blog

24th Anniversary Call for Guest Art!

Fri, 31 Jul 2020 16:01:31 +0100

Update: Deadline has been moved to August 30, 2020!

Hey everyone!

I hope you're all staying safe and healthy!
August 7, 2020 will be the 24th anniversary of Callous and I'd like to celebrate this milestone by once again opening up for guest art and artist promotion! But this time, we'll do something a bit more fun and perhaps help someone in need.

If you're interested, you'll be making the middle panel of a three-panel comic strip! Following the guidelines below, you can pretty much do whatever you want and I'll be writing and drawing the first and last panel based on what you submit!

It is my hope to have enough comic strips to publish one per day for the month of August, so I'll be selecting up to 30 submissions!

You'll have the gutter space to the left of your center panel for your primary credit and self-promotion within the comic strip's image and more in the caption/post description when they publish online.

Furthermore, I'll submit the selected comic strips to Manila Bulletin for their consideration to publish in their comics page. That's a potential reach of more than half a million views per day!

And, perhaps most important of all, 100% of these comic strips' income from newspaper publishing for the month of August 2020 will be donated to Oplan Malasakit, a fund raising effort to purchase PPEs for our frontliners fighting COVID-19.

Still interested? Here are the guidelines:

All content should be for all ages!
Only digital submissions (full-color or black and white) are accepted, preferably in unflattened PSD format.
Submissions should be intended for newsprint and preferably in CMYK color mode with all linework, lettering, and colors intended to appear flat black be at 100% K on a separate layer. If you don't understand that, you may submit your work in RGB with all linework, lettering, and colors intended to appear black in a separate layer and I'll do the proper formatting. Black gradients are acceptable as long as they're on that "black layer." If you're still lost after all that (probably because I don't really know what I'm talking about) then just submit in whatever format you want. ;)
Submission dimensions are preferably 1186 pixel width and 1127 pixel height at 300 dpi. You may submit at a higher resolution with the same image dimension proportion ratio, but not at a lower resolution.
Deadline for submissions is on August 30, 2020.
Send your image submissions as an e-mail attachment or as a download link to caz@callouscomics.com

You don't have to be an artist to help!
Oplan Malasakit is an initiative to help our fellow Filipinos in time of need. It was officially organized by Dr. Tiger Garrido (who inspired the Callous character, Dr. Tiger Kaiserslautern) and his friends. For more information about the organization and how you can help, visit the Oplan Malasakit Page on Facebook!

Caz holds "Braving Life One Cup at a Time" for the first time!

Sat, 03 Sep 2016 19:34:26 +0100

The night before AsiaPOP Comicon Manila 2016, the comic convention I planned to launch Braving Life One Cup at a Time at, I finally got the first batch of copies of the book. Relive the excitement with me here!

Review: Torchlight Lullaby by Ryan Fisher

Sun, 07 Aug 2016 02:27:14 +0100

Torchlight Lullaby by Ryan Fisher
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

As a webcomic artist, I've known the author for quite a long time and have enjoyed his previous forays into comic strips. But having made the transition into writing comic books myself, I can say that Ryan Fisher's accomplishment with Torchlight Lullaby is gargantuan.

It's a thoroughly enjoyable all-ages read with tight pacing and a lovable lead character. There's a sense of urgency from the get-go which makes it a page-turner, but the comic is strongest during its slower moments when the overarching machinations behind the whole fantastic adventure is revealed.

Where the book is weakest is in the art, which isn't saying it's not good because it is. However, it is clear that Fisher is a developing artist which is particularly evident to those who have the single-issue previews. The artwork in the final book is an improvement over those in the previews and it makes one wonder what the book would have looked like had it been produced a bit later, when Fisher had further developed his skills. Nevertheless, it does work in this book to its advantage, having that dreamy, ethereal quality that lends itself very well to this kind of story.

Another thing that irked this reviewer ever-so-slightly (which means this is just a matter of personal taste) is this book's rendition of the 80's snarky sidekick, a mouse called Winchell. Early on in the tale, Winchell's snide remarks seemed a tad out-of-place. But further along the story, the character does come off a lot more heartfelt and sincere. This may just be because 80's snarky sidekicks that I enjoyed are few and far between. I liked Hoggle from Labyrinth. Snarf from the original Thundercats? Not as much. I didn't dislike Winchell enough to not want a plushie though.

