Metal, Hardcore, Indie, Rock
There are bands that win you over at first listen and others that, while not necessarily striking a chord, compel you to pause and take them seriously, at least for a moment. Hanabie. definitely belongs to the latter category.
The Japanese quartet formed by Yukina (vocals), Matsuri (guitar and vocals), Hettsu (bass) and Chika (drums) continues its international run with “HOT TOPIC”, an EP that arrives at a key moment in their career: after sold-out tours, global festivals and iconic stages such as Wacken Open Air, Lollapalooza and Knotfest, the Tokyo band is no longer an exotic curiosity but a product perfectly integrated into global contemporary metal.
Musically, “HOT TOPIC” is an effective synthesis of what Hanabie. is and what it represents today: modern heavy hardcore, hyperkinetic metalcore, massive breakdowns, sudden tempo changes and an aesthetic that shamelessly mixes idol culture, kawaii visuals, colours from Japanese anime characters and sonic aggression, mixed with fully recorded sound effects. This contrast has become their trademark, which they play with without any particular pretensions! They are to be taken as they are!
Songs like “ICONIC” and “Spicy Queen” push hard on the accelerator: compressed riffs, pounding drums, computerised sounds and a continuous use of the contrast between ferocious screams and more catchy, almost pop parts, clearly designed to work as well on stage as on social media. ‘GIRL’S TALK’ and “トキメキ About You” accentuate the band’s more playful and chaotic side, while the final track, “はなびえんちゃん。のテーマ”, seems almost like a programmatic statement: Hanabie. has no intention of taking themselves too seriously, and this is precisely where it finds its strength.
I managed to see them live and photograph them at Wacken, the temple of traditional heavy metal, and it was emblematic, the message was even clearer: young idol girls going wild without restraint, jumping around constantly, smiling and hitting hard with a surprisingly heavy and compact sound, which nevertheless left me no more surprised than I expected. It’s all movement, energy and immediacy, whether you like it or not, but it works for the audience!
And this is where the most interesting reflection arises. Hanabie. is not a band designed to convince purists or rewrite the rules of the genre. Their metal is a child of the present, shaped by YouTube, TikTok, global festivals and hybrid cultures. Sometimes excessive, sometimes chaotic, sometimes even cloying in its ultra-colourful aesthetic, but unquestionably relevant.
“HOT TOPIC” will not change the minds of those who do not like this kind of contamination, but it represents an important piece in the map of modern metal: one that looks ahead, that is not afraid of pop, that thrives on image as much as sound impact. Hanabie. is not a band you necessarily have to love, but it is a band you cannot ignore today.
And perhaps, in 2026, this is already a significant achievement.
