Kanami may be afraid of heights, but she is fearless as a composer and performer.

Band Maid is the band that will defy your expectations, and forge their own path. As we Maidiacs say, Band-Maid doesn't fit into any one particular genre, they ARE their own genre. And that genre is Band-Maid. I can tell in the first 5-10 notes of a song if it's a Band-Maid song or not. Granted I've listened to EVERY song they currently have available, plus a few that are not available, and I listen to Band-Maid 3-5 hours a day on average. Either checking out reactions, or putting my head phones on or ear buds in and jamming out with the volume cranked to 11. And EVERY single Band-Maid song has that undercurrent of Kanami's lead guitar, MISA's Bass Guitar, Miku's rhythm guitar, and Akane's drumming, the undercurrent of familiarity. That feeling that I KNOW this sound. And only one band makes it. And that is Band-Maid.

Ryan Mear pointed out that Band Maid throws away more riffs in one song that anyone other band might use in five or so ... Saw this live and it is even more explosive . Great reaction /review

Band-Maid's genre' is Band-Maid! they are hard rock but so inventive, so fearless and exceptionally capable to push music to places you won't expect. (They also have plain old rock songs and will leave you smiling)

Band-Maid is the genre.

One of the four instrumental gifts BAND-MAID have to offer. DON'T BE LONG, WITHOUT HOLDING BACK,ONSET and of course FROM NOW ON.

Thanks for your reaction, Jon! You've really cut through pretty quickly to some of the big things that make this band special: the idea that their riffs are expressive and have follow-through, and that all the musical elements play a role in the larger song arc. Nothing is throwaway, Band-Maid songs are zero-fat compositions. Kanami (lead guitarist and primary composer) is a unique voice in the rock world. It also helps that she has great band mates in MISA (mee-sa), Bass; Akane (ah-kah-neh), Drums; Miku (mee-koo), rhythm guitar. And even though she doesn't show up on this one, Saiki (sigh-kee), lead vocals. Maybe next try Manners/Black Hole (a 2-fer) to see some of their fun contrasts.

My daughter and I saw them do this live in Phoenix last Oct. OMG they rock.

Good reaction and thoughtful analysis for Band-Maid! Much better than a lot of reactors who don't say anything of substance. I think you "get" them and what they're trying to do. You're going to enjoy your journey exploring their other songs. This band is always evolving. Their songs draw influences from a lot of different places, but the lead guitarist Kanami, who is the primary songwriter, has a way to bring multiple concepts together and tie them up with great hooks and melodies. You will notice experimental proggy verses (especially the 2nd verse), and then poppy, catchy choruses where you can just rock out. She also works in buildups, drops, and other songwriting tricks in there. Much like how they like to mix in multiple overlapping sounds and layers, the band mixes together different genres into a single song.

