Sometimes you find a band once… and then completely forget how good they are.
Transcript:
Long ago I went on a binge watching Japanese female rock bands.
There’s so many good ones out there. But some of you reminded me to revisit one of the best. HAGANE.
The first thing I love about HAGANE is the name.
“Hagane” means steel in Japanese.
And when you hear them play, that name starts making a lot of sense.
HAGANE was formed in Tokyo in 2018, around guitarist Sakura.
Their sound is built around melodic speed metal, powerful vocals, fast guitar work and some seriously technical musicianship.
In other words, this isn’t background music. This stuff moves!
The early HAGANE lineup featured Sakura and another guitarist, Mayto, along with vocalist Chiemi, bassist Sayaka and drummer Kanako.
They released their first mini album, “EpisodeØ,” in 2020, followed by their first full album, “Code ; 9021,” in 2022.
And if you want to hear what their earlier sound was like, check out “SoulBeats.” That song gives you a pretty good idea of what HAGANE were building.
Then came a major turning point.
In 2023, three members left the band.
For a moment, it looked like HAGANE might be finished.
But Sakura and Sayaka kept the band alive.
In 2024, they returned with a new lineup, bringing in vocalist Nagi and drummer JUNNA.
And that new HAGANE didn’t just quietly come back. They came back swinging.
They released the “Life Goes On!” EP, followed by the full album “TOP OF THE TOWER” in 2025.
And now we’re in 2026.
HAGANE have released their new “METAL QUEST” EP, along with new songs including “Black Diamond,” “We are The Knight” and “月光 -TSUKIKAGE-.”
And here’s another reason I love the timing of this story.
HAGANE just finished playing their big one-man show at EX THEATER ROPPONGI in Tokyo on August 29. And they made a whole lot of noise.
And HAGANE aren’t only looking toward Japan anymore.
This year they’ve also taken their metal overseas, performing at European festivals and expanding their audience outside Japan.
That’s pretty impressive for a band that started in Tokyo with a guitarist who had just finished high school.
And honestly, this is why I love going down these Japanese rock rabbit holes.
You think you’ve already found all the great bands. and then somebody says, “Hey Tess, have you heard HAGANE?”
And you realize. Nope.
I haven’t heard nearly enough HAGANE!
So from the bottom of this rock girl’s heart, thank you guys for reminding me about this powerhouse group!
And if you know another Japanese female rock or metal band that I need to hear, tell me about them.
I’m Tess with JRok Music.
Mata ne!
Keep rocking!
See you in the next story.
HAGANE – 月光-TSUKIKAGE official video from their album Metal Quest.