The alt-idol scene in Japan is producing some genuinely interesting music at the moment. While some groups push the limits of taste with their imagery, others push genre boundaries to create bodies of music that cover every base imaginable. One such act is WAGAMAMARAKIA, whose latest EP SUPERIORITY bounces back and forth between pop and metal in ways not really embraced by their contemporaries.
The opening track, “JOKER”, is the perfect encapsulation of what WAGAMAMARAKIA are hoping to achieve. The main riff and verses are full of nu metal groove, with the vocalists riffing over the top in classic rap rock style, before launching into a chorus that feels lifted straight from early 00s pop punk. All that comes before the hip-hop break in the second half just throws everything out of whack. It’s a very dizzying onslaught of genre shifts which may prove too much for the casual listener but it somehow works together.
However, not all tracks are as all over the place as the opener suggests. “FUTURES”, for example, is a much more straightforward idol metal track while “JOURNEYS” takes on the more melodic J-rock approach akin to the sort of music put out by LiSA (best known for her work on anime opening music). Primarily enforcing big nu metal riffs and melodic choruses, “FUTURES” is a much more “normal” offering in the context of the scene this quartet comes from. In contrast, the middle tracks “GIRLS” and “FLASHBACKS” are almost pure J-pop, albeit “GIRLS” carries much more of an edge than your typical candy-coated fare. And it’s catchy as hell. It feels almost as though “JOKER” was set up to showcase what the entirety of the rest of the EP contained, all distilled into one track. There’s energetic metal, standard J-pop and hip-hop all mashed together before being spread out and given time to breathe on the rest of the tracks.
The fact that SUPERIORITY only contains 5 tracks makes it very difficult to fully grasp what sort of direction WAGAMAMARAKIA want to take with their music. Each song seems to follow a different direction from full on J-Pop, to frantic metal, or even a ballad (“FLASHBACKS”). Their only full length, the compilation StaringOver, provided a bit more room to showcase the different styles they’ve explored, and while there is something for everyone on this outing, the constant genre shifts can be a bit jarring at times. You’re more likely to just find a specific track you’ll enjoy and disregard the rest of the EP, which isn’t ideal if you’re going to catch a live show and only like one or two tracks they’ve produced. It might benefit them to try more songs like “JOKER” and move towards a more defined style in future.
With that said, there is absolutely an appeal in their current approach to songwriting. For those who were raised on bands like Rabbit Junk and Mr Bungle, who had a total disregard for the rules of music categorization, WAGAMAMARAKIA present a more J-pop influenced take on their philosophy. While the progenitors of the alt-idol and idol metal movement were stylistically scattered because they were seeking to define their movement, there is something a bit more intentional about how this group goes about their business and there is an appeal to that, even if it may restrict their ability to attract a more mainstream audience. Whatever comes next from them, it at least promises to be entertaining.
WAGAMAMARAKIA's EP SUPERIORITY is out now. Stream the album and follow the band on Twitter.
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