@jon.reacts I just watched your “read the comments” video for No God, and was noticing a lot of the cryptic comments, but unfortunately no one seemed to post anything that would help give context, so to provide some clarity about the band’s history and some of the references, here we go: Miku Kobato (rhythm guitar, main lyricist, 2nd vocals) is the band founder. She was in a typical j-pop trio called Lil Cumin that didn’t go anywhere and ended up working in a “maid cafe” (if you’re not familiar, Japan has many themed restaurants/cafes where staff dresses up in costumes, and maid cafes are generally the most popular). While working in the cafe, she got the idea of a band of “cute girls playing cool music” and what she calls “The Gap” between what you see and what you hear. With that concept in mind she looked online and found Kanami Kanami Tono (lead guitarist, main composer) was a singer-songwriter gigging around the country and posting songs in KZfaq. Musically gifted, she started with piano around age 4, but plays guitar, bass, and even a little bit of drums. I want to say she can play the violin too, but I can’t confirm that. Anyway, Miku approached her about the band concept, and long story short, Kanami was on board. They just needed a drummer, and Kanami knew a drummer she frequently gigged with named Akane. Akane Hirose (drums) was a working session and gigging drummer who attended a (what I think is a fairly prestigious) music academy. For what it’s worth, she also plays trombone. Akane is the oldest in the group, and probably the nerdiest/dorkiest. She’s the anime fan, and has arguably the most “comical” persona. She also has the biggest appetite of all the girls, and if you dive into some of their music videos, Akane will frequently be seen eating stuff. She loves bananas especially, and when you combine that love with her powerful drumming you get her nickname “The Gorilla”. Anyway, being kinda dorky and tuned in to the “anime/maid cafe” subculture, she understood the concept and joined the band. Now they needed a bassist. MISA (yes, always capitalized, and just one name) was a bassist that Akane knew from the same music academy. She looks tough and serious, and the bottle of Jim Beam on her amp helps give off that impression, but she’s actually just really shy, and offstage she is apparently the funniest/silliest of the group, but only with those she’s closest with. When she was approached to join the band, she was hesitant at first, partly due to the costumes and partly due to negative experiences being in bands prior, but she liked the sound of the music and gave it a shot. While she wore French maid-style costumes in the early days of the band, she quickly transitioned to her current “long dark robe” look. That dark look along with her preference to play barefoot earned her the nickname “barefoot assassin”. With the main musicians assembled, the band was complete. Except Miku, the founder and nominal lead singer, realized that her own voice wasn’t right for the band. She has a beautiful singing voice, but it doesn’t have the power and “edge” she wanted for the band. So she decided to step back as lead singer, audition a new lead singer, and on Kanami’s suggestion start learning guitar so she could play rhythm on stage and sing harmony. So the search for a new lead singer started, and they found Saiki. Saiki Atsumi (lead vocal, secondary lyricist) was a backing singer at the same record label as the band. Not to get too far into Japanese music industry stuff, but generally speaking musicians are contracted to labels/studios and work at their behest. It should be noted that early on, Band-Maid didn’t write their own songs. Their first EP and LP were written completely for them by songwriters on staff/contracted by the record label, and only one song on their third release was written by the band. Of course, that song (“Alone”) was so freaking good that the record label said “okay, you can write all your own music now, we trust you” and the band hasn’t looked back. Anyway, back to Saiki. When she auditioned, she wasn’t told about the maid aesthetic because it was feared she wouldn’t want to participate. Sure enough, she hated wearing the apron part of their costumes in the early days, and threw it away after their first few concerts. Like MISA, she quickly changed her look to be more of a hostess/majordomo (“master of the house” aka the boss of all the maids, butlers, and housekeepers). Known as the “Ice Queen” for her cool demeanor, she is the quiet and serious contrast to Miku’s bubbly talkative persona. Having covered the basics of how they formed as a band, let’s get into some of the inside jokes and references: The Pigeonhole and “Po!”. Okay, this is a bit of a language joke. The kanji (one of the three ways to write Japanese) that make up Miku Kobato’s name can be read as “810 year old pigeon” so she jokingly calls herself that, an 810 year old pigeon in human form. To the Japanese, pigeons and doves are the same thing (and technically they are), so pigeons have the same connotation of peace and love that doves have in the west. Where we imagine the sound a pigeon/dove makes as a “Coo”, to the Japanese they make a “Kuroppo” sound. Miku adopted the shortened version of “Po” has a quirky way to end her sentences, like an intentional verbal tick, to emphasize her “pigeon-ness”. Kanami and Saiki’s one-way relationship. I don’t know how much of it is purely stage persona, how much was instigated by their early record label, or how much is actually sincere, but at the very least the on-stage character of Kanami has a massive crush on the on-stage persona of Saiki. There is a common trope in Japanese pop-culture of “cool, silent women” (in this case Saiki) earning the romantic attractions or even the lust of their female peers, especially the ones who would be considered “innocent”. Often played for laughs, with the innocent one being comically awkward or even accidentally perverted around the object of their affections. Band-Maiko. “Officially”, Band-Maiko is a completely different band. On April Fool’s Day, Band-Maid announced that they were ending, and that Band-Maiko was starting. A maiko is an apprentice geisha, and the band is a rock band of maiko, dressed up in full maiko regalia. I don’t have their names handy, but each member of Band-Maid gave themselves a new name/persona as part of the Band-Maiko concept. It was a fairly elaborate prank, because as Band-Maiko they released a full EP of remixed and rearranged versions of some of their songs, complete with traditional instruments inserted into the mix, and completely rewritten lyrics in the western Kansai-ben dialect (the Kansai region of Japan, where Osaka and Kyoto, the old imperial capital, are is the cultural home of geisha/maiko, and where modern geisha culture is centralized), and the lyrical content references a maiko’s life and perspective. The most notable songs are “Secret Maiko Lips” (based on Secret My Lips, by Band-Maid) and Gion-Cho, which is an original song written just for the Band-Maiko project Cluppo. Another April Fool’s Day event, but really more of a side project by Miku Kobato. Really leaning into the pigeon/dove and “bring peace to the world” concept, Miku, as “Cluppo”, released an album of what she calls “hippie pop” (not that it sounds like hippie music from the 60s and 70s, but because it has a “peace and love” message and vibe). Very poppy, with strong citypop vibes (citypop is a Japanese pop genre most popular in the 80s and 90s that mixed pop, jazz, lounge, and R&B). Cluppo really has nothing to do with Band-Maid whatsoever other than Miku being in both I think that covers most of the major points about the band, their personas as distinct from their actual personalities, and some of the most common in-jokes. Thanks for reading this novel of a comment, and I hope it was helpful!

