HANABIE. - HOT TOPIC EP
- Samuel Stevens
- 11 minutes ago
- 2 min read
Harajuku-core trailblazers HANABIE. are back once again with their most confident and culture-clashing release yet. With their new EP, HOT TOPIC, out January 28, 2026, via Sony Music Japan, it feels less like a casual drop and more like a statement piece—five blistering metalcore tracks that cement the Tokyo quartet’s place as one of heavy music’s most exciting global exports.
Following the kinetic chaos of Bucchigiri Tokyo (2024), HOT TOPIC sharpens HANABIE.’s already unmistakable identity: bubblegum J-pop aesthetics colliding headfirst with metalcore aggression, playful pop hooks stitched into breakdowns that hit with serious force. It’s maximalist, unapologetic, and—true to its name—absolutely impossible to ignore.
The EP opens with the electronicore track, “ICONIC,” a mission statement if there ever was one. It’s explosive from the jump, pairing YUKINA’s ferocious shouts with hyperactive instrumentation that refuses to sit still. The track thrives on contrast: cute vocal inflections snap into guttural intensity, mirroring the band’s visual-versus-sonic duality that has become their calling card. It’s bold, self-aware, and dripping with main-character energy.
Previously released single “Spicy Queen” remains one of the EP’s standout moments. It’s a swagger-filled anthem that leans into confidence and chaos in equal measure, driven by crunchy guitar riffs and chant-ready hooks. There’s a sense of fun here that never undercuts the heaviness—HANABIE. sound like they’re enjoying every second of pushing genre boundaries.
The following track, “Tokimeki about you (トキメキAbout you),” offers a slightly softer—but no less dynamic—shift in tone. The track leans into melodic sensibilities, blending emotional warmth with controlled bursts of heaviness. It highlights the band’s growth, especially in how seamlessly they weave pop instincts into a metal framework without diluting either side.
The fan-favourite track “GIRL’S TALK” continues to shine within the EP’s context, bursting with personality and attitude. It captures HANABIE.’s playful spirit while still delivering the punch longtime listeners crave. Whereas the closing number, “Theme of Hanabiechan. (はなびえんちゃん。のテーマ),” is unlike the rest of the EP, and it feels like a love letter to their world—but still quirky and unmistakably them, wrapping the EP with a wink and a grin.
Formed in 2015 by YUKINA, MATSURI, and HETTSU as a high school club project and later solidified by the addition of CHIKA in 2023, HANABIE. have evolved into a powerhouse that refuses to be boxed in. Their viral hit “Pardon Me, I Have To Go Now”—with over 11.1 million YouTube views and 5.3 million on TikTok—was only the beginning. From making history at Lollapalooza 2024 as the first Japanese women to perform on the main stage, to gearing up for their first-ever North American headlining tour this March and April 2026, their momentum shows no signs of slowing.
HOT TOPIC is HANABIE. at their most refined and fearless—a compact, high-energy release that proves their global buzz is well-earned. It’s loud, stylish, and wildly fun, capturing a band in full stride as they continue to reshape what modern heavy music can look and sound like. If this EP is any indication, HANABIE. aren’t just part of the conversation—they are the conversation.
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