It’s hard to think of a band as hard-working as Band-Maid. The Japanese maid-themed rock outfit have released almost an album a year since they burst onto the scene in 2014, and after a year off in 2020, they’ve returned with album number 7, Unseen World. With previous efforts seeing guest writers and producers (including the renowned Tony Visconti last time out) helping to round out certain songs on each album, Unseen World is something of a back-to-basics album, with the entirety of writing duties returning to just the band members. And in all honesty, the album benefits from that.
Despite returning to the core songwriting group, it’s still safe to say that Band-Maid are still adding to their sound where they see fit, with the theatrical opening to “Warning!” a neat curveball at the very start of the album. Of course, from that point, we return to the trademark bombast of Miku and Kanami’s 6 stringed assault, with ever impressive rhythm work from Misa and Akane on bass and drums, respectively. Akane herself has a key role to play on “NO GOD”, with her drumming at the forefront of the track and she certainly delivers with her performance, while the guitarists get to showcase some of their most erratic riffs to date. The big grooves of tracks like “Manners” and “I still seek revenge.” are a nice callback to their older material too, such as their breakthrough hit “Thrill”, and highlighting the growth that Band-Maid have made as musicians since then, with an impressive bass solo from Misa on “I still seek revenge.” bringing joy to bass aficionados everywhere, while those looking for something a bit heavier will find something to love in the raging album closer “BLACK HOLE”.
Lead singer Saiki is also on top of her game throughout, with her delivery adding that extra element to each track. The more anthemic tracks such as “After Life” and “Why Why Why” are a great showcase to her ability to take a song to the next level, although Miku’s track as lead vocalist, “サヨナキドリ” (“Nightingale”), presents a chance for Band-Maid to showcase a different side to their music, with Miku’s different vocal style allowing for a bit more versatility in the group’s songwriting, with less focus on big choruses and more chance to experiment with different types of melodies that rely less on Saiki’s sort of singing. Of course, without her, Band-Maid would be a different proposition entirely, and the more experimental offerings on Unseen World such as the psychedelic-inspired “CHEMICAL REACTION” (complete with cowbell) simply wouldn’t work with any other singer.
Despite the occasional new elements thrown in here and there, though, it still has to be said that Unseen World is still more of the same from Band-Maid in terms of their core sound. It could be argued that “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” and Band-Maid have certainly mastered their craft, and some tracks even feel like a return to their early sound, such as “Manners” and “I still seek revenge.” with their stomping riffs and arena-ready chorus, but it’s always important to respect the need to evolve over time to avoid stagnating or becoming complacent within your sound, as many bands have done so in the past. It does appear as though they’ve acknowledged this somewhat on Unseen World, with the 2CD limited edition of the album (currently only available in Japan) splitting the record into “Roots” and “Progress”, so the suggestion is there that the group are aware of this fact and are easing in the newer aspects of their sound in order to ensure a smooth progression from old to new.
All in all, it’s a good idea to think of Unseen World as Band-Maid taking stock of where they are now, and where they want to go, while also giving a nod to where they came from. As a result a large part of the album will feel like more of the same from them, with the quintet fully established in their sound and content with their current position. However, there are more than enough signs of progress in there to see where Band-Maid want to go on their next album and be excited for what’s coming. And if you consider how prolific they are, it won’t be long until we get to hear what’s next.
Unseen World is out now via Pony Canyon. Currently the album is only available digitally outside Japan, with no news yet on physical distribution, including bonus tracks, for the rest of the world. Follow Band-Maid on Facebook for updates, and stream the album below.
Unseen World is out now via Pony Canyon. Currently the album is only available digitally outside Japan, with no news yet on physical distribution, including bonus tracks, for the rest of the world. Follow Band-Maid on Facebook for updates, and stream the album below.
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