Listen/Review:

Next up in my chronological journey through Band-Maid's catalog is "Domination", the title track of 2018's "World Domination". In this video, I listen to audio-only, and watch THREE Domination videos: Official MV, Official live, and instrumental.
NOTE: "World Domination" is the first album on which Band-Maid was credited with ALL songs (additional writers are listed on three tracks: "Fate", "Rock In Me", and "Turn Me On").
Please consider supporting Band-Maid via the following links:
Band-Maid official website: bandmaid.tokyo/
Band-Maid on Spotify: open.spotify.c...
Chan's Band-Maid playlist: open.spotify.c...
Band-Maid on KZbin: / @bandmaid @BANDMAID
Band-Maid 'World Domination' playlist: • WORLD DOMINATION
Domination (audio only) : • DOMINATION
Domination (Official MV) : • BAND-MAID / DOMINATION...
Domination (Official live) : • BAND-MAID / DOMINATION...
Since this is a review/reaction, I hope "fair use" doctrine applies here.
#rock #review #reaction #musicvideo #audio #bandmaid #jrock
0:00 Intro
1:41 audio only
9:50 MV
18:00 live
27:15 instrumental

[@bandmaidfanATL]

"I don't listen to very many other bands anymore since I found Band-Maid." Tell me about it.

[@seizetheday5008]

Aye. Been there, uh, yep, still there.

[@jakeimhotep4866]

💯💯🤘✌

[@Chan_Fry]

I keep trying (and I've found a few groups I like to listen to in between Band-Maid binges), but so far nothing comes close.

[@daft73games]

Always a good day when you #ChanFry do a Band Maid review 😃 One of my favorite *non reactor* 🙂 🤘❤‍🔥🤘

[@Chan_Fry]

Thank you so much! (And I actually am working on another non-Band-Maid video, but those just take a lot longer...)

[@bandmaidfanATL]

Also, remember way back? "Hello, hello, hello" was the refrain of Be OK

[@Chan_Fry]

Ah! Very good connection. "Hello! Everybody make a mistake. Hello! Everybody grows today. Hello!" My favorite from the first album. :-)

[@johndoe-wt6sy]

The strange thing about BAND-MAID is that even though vocalist Saiki is indispensable, the instrumentals alone don't feel lacking in anything😊

[@Chan_Fry]

Well said. Though I prefer all five to be present, it is often illuminating when one or more facets of the song is removed.

[@waynebenedict5785]

This song is the 22nd of a 23 song set, btw. Saiki and Miku have voices that go so well together! When Miku, MISA and Kanami are gathered in front of Akane, they are making faces at her, trying to throw her timing off, but it never works!

[@shirato39]

The bonus discs on the first limited edition include either an instrumental video commonly known as the White Room or a concert video that is not for sale. This is the biggest reason why we should buy the first limited edition if we are going to buy a BAND-MAID CD.

[@Chan_Fry]

I'll buy one if I find one (assuming it's a reasonable price and on a site I trust). :-)

[@I_am_Warthog]

The limited sdition bluray and dvd versions of their studio albums usually include a bonus disc with several "white room" instrumental videos like the one you watched, but there is also a feature where you can select versions that will showcase each member individually.

[@Chan_Fry]

Good to know. At least half the CDs I've bought were labeled as "special edition" when I bought them, but I guess I didn't see any "limited edition".

[@daaaaaave]

The ones that aren’t doing it for subs are always the ones I want to sub to most.

[@Chan_Fry]

Well, you came to the right place then. :-) (It also means I don't have to try too hard to please everyone... Less stress that way.)

[@daaaaaave]

@@Chan_Fry It's always a delight when people share their enthusiasm for something that they love. And there's something kind of meta about this, since sharing their enthusiasm is kind of the magic of Band-Maid as well. Really appreciate you taking the time to make these videos. Always a high point in whatever day they drop.

[@jakeimhotep4866]

This is the first time I've seen the instrumental version and I had to pick my jaw up off of the floor. In fact, every time I see these "white room" instrumentals I'm blown away. Like you I'm a huge fan of Saiki's and Miku's vocals but perhaps they steal my focus so that I miss some of the complexity in the instrumentation. 🤘✌

[@Chan_Fry]

I think that's exactly it - the vocals are so good, and so constant, that I often miss a ton of background musicianship. :-)

[@geoffb5]

This last one is from the special edition of the Conqueror CD, Saiki on cover for the DVD version, Miku tongue out for Blu-ray, video disc of white room instrumentals focusing on each player and then one of all. Order is Miku, Kanami, Misa, Akane, then All. 1. Domination (Instrumental Videos) 2. Dice (Instrumental Videos) 3. Onset (Instrumental Videos) I got mine off eBay about a year ago. Currently run about $50 including shipping. Unseen World and the Unleash ep also have white room video special editions.

