Maximum the Hormone - Buiikikaesu (2007)^{Release ID: 2012}

Banana Banana Banana SEX

Expectations can be a powerful thing when checking out some albums, and I certainly had a few select expectations when coming into a MAXIMUM THE HORMONE album. Although I never fully checked them out until now, I had previously heard of them from absolutely mental songs like "A-L-I-E-N" where their music is absolutely all over the place, ending up in some seriously mixed results. Throwing the entire kitchen sink at compositions when it comes to genre flip-flopping and style contrast is an extremely hit or miss art; it either works or it doesn't, and it normally fails catastrophically when it fails. Thankfully Buiikikaesu ended up being a more straightforward experience than I was prepared for and, although I was expecting crazier, it helped to showcase MAXIMUM THE HORMONE as a serious Japanese Alternative Metal outfit rather than just a gimmick group.

MAXIMUM THE HORMONE'S music in general is fun and off the rails, with them switching between heavily distorted chug riffs with slightly weak harsh vocals, free-wheeling Rock and Roll or Punk inspired riffs, and everything in between. Although most songs hover around the 4 minute mark, there are so many ideas and abrupt transitions in each of them that this album is jam packed with more than meets the eye. I personally prefer MAXIMUM THE HORMONE as a Punk band more than a Metal one, with the heavier breakdowns and riffs being the weakest parts of the album. The more fun Punk influenced parts of this album allow the band more room to experiment and be generally more interesting, whereas the breakdowns on "Louisiana Bob", "Policeman Benz", and "Shimi" feel out of place and weak compared to the rest of the album. They sometimes strike this fantastic middle ground of having a heavy as hell riff but still keeping the experimental weirdness intact, like in the middle of "Shimi" or "Zetsubo Billy", and that's where the band shines the most.

This unpredictable use of contrast is difficult to control but MAXIMUM THE HORMONE manage it pretty well, constantly switching riffs and styles to go from Alternative Metal, to Punk, to funky slap bass led sections, to more rock anthem-like choruses, to everything in between. This is where I expected to have my ankles broken trying to keep up with the constant transitions, but they do a great job of using it tastefully and not as a gimmick for the most part. Bands like Igorrr are masters of the craft of keeping the listener engaged by keeping them guessing as to what is going to happen next, and that's where most of the fun of Buiikikaesu is at. It's a very unique experience from a very unique band and even though there are a lot of misses, there are just as many hits in the transitions and styles they attempt. The contrast between soft and loud has been a musical theme since the beginning, and MAXIMUM THE HORMONE try to go for the extreme with loudly distorted Metal sections instantly changing to something else entirely like on "Kuso Breakin No Breakin Lilly" or "Chu Chu Lovely Muni Muni Mura". Trying to keep this intensity up through the entire album is a bit tough though, with some songs nailing the fun weirdness a bit better than others.

I got a lot more out of this album than I thought I would coming in and I have to say, Buiikikaesu is still a pretty unique experience. While it doesn't push the boundaries of weirdness like "A-L-I-E-N" does, it has its own style that produces some great and memorable moments and great riffs. I think the Metal influences were a bit overused and ended up being the weakest link, but it still goes hard all things considered. The slap bass is a fantastic addition that caught my ear on more and more songs and it makes me wish that more Metal and Rock bands would incorporate it into their songwriting. Buiikikaesu isn't groundbreaking in quality, but it's a fun and unique time with a band that isn't afraid to push some boundaries, for better or worse depending on the song.