On September 27th, Joliet's downtown venue The Forge hosted a mid-week show of cybergrind, rap metal, and Japanese metalcore. The suburban venue quickly became packed with fans of all four bands playing that night, culminating in a sense of camaraderie between seemingly different groups of metalheads–and if the show was not sold out before the end of the night, it was certainly close.
Opening the show was the Chicago cybergrind act Blind Equation. Despite their down-to-earth offstage persona, the trio brought an angry, brooding, chaotic energy to their performance, with vocalist James McHenry pacing back and forth while their keytarist (that’s “keyboard guitarist” for the uncultured) remained in the shadows in the midst of shredding his instrument. Self described as "emotional cybergrind" and known for their "Nintendocore" sound meant for "people who like the 2000s era MySpace bands"--taken from their short biography on the Prosthetic Records webstore–Blind Equation combines a number of sounds that can easily appeal to all types of metal listeners. Despite this, they definitely stood out (positively, of course) from the rest of the performing bands that night and were the perfect openers for arguably an important show in this somewhat modest Joliet club. From playing DIY basement shows in Chicago to opening up for several established metal bands on a much larger stage to embarking on a weeks-long DIY tour, in addition to having just released their album "Death Awaits," Blind Equation show no signs of slowing down–in fact, they are just getting started. Even if their sound is not your cup of tea, those in the Chicagoland music scene should keep their eye on this band. Blind Equation’s album release show is scheduled for December 16th in Chicago.
Up next were rap metal icons Fox Lake and Dropout Kings respectively. These bands gravitated toward a very similar sound but definitely stood out from their opener and headliner, as Blind Equation and Hanabie were much closer to cybergrind and metal/hardcore. Fox Lake, hailing from Denver, Colorado and described as “hardcore hip-hop” on their official site, is comprised of a quartet of passionate musicians with rockstar energy and a sound that can transport their audience back to the late ‘90s and early 2000’s, to the peak days of nu metal and rap/rock amalgamations. Dropout Kings did much of the same yet still brought their own distinctive energy to the stage, and their nu metal ties could not be more apparent. Not only did vocalist Adam Ramey previously and successfully attempt to reignite his music career by covering Linkin Park’s “Lying From You” with rapper Eddie Wellz but they have also been managed by Coal Chamber and DevilDriver frontman Dez Fafara. Formed in 2016 in Phoenix, Arizona, the band has found success by touring extensively since 2018, embarking on their very first headlining tour in 2021. Now, with the release of their third album, Riot Music, and the band’s contention for a Grammy nomination, Dropout Kings are yet another up-and-coming band looking to continue their streak. While this tour with Hanabie. may have been new territory for them, it was territory they were not afraid to conquer. Fronted by Ramey and “Black Cat Bill,” this dynamic duo dominated the Forge’s stage, with Bill jumping every which way to the edge of the stage to pump up the crowd and Ramey jumping into the crowd at multiple points during their set. The band’s wild energy never let up during their 45-minute set, and the crowd was plenty warmed up for Hanabie.
Formed in 2015 in Tokyo, Japan, Hanabie. (which translates to “chilly spring weather” and references the members’ winter/spring birthdays) has spent 2023 on the road to superstardom. After several lineup changes, the all-female metalcore band currently features Yukina on vocals, Matsuri on guitar and vocals, Hettsu on bass, and Chika on drums. They remained completely independent and would find success with their January 2021 single, “We Love Sweets.” This would lead to larger shows and gaining a bigger network with other local bands. That same year, the band members would graduate from university and release their first full album Girls Reform Manifest. In 2022, they would tour a significant portion of Japan before receiving invitations to festivals such as Louder Than Life, Aftershock, and Blue Ridge Rock Festival the following year. With the power of social media, YouTube, and Spotify, the band has garnered much more international recognition. This past June, Hanabie. would perform at Japan’s Satanic Carnival where they announced their next album Reborn Superstar! and that they had signed with Epic Records Japan. That same month, this tour, their first in North America, was also announced, and of course, their first show in the state of Illinois was unforgettable. Donning a classic Michael Jordan jersey and wide-legged jeans, Yukina would lead the set with absolute intensity and charisma and hard-hitting screams perfectly matched with Matsuri’s clean vocals and harmonies. Hettsu and Chika would also provide a standout rhythm section, rounding out a live band beaming with confidence, musical eccentricities, and an entertaining stage presence that seemed so natural to them. For the last hour, the stage belonged to these four unbelievably talented women who made a majority of American metalcore vocalists and bands pale in comparison. Indeed, Hanabie. has certainly found new fans in America, and we can only hope they’re able to return soon.