[@Chan_Fry]

Thanks for the info! :-) I'll keep my eye out for something in the future (but it won't be on eBay, which I've had horrible experiences with)...

[@geoffb5]

@@Chan_Fry Sorry to hear that. I've been on eBay since 1999 as a buyer only (close to 1000 items) and have only rarely had problems and all got resolved. Bought all my Band-Maid items that came out before I knew about them there. Love your reviews. You have a good ear.

[@chakouyang2545]

Good job brother you are a Maidiac

[@DAVID-io9nj]

Thanks again for your efforts. These white room videos are real gems. So hard to get for the average fan. Fortunately Band Maid keeps up that theme with videos isolated on each member playing a song, on their Prime site. I don't know of any other band that would go to that much effort.

[@Chan_Fry]

"I don't know of any other band that would go to that much effort..." -- If there are any that DO, I haven't heard of them (which isn't saying much, LOL). It's an incredible gift to the fans, though I wish they could think of a way to make them more widely available.

[@DAVID-io9nj]

@@Chan_Fry They are trying to make some money. The cost is 1100 Yen a month, about $7 US. It is possible to sign up a month at a time. It is a mystery why they don't promote Prime. So much content for the money.

[@Chatwin78]

The band has included instrumental videos in limited release versions of Conqueror (Domination, Dice, and Onset), Unseen World (After Life, No God, Giovanni, and Without Holding Back) and Unleash (Unleash!!!!! and Sense). These "white room" videos are meant, at least in part, to help people learn how to play the song. Each song has five separate videos, one for each instrument and then one showing all four (like the one you saw for Domination). Fabulous stuff. Because they were limited release, they're pretty hard to come by. There is a YT channel called instrumental maid that has some of these videos posted. I have used CDJapan for many Band-Maid releases--they are reliable, but the shipping is not cheap.

[@Chan_Fry]

"but the shipping is not cheap" -- you're not wrong, LOL. I don't have a deep enough wallet to consider those kinds of prices for a CD. (Also, some of their items use a "proxy service" for which CDJapan adds an extra bonus service fee...) Maybe I'll get lucky and find one of those "limited edition" versions of the next album I purchase, and the shipping won't cost me my first-born child. ;-)

[@Chatwin78]

@@Chan_Fry Hey Chan. No first-born so far, just an arm and a leg. FYI, Band-Maid DVDs are region 2 (the US is region 1), but the US and Japan are in the same region for blu-rays. BTW, thanks for your Domination reaction.

[@HuskyRider705]

@@Chatwin78 Yeah, one of the bonus DVD's that came with a CD I bought would not play on my player, but it worked on the disc player on my computer, and I was able to convert it so it would play through my TV to my stereo with a flash drive. I mainly purchase Blu-Ray's because of the better sound and video quality, and they have all worked.

[@HuskyRider705]

Thanks for your dedication to Band Maid. I have been listening to rock music since the 1960's and found Band Maid while searching for classic rock music, and they popped up and I chuckled and wondered, what are Japanese maids doing here, especially since I had seen a video of a maid cafe before. So out of curiosity I gave it a listen. My jaw hit the floor and my ears were in total bliss! I have been hooked ever since, and I am now a true maidiac. The maid outfits got my attention as to, why are they here, and the shock of finding out just how good of musician's they are and how good their music is, just as Miku planned when she formed the band. Very smart pigeon! The world domination they are implying to has nothing to do with politics, but dominating the world with music, in other words they want the whole world to know and hopefully love their music. It worked for me and all the other madiac's out there. Enjoy!

[@Chan_Fry]

"nothing to do with politics..." -- Then again, if the world must be politically dominated by an irrefutable force, it wouldn't hurt my feelings if it was Band-Maid. :-)

[@philcalvino884]

Domination has a special place for me as it was the one that started me on my Band-Maid journey. Like you, I couldn't believe how they were able to create a song where the instruments and vocals have independent lines, yet cohere so perfectly.

[@Chan_Fry]

As you might imagine, I listened to this four more times while editing, and every time that section blows my mind. I can't help but imagine Kanami at her computer and keyboard, piecing this altogether, leaving gaps in each instrument's line so the other instruments will fit into those gaps. (And then layering a vocal melody on top of that!)

[@PaulEngineer]

For me Domination is their declaration song... "Here we are, this is what we do. We will be in charge of our own fate! Hello."

