Review: Kis-My-Ft2 - Fear
Johnny's Entertainment has a hold over male idol-pop over in their native Japan. Despite this, their international outreach has only reduced, with them relying extremely little on international fans for the longest time. While this stays largely the same, 2021 has seen them slowly take the first step out into the rest of the world. Legacy artists Kat-Tun have been releasing songs on international streaming platforms, while Snow Man and SixTONES have slowly grown their international fandoms.
Enter Kis-My-Ft2. Despite having been around in the industry for a while, the group is a little strange to understand. For one thing, their name 'Kiss My Foot Too', drawn from the initials of each of the member's names, is a little... off-putting, to say the least. However, they have released some strong songs over the years, such as Gravity, Fear, and Hug & Walk, even if it is, on average, a mixed bag. Amongst this mixed bag, Fear is certainly one of the best songs to be released in a while and one of the better ones overall.
The song starts out a little slowly. None of the initial hooks in the first verse hit quite well. The plundering mid-tempo beat also leaves a lot to be desired. However, around the 1:09 mark (in the Music Video), the beat doubles in tempo, while the hooks are certainly much more fleshed out.
This leads to the succeeding chorus. Both central refrains are strongly written, and performed quite well, especially given Kis-My-Ft2's reputation for middling vocals. Quite notably, the dark and brooding atmosphere continues, supported now by a gritty guitar providing some rock elements. Each hook lands strongly. This atmosphere is a playground for development, and the producer clearly did not miss the chance. Each hook is strongly developed, with enough melody to fill the song fully.
While the plodding intro continues out largely throughout the verses, the chorus always provides something to return to. Each time, it is sung more and more cathartically, with an ever-growing instrumental to support. This all culminates in the climax, where a stunning high-note assists the chorus, now boosted by an additionally strong arrangement, including a plucky oriental synth, which functions excellently, providing some contrast.
Fear suffers from issues at times. However, none of these can be reduced to a lack of ambition. The song plays out fully, with each phase adding to a story, led by a stunning central refrain. This hints at a Kis-My-Ft2 revival, a prospect that certainly has the chance to play out excellently.
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