4 of the best JRock songs from February
Love isn’t the only thing in the air in February. Just like every other month, there is a whole host of new JRock tracks released, and as always, it can be tough to keep up with everything. Fortunately, we’ve got the time, energy, and passion to find you the absolute best JRock tracks from the past month so you don’t have to worry about missing a single jam.
There has been a lot of music floating around at Rice Digital over the past few weeks. We’ve brought you interviews from both Bridear and Esprit D’Air, plus a collection of the best female-fronted JRock bands you need to be listening to. If you’re still hungry for more, be sure to check out our Rice Digital Spotify Playlist, which has some of the best new and old music from Japan on it.
BABYMETAL – Light and Darkness
When an act like BABYMETAL puts out new music, you can’t help but pay attention. Their latest album, Light and Darkness, dropped in February and offers one of the cleanest-sounding records they’ve ever released. The title track is a great example of what modern BABYMETAL seems to entail.
Yes, we’ve got the big vocals and the pounding bass, but there is a touch of the dramatic here that feels more modern and fresher than they’ve been for years. This is a song that demands that the group be taken seriously even beyond their adorable gimmick.
BAND-MAID – Memorable
Another band that never fails to deliver is BAND-MAID. The group takes great chances with everything they do, so it is great to see them branch out once again into something a bit different. Memorable isn’t the first JRock ballad the group has done, but it is probably their most accomplished.
Everything you could want from a BAND-MAID track is here. Kanami Tono’s guitar solo shreds. Saiki Atsumi’s vocals are a wonderful mix of dramatic and deeply emotional. There is a huge amount of polish from every member of the band. With their recent EP released late last year, hopefully this is a sign that a whole new album is in the works.
Lovebites – Stand and Deliver (Shoot ‘em Down)
Lovebites is a group that has had its share of ups and downs lately, but they’ve embraced it all with dramatic flair. They recently released a video documenting their search for a new bassist, culminating with the announcement that Fami would be joining the band for their latest album, Judgement Day.
Stand and Deliver has a more raw edge to it than most Lovebites tracks have in the past. You still get the big vocal performance from Asami that we’ve come to expect, but there is a fantastic guitar solo at the 3:09 mark that absolutely begs to be listened to over and over again. This is a band that is poised to do some great work off the back of this album and we can’t wait to see it play out.
Flow – Go!!! (The First Take)
I love the The First Take channel on YouTube. In it, artists are asked to perform one of their signature songs in a white studio with only a single take. It’s a daunting prospect for anyone, but Flow has been doing this for over 20 years now, so this sort of pressure doubtless slides right off them.
Go!!! is easily one of my favourite anime opening tracks of all time, so I loved listening to this new arrangement. It is a song that still feels fresh, despite being released nearly 20 years ago. It embodies the playfulness that Flow is known for along with the big arena JRock sound that they’ve helped pioneer over the years.
Join The Discussion
Rice Digital Discord
Rice Digital Twitter
Rice Digital Facebook
Or write us a letter for the Rice Digital Friday Letters Page by clicking here!
Disclosure: Some links in this article may be affiliate links, which means we may earn a small commission if you make a purchase after clicking on them. This is at no additional cost to you and helps support Rice Digital!
- Six of the best Stands in JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure - June 2, 2023
- 4 of the best JRock tracks from May - June 1, 2023
- Hump Day Husbandos: Guts (Berserk) - May 31, 2023
