Broken By The Scream's First Time in Japan Expo