Nevertheless, these nitpicks are just that, very minor and never truly affected my enjoyment of this book. Especially once you get to the end. It is a gut-punch to anyone with a heart and perhaps shows how personal this tale is to the author. It's a gorgeous-looking book with a fantastic premise and a moving story. Enthralling from start to finish.

View all my reviews

The 20th Anniversary Book!

Tue, 12 Jul 2016 06:09:53 +0100

The cover to the upcoming 20th anniversary book, Callous - Braving Life One Cup at a Time

PRE-ORDER your copy of "Callous - Braving Life One Cup at a Time" now!

INTERNATIONAL PRE-ORDERS - Head on over to the Indiegogo campaign page and select a reward tier through the following link: http://igg.me/at/callous20years

PHILIPPINES - send a private message to the Callous - The Comic Series Page on Facebook or e-mail me with the subject line "Callous at 20 Pre-order" with the following information:
1. Name
2. Preferred delivery address or comic convention pick-up
3. Mobile/Celphone number
4. Number of books you'd like to pre-order
You'll be sent a reply with how much to pay (Book: P350 + shipping and handling and other fees where applicable) and a selection of payment methods. Once you reply with the applicable proof of transaction your pre-order will be confirmed!

You can also help out by sharing this message to everyone you know! Thank you so much for your support!

THE BOOK:

Over 150 pages with 300+ full-color comic strips from 2013-2016 including some redrawn strips previously published in black and white!
8.27" x 5.83" (A5-landscape orientation) in glossy paper, perfect-bound
Guest art!
Comic strip production process feature
History of Callous feature

Callous turns 20 years old on August 7, 2016.

BABYMETAL - One Year Later

Fri, 18 Mar 2016 14:14:36 +0100

BABYMETAL with Babybones circa 2012 (from tvqc.com)

Around March 2014, I first heard of the "metal" musical group known as BABYMETAL. I immediately dismissed it as something I'd probably never get into. If other people were into it, good for them, but I certainly wouldn't be. The premise just sounded like something that could not work. Even the name sounded ridiculous.

Then around a year ago, in July 2014, I chanced upon the music video for Doki Doki Morning through my Facebook timeline. It was visually confusing and audibly bipolar to me. Check it out for yourself through the embedded video below or through this link.

I didn't know what to think about it. I didn't hate it and I automatically would support any group of girls trying to get into any kind of rock genre, especially metal. Notably, these girls seemed quite young too (hope for the future!). Nevertheless, when it came to BABYMETAL, I was well on the fence and I thought it would be the last I'd hear of them. But a friend of mine pointed me to the Fine Bros.' YouTubers React to BABYMETAL video below.

Their reactions to Doki Doki Morning more or less mirrored mine. Then they featured more videos (there were more?!). By the end of the feature their thoughts were surprisingly positive and that sparked my interest. It at least drove me to try out at least one more song and one video in particular caught my attention, Gimme Choco!!

Although I still had some reservations (more on that in a little bit), I could say I was at least into this song. It was catchy and the riffs were actually on the brutal side. The front three girls were entertaining and sung well. But here is what I couldn't stomach, this was a live show but the backing "band", Babybones, were merely dancers pretending to play instruments! So no, I couldn't call them a band. And definitely not a metal band.

But then I came across their freakin' epic performance in Sonisphere. And my world was ripped apart in the most awesomely metal way possible.

BABYMETAL LIVE　～Sonisphere2014～　Full ver,HD by MSDCF0416

Before I continue, just who and what is BABYMETAL? It depends on who you ask. One person might say that they were originally formed in 2010 by their producer, Key Kobayashi, as a sub-unit of a school-themed idol pop group called Sakura Gakuin (Cherry Blossom Academy). The idea was that the overall group, being set in a school, would have various clubs (school paper club, cooking club, tennis club, etc.) and one of them would be a heavy music club called BABYMETAL. Kobayashi, known to the group as Koba-metal, recruited Moa Kikuchi and Yui Mizuno, Moametal and Yuimetal, respectively and both 12 years-old at the time, to join singer Suzuka Nakamoto, Su-metal, then 14 and with previous idol group experience with Karen Girl's, to embody his experimental musical amalgam of widely differing genres. See them in their first club project in the video below.

And see their first performance as a sub-unit below.

    Another person, however, might tell you that they were called upon by the Fox God to embark on a holy mission to save the world using the power and might of metal music. Yup, they went the full nine yards and gave themselves a legendary backstory.