[@Chan_Fry]

It does seem to be kind of a statement song (not the actual statements of the lyrics, but the existence of the song), in the way that it encapsulates most of what they do. :-)

[@AndersonConnors]

It's not my favorite Band-Maid song either, but it does incorporate so much of what the band does... The changeups, the harmonies, the overworked drummer, the constant guitar melodies behind the vocals, the innovative bass guitar writing, and so on. Not to mention, it feels really confident, epic, and awesome.

[@Chan_Fry]

Also, because I've heard it so many times, it has a very nostalgic feel to it. :-)

[@TomClark-Futoura]

Band-Maid. Domination. Nuff said! Well, except for...thanks for doing a complete Maid journey, Chan!

[@Chan_Fry]

Thanks, and you're welcome. Looks like my next EIGHT tracks don't have a MV, or even a live (since I already did Daydreaming). I haven't yet decided whether to do them all in one sitting or split it up. :-)

[@waynebenedict5785]

In the Official Video it was shot from a cart on a rail track around the band. It would be cool to actually have the Band-Maid Game! The Official MV has been a very low audio for some reason, it's not just you. I'm enjoying this journey your undertaking, always fun and interesting to watch and hear your break downs.

[@Chan_Fry]

Thanks for the info. As for my journey, the hardest part is all the comments I keep to myself (in order to keep the time shorter, lol).

[@waynebenedict5785]

@@Chan_Fry I understand, there is so much that can be said for these amazing ladies!

[@EliseAutoXr]

I have seen this video a thousand times, but this is the first time I noticed the little doggie on the left side of the screen at 15 minutes on your video. Great reaction as always, looking forward to seeing the next one.

[@Chan_Fry]

Thanks! (I didn't notice the dog either, until you pointed it out.)

[@G-man_810]

Always enjoy listening and watching Band-Maid with you! These ladies always bring their best…but it is amazing how much Saiki’s and Miku’s voices adds to their songs. And how much instrumental music is being produced and how Miku adds lyrics to Kanami’s melody to add another layer of complexity. I get mixed interpretations from reading the lyrics to watching the MV with the lyrics. The Hollywood references and shots of their legs in the MV…I wonder if Miku is says don’t look at us as sexy girls in maid outfits. We are here to Dominate the World and make anyone a Band-Maid fan! That is the 810 year old pigeon’s plan - correct! World Domination! 🤘🕊️🦍🥷👸🏻👀PO!

[@Chan_Fry]

I wondered about the gratuitous clips too, but decided not to say anything. Despite a couple of short skirts over the years, they almost never seem to use their bodies to sell the songs -- this MV seems like a major departure from that. So I really don't have a conclusion, but yours might be right. :-) (Or maybe they meant the opposite to what you said: "Distract yourself with this leg shot for just a sec, while we go ahead and take over the world." :-)

[@russellpotter7294]

I have mentioned before that I can't think of any other band that I would happily watch 4 versions of the same song and then go off and play the album again. As others have said the instrumental was an extra DVD or Blu Ray on a special edition of an album. The instrumentals seemed to be nicknamed The White Room Instrumentals as they all followed this line up pattern. Must admit I do have a soft spot for the vocal harmony and interaction between Saiki and Miku. Again I do find Miku brings the emotion to a song although Saiki has so improved in that area. Miku should have a permanent bubble over her head 'I'm enjoying this and I am a rock star'. Always a joy to watch. Interesting and fun and informative. Thanks.

[@Chan_Fry]

I like the idea of a thought bubble above Miku's head. :-)

[@jwoodjapan]

Hear, hear! I would watch White Room Instrumentals for every Maids song ever made as well. Every time I watch one, I learn so much about the song that I didn't realize was happening. It's fascinating how much more there is behind the vocals. Thanks again, Chan, for a great review!

[@Chan_Fry]

Thanks for watching!

[@K.H.D710]

Thank you, Maidiac Chan Fry, PO!👍😉

[@omdtdz]

It's great having Saiki as always, but when you have just the instruments it shows how much this band puts into it's compositions. Little things that most people would miss on first listen, it keeps you coming back to discover more. And I don't doubt it makes it harder on them to play live, but that also pushes them to become better musicians.

[@Chan_Fry]

Exactly. I've already heard maybe 20 songs from them that are simply more enjoyable to listen to than any thing else I've ever heard -- in big part because of those complex compositions and ironclad training discipline. So impressive.

[@gzignl]

.. wait for it .. wait for it ...

[@johalareewi]

I like how they also throw in a Hola instead of Hello. Although the English lyrics say You see.

