BAND-MAID Doesn't Need Vocals to Blow Me Away! | Onset First Reaction

I knew BAND-MAID could play... but I wasn't expecting an instrumental to grab me the way "Onset" did. From the very first riff, this song absolutely takes off and never lets up. One of the reasons BAND-MAID continues to climb toward the top of my list of Japanese rock and metal bands is because I hear so many classic influences in their music. While they can absolutely get heavy, I also hear a lot of the hard rock and heavy metal that I grew up with in the '70s and '80s. To my ears, that's what really sets them apart. There are moments where they flirt with thrash metal, but the overall feel is rooted in classic hard rock. The riffs, the groove, and especially the guitar work remind me of the bands I grew up listening to. Lead guitarist Kanami Tōno (KANAMI) absolutely stole the show for me. Her solo sounded like it could have come straight out of an incredible '80s hard rock or heavy metal record. It was melodic, technical, tasteful, and perfectly fit the song. The rest of the band was just as impressive. MISA continues to lay down incredible bass lines, Akane Hirose is one of the tightest drummers I've heard, and Miku Kobato's rhythm guitar keeps everything driving forward. Even without lead vocals from Saiki Atsumi, the band never loses any energy because the musicianship is simply that strong. I actually didn't realize this was going to be an instrumental, but that turned out to be a pleasant surprise. Since I don't understand Japanese lyrics anyway, this gave every member of the band a chance to shine, and they absolutely took advantage of it. BAND-MAID continues to impress me every single time I hear them. This one gets an easy two thumbs up, and it's another song that's going straight onto my playlist. If you enjoyed this reaction, I'd really appreciate it if you'd Like, Subscribe, and turn on notifications so you never miss a new upload. And if you'd like your own reaction request moved to the front of the line while helping support the channel, consider using Super Thanks. I've included a short video at the end that explains exactly how it works. Thanks so much for watching, and I'll see you next time here on Riffs and Reactions! #BandMaid #Onset #Kanami #MISA #Akane #MikuKobato #Saiki #Instrumental #HardRock #HeavyMetal #JapaneseRock #MusicReaction #ReactionVideo #GuitarSolo #RiffsAndReactions