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BRIDEAR finally released its second long-awaited album, Expose Your Emotions, in December 2019. Long-time fans had gone through months of anxiety, worry and concern about the future of the band. How could BRIDEAR survive the departure of three of the original cogs in its complex machine – the virtuoso guitarists/songwriters Misa and Mitsuru and drummer Kai?
Expose Your Emotions leaves no doubt that BRIDEAR are still operating at an incredibly high, hard-rocking level. New guitar slingers Misaki, who had served in a transition role after Misa’s departure, and Ayumi, who joined after Mitsuru’s departure, have the necessary technical chops and songwriting skills. New drummer Natsumi leaves no beat unexplored on the kit. Long time bassist Haru continues her stellar work. And, it goes without saying, Kimi remains one of the most engaging singers in music, and not just rock music.There are differences from the band’s prior work, to be sure. The songs are distinct enough from past releases that one could argue that it is a new band entirely, with Kimi’s charismatic vocals the only common factor. The songs are more solidly rooted in the traditional metal minor modes. They lack the shifts from minor mode verses into glorious major key choruses that were a hallmark of earlier work. The songs are punchier and more direct. None of the newer songs quite reach the soaring heights of anthems like “Wing of Hope” or “Rebirth.” The guitar excursions of Misaki and Ayumi, while virtuoso in execution, are just a bit less flashy than the pyrotechnical displays of Mitsuru and Misa. So yeah, it’s a different BRIDEAR.
Nevertheless, Expose Your Emotions is a triumph.
The heavy triplets that begin the album opener “Ghoul” and the driving dual guitar theme that follows announce that the band is still firmly rooted in the metallic world. The two songs that follow, Ayumi’s composition “Mirror” and Misaki’s “Dance Macabre,” are fast paced rockers that maintain the atmosphere of absolutely frantic tension. The listener doesn’t need to be fluent in Japanese to understand that, in these songs, Kimi is consumed by longing, heartache and fear. Kimi has a true gift – a voice that captures the human spirit in all of its sometimes contradictory and baffling passions. Expose Your Emotions could be an apt title for any work that features her voice.
“Awakers,” (written by Haru), is a stone-cold jam that allows Natsumi to demonstrate her chops. And it’s a jam that relies on the devil’s interval to eerie effect. “thawing” (music by Misaki, lyrics by Kimi) is the closest thing on the album to “Dear Bride,” the major key outlier of BRIDEAR’s previous work. But “thawing” is no power pop crowd pleaser. The complexity of the melody and the call and response lyrics are in another world entirely. The jarring eccentricity of the brief guitar solo is simply brilliant.
“You” (music and lyrics by Ayumi), which follows “misery machine,” is unlike anything else in BRIDEAR’s catalog. An acoustic ballad in the key of A Major, “You” features the interplay of two acoustic guitars. A third acoustic guitar joins in for the solo. It is definitely different. And it is definitely lovely.
There is a reason that this review notes who wrote the songs on Expose Your Emotions. Four members, including new members Misaki and Ayumi, contributed songs in various combinations. Nevertheless, the album is a coherent, seamless whole. Expose Your Emotions sounds very much like a collaborative work. That’s pretty impressive, given the changes in personnel.
Guitarists Ayumi and Misaki are totally in sync with each other as they trade solos. Both play with a sparkling brilliance. They never settle for simplicity in the ornamental riffs, arpeggios and filigrees that animate the songs. There is always an extra triplet or added note thrown in to heighten interest in what is going on. Haru’s bass, though somewhat buried in the mix, often provides additional ornamentation to the songs. As was the case in previous incarnations of BRIDEAR, it is worth listening closely to the songs in order to discover these special moments.
When a band has experienced as much change in personnel as BRIDEAR has, there is a natural tendency to fear for the future. That fear won’t go away easily. Based on the exuberant, raucous, and thrilling Expose Your Emotions, one can only hope that these five women will continue to collaborate and make great metal music together.
NOTE: BRIDEAR, like most bands, has been unable to tour this year because of the Coronavirus. Because the summer is prime touring season, this is devastating. The band has announced a live broadcast to be streamed on July 26, supported by Crowdfunding through July 20. There isn’t enough live BRIDEAR material available, so this is a great opportunity to see the new BRIDEAR live.
Please support Kimi, Haru, Misaki, Ayumi and Natsumi in this initiative!
To read more about the Crowdfunding, please go to:
https://bridear.jp/news/post-669/
To support the Crowdfunding initiative, please go to:
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