Is 80’s Hair Metal Making a Comeback?

Song of the Week: “Black Diamond”

Screenshot from “Black Diamond”, all rights belong to Hagane

I almost missed this one — not because it didn’t appear in my suggestions, but because it looked like a spoof. It said the band was Hagane, but the thumbnail sure didn’t look like them. All I saw was bubblegum and the huge, neon hair… Maybe it was a pop cover band affecting a glam look? Or someone who simply stole the name?

Well, I had overlooked that this song dropped a few hours before April Fool's Day. Hagane were spoofing a hair-metal band, not the other way around.

This is the second time Hagane have given us my Song of the Week. Here was the first one:

[embed]Hagane Show Off Their Spectacular New Vocalist Song of the Weekmedium.com

It was the debut of their new vocalist, Nagi, and was also the first Hagane release without a face-shredding solo by Sakura. Nagi more than made up for that omission.

So, what happens when a band known for its progressive songwriting, virtuosity, and go-for-broke attitude decides to do a throwback metal song? Well, “Black Diamond” is one possible result.

Thing is, they were going to have their little joke, but they are still Hagane. They normally play at a technical level well beyond that of most of the great hair metal bands. And as much as they try to slow things down here, their precision and finesse shine through.

The most hilarious thing is watching Junna, the drummer, throwing in a bunch of feints to slow herself down.

All that being said, the song just exudes 80’s vibes. The video is shot in the old-style VHS 4:3 aspect ratio. It uses the kind of backlighting and camera angles typical of the old MTV. Same with the leather jackets, spikes, and glam makeup.

The band are clearly having a great time, mimicking the melodramatic postures and gesturing typical of the era. Slash usually had a cigarette hanging out of his mouth in Guns ‘N Roses videos. Sakura rocks a lollipop.

Is this a parody? Far from it. Consider it a tribute. All of the members of this band have been heavily influenced by classic metal bands. They may be part of a generation who have taken metal to another level, but they love and revere the bands who came before them.

It’s particularly poignant given that the oldest member of Hagane is only 27 — they are almost two generations removed from the bands they idolize.

Whether you loved the glory days of hair metal or thought the whole thing was silly and overwrought, this is for you.

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Let me know in the comments if you have any other 80’s tribute (not cover) clips you want people to know about!

Thank you Kevin Alexander and The Riff for publishing.