Maximum The Hormone
Bu-ikikaesu

So, I still haven't figured out whether these guys are for real or just pretending. I don't even know if I like them: I only know that I listen to them and (excuse my language) I'm left shocked. They are Japanese, and before anything else, you need to know that they are NOT part of that absolutely disgusting music trend called J-Rock and all that Visual Kei fashion. On that note, you should know that recent scientific studies have shown that those who listen to J-Rock are at high risk of contracting venereal diseases, such as syphilis and gonorrhea. It's also known as the main source of inspiration for people like Gigi D'Alessio, Biagio Antonacci, and the last winner of Sanremo. Ultimately, you understand that J-Rock is Evil. It's said that metal is the devil's music. Well, that's wrong. Barack Obama said: "If there weren't J-Rock, the world would be a better place". Who can blame him?

Fortunately, our Maximum The Hormone not only do not belong to this musical trend/fashion, but they also distance themselves from it, mocking its stereotypes quite a bit. "Bu-ikikaesu" is their sixth, and to date last, album published in 2007 (horrible cover, but let's forgive them, we know where the Japanese have put good taste): I admit, it's an album with quite a few ups and downs. But I can safely say that it is something brilliant. What does brilliant mean? To me, regardless of whether it might be liked or is awful, "brilliant" is something that DOES NOT LEAVE YOU INDIFFERENT BUT SHOCKS YOU. Maximum The Hormone are "famous" for mixing multiple musical genres. But it's not like they blend two or more genres together (see The Dillinger Escape Plan): they tend to combine two songs into one, and generally, these hypothetical and imaginary two songs have nothing to do with each other. The result is somewhat questionable but original and definitely crazy: so crazy that during listening, it's easy for the listener's face to take on various incredulous expressions for what they're hearing. Of astonishment. Then maybe they go to vomit, but that's another matter. Let's add the fact that they sing in Japanese, so the songs take on a ridiculous tone; for example "Chu Chu Lovely Muni Muni Mura Mura Purin Purin Boron Nurururerorero" (I feel ridiculous writing it, imagine singing it): initially, it seems like a nursery rhyme sung by Zecchino D'Oro (though cheerful ones) then, of course, it transitions to a part with some loud shouting and then to something funky (slap bass). Got the idea?

The strong point of the album is definitely "Shimi": it opens with a nice circular riff à la Black Sabbath (here we are on doom folks), then a hardcore part (here folks we are no longer on doom) to end in a (nice) rocking chorus. I know, the song descriptions are as heavy as a punch in the face; but the songs are just like that, patchy, so to speak. In the end, this is stuff that doesn't leave you indifferent (in the end, I believe that's what matters in music).

I'll leave you the link to the video of the single "Koi No Mega Lover" (both the piece and the video to tell the truth, don't excite me), much more useful than all I've said to understand this group. You'll either love them or they'll disgust you.

For sure, get ready to be shocked.