    Looking at these early videos, you get the impression that it was never meant to be anything more than it was, just a playful idea with a bunch of giggling teenage girls. Can you imagine what Suzuka, Moa, and Yui's first thoughts were when they got this assignment? They were aspiring pop stars. This wasn't what they signed up to do. They admittedly never even heard of metal before. Furthermore, at the time, metal as a genre was a stagnant one. A road to obscurity. They were in a group that was destined to fail on paper. But I assume Kobayashi gave them a crash course on heavy music and they quickly grew to love metal. They found it fun and that was the key. They began to imagine choreography once they started getting into it. Did you see how into it the small audience was? There was something to the idea even as early as back then. However, everyone knew there was an end date to the group.

    You see, Sakura Gakuin is thematically a middle school. Eventually, once reaching a certain age, members "graduate" from it and new, younger members come in. So, the fear was, once Suzuka, Yui, and Moa graduated from middle school, BABYMETAL would cease to exist. But the uproar over the group's impending end was so great that the group continued on after all of its members "graduated".

    Bit by bit they modified their live act, the parts that worked were kept and further developed. And over the years they crafted themselves into a metal band and released their first, self-titled full album in February 2014.

    Going back (or forward?) to Sonisphere, I still struggle to find ways to express how epic this performance was without using the word "epic" too much. It's the stuff of legend.

    You see, BABYMETAL has its haters both in J-Pop fandom and among metalheads. Sonisphere 2014 was a metal festival being held in England and it was the group's first outside of Japan. They were originally to perform on a smaller stage in the festival but were promoted to the main stage, basically opening for Iron Maiden. IRON. MAIDEN. They had problems backstage, constantly being threatened by organizers to stick to their alloted 45-minute on-stage time and that included the sound check. Fears of them being booed and having bottles of urine thrown at them were there and arguably justified. If metalheads didn't warm up to the idea and sound of BABYMETAL, they'll make sure the band knows. Look at the image below, just before the front three girls walked on stage.

BABYMETAL, reportedly taken at Sonisphere 2014, photographer unknown

It's not hard to imagine how nervous these girls, then an average of 15 years-old, were just before they walked on that enormous stage in front of arguably their largest audience ever of purely metal music fans who will not understand a word they'll say. Nevertheless, they came, saw, and conquered. They made every second of their allotted time count. To many they were the talk of the whole festival. If anything, they definitely earned my respect. But most importantly, this signified their entry into the western metal world.

So, what changed? Why did this performance suddenly change my impression of BABYMETAL? They played songs I hadn't heard of at that point, apart from Gimme Choco!!, and I loved them all. They were heavier than what I had heard so far and were the perfect song choices for the audience. It surprised me! Yes, the amount of guts and professionalism they had to even get on that stage with all the circumstances circling in their heads was mind-blowing. I respect that. Another huge factor is the phenomenal Kami Band.

Live @ Budokan 2014 Kami Band Solo Performanceby cleruawakened

It would have been absolutely criminal had BABYMETAL not decided to get these metal virtuosos to back them because the world would not have gotten to know names like Takayoshi Ohmura, Leda Cygnus, BOH, Hideki Aoyama, Yuya Maeta, Mikio Fujioka, and recently, ISAO like they do now. When it comes to shredding, it's not too far-fetched to say that they are truly second-to-none. During BABYMETAL headliners and festival acts, the Kami Band is given their chance to shine in the limelight and rightfully so.

So, as performers, I gave them their due. They spent years refining their act and it paid off for their careers. But the question remains... why is this working on me?! After the Sonisphere performance I followed them as they continued their first World Tour and still do to this day. Relying purely on fancams, blogs, interviews, and the occasional press release, I was mystified by the effect the band has on me.

BABYMETAL live in Paris 2014. Photo by Dana Distortion Yavin

First off, needless to say, I really dug their album. The music is amazing and quite a thing to behold. It's almost a miracle it even got produced. It just goes to show how meticulous the Japanese are with their craft. The individual songs and the arrangement of the record as a whole are precision-engineered and they truly had to be, considering how unique it was. Indeed, they took an idea and had fun with it but made sure they got it absolutely right. But the fun was clearly there. So apart from my enjoyment the album earned my admiration.

Su-metal is a fantastic vocalist and, quite frankly, the center from which everything BABYMETAL revolves around. She's still quite young (she's currently 17) and still has a lot of potential, whether as a metal frontwoman or as a pop star. But even this early in her life, she's already a metal festival veteran and some argue is among the ranks of the metal gods and goddesses. She's certainly the Queen to the Metal Resistance (what the pre-show narrator calls BABYMETAL's fandom). Whether they scoff or smile upon bringing her up, there's a good chance a lot of metalheads have heard of her by now. That's quite an achievement.