[@Chan_Fry]

Oh, I missed the "hola" (which is probably an easy slip to make if neither English nor Spanish is one's first language). :-)

[@tinyhato]

Love that you mentioned the "grinding" guitar tone, that is one of the things I like about the studio over the live. "Not my favourite Band-Maid song". Not mine either. It's so funny: if another band did this song they would instantly become my second-favourite band. So many good ideas! So many smooth transtions! So much stuff that shouldn't work, but works perfectly! It's catchy, interesting, heavy, intricate, memorable! And for Band-Maid it's a "meh". This is ludicrous. I cannot emphasize enough how completely absurd this is. What we are witnessing with this band won't happen again in our lifetimes. As for the guitar solo, you may have noticed it's the same one as in "Secret My Lips". I have no idea why or how this happened. Two of their newest songs, "Magie" and "Brightest Star" also feature some re-used parts; "Magie" goes into the solo the same way as "No God"; and the main riff of "Brightest Star" ends the same way as does the guitar during the choruses of "I Still Seek Revenge" (the "darkness is shining in my heart" part). I only mention it because it was two consecutive new songs that I noticed this in. It was weird. I guess this happens when you've done so much music! I agree it is remarkable how much their songs change when you take out the vocals. There are several so-called "white room" instrumental videos of Band-Maid songs. Since you enjoyed this one so much, I'll list the others in case you want to watch them when the time comes. The others ones I know of are: "Dice", "Sense", "Unleash", "No God", "Onset", "Without Holding Back", and everyone's favourite: "Giovanni". Wonderful video, thanks as always for doing these.

[@armynurseboy]

Musicians reuse licks all the time. EVH, my favorite guitarist if sll time, re-used licks and tricks all the time.

[@zolitoth2458]

About Domination solo: yes, SML same and the Spirit! solo is 50% the same as the Domination and 50% Rinne solo IMO!

[@zolitoth2458]

@@armynurseboy There is no problem with this, just as an interesting point. Anyway, we used to say: they can do anything!

[@Chan_Fry]

"another band..." -- EXACTLY. So many Band-Maid songs would be "our best song ever" for another band. "guitar solo..." -- well, I'm embarrassed to admit that no, I did not notice that. And my "secret My lips" video wasn't that long ago. But I played the SML solo for my daughter just now, and she instantly guessed the song was "Domination". It's actually pretty cool -- especially since "Domination" references so many other songs/albums in the lyrics; maybe this is another way of referencing a previous bit in their career. (There might be other references that I simply didn't get.) "White Room" videos -- I've made a list. Thanks. :-)

[@Pigeonholed-e8g]

It is fun, Thanks for Band-Maid reactions

[@zer0tzer0]

THh mix for the OMV for 'Domination' is the lowest there is.and no one seems to know why it was mixed so low. Do 'Hate?' LIVE next. It has a great Guitar vs Bass Call & Response "Battle".

[@Chan_Fry]

I'll get there eventually... This is a chronological thing I'm doing, so... 😊

[@elliott8339]

Great content, Chan. All 👍👍. Cheers!

[@tibornogradi3432]

You are Maidiac. Cheers bro! :)

[@armynurseboy]

I prefer the live version because it sounds "fuller".

[@Chan_Fry]

The live certainly sounds better for the bass guitar... I think I prefer the studio track for the rest of the instruments... But having ALL the options is pretty cool too. :-)

[@bastiknolle5155]

Could "Rondo of Nightmare" by Babymetal be the song, you are thinking of?

[@Chan_Fry]

Now that you mention it, I HAVE seen that video, but I was thinking of something older (and my aging brain can't place it, LOL). But while searching for such a video, I found one where Tommy Lee plays his drum solo upside down on a freaking roller coaster. Good grief!

[@polskabob359]

It's not u , the audio in omv is just bad , bad mix

[@Chan_Fry]

I *was* able to boost it quite a bit in editing. I wouldn't say the "mix" is bad; it sounded just like the studio track to me -- except with very low volume across the board. (I KNOW that KZbin has a "replace audio" feature for videos; I wonder why they haven't used that to fix the audio on that MV.)

[@polskabob359]

@Chan_Fry u did a great job w it , but honestly I'm surprised they allowed that omv to release in its awful state

[@Glenner7]

It's always astonishing to see what they are actually playing underneath the vocals. I also often use LALA.LAI to extract the vocals only to hear all the many layers of vocals from both Miku and Saiki that are hidden by the instrumentation. They're amazing - that's all there is to say.

[@Chan_Fry]

Oh, I hadn't heard of that service. Sounds like fun, listening to only the vocal parts. :-)