Despite it being one of the first sunny summer day in Portland where it’s still broad daylight at 8pm, a sizeable crowd decided against basking in the much-anticipated rain-less day in favor of catching Japanese metal girl band HANABIE and openers Outline in Color and Left to Suffer at The Crystal Ballroom.
HANABIE, a self-described “kawaiicore” group, stands out in the diverse Japanese metal scene by incorporating hyperpop, glitchcore, and traditional instruments into their hard-hitting, angst-ridden tracks. Kawaii elements like vocalist Yukina’s high-pitched talk-rap and the band’s cute schoolgirl outfits and brightly colored hair are juxtaposed with devastatingly harsh vocals and abrasive synths. This juxtaposition dissolves the dichotomy of femininity and masculinity, combining aspects of each to create HANABIE’s beguiling and commandeering stage presence. Flaunting high pigtails and a short skirt, Yukina looks like the epitome of a cute, well-behaved schoolgirl, but her mischievous and provocative demeanor hint that there’s something more behind the girlish façade. One second, she’s cutely spinning and leaping across the stage, the next, she’s bent over, mic clutched in both hands, growling with a vengeance. It’s not every day you see a performer who makes you go “awwwww” while they go “AUGHHHHH.”
Complementing Yukina’s harsh vocals are Matsuri’s soaring, clean vocals, which provide a melodic reprise from the chant-based leadups and heavy breakdowns. (Perhaps because of the geometry of the space, Matsuri’s vocals sounded much clearer from the balcony compared to the floor.) The guitarist-vocalist has a magnetizing, quiet coolness onstage, effortlessly switching from headbanging guitarist mode to collected singer mode.
Bassist Hettsu, who usually serves as backing vocals, got a chance to let her voice shine in the upbeat “Today’s Good Day & So Epic” and was supported by Matsuri’s high harmony. Yukina took a break from vocal duties to greet fans flanking the center aisle. She is barely taller than the barricade–it’s quite incredible how such intense growling screams can come from such a small person! And drummer Chika, the band’s newest addition, works fantastically well with the group, guiding the quartet seamlessly through multiple subtle yet impactful tempo changes in each song. The band members are all quite pretty, but even if it is their looks or highly stylized aesthetic that draw people in, their intriguing sound, rebellious charm, and culturally relevant lyrics keep fans coming back for more.
Like many other metal bands, several of HANABIE’s songs tackle social issues and calls out injustices. “NEET Game” calls out the sacrifice of life for employment, and “Pardon Me, I Have To Go Now” criticizes workaholism and the unquestioning deference employees are expected to show their higher-ups. In a world where managers don’t bat an eye at assigning work after hours, even clocking out has become a radical act. The noisy, distorted kicks, siren sound effect, and the traditional Japanese instrument, shamisen, are layered on top of a thundering, syncopated rhythm section which contribute to the defiant feel of the song. With its perfectly head-bang-able tempo and catchy chanted chorus, it’s no wonder the song is a crowd favorite. Other tracks like “We love sweets” and “Otaku Raburii Densetsu” celebrate the indulgence of small pleasures like sweets or video games, indulgences that are at once temporary escapes from the pressures of everyday life and symbols of resistance to a culture prizing restraint and productivity to an unhealthy degree.
While the band members’ English was limited to short introductions, they made sure to encourage the audience to jump, clap, cheer and participate in the songs. The crowd response to “Be the GAL” was subdued at first, but at Yukina’s bidding, they started clapping along and, at the exact moment in the song, shouted “What the fuuuuck!” Every tempo change gave the crowd a surge of energy, and by the end, the whole floor was leaping up and down, egged on by the bigroom EDM drop. In the encore song “SUNRISE MISO-SOUP,” Yukina led the crowd in silly arm motions that represented seaweed and tofu, bringing a dose of levity in the venue before launching into the chunky, uptempo track.
Equal parts sass and rage, HANABIE is blazing new depths of heaviness in the kawaii metal genre and have the live chops to propel them to the forefront of the genre.
Click on the photo below to view our photos from the concert:
