Mari Hamada - Noah (ノア) (1983)

Album: Mari Hamada - LUNATIC DOLL (1983)
Song: Noah (ノア)

Here is a 1983 heavy metal (borderline thrash) song from a Japanese female singer called Mari Hamada. This song continues to blow me away.

1983, mind you. The production is unbelievably crisp and clear, which really allows you to fully appreciate the off the wall energy of the drummer, bass player and the guitar players. Seriously, the drummer Munetaka Higuchi (most known from the band Loudness) is practically loosing his mind on these fills. To be honest, this is one of the fastest songs I can think of for 1983 and prior. I haven't done my research thoroughly, but at the surface level, I would consider it shocking.

What tips it over the edge is that it is fronted by Mari Hamada, who later went on to be a pretty popular J-Pop\Rock artist who is still putting out pretty gnarly albums today. What makes this worth noting though is that her performance is stellar! This is a lead vocal performance that is ultra memorable (to me at least). Seems like a lot of the energetic vocalists of this era were still trying to "figure it out". Odd dynamics and production, strange control over screams and singing parts, etc. Mari Hamada really seemed to have this stuff figured out, even as far back as 1983.

I am far from an expert on Japanese music, but I would have to hope this track is genuinely noteworthy, and worth looking back with fresh perspectives today. Also, that 1983 cover art... Yes. Yes to all of that!