Su-metal in the house.

I have heard arguments that BABYMETAL can do without Yuimetal and Moametal, the band's resident "screamers" and "dancers" (their actual job descriptions). I disagree. To me, they make BABYMETAL what they are, a truly unique live music act. They hold the daunting responsibility of projecting the group's charm and are clearly working themselves to the limit in every show. Choreography is not something I normally pay attention to in metal concerts but Moa and Yui definitely bring that added aspect to the show and successfully sell it as a co-feature to Suzuka's vocals. They even know what to do with their signature pigtails! It is because of them did I finally get what kawaii means.

Rock on the Range 2015 Photo from Soundcrave

    I can definitely relate to them realizing the appeal of metal music when they did. I too discovered metal at about the same age. I was even in a metal band. But that's where our similarities end. These girls are living one of my dreams, man. They're touring the world, being part of one of the most talked-about bands in music, performing in many of the biggest rock festivals on Earth, winning awards, and hanging out with Metallica, Slayer, Megadeth, Anthrax, Judas Priest, and others. It's encouraging to see such a thing is possible, even for a trio of cheerful teenage non-sexualized Asian girls.

    Speaking of Metallica, time and again during interviews the three girls would bring up their first meeting. They met them first backstage and were seemingly surprised to find that they were just regular, normal, and nice old guys. But they noted a transformation once they got on stage. There, they became Metallica. Suzuka was once asked how "metal" BABYMETAL members were and she had no problem saying that the only time they are "metal" is when they're on stage. I believe their meeting Metallica was an encouragement that they could still be their normal selves off-stage and could do away with any feelings of inadequacy that they might have felt for not being "metal" 100% of the time. But when they are "metal"? Yui had once expressed, she feels she can do anything.

Are their "metal" personas a sort-of superhero alter ego to them? Even that interests me. Perhaps when on stage they can feel powerful. They can be inspiring. They can be heroes! And afterwards? Well, I remember Suzuka pointing out that once she loses the Su-metal ponytail she feels she can disappear into a Tokyo crowd and be unrecognizable. Maybe Clark Kent's "disguise" isn't so ridiculous after all.

    Everything about BABYMETAL is a combination of stark contrasts. Their high-pitched vocals are accompanied by bone-crunching riffs. Their audience cries "DEATH!!" at three seemingly innocent teenage Japanese girls. They wear bright-red frilly skirts with contrasting blacks. Their cute dresses are adorned with battle armor, studs, and spikes. Their chest armor even has flowers engraved on them. They even contrast against their predominantly painted-white backing band. It's a look that has become so iconic that by just seeing their silhouette you already know who they are.

They've even inspired loads of fan art from various artists around the world. Including me!

Moametal and Yuimetal "chew chew chewing gum" fan art by yours truly.

Also very interesting is an aspect of theirs that nearly every reviewer I've come across points out. They are polarizing. You either love them or you hate them. And so polarizing is the act that, at least for the most part, everyone on one side of the fence perfectly understands why everyone else is on the other side. Everyone gets that it's not for everyone, haters and elitists on both sides excluded.

Photo by Dana Distortion Yavin

But I guess, most of all, they're just a delight. It's a refreshing change from all the doom, anger, angst, and gloom usually associated with metal music. On stage you can see everyone's having an absolute blast. And their joy is infectious as their audience moshes about with smiles on their faces. They slam seas of bodies together in a wall of death fueled by fun. To be honest, I didn't think I'd be still be so into them one year later. But alas, I still latch on to whatever news I could find online about them. Their studio and live albums are all over my daily playlists. That old, buried metalhead in me really needed to cheer up and have some freakin' fun again. Metal has a ray of sunshine upon it and it is BABYMETAL.

Post-script:

All interviews referred to are from memory so there may be some errors.
I do not own any of the images and videos embedded in the above blog post except for my fan art. All images are the copyright and property of their respective owners. I did my best to attribute appropriately.
Erratum: It was pointed out to me that Moa and Yui were 11 years old and Suzuka was 12 when BABYMETAL was first formed and not 12 and 14 as reported above. That's even more impressive, if you ask me.

