out on some of the best songwriting and composition in modern pop music.

Lets exam their 3 studio albums in chronological order.

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...Is a Real Boy (2004)

...Is a Real Boy, is Say Anything's most upbeat release. I really enjoy this CD, I kept it constantly on play at my house, for a good week. Front man Max Bemis' sings, every word he wrote, with such power. You can feel the pain, happiness, confusion, and angst, in every word.

As for the words themselves, as I stated above Say Anything has a very unique type of song writing. Max is definitely a poet, one of my favorite songs on the album is "Alive With the Glory of Love" which is about a Jewish couple in love during the holocaust, it is based off of the true story of Bemis' grandparents, which adds a personal touch to the song, that I really enjoy.

The composition on ...Is a Real Boy is excellent, the entire album feels like a train that wont stop. The guitar riffs don't stop chugging along until the the end of the CD.

Also before I move on, I have to mention there is a second disc that was not with the original version, called ...Was a Real Boy, it had kind of shallow song writing, and was mainly comprised of songs that weren't good enough to go on the actual album. Its worth a listen if only for the song "Wow I Can Get Sexual Too".

...Is a Real Boy gets a 95%

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In Defense of the Genre (2007)

In Defense of the Genre was double disc, and this time it was 2 amazing discs. It features MANY guests including Haley Williams from Paramore, Aaron Gillespie of Underoath, Chris Conley from Saves the Day and over 20 more guest vocalists and musicians.

The song writing on this baby, is nearly perfect. Out of 27 songs, 26 of them are amazing, and 1 is okay (I didn't think the opening song Skinny Mean Man, was that great). To really understand this album, you'd have to know the story behind its writing, which is to long for me to tell in this blog so just look it up on wikipedia, it involves a drug/bi polar fit and is very interesting. "An Insult to the Dead" really has to be my favorite out of the 27.

The composition on in defense is the best so far, this doesn't sound like "traditional" emo, it's its own thing, each song sounds original and new, and I can purely say its spot on in complimenting the lyrics.

In Defense of a Genre gets a 98%

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Say Anything (2009)

Okay out of their 3 studio albums this is my least favorite. Its not that it's bad its just that its not good either, its mediocre.

The song writing, is still good, but its not as good as it was on the previous two releases. I like the first track of the album the best Hate Everyone, because it reminds me alot of ....Is a Real Boy, and it was kind of nostalgic for me.

As for the composition, it is the reason people hate emo, every song sounds the same, the music doesn't always compliment the lyrics, and it was just so....mediocre.

Say Anything gets a 70%

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So definitely check out Say Anything. Tomorrows, blog will be about one of the biggest bands in a really small genre J-Metal.

http://www.sayanythingmusic.com/

http://www.myspace.com/sayanything

http://www.twitter.com/sayanythingmuz

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