Wikipedia

Bridear

Bridear (stylized as BRIDEAR) is a Japanese power metal band from Fukuoka, formed in 2011. It currently consists of singer Kimi, guitarists Moe and Ayumi, bassist Haru, and drummer Natsumi.[1] They are represented by Zest and release music under the Avex Trax label.

Bridear
OriginFukuoka, Japan
GenresPower metal
Years active2011–present
LabelsJapan Avex Trax
United Kingdom Setsuzoku
Members
  • Kimi
  • Haru
  • Ayumi
  • Natsumi
  • Moe
Past members
  • Mitsuru
  • Kai
  • Misa
  • Misaki
  • Vivi
WebsiteOfficial website

History

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Bridear was founded in Fukuoka in 2011 by singer Kimi, guitarist Mitsuru, and bassist Haru.[2] Support drummer Kai became an official member in February 2012.[2] Second guitarist Misa joined the band in April, and Bridear had their first live that same month at Spiral Factory.[2] Kimi, Haru, and Kai were previously in a band together, while Mitsuru and Misa were recruited from a website specifically for finding musicians.[2] The demo "Pray/Another Name" was released in August 2012.[3] First single "Thread of the Light/Roulette", released through Rock Stakk,[4] and the extended play Overturn the Doom, through Movement Records, were released the following year.[5]

In the subsequent two years, the single "Light in the Dark/No Salvation" (2014) and concert video Dear Bride (2015) were released.[5] In March 2016, the band released their debut album, Baryte, which was released by Radtone Music,[5] and promoted with an extensive tour of Japan. The EP released in 2017, Rise, was also released by Radtone.[5] Citing musical differences, Misa left Bridear following an October 28, 2017 concert.[6] She was replaced by Misaki, who made her live debut with the band on April 22, 2018.[7] Another EP, Helix, was released on April 11, 2018, this time on Universal Music Japan.[5] Another concert video, Live Tour 2018 Marcasite, was also released in 2018.[5] After seven years, Mitsuru left the band after their December 30, 2018 concert, citing various differences about the direction of the band, both musical and otherwise.[8] In 2019, Bridear joined the Zest [ja] talent management agency[9] and switched to the label Avex Trax and released their second studio album Expose Your Emotions at the end of the same year.[5]

In May 2021, the band released their third album, Bloody Bride, which was released internationally by Setsuzoku Records.[10] In September and October 2021, the group toured several European cities.[11][5] Misaki took medical leave in June 2022[12] and announced her departure from the band on July 11, replaced immediately by Moe.[13][14]

Style

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According to Fabian Zeitlinger from Metalinside.de, Bridear stand out from other Japanese all-girl rock bands with their more modern sound, described as more of a "metalized" version of Band-Maid than melodic power metal like Aldious or Lovebites. On Bloody Bride, the group oscillates between aggressive power metal with double bass and poppy alternative metal. The band's lyrics are written in both Japanese and English.[15] In a review on JRock News, Bloody Bride is described as a "marriage" between hard rock and progressive metal and a worthy successor to Expose Your Emotions.[10] Shawn Kupfer, in his review for Idobi, describes the music as "fast-paced power metal with pop music sensibilities", evocative of X Japan's Blue Blood era, and concluded that Bridear's music shares the DNA of the New Wave of American Heavy Metal while also breaking new ground.[16]

Members

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Current members

  • Kimi – vocals (2011–present)
  • Haru – bass (2011–present)
  • Ayumi – guitar (2019–present)
  • Natsumi – drums (2019–present)
  • Moe – guitar (2022–present)

Former members

  • Mitsuru – guitar (2011–2018)
  • Kai – drums (2012–2019)
  • Misa – guitar (2012–2017)
  • Misaki – guitar (2018–2022)
  • Yuri – drums (2019)
  • Vivi – drums (2019)

Discography

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Bridear discography
Studio albums4
EPs3
Singles4
Video albums2

Albums

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Title Album details Peak chart positions
JPN
Oricon
[17] 		JPN
Billboard
Hot
[18] 		JPN
Billboard
Top
[19]
Baryte
  • Released: March 23, 2016
  • Label: Radtone Music
 63 — 62
Expose Your Emotions
  • Released: December 4, 2019
  • Label: Avex Trax
 109 — —
Bloody Bride
  • Released: April 14, 2021
  • Label: Avex Trax, Setsuzoku Records
 62 100 51
Aegis of Athena
  • Released: April 20, 2022
  • Label: Avex Trax
 52 68 49
Born Again
  • Released: June 28, 2024
  • Label: Avex Trax
 - - -
"—" denotes a recording that did not chart.

EPs

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Title Album details Peak chart positions
JPN
Oricon
[17][20] 		JPN
Billboard
Top
[19]
Overturn the Doom
  • Released: December 18, 2013
  • Label: Movement Records
 285 —
Rise
  • Released: March 15, 2017
  • Label: Radtone Music
 70 —
Helix 72 69
"—" denotes a recording that did not chart.

Singles

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Title Year Peak chart positions Album
JPN
Oricon
[20]
"Pray/Another Name" 2012 — Non-album singles
"Thread of the Light/Roulette" —
"Light in the Dark/No Salvation" 2014 115
"—" denotes a recording that did not chart.

Digital singles

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Title Year Album
"Ignite" 2017 Rise

DVD

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Title Details Peak positions
JPN
Oricon
[21]
Dear Bride
  • Released: April 22, 2015
  • Label: Movement Records
 114
Live Tour 2018 Marcasite
  • Released: August 8, 2018
  • Label: Red Hill Recordings
 99

References

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  1. ^ "BRIDEAR". JaME. Retrieved 2022-07-14.
  2. ^ a b c d "JaME's Rising Stars of 2015: BRIDEAR". JaME. 4 December 2014. Retrieved 2022-07-14.
  3. ^ "Pray / Another name | BRIDEAR". JaME. Retrieved 2022-07-10.
  4. ^ "Thread Of The Light / Roulette | BRIDEAR". JaME. Retrieved 2022-07-10.
  5. ^ a b c d e f g h "Discography | BRIDEAR OFFICIAL WEBSITE". Discography | BRIDEAR OFFICIAL WEBSITE. Retrieved 2022-06-24.
  6. ^ "Misa to Leave BRIDEAR". JaME. 29 September 2017. Retrieved 2022-07-14.
  7. ^ "New Mini-Album from BRIDEAR". JaME. 12 January 2018. Retrieved 2022-07-14.
  8. ^ "Mitsuru to Leave BRIDEAR". JaME. 24 December 2018. Retrieved 2022-07-14.
  9. ^ @bridear_info (July 5, 2019). BRIDEARは株式会社Zestへ所属することが決定致しました。 [BRIDEAR has decided to be affiliated with Zest Corporation.] (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  10. ^ a b G Andrew White (2021-04-29). "Review: BRIDEAR offers "Bloody Bride" album for metal matrimony". JROCK NEWS. Retrieved 2022-06-21.
  11. ^ "New Album from BRIDEAR". JaME. 2022-02-24. Retrieved 2022-06-21.
  12. ^ G Andrew White (2022-06-20). "Guitarist MISAKI on hiatus as BRIDEAR prepares for Japan tour". JROCK NEWS. Retrieved 2022-07-12.
  13. ^ "MISAKI 脱退および新メンバー MOE 加入のお知らせ | BRIDEAR OFFICIAL WEBSITE". MISAKI 脱退および新メンバー MOE 加入のお知らせ | BRIDEAR OFFICIAL WEBSITE. 2022-07-11. Retrieved 2022-07-13.
  14. ^ "Notice of MISAKI's Withdrawal and New Member Joining BRIDEAR". Bridear.world. 2022-07-11. Archived from the original on 2022-07-13. Retrieved 2022-07-13.
  15. ^ "Bloody Bride". metalinside - Das Rock und Metal Online-Magazin (in German). Retrieved 2022-06-21.
  16. ^ Kupfer, Shawn (May 7, 2021). "Album Review: BRIDEAR – Bloody Bride". Idobi. Retrieved June 21, 2022.
  17. ^ a b "Bridearのアルバム売上ランキング". Oricon (in Japanese). Retrieved 2022-07-10.
  18. ^ Peak chart positions for albums on Billboard Japan's Hot Albums chart:
  19. ^ a b Peak chart positions for albums on Billboard Japan's Top Albums chart:
  20. ^ a b "Bridearのシングル売上ランキング". Oricon (in Japanese). Retrieved 2022-07-15.
  21. ^ "BridearDVDの売上ランキング". Oricon (in Japanese). Retrieved 2022-07-15.
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