The Movie (and Music) that Changed My Life

Sun, 04 Jan 2015 09:53:16 +0100

We hear it often: "That was a life-changing experience!" In 1991, while the verbal exclamation was not expressed, I thought the same after watching a certain movie.
Not many people remember it but 1991 was a GREAT year for movies. Look at what came out: The Silence of the Lambs, Terminator 2: Judgement Day, Beauty and the Beast, Hook, The Addams Family, Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves, Boyz n the Hood, Thelma & Louise, JFK, City Slickers, Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country (my personal favorite with the original Enterprise crew), My Girl, The Rocketeer, The Doors, and many more. But the one that CHANGED MY LIFE? It had the following scene.

Yes, it was Bill & Ted's Bogus Journey. Not exactly the Oscar-contender you might have been expecting. But this little movie helped me discover something that had eluded me for pretty much my whole life up to that point... what kind of music I liked.

Bill & Ted's Bogus Journey Trailer

    I grew up with a big sister that was heavily into pop music. I enjoyed it too though probably because that was all I was exposed to. So I bobbed my head to lots of 80's pop, rap, and hiphop. Yes, even Color Me Badd.
    Then I saw this movie. In a Footloose-esque moment as I was listening to the heavy riffs and songs that were either played or referenced to in the film, I had somehow discovered myself! I liked rock! Better yet, I liked metal! This stuff was me! The movie and its predecessor, Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure, were filled with rock and metal inside jokes that I just had to find out the meaning behind them.
    The Bogus Journey soundtrack was the first cassette tape I ever bought for myself. It had tracks by Slaughter, Winger, Kiss, Steve Vai, Faith No More, Megadeth, and Primus, among others. It was a good start and my first step into a larger world.
    And 1991 was a great time to start getting into metal. Rock music in general was evolving and that included metal. Alternative rock was also on the rise and I got into that too. There was a resurgence of Philippine rock music as well. I got my first and only electric guitar and began to learn to shred. My friends and I formed a band. My music collection grew as did my hair. I started going to rock concerts, most notably Metallica in Manila back in 1993.
    The titular characters, Bill and Ted, were trying to save the world with their music. Well, they sure saved me.

My Awesome Mix Tape Vol. 1

Tue, 05 Aug 2014 12:41:33 +0100

Well hey, I really enjoyed the Guardians of the Galaxy movie! And now there's a trending topic going around my various timelines... sharing your own awesome mix tape! Heck, I'm a sucker for nostalgic stuff like this so here's my mix!
This should certainly come as a surprise to those who didn't know me from high school. Here are some rock and metal tracks that came to me from the top of my head. There's no real sense to the songs selected, I just enjoy them! I hope you do too!

Led Zeppelin - Immigrant Song
http://youtu.be/RlNhD0oS5pk
The Runaways - Cherry Bomb
http://youtu.be/pMDn6V7ZLhE
Heart - Barracuda
http://youtu.be/p0OX_8YvFxA
Metallica - For Whom the Bell Tolls
http://youtu.be/BSE7ibbICR0
Babymetal - Head Bangya!!
http://youtu.be/WaC2f6Plm4A?t=1m56s
Blind Guardian - Battlefield
http://youtu.be/9xIe1tPtyAk
Pantera - Walk
http://youtu.be/AkFqg5wAuFk
King's X - Junior's Gone Wild
http://youtu.be/Bcss_VLUdmc
Iron Maiden - Wrathchild
http://youtu.be/yHNNOyoq-Xg
Slayer - Raining Blood
http://youtu.be/wDk6fvkEp2k
White Zombie - Thunder Kiss '65
http://vimeo.com/m/15228508
Nirvana - Son of a Gun
http://youtu.be/_3WaIFPwtpQ
The White Stripes - Seven Nation Army
http://youtu.be/0J2QdDbelmY
Bikini Kill - Rebel Girl
http://youtu.be/mZxxhxjgnC0
Wolfgang - Halik ni Hudas
http://youtu.be/mEJ2ttkeo_8

Coming Up: The 3rd Komikon Grand Independent Komiks Market (Indieket 2014)

Tue, 29 Jul 2014 10:49:59 +0100

    This Saturday, August 2, 2014, is Komikon's third grand independent komiks market, or more popularly known as Indieket 2014. It'll be at the Bayanihan Center once again, which is along Pioneer avenue in Pasig City, Philippines.
    The Indieket showcases up-and-coming talents in the local comic industry and top indies receive a free booth in an upcoming Komikon event, among other prizes.
    I'll be there at table E04! Highlights of my booth include all Callous comic books, M.O.U.S.E. Chapter One, button pins, prints, sketch cards, and coffee mugs!
    See you there!

