Ever since the advent of Babymetal in 2010, the Japanese idol scene has been fascinated with incorporating heavier influences into its sound in order to emulate the unprecedented international success of their forebears. Some haven’t quite worked out, while other undergound idol metal groups have really hit on something interesting. In 2020 one such group, INforMEL, dropped their first EP Zero to little fanfare, but one just has to listen to it to realise they had all the ingredients to go further.
Unlike other groups in the idol metal movement who seek to adapt extreme metal elements such as death metal and black metal (in the case of Necronomidol), or technically challenging elements such as power metal and djent, INforMEL instead opt for a more easy to digest alternative metal to add their J-Pop elements to. This is particularly apparent in the vocal melodies utilised in the chorus of EP highlight “refuse”, leaning more on acts such as fade or Deftones for inspiration than DragonForce and Arch Enemy. The production team behind Zero certainly know how to construct strong compositions that complement the vocals of Isuna Kori, Kuroda Fumiya and Mikado Saki, and utilise their three vocalists to great effect.
While the music may lack the intense genre-bending of a group like Ladybaby or Zsasz, or the technically challenging musicianship of Babymetal, there is something about songs like “Proof” and “Fractal” that does make INforMEL stand out. The J-Pop influences are also minimal, allowing for a more cohesive sound throughout Zero that many idol metal groups lack in their early material, and that could allow for more crossover appeal with the rock and metal purists who reject their more illustrious contemporaries.
However, there are still growing pains that come with a new act attempting to carve their own niche into a rapidly growing scene, as is always the case. While the majority of Zero is consistent and well performed, it all feels like the songs can blend into each other, as they seem to have realised what they’re best at and stuck to it. While it’s great to perfect a certain style and showcase your strong points, it’s also a good idea to add some variation to a first release to ensure everything stands out and unfortunately in the context of the EP as a whole, “Raise a Cry” feels like a real weak spot. The track on its own is perfectly serviceable, yet it’s no different to the much stronger tracks that came before it and is almost instantly forgettable. At the midpoint of the EP, INforMEL could definitely have benefited from something that would have changed the pace a bit and kept listeners on their toes.
With that said, INforMEL are still new on the scene, and could easily grow as an act with time. That is, of course, if they are successful in finding a new lineup, as Isuna, Kuroda and Mikado all “graduated” from the group in early 2021, with new auditions launched in April. It will be interesting to see if a new incarnation comes along later in the year, and if it can continue where Zero left off. They have a formula that forgoes all the extravagance that other idol metal groups utilise to get noticed, with no makeup or theatrics to distract from the music, and that hard work deserves a decent payoff.
INforMEL are currently inactive while they look for new members, but you can follow the group on Facebook and Twitter for updates.
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