Review by Kayla Hamilton (@kaylazomboid)
Heading to Port Messe Nagoya, we were not met with cold rain. Instead, it was snow. The light powdering did nothing to deter those in attendance; if anything, everybody was more fired up after the blistering day of heavy music that had just gone by.
First up on the agenda for this reviewer was Nagoya’s own visual metalcore sensation Dexcore. Truly, this band is in a class of their own. There are others in a similar genre that have achieved more notoriety, but Dexcore deserve all the flowers. Combining devastatingly heavy metalcore with their visual kei flair, they tend to attract fans from across the styles. Being in their hometown as well, they got a heroes welcome. Right from their soundcheck, almost an hour before, fans were ready and waiting to throw down. That energy only intensified as the set built up. Vocalist Kagami has some impressive range, and while the official lineup is currently only him and guitarist Yumeto, support drummer Maki and the other talented musicians (who I unfortunately am not familiar with), helped bring this stage to life. Finishing off with a stirring performance of their song ‘Still Alive’, which hit particularly hard as it has not been long since their bass player To-Ru passed away, this set was definitely one to remember.
Changing up the vibe, the next act caught was the chaotic SPARK!! SOUND!! SHOW!!. It is really hard to put into words exactly where this band fits genre-wise, but one thing is for certain- they will always bring the party! Blending rock, pop, hiphop and EDM, you cannot help but get caught in their orbit. Standing further back seemed like the safer option, and that proved true, with the number of lifts and surfers that seemed to be moving almost non-stop throughout the entire time they were onstage. The only moments of no surfers were the times when the entire audience joined in on the dance breaks. Foreigners not accustomed to Japanese concert culture can often find the coordinated expectations a little rigid, but in moments like this, when the entire room is moving together, it truly feels magical.
Thinking I was safe to move up as long as I stood to the side, I decided to head close to the stage for the next act: Hanabie. I was wrong. Oh, so wrong. The minute the Harajuku-core Queens kicked off their thirty-five minutes it was a scramble to get as close as humanely possible. That being said, the vibes were off the charts! I sometimes think that on record, Yukina’s vocals don’t come through as strong as they are live because she was on fire. Deep gutturals, ferocious growls, an absolute demon. Taking nothing away from the other members, as they all put on a performance of a lifetime. Tight, heavy and curated from start to finish, every second was utilised. While they do have a plethora of female fans, there is just something so brilliant about a room full of grown men singing ‘Spicy Queen’ at the top of their lungs. When I saw them play in Adelaide at the end of 2024, I went from being a casual enjoyer to having them as a permanent part of my playlist. After this stage at Blarefest, I can honestly say I am now a fan.
Stepping in for Amira Elfeky, who pulled out a few months earlier, it was time for Japanese metalcore mainstays Crystal Lake. Having just dropped a new album (you can read our review here), I was curious to see what their setlist would be and how many new tracks would be played. For this long-time fan, though, I was hit straight with a wave of nostalgia as the band seemed to pluck from the classics to rip apart the Thunder Stage. I would like to tell you all how composed I was and how I was able to stand back and just appreciate the set, but that didn’t happen. Once a fan, always a fan, and this fangirl was overcome with strong emotion and completely ruined their voice (which is still recovering by the way), screaming along almost the entire set. Hitting ‘Open Water’ in the soundcheck had the circle pit already going, and the moshers were ready. The main set started with ‘Lost In Forever’, and it just descended into a frenzy from there. ‘Six Feet Under’ came next, before one of the new tracks ‘Neversleep’, which hit super hard live. Then going from ‘Watch Me Burn’ to ‘Apollo’ had the roof almost coming off. Finishing off with a new one, ‘The Weight of Sound’, part of me hoped to hear more of the newer songs live but I cannot deny, a Crystal Lake nostalgia trip was just what the doctor ordered.
After two days of chaos, heaviness and high-energy sets, I needed to take a breather before finishing off the day with Coldrain’s closing performance. Wandering around the venue, running into fans, making connections with everybody who was running on alcohol and fumes- it truly is an experience. From taking photos with people whom I may never see again to running into those familiar faces you may see at different shows in Japan, this festival is such a great taste of the wider Japanese heavy music scene.
Due to the sheer number of people that would be heading to see Coldrain, the goal was to get a spot as close as possible, so I settled into the crowd to catch Hey-Smith. The ska-infused punk band was not originally on my must-see list, but man, were they entertaining. Two-stepping, dancing and coordinated choreography, it was another example of that community unity that is so unique to shows in Japan. If you don’t know the moves, that’s fine, stand back and just follow those in front. I cannot tell you much about their set, other than it was a great boogie and a good warm-up for the finale.
After yesterday’s set, I knew just how impossible it would be to get close to Coldrain on their stage side (plus after two days of moshing, being pummelled by surfers was not something I was really wanting to experience), so I joined another contingent at the neighbour stage. The great thing about this spot was that you could see the mainstage quite well, and if you wanted to mosh, there were about 3-4 moshpits across the entire venue.
The hosts with the most played the montage of all the bands that graced the stage for the day, and then it was time for the band to take the stage with a bang (literally). Opening with ‘NEW DAWN’, ‘INCOMPLETE’ and ‘ENVY’, there was a wave that overtook the whole room. Nobody was still. Everything had built to this moment, and those who were left standing wanted to use every last bit of energy. ‘VENA’ went nuts, and then it was once again time for ‘The Revelation’, this time featuring Yukina from Hanabie. Following on from the day befores performance with Ryo Kinoshita (KNOSIS) and Taka (ONE OK ROCK) was not going to be easy, but the pocket rocket kawaii vocalist showed why she is the Queen of Japanese metalcore. The rest of the set felt like a happy blur. Circle pits, constant wall of deaths and headbanging until you no longer were aware of the mortal plane, the collective excitement of the room turned the mosh pit into an out-of-body experience.
The bandthen invited So & Minami from Fear, And Loathing in Las Vegas out for ‘Rabbit Hole’, and I did not think the room could get anymore amped, but somehow everybody pulled from the depths of their soul. Finishing off the main set, they played ‘CHASING SHADOWS’, giving the audience the chance to call for an encore.
Coldrain then returned, with Masato giving a heartfelt speech to the crowd, thanking everybody for supporting the festival. You did not need to understand Japanese to feel the emotion, love and gratitude that was being shared from the frontman on behalf of the whole band. It was a trascending language moment that unless you’ve experienced it, it is hard to understand.
It was a moment that showed no matter what language you speak, there are times that communication goes beyond the actual words being spoken. Music is like that. That is why Japanese bands have fans that don’t speak Japanese. Why Japanese artists can deliver MC’s to those before them and be understood even if you don’t speak their languge. Emotion, love and gratitude goes beyond just words. It is a feeling that is felt. From body language, to tone of voice. Tears in the eyes, the slight break in ones speech. Japanese bands understand the non-Japanese speakers. The non-Japanese speakers can comprehend the messages.
Encore meant ‘Optimize’ and in true symbolic fashion, they ended with ‘Final Destination’. We had gone on this two day journey together and as we all embraced each other in the pits to round off the show, a sense of camaraderie enveloped everyone in that room. Bands and fans alike.
Standing, looking up the screen that said ‘See You At Blarefest 20XX’ meaning that no next date was to be set, it is no doubt that decisions to attend the next one were already made. The lights went on and people scrambled to find missing friends, shoes and other items and to take their last photos to truly soak in the memories.
As we all made the freezing and cramped trek back to Nagoya Station, as tired as everybody was, spirits remained high.
For those who have an iota of interest in the Japanese music scene, Blarefest should be more than just a wish- it should be a bucket list item.
You can be sure we will be at the next one.
See you there.
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