Album Review: "BABYMETAL" by BABYMETAL

Tue, 29 Jul 2014 07:29:00 +0100

    I talked about how much I admired the concept and theme of the band itself in my previous blog post, but how good is their music? That's what it should be about, right? So here, I review their debut album, the self-titled BABYMETAL.
    The titular trio are SuMetal, YuiMetal, and MoaMetal. The first of which is the band's lead vocalist while the other two are the resident "screamers".
    The group, no doubt, is a genre-mixing monster. It can become a bit jarring once you get to some of the abrupt breakdowns in some of the songs. However, there's an undercurrent of absolute fun in them which should, in my opinion, soften even the harshest critic somewhat. Indeed, this is what the entire album is about, the raw joy of youth and, in a certain light, the precipice to adulthood. But that doesn't mean there aren't moments of bonafide genius in it too.
    That being said, I have no reservations in calling this a heavy metal album, genre-mixing notwithstanding. That's in large part due to the astounding work of the musicians behind the titular trio of living anime pop-star heroines. People may scoff at the overarching effort to make metal this mainstream but I applaud the success in producing something nearly all ages can enjoy.
    Still, this isn't an album everyone will like, and that's fine and perfectly understandable. If you aren't a fan of heavy metal and/or J-Pop, then this probably won't appeal to your taste. Nevertheless, to those who have a liking to such things, it's daring, inventive, and utterly delightful.
    As for the songs, the album is a collection of previously released singles and some new stuff as well. Considering they've been at this for a couple of years or so, some songs do feel dated while others are noticeably fresh. Let's get down to the individual tracks, shall we?

Babymetal Death
This starts off with some ambient choir singing which breaks down to some very heavy chunks of thumping metal music. The group basically introduces themselves here. I later learned of a pun in the title (and in effect, lyrics of the song) since how Japanese pronounce "death" is somewhat similar to how they say "I am / We are". I believe this song debuted in the encore of a concert rumored to be their last so there's some cleverness at play. Instead of "Babymetal's death" they proclaimed that "We are Babymetal" in a way. Great way to start things off but not much to say with the singing because there's hardly any of it.
Megitsune
Then comes the band's masterpiece. Again, lots of brilliant riffs, shredding, and pounding drums and it incorporates a bit of Japanese folk music. I presume this is the one most metalheads would enjoy. SuMetal's vocals shines in this track even with the autotune. There's a nice little pause in the heaviness that reintroduces YuiMetal and MoaMetal's charm to the song as the electronica stuff builds up and they bring a refreshing element of fun to the overall pretty-darn-artsy stuff. It's the most perfect BABYMETAL track to date and says the most of what the band brings and how important each member is. Absolutely brilliant and a magnificent team effort.
Gimme Choco!!
This is the one that made them the viral internet sensation that they are. It's fast-paced metal with a pop-laced chorus. It's pretty simple, cheerful, and maintains a good balance of involvement between the three BABYMETAL lead performers. Not to be outdone, the guitar solo is pretty good too! Like most of the tracks in this album, this is a joy to listen to and is ridiculously catchy.
Iine!
Here we go. This is one of those that took a while for me to decide on whether or not I like it (in the end, I do enjoy it because it's so preposterous it makes me smile). The majority of the track disposes of the metal side of their repertoire, focusing on electronic dance music instead. Then, shockingly, it breaks down to a hip hop tune. Then, if that wasn't enough, metal viciously returns in all its growling glory to utterly destroy that nonsense... before yielding to the need to dance to electronica again. Pure WTF material! You get the feeling that this was all in good fun, but it definitely dances on the edge of it being an entertaining mixture and it being horribly disjointed.
Benitsuki -Akatsuki-
Here we hear SuMetal perform solo for the first time in the album. This is metal ballad that truly showcases her talent. And yet, the music is still heavy, fast-paced, and impeccably performed. A good listen and a nice peek into the artistic side of the songwriters and composers.
Doki Doki ☆ Morning
The one that started it all. Yes, I do feel it sounds a bit dated in the sense that the composing feels like it is still riding on the "shock" factor of mixing J-Pop and Heavy Metal as the two genres stand clearly apart in the same song. Nevertheless, I still enjoy it (BABYMETAL is all about fun and this track is no exception), but it's clearly an early effort and sounds the most "manufactured".
Onedari Daisakusen
Oh my goodness. This sounds way too much like Limp Bizkit. I liked LB back in its day but did such DNA deserve to be in this album? Yes, because this song has the sense-numbing Kawaii powers of MoaMetal and YuiMetal going for it and this is their first act alone in the album without SuMetal. Those two bring so much fun to any song.
4 No Uta
This used to be my least favorite track. It's another Rap-meets-Metal song and there wasn't anything outstanding about it. But I learned later on that Moa and Yui actually wrote it and considering the "manufactured band" issue of BABYMETAL, this makes it stand out. It turns out the lyrics are particularly playfully clever with a whole bunch of puns regarding a widespread Asian superstition about the number 4. This ramps up the fun-factor a notch and it has a bunch of jarring breakdowns to a nice reggae beat (one even ending with a cartoon "spring" sound effect). I now consider it the most fun track in the album. Yon Yon!
Uki Uki ☆ Midnight
If BABYMETAL were to make a song for an anime opening credits sequence, this would be it. It has all the parts an animation editor would love. I would end up imagining "this is where the show title would be shown", "the characters would be running across the screen here", "the main character would be dramatically staring off into the distance on top of a hill here"... Lots of interactive back-and-forth with whoever does the growling for BABYMETAL. I bet this one's a particular hit live.
Catch Me If You Can
Have I mentioned how much fun this album is?! Again, a good balance between the three girls here and nothing gets you revved up for fun on this album more than this song. It's very playful and yet still very heavy on the metal side. That chorus is just wonderful and utterly cheerful.
Akumu no Rondo
Another solo effort for SuMetal. She really shows off her badass side here. It's a very dramatic song with lots of pounding metal to back Su up. I also believe it showcases why the people behind BABYMETAL felt it was a good idea to front a metal band with a pop singer.
Head Bangya!!
After Megitsune, this would be my next favorite track. The arrangement and composing is outstanding! Lots of power in it. And this track in particular has music that, without the three girls, would definitely neatly belong in any metal album. But take nothing away from Su, Yui, and Moa. SuMetal is in her most badass form here and, dang, she can scream! Of course, Yui and Moa bring the fun as only they can. My only gripe would be an unnecessary growl here and there but if there was any doubt that this was a metal album, this track would quash all that.
Ijime Dame Zettai
What would this album be without a long finale? It's the longest track at 6:06 minutes. It starts off with a nice piano intro and Su sings this haunting melody then the metal kicks in with pretty amazing riffs. There's a relatively toned-down interlude with the piano where the three girls relay their anti-bullying message. They definitely end the album in epic fashion. A great way to top things off.

Overall, this album is just a joy to listen to. Again, it's not for everyone, but if you're even slightly inclined toward such music, this stuff is at the very least an interesting listen. I, on the other hand, think it's amazing.

A band called BABYMETAL

Tue, 29 Jul 2014 01:54:15 +0100

Three little teenage girls are taking on the heavy metal world with a... unique take on the sacred genre.

Just a few days ago, my high school metal days returned to me when an old metalhead friend posted the above music video on Facebook. He had previously introduced me to the Japanese metal group Maximum the Hormone so I take his recommendations seriously. But... "Babymetal"?!

Admittedly, I didn't know what to think of this group at first. A trio of Japanese Idol girls fusing Bubblegum J-Pop with Heavy Metal? How can... what the... why?! It was all so weird and definitely not the metal I grew up with.

    However, after watching a few more videos, particularly the one above (Gimme Chocolate!) I was quickly getting sold on the idea. The freaky visuals paired with teenage kids started to bother me less as I started to see the whole picture more and more. You know what? J-Pop and Heavy Metal fusion may actually make sense! They both share some characteristics, especially the penchant for the grandoise, the dramatic, and the need to just have some unrestricted fun.

    I learned later on that Babymetal is a "manufactured band". Meaning, the band members were recruited and trained to perform a proposed theme for a music group by a producer. I believe, though I may be mistaken, that this is a norm for Japanese Idol groups and singers. But Babymetal is less a band thrown together than one meticulously assembled to form a well-oiled superhero team. Whoever is responsible for this glorious monstrosity must be some freakin' genius or the proverbial bungling scientist who accidentally spilled Chemical-X on three little girls.

    Because whatever the recipe was, it was done near-flawlessly. Someone got metal down to a science.

    So who is Babymetal? The lead singer is Suzuka Nakamoto, known as "Su-Metal" in the band, a 16-year old girl whose vocal abilities are well beyond her years. She apparently portrays the badass of the group as well, as she often stands and poses, arms crossed, with a stoic face. Flanking her on either side are Moa Kikuchi ("Moametal") and Yui Mizuno ("Yuimetal"), the group's resident screamers, background singers, and dancers. Yes, dancers.

