Heavy Metal Cover Girls - Made In Japan

  In my last "Cover Girls" feature I looked at some artwork that was inspired by Japan's great gift to the world: Anime. Which got me thinking.  While I'm in the neighborhood, so to speak, why not look at something else that seems to be unique to Japan.

  When I say "Female Metal Vocalist" what's the image you get inside your head? Close your eyes for a second and let it come to you.
  Depending on the sort of Metal you listen to, what popped up was either the classic Rock look - jeans, leather, spandex, studs - or what seems to have become the uniform for Symphonic/Gothic Metal vocalists these days -formal gowns and corsets.

  Of course the Japanese would have to do things a little differently, wouldn't they?

 Step this way and let me show you what I mean.

 Mary's Blood - Bloody Palace (2015)

Sticking fairly close to the Metal template so far.  Lots of Black which is always very metal.

So let's check out a music vid shall we?  This one is off the last album but whatever.

Aldious - Dazed And Delight (2014)

Having a girl in a pretty frock is quite common in metal art. Having the entire band wearing glad rags isn't.

Yes, that is the band. Yes, they are all female. Yes, they are a proper Metal outfit and to prove it,
 here they are on stage with a couple of tracks from the live DVD.

  

Destrose - Prologue EP (2014)

   If I didn't already know this was a metal band, I'd pass Destrose off as a frothy J-Pop creation. 

Then again,as a long term anime fan, I'd also be aware that Japan has a long history of matching
heavy guitars up with melodic female vocals in a way that happens nowhere else. 

Time for something a bit darker.

Yousei Teikoku - Shadow Corps(e) (2015)

Only in Japan would you get this weird combination of "Frilly" and "Nazi"

The band has blokes in it, which does wreck my ongoing theme a bit.
Since the lead singer is an Elf,  I'm including them anyway.

 

  If I haven't established this already, while I find myself bemused by the fashion choices involved, I have nothing but respect for the musicians involved.  I just find it fascinating that Japan can take anything and add a uniquely Japanese element to it.  makes the world a bit more interesting, I feel.

 Cross Vein - Royal Eternity (2015)

 Another band with blokes in it but they aren't on the cover so nadgers to 'em.

 I've been trying to think what this album cover would look like if it was by a Western band and I keep coming back to the word "Darker"  Darker in colour palette, darker in theme. I think she'd be wearing black and staring out across a sky full of storm clouds. Things might be on fire.  

 It definitely wouldn't look so...happy. 

 Metal album covers don't normally do happy unless their's alcohol or bloodshed involved.    

  Going by what I've found so far, this band are what Within Temptation might have sounded like if they were Japanese. 

To finish, here's the band that inspired tis train of thought in the first place.  

Could they be any more Japanese? 

Band-Maid - Maid In Japan (2013)

Band-Maid - New Beginning (2015)

Japan, you strange, disturbing, wonderful place, you. 

I'm liking this band a lot and the bassplayer has some chops. 

   While I was putting together this post I stumbled across all sorts of interesting bands: DollsBoxx, Raglaia, Lightbringer and more. 

  Maybe some of these young ladies will follow Babymetal over to the UK. That could be interesting.  

 That's all folks.