music reviews

Mayu of NEMOPHILA is one of the most explosive voices in modern Japanese heavy metal. Discover her seamless clean-to-scream vocal alchemy, raw emotional power, and unforgettable “Soft from Hell” live performances. From vocal cord recovery to the 2026 GOZO Tour and Apple of My Eye, experience why she is redefining Asian heavy music in 2025–2026.

Sharon den Adel of Within Temptation: Explore her 30-year journey from ethereal symphonic metal pioneer to mature hard rock voice. Deep dive into her 2026 collaboration “Somebody Like You” with Smash Into Pieces, vocal evolution, fashion passion, resilience, and artistic legacy. Discover the Ice Queen’s enduring fire.

In the ever-evolving landscape of Japanese pop, few artists embody the spirit of unapologetic individuality quite like Utaha (詩羽), the current lead vocalist of Wednesday Campanella (水曜日のカンパネラ). Since stepping into the role in September 2021 as the second-generation frontwoman, the Tokyo-born artist has injected a fresh, electrifying energy into the genre-blending collective.

Among the most unapologetically independent voices in Japan’s alternative music scene stands TENTENKO (てんてんこ), a former first-generation member of the groundbreaking anti-idol group BiS who has forged a fiercely self-produced solo career since the group’s 2014 disbandment. Owning her own label, Tenten Records, and releasing dozens of homemade albums via crowdfunding and Bandcamp, TENTENKO embodies the self production —— she composes, produces, DJs, and performs with zero reli