    Part of the group's defining characteristics is their well-choreographed dance routines. Nothing unusual in any pop group but quite a change for a metal-purist to take in. Nevertheless, the dance is crafted well into the band's metal themes. Instead of hip-hop stop-and-pops they often exclamate their choreography with solid power stances. Then comes the headbanging!

    Still, it can be jarring to hear a metal song talking about chocolate cravings or having to wake up in the morning for school. Because another thing about Babymetal, as their name implies, is that it's "cute metal". Indeed, within their gothic lolita outfits are teenage girls who sport charming smiles and throw up "fox signs" instead of the sign of the horns, a defining metal signature.

    It all sounds odd, sure. But come on. They're little girls freakin' singing METAL. That's awesome in my book. And what do you get when all the ingredients are put together? A damn good live performance.

    Listen to this crowd soak up the group's concert intro:

And they recently performed in Sonisphere 2014, a metal festival which this year had metal legends like Metallica, Iron Maiden, Slayer, Anthrax, and more featured.

(Edit 7/20/2014 - Someone made the following epic edit of the UK's Sonisphere Festival from footage from various YouTube uploads. Worth watching for the edit alone! And that Kami band is phenomenal!)

At the end of all the band dissection, ultimately their appeal is that they give the crowd a good, fun time! It's amazing to me how these teenagers from a land so far away have captured the hearts of metalheads all over the world. You just can't help but smile when they're on stage. And, for all their badass keeping-in-character, Babymetal, both the girls in front and the band behind them (the very excellent Kami) can't help but flash a smile every now and then. They're clearly having a blast.
Bolstered by the immense digital word-of-mouth that propelled them to near-metal-nirvana, these girls and everyone behind them are living a dream. And you know what? For so long as they can keep on giving us their brand of awesome, so are we.

"Like" Babymetal on Facebook!
Follow Babymetal on Twitter!
Visit Babymetal's website!

Post-script thoughts:

I can't help but be reminded of Josie and the Pussycats for some reason.
I also can't help but wonder how long they can pull off the "cute metal" theme with the same girls? They'll all hit 18 years and beyond at some point. Will they move on to being "Ladymetal" or something? I guess we should enjoy their awesomeness while we can.
Speaking of "Ladymetal", they'll be opening five of Lady Gaga's upcoming shows. That's amazing! That's during their US debut as well.
Their song, "Ijime Dame Zettai", an anti-bullying song, is a signal to their mosh ("mosh'sh"?) pit to do the wall of death. WALL OF DEATH?!
I somehow liken their appeal to that of Adventure Time. It's something primordial. Or something.
Edit 7/20/2014 - I guess it's because of the dark and faux-demonic setting. And yet you have Kawaii heroes who just want to have an adventure and fun. It somewhat underlines how important Yuimetal and Moametal are. The formula of Babymetal just wouldn't work without them.
Edit 7/29/2014 - My comparison of Adventure Time and BABYMETAL received a revelation from another blog, the URL to which I unfortunately lost. The solution is simple, if you can look at it that way. The group was created with the younger teenage audience in mind and it just so happened to appeal to adults as well, much like the aforementioned cartoon.
Perhaps a great majority of metalheads are dads now? I'd eventually show Babymetal to my daughter, for sure.
Edit 7/20/2014 - It just warms my heart seeing these kids having a blast with metal music. Their fun is infectious! It's great seeing the metal crowd of Sonisphere 2014 really getting into their show. With all the angst-ridden songs metal music is filled with, this happy stuff is a much needed breath of fresh air.
I won't lie, they've brought tears to my eyes sometimes. Such is the brilliance of the whole Babymetal package.
Do check out the videos for Megitsune and Head Bangya!!, my favorite songs so far. They are embedded below.

Megitsune

Head Bangya!!

Edit 7/20/2014 - At this point I realize that I haven't talked much about their actual songs, at least if they're any good or not. So, really quickly, their debut album, the self-named BABYMETAL, is pretty brilliant overall. The production is pristine, the songs are catchy, and the musical and vocal performances are fantastic. Admittedly, some songs required repeated listening to decide on whether I liked them or not but the album is so maddeningly eclectic (remember, it's J-Pop and metal fusion) that it's hard to dislike such an effort. Most of all, it's just absolutely delightful and fun! I can't say that about many metal albums.
Edit 7/20/2014 - "Is it right to like BABYMETAL?" So askew from orthodox metal conventions is this band that it actually causes some introspection. I apparently am not alone when it took a while for me to get on board.