They do have songs where the punk breaks through like a chest-bursting alien. Warning and Different mix punk with either metal or prog, and Choose Me and Alone deliver pop punk without the nasalness or basic 4-chords

Welcome back Jon.. Another great reaction.. Goose bump city!! So many songs by Band maid, another really good Japanese all female band to add to your musical KZfaq jouney. I hope you have plenty of time, it is going to take you a while. Best wishes from France..

Good stuff, Jon! I've heard "from now on", oh, like, a zillion times, and the goose bumps just...keep..happening 🤯 (glad they're not lethal). Anywhens, to pick your next Band-Maid reaction, pull up Band-Maid's YT page, put a blindfold on, step back 10 paces, then throw a dart at your monitor....wait....don't do that.... Thanks Man!🕊

I feel the girls channeled 1970's YES. I'm a huge YES fan and this song is as close as I've heard anyone get to their jams. MISA's playing here is Chris Squire entering her soul. DAMN! I love these girls......

We knew of course that you'd like this one. Well it just keeps coming with these ladies 🤘

Really good analysis. I like your comment about the riffs are expressive. The ladies always seem to have a specific purpose for each note. To my ears this could be in a movie score...especially with epic soaring leads. The bass provides a perfect change of pace, reflective or pensive in nature, before the song builds up in intensity and starts soaring again.

Songwriter Kanami let herself go on this one. For more of their variety, check out Blooming, Puzzle,, and Black Hole. You'll have to look around for a live video of Puzzle, I know there's one on Bilibili. A Official Live Video of Black Hole is on a KZfaq vid with another song, Manners.

Band Maid is their own genre.

Band-Maid is one of the best hard rock bands in the world ! These ladies are awesome and shine when performing live ! So check out "Real Existence" Live or "Domination" live =) Great Reaction✌🤘🎀

Any more when I listen to Band Maid I get emotional because I want to play with the energy, love and abandonment they do.

Good job!. It´s Band Maid so, of course, expect the unexpected. Thank you Jon.

Band Maid itself is a Genre !!!

I think the Maids will always have some Punk in their hearts, but they really reach out in all sorts of directions with it. Listening to some of their older songs really shows it though, a personal favourite is Alone (the music video!); for background, that was the first song they made entirely themselves; Kanami (lead guitar) convinced their at-the-time publisher to give them full creative freedom for one song on the album they were working on, to prove that they could do it. And well, the rest is history - they retained that creative freedom ever since. And it's a real banger too, but definitely shows their Rock-Pop-Punk-esque origins. And, in my opinion, that's a great thing - I love that stuff! I just love that I can listen to two different eras of the band, and it will sound completely different yet unmistakably Maid-y, and it's just great.

When you've done a few more of 'your average Band-Maid songs', then you can check out Gion-Cho (one of their 'April Fool's Day' presents to the 'Masters and Princesses', where they become their alter-ego band 'Band-Maiko' and take us through a cinematic stroll through the old-tymie streets back to the days of ancient 'traditional' J-Rock!)

Thanks Jon! More Band-Maid please.

I like it a lot.......too !! ❤️🎙🎸🥁😎🤘

Their first album is straight up pop punk. After that, there is no pinning them down. Also, they didn't begin performing their own songs until the last song (Alone) on their 3rd album.

When it's all said and done, THIS band will be considered one of the best of all time!

Love your reactions! Keep the Band-Maid stuff coming! But also dying to hear you react to Gacharic Spin and their song Mindset.

Genre? Prog-hard-punk-trad-heavy-synth-classical-jazzy-pop-rock. Or, BandMaid. So, 2 for 2? Can't wait til your 130 for 130.

And they started with this in a Guns & Roses concert!I think Axle rose was so jelous about it!

Greatly enjoyed your reaction and on point analysis of Band-Maid. They have developed their characteristic sound to the point that it is very hard to merely pigeonhole their music. Po. Goosebumps are a common side effect of this incredibly talented and dynamic band. Hope that you fully explore and enjoy their wonderful music. Cheers.

So 'No God' and 'From now on' .... yeah, you started with the more 'prog' leaning BM songs, but don't get the wrong impression that they are just a progressive rock band ... that would be like believing Michelangelo specialized in covering up water stains on ceilings! Band-Maid specializes in melody, song and changing things up every 16 bars with new 'counterpoint' and drum patterns. Taken individually you'd think they were all playing lead parts, but then the parts mix so well together that while you can clearly make out the individual melodies, like a good classical Baroque they all make a complete composition when played together! Kanami is the Goddess of writing & arranging 4 melodic 'movements' in 3 & 1/2 minutes!!

the riffs are just kanami talking to you. having a conversation. letting you get to know her

Kanami took the vocals in her own hands on this one.

Great reaction! You had me at your definirion of prog 😆 But seriously, your analysis is fresh and insightful. I look forward to more.

I got goosebumps just watching ur reaction to this track 😅

I think you are picking up on one of the things I love in Band Maid. Their songs are SONGS! They start somewhere and goes somewhere, not just a few measures played repeatedly.

Prog Metal, Band-Maid style, Po. I saw them play this instrumental live at Tokyo Garden Theater on January 9th, it was an awesome performance. Band-Maid are just as good or better live than on MV's or studio recordings. It was my first Band-MaId concert, they are the best band I've ever seen live. I've already bought a ticket for their concert at Zepp Shinjuku in Tokyo on July 3rd. Damn they are good. Greetings from Norway.

Best rock band alive. Period. Dot. No exceptions

This band writes innumerable incredible riffs and will crush you with them. Most bands (in my experience) have a few riffs that stick with you per album, I swear this band puts that many into each of their songs. I don’t know, there is just something about this band that has dug into my brain and won’t let go. Keep on enjoying. They’re basically all great. I’d recommend Blooming or Manners next.

I’m the guy who says don’t use punk and Band-Maid in the same sentence, please. 😂. When I say that I’m think of the punk of my youth - the OG 70’s punk - which only shares its intensity with the virtuoso artistry of Band-Maid. I’m informed that people are referring to more recent punk or pop-punk or post-grunge/alternative (e.g. like Pixies, Green Day, Bush, etc), not the Sex Pistols & Ramones and that I can understand - I just don’t think of those more recent bands as “punk”. 🤷🏻‍♂️. Bottom line, as others say, you’ll discover Band-Maid have loads of influences across the rock spectrum and they’ve coalesced into their own amalgamation to forge their own genre. Next? Need to see them live … - “Domination” - official live video - “Freedom” - official live video - “Real Existence” - official live video - “Don’t Tell Me” - official live - “Moratorium” - official live And the list goes on and on. For more high-end virtuosity, try - “Blooming” - official MV Take care and rock on 🤘🏼🔥🎸🥁🎼😀✌🏼

Transitions are awesome.

@jon.reacts perhaps Domination LIVE is in your cards ;) their lives are even better than the music videos

Kanami deserves to be in the top 10 of any Best of list. She is amazing.

I love that fact that Band Maid made four online only concerts for their fans when the Covid-19 epidemic was in full force during the 2020-2021 period. People get to select which versions of each song they like because they have some acoustic, studio, and live versions available now and with time the live versions will keep changing. I love the fact that some songs are so classic rock and/or grand funk, and/or blues, and/or jazz with some disco beats but they always try to stay within that 1980s-1990s hard rock era style. That guitar play style seems a bit like Joe Satriani and Eric Johnson. I also notice that Miku is playing a lot more second guitar sections that not only are for rhythm but the band's been pushing her to do some solo guitar in some of their live tour runs. This is an amazing band.

Pop Punk has been with them since the beginning in 2013. Kanami (Music, Lead guitar)- the queen of transitions. Great reaction. Thanks.

the way they use kanami's guitar to represent the vocal melody really makes their instrumentals special. She plays super technically but still keeps herself restrained to the confines of the song. It allows the song to stay melodic throughout, which makes them easy to listen to rather than feeling super complicated.

Aside from the two vocalists they all read. MISA didn't quite get all the theory they dropped on her when she and Akane were at the Tokyo School of Music, but she's enough of a pro that she can play anything you put in front of her and even improve on it. However, Kanami will some times test Akane's prowess when programming drums for the demos. And Akane will straight up tell her, "This drum part cannot be played by a human being." I guess it's a good thing that The Beast is a banana powered Half Gorilla / Half Drum Machine, because she always manages to come up with something awesome.

Kanami is a genius in music composition.I already listened to sixty or 7o songs by Bandmaid.All different,all excellellent

Was that a stank face or a trying to keep your melted brain from running out of your nose face? Haha jk. Another fun and insightful reaction. This band is celebrating their 10th anniversary this year and as I am sure you have been told they have quite an extensive catalog of music. You will hear just about everything on your journey. I will not tell you how great and amazing they are because that is up to you to decide for yourself but you seem to already have a grasp on why we love them so much. Good day sir and see you on the next one.

Band-Maid doesn't play a certain genre, Band-Maid is a genre. Just are the greatest rock band in the world! Check out their official live videos, seriously any of them.

Another great reactor who can enlighten us with depth of knowledge! Subbed. Please continue reacting with Band-Maid.

Now... listen to "Choose Me"

Good work on your reaction. Many songs have been mentioned so I'll just do one that hasn't. Dice/Different from their official page. Like Manners/Black Hole which was mentioned this is a double song video showing two of their many musical sides. Enjoy your journey, I have loved mine. @jon.reacts

Best thing to do when watching BAND-MAID (and most other Japanese rock and metal bands) is to drop any expectations that previous songs may have given you. BAND-MAID, Wagakki Band, Nemophila, and others have a core sound that they rarely, if ever, truly deviate from, but they do what they want, they play whatever they feel like, and they make it work extremely well. They say they're a hard rock band, so that what I call them. Good enough for me!

Thank you for reacting to Band-Maid.

I wonder if all these sub-genres are the result of some A&R guy trying to justify signing a band, and he's afraid they can't swim with the big boys. So, he invents some splinter genre they are _really_ good at and sells them as the best at *that.* As an outsider looking in, I wonder if the Japanese bands and music publishers really don't care about it much. There seem to be a lot of bands that jump from one genre to the next, or mix and match even within one song. To my ears it's all just music and the only thing that matters is: Does it affect me? Band-Maid seems like one of those bands that changes and adapts their style. Some of it may be Kanami Tōno, who seems to have a wide range of taste and experience. Some of it may be five equal members who each have their preferences and who completely respect each other. You'll get comments that "Band-Maid is their own style" and it's sort of true. You've heard two songs from them. If you listen to more, I predict you will say "Well, I didn't expect *_that!"_* a few more times. Finally, what you are saying about the riffs that Kanami writes is on point. I grew up playing classical music and "development of the theme" is a big thing. Look for a Mozart piano piece *Twelve Variations on "Ah vous dirai-je, Maman"* (or "Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star," or "Baa, Baa, Black Sheep" or "The Alphabet Song"). Kanami does a similar thing; she'll play a riff (the exposition) and then immediately start altering it (the development). Sometime she adds things to it, sometimes she'll strip it back to the bare bones, but either way it changes and moves as the song progresses (and it's not _just_ Kanami, they _all_ do it). It really keeps your interest even with repeated listens.

Nice analysis!!! 👍🤘👍

Welcome to Band Maid Rabbit hole...so many good songs...i recommend live versions of the maids...Instrumentals: Onset, Without holding Back...other songs...well so many...Puzzle, Freedom, Akward, Domination, Warning, Manners, Matchless Gum, Play, Turn me On...old songs like Unfair Game, bye my Tears, Yuragu...And the 18 millions visit in KZfaq...Thrill...so many others too

New subscriber drawn here by BM , love the prog reference ... I've said a number of times that prog is alive, well and living in Tokyo. Would be interested to hear your reaction to "Brilliant City" by Sokoninaru ... love the reactions to the reactions as well, pretty unique in here ... keep up the good work.

I get a punk, funk, Anime-ish, hard rock, metal-ish vibe when I listen to Band Maid. Incredibly talented musicians.

THE best Rock (+Metal/+Punk+Prog) band in the galaxy. Even more impressive live.

Band-Maid has great variety -- ballads, acoustic songs, pop, punk, funky blues, thrash, prog. Try Manners/Black Hole for a little of the variety: Manners is funky bluesy, and Black Hole is fast, chaotic prog/thrash (220 bpm).

I really enjoy your style and analysis.. good job.. A good full spectrum presentation of Band Maid's sound would be the live of "Manners/Black Hole'.. from the groove of 'Manners' to the controlled chaos of 'Black Hole', I think you'd have a lot to say... thank you..!! new sub here..

I don't see you have reacted to Nemophila yet. You ought to. Raitei, Revive, Dissension are prob my favorites, but all their stuff is good.

I've said it before. Band-Maid aren't metal, but they aren't NOT metal. They're Band-Maid doing Band-Maid things. I like those things!

Want to know the truly insane part of this song? Kanami had never done sweeping before.....EVER! Yet here she goes sweeping intop tapping, and back into sweeping!!! That's just how amazingly gifted Kanami is!

Looks like Kannami also played some piano on this track. She is just a phenomenal artist.

Excellent reaction. Yes, I agree, this song is hard rock bordering on metal. Your next BM reaction should be something live in front of an audience (pre-pandemic). I suggest Domination, Freedom or Play from the World Domination concert- Feb 2020. Also, Real Existence live gives you an idea of how well they interact with the audience

Moratorium live, Don't You Tell Me live, are killer. If you want to hear The Riff Goddess go full 1986 guitar hero check out the mv Blooming. Kanami really let's it rip in that song.

Thanks for the great Band-Maid lunch break ;-)

Yes indeed BM is fearless on this one;Kanami all out with Misa just outstanding like the black godess that she is;BM together are extra-terrestrial a StarWar band for sure.They gave us the Black Hole now the Big Bang.!!

For a change of pace, I'd suggest Band-Maid Daydreaming. It is my favorite ballad from them. In fact imma go listen to it right now.

😁

Need to check out Play live and Freedom live

MISA MISA MISA!!!!!

You should try Anemone. Quite different pace and style but still another great song of theirs.

Great One . That you are listenig to No God a lot , gives me hope for more insightfull Band-Maid Reactions. They are hard to find . Actually there are just a Handfull Reactors that a really worth watching. You are one of them ! There is a batshit crazy cool Band from Japan i will recommend some other Time. Let´s make it a Riddle 😂 Cold Flower or Chilly Weather in Springtime ( sorry had to do this 😂😂 )

メイド服､なめてはいけません､彼女たちはJAPANが誇るhardrockerです。よろしくね。

Yup they may call themselves hard rock but they freely use many other genre elements, notably prog, punk, metal and pop- but also now and then other stuff like jazz/funk etc. You NEVER quite know what you will hear when they release a new song" - though they do have a recognisable sound too. They have songs that are much more metal or prog than this one. And 95% of them have singing- but their instrumentals are all great :) Hope you do more to hear their many other sounds.

Like your reaction. Band-Maid isn't Punk, Hard Rock, Prog, or like anything else. It's Band-Maid.

200 love to be roundish😊

If I have to put Band Maid in a genre I would say they are modern prog rock.

Now go listen to DICE......that is the 1st song I ever heard of theirs, and it blew my mind!!!

I enjoyed your reaction. Please listen to "WITHOUT HOLDING BACK". And please respond.

Band Maid doing Band Maid things...

There is no genre. There is BAND-MAID.

I call this prog. It is too much different things to be something else. IMHO.

Thank you for your reaction. BAND-MAID is amazing. Kanami is amazing. All of them are amazing. I suggest you the song "Freedom". Live video from their KZfaq channel. (@JON.REACTS). Thank you again.

Please react to Azalea by the Korean rock band Rolling Quartz. Don't walk to it, run please.

そ

No bullsh*t rock

I don't know if you'll still read this after a month, but you'll learn in no time to never put a label on Japanese bands ;). These restrictions of "Genres", "sub-Genres" or even "musical style a band has" is something that doesn't exist in Japanese Rock and Metal, at least if they don't put themselves into a box on their own.

Seems like a lack of a centralized ego…. Like with most bands

Rock, pop, punk, speed, metal, sludge, prog. Band Maid does not play a genre. Band Maid is a genre.

1. They aren't metal...hard rock. 2. They are the best live rock band on the planet.