KIM DRACULA – The Fillmore – Minneapolis MN – MARCH 8TH 2025

By Legion Ratfell 2 weeks ago

KIM DRACULA and HANABIE. – THE FILLMORE – MINNEAPOLIS MN – MARCH 8TH 2025

Review and photos by Legion Ratfell

The breakdowns were in abundance at The Fillmore on March 8th, where Kim Dracula and Hanabie. brought their co-headlining US tour. 

Opening up was Kaonashi, a metalcore/prog conglomeration from Pennsylvania. They started the night off fast, erratic, and loud, the prog-forward part of their music being front and center. I’m not usually a listener to metalcore, but what I can tell is if a band is executing well, and they were very tight and good at what they were doing, even if the style wasn’t usually what I go for. 

Second up was the Japanese band Crystal Lake, a pretty straightforward but excellently executed metalcore band. Lots of darkness with plenty of strobe accompanied their many, many breakdowns, and their energy was very exciting. They were another very technically impressive group. 

Now, I had listened to two songs from Hanabie. on the way to the show to get a taste, and I was not prepared for how good they were going to be. Described as “Harajukucore,” taking the name from the fashion culture of Harajuku in Tokyo, Hanabie. was a force to be reckoned with the second they all got on stage. Dressed in colorful outfits and with a frontperson as charismatic and scary as Yukina, I was in love right away. She would combine a high-pitched, cutesy, fast-singing voice, and then immediately hit us with some of the most guttural screams I’ve ever heard. The combination of dancey J-pop elements with some serious metalcore breakdowns, and every single member’s energy, the floor was headbanging and dancing in equal measure. It was absolutely fantastic and I’m so happy I was able to see them. They are doing something very special that I’ve not seen before, and I’ll definitely be keeping an eye out for them in the future. 

Kim Dracula was the only act from this night that I’d seen before; I’d photographed them on their first headlining tour just last year, so I knew what I was in for, and I wasn’t disappointed. It was fun to see them in a bigger venue, where there was more room for people to dance and mosh around. They delivered on their signature nu-metal sound, but with the sweet tones of a saxophone solo here and there, as well as many almost silly covers and references thrown in. The floor was dancing and having a good time; and Kim Dracula’s presence is enthralling with the military pomp and circumstance combined with their deep and rumbling voice. 

It was a great night of some familiarity and some really fun new music discovery. 

The tour has just started, so I definitely recommend checking them out if they’re coming close to you!!