Genre: rockin' piano! Song style: a piano medley of post-hardcore band 9mm Parabellum Bullet's work
And now, for a brief piano interlude before the flood of new releases coming on May 12! I've really admired this youtuber for a while. He(?) makes amazing piano covers of 9mm Parabellum Bullet and other artists such as Muse and People in the Box. He's become so popular that he's starting to play some concerts in Japan. He really manages to keep the soul of the songs and make them sound very "rock" despite using the piano as the conveyor. Even if you don't like 9mm, you may enjoy this music and the talent behind it. If you're curious, the three songs in this medley are: Heart-Shaped Gear, 次の駅まで, and Punishment, three of my favorite songs from the band. I know you're probably sick of all the 9mm posts... don't worry this will (probably) be the last til a next release. But please check out batapy's amazing channel!
Genre: post-hardcore, heavy punk Song style: fast-paced heavy guitars, melodic melancholic singing
Today comes my most-anticipated album of the year - 9mm Parabellum Bullet's "Revolutionary". This band's beautifully sad and powerful music has served as the background to my life for the past two years. I have laughed, cried, sang, danced, and fell in and out of love to this band. This video is the new single off of the album, sharing a similar title. This band is amazing for their complex guitar, bass, drum parts and melodic vocals to contrast the heavy instrumentals. Their style is distinctly Japanese, with Japanese and idiosyncratic melodies, and all of their lyrics in Japanese except for one sentence in one song. They copy no one. With that in mind, they have become so popular that I fear mainstreaming in their new album - so I have downloaded it, but am a bit afraid to listen to it. My heart is beating quickly to think of how this new album could change my life (or sadly fail to). Listening to this new single has been enough for me today. Now I will use the remainder to dance around the album - listening to previous and related songs. My favorite ever is their song Interceptor off of their early EP Gjallorhorn. It was nostalgic even the first time I heard it.
Genre: alternative, indie Song style: up-beat alternative, reminiscent of Weezer
Quruli is a really classic Japanese band that has influenced many recent Japanese bands, and is in HMV's ranking of top 100 most influential Japanese musicians. I would call these guys the Japanese Weezer for both their sound and the road they paved. Quruli in general is a little slow for my tastes, but I also like their more techno-sounding song World's End Supernova (recommended if you like サカナクション) if you want another taste. Last year, a bunch of bands came out with a tribute album of covers for Quruli, and this is how I discovered them - my favorite band 9mm Parabellum did a cover of this song:
Hands down my favorite Japanese band for the past 2 years...
9mm Parabellum Bullet - Supernova
Genre: according to Wikipedia Japan, hardcore punk, heavy metal, and emo. I would also add in post-hardcore Song style: heavy yet very melodic, fatalistic
This band has just really blown me away. It has been so hard for me to wait this long to make a post about them. I discovered them walking around on the streets one day and seeing a music video advertisement. I'm sure all you music lovers go through phases in your life defined by one main band (like for me, middle school was Korn, high school was half Nine Inch Nails, half Muse, etc). My life right now is 9mm Parabellum Bullet. Their extremely intricate guitar parts and effective mix of melody-driven vocals but intermittent screaming makes the band so fresh. The singer has a voice very unique to Japanese music, yet the melodies are all something you would never find in America. They started out pretty unknown, but in the recent couple of months have gained huge popularity, their singles constantly making it into the top ten. Their heavy touring also generates a strong fan following. I saw them almost exactly a year ago in Kyoto in a small club. Though the venue was small, it was the first concert where I couldn't see the band at all and instead watched their reflection on a shiny poster.
Another thing that really stands out for me is their beautiful, cryptic lyrics. Check out the English translation for this song thanks to this site and some editing from me:
When I embraced the 100,000 degree sun My mind became a desert And every time the chilling wind blew through my head The rain drops of my tears glistened
With just the touch of my fingertip
Maybe everyone’s hearts fall apart without making a sound I won’t gather those pieces even if they get scattered What was I looking at beyond the full moon? A sea of broken stars
If I want to help that girl Who embraced my 100,000 degree body
With just the touch of my fingertip Only a scar is opened
I won’t forget the things I burned in order to shine Even if it all falls apart
Was I looking at the darkness beyond the full moon? A sea of broken stars
Maybe everyone’s hearts fall apart without making a sound I won’t gather those pieces even if they get scattered Beyond the full moon, beyond the full moon Was god watching from beyond the full moon?
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