Amaidontoudai (甘い断頭台), or “Sweet Guillotine,” is a relatively new act formed in March of 2023. It comes with an interesting, if not a bit wild, premise. The theme of the band is that “Those decapitated during the French Revolution come back to modern Japan and start a girl’s metal band.” And yes, it does sound like some sort of out-there anime premise. But don’t mistake the theme as being something that is less serious. Amaidontoudai deal in an intriguing mixture of power metal, gothic vibes, and even some melodeath. Something that should impress those who discover them.
After a suitably cinematic and gothic introduction titled “-The Ceremony of Decapitation-” the music quickly accelerates into fiery power metal glory with “Fumetsu no Hana,” which continues the atmospheric notes while the dual guitar shredding of Yuria and Hitomi is put on full display. Minami Maria’s vocals hit the classic power metal frequencies, and she carries a solid range, even if her growls don’t get the full focus until the later cut “Chi.Shi.Bu.Ki.” where they interchange frequently with her singing, while the music around her intensifies to the point of hitting a more gothic-drenched melodic death metal aesthetic. Add in some neoclassical guitarwork and it’s a excellent scorcher at the album’s midpoint. “Labyrinthe” showcases a restrained, melodic sense, really letting the atmosphere add to the power metal underpinnings, giving it a strong gothic vibe at the same time.
The recent single “Bloody Dress” still seems the perfect entry point for this particular act. The explosive drumming, soaring guitar melodies, and just the right blend of shredding and gothic energy make it an incredibly catchy track that plays to even some light black metal vibes when Louis gets the drums going full tilt. That said, the guitar-forward melodies are a constant highlight, and another track that really does a nice job of standing out is “Barairo-kakumei Wonderland.” The melodies are as playful as they are bombastic and riff-fueled, and augmented by a driving energy, rumbling basswork, and cinematic atmosphere that really allows it to take off before the catchy yet thunderous chorus.
Amaidontoudai quickly make a name for themselves as an emerging act that can effectively pull together the frenetic energy of power metal shred and haunting gothic atmosphere to tap into a sound that feels ripe with promise. Memoire Rouge can absolutely soar when it wants to, or insert a dark, macabre mood instead. There’s a lot of fruitful ground they can play with in the in between space going forward.