Still Burning: When a Band Comes Back From the Brink Hotter Than Ever
Song of the Week
We all know stories of artists who have gone through ups and downs, sometimes reinventing themselves. Even if they don’t write about that process, we still identify with it because, well, who hasn’t been through something like that?
Bridear are a band that came close to ending and eventually found a way back. Founded in 2011, they are one of the pioneering all-female heavy-metal bands. Their original lineup consisted of:
Kimi — Vocals
Haru — Bass
Misato — Guitars, metal vocals
Mitsuru — Guitars
Kai — Drums
They quickly established a position among the elite metal bands of the period. They had a thunderous rhythm section and two killer guitarists with great chemistry. That combination appealed to followers of classic metal bands like Iron Maiden, Megadeth, and Judas Priest and to fans of heavy, technical rock in general. Here is one of their earliest live performances:
“Thread of the Light” (live)
…….
In late 2017, Misato left because of disagreements about artistic direction. Misaki replaced her in spring 2018, but then, in late 2018, Mitsuru left to pursue her own projects, and suddenly, Bridear had to rebuild. They continued to record and, in 2019, found a young phenom, Ayumi, to replace Mitsuru. That they could replace the original guitarists without a drop-off in capability owes itself to Japan's absurdly deep talent pool of female musicians.
Even as they solved that challenge, Kai left in early 2019 to start a family. After brief trials with two other drummers, they had a stroke of luck when the technical death-metal group Telecide disbanded. Bridear were able to acquire Natsumi, already considered a star, to take over on drums. I saw them live in London just after she had joined, and they were explosive, mostly playing material from the original lineup.
During this period of turbulence, the band came close several times to being unable to continue. They had to change labels and management and struggled to find their musical identity. They still managed to record and publish music while experimenting with a number of different styles. Some of their songs from that time are more pop or progressive than metal.
Some of this didn’t work as well as their earlier material, but in “Brave New World Revisited,” they’ve got a masterpiece. It’s also a tour-de-force for their brilliant young guitarist Ayumi, who has also taken on much of the band's writing.
The instability wasn’t over. In early 2022, Misaki, who suffers from anxiety, left the band for health reasons, and they had to scramble to find a new co-lead guitarist. They were joined by Moe, another young phenom, in late 2022. The good news is that their first release with her on board showcases some great chemistry between her and Ayumi. The two are even posting cover duets together on YouTube.
Current Lineup:
Kimi — vocals
Haru — bass, metal vocals
Moe — Guitar, audience left
Ayumi — Guitar, backing vocals, audience right
Natsumi — Drums
They recently wrapped the recording sessions for their new album, which is scheduled for release on June 28. I’ve heard the demos for the whole thing, and it’s a banger.
This brings us to the Song of the Week:
“Still Burning” was just released. It is clearly a statement. They have returned to their roots in hard, heavy, but modern-sounding melodic metal. It is a great way to come back.
If you are interested in purchasing the album or other Bridear music, check out www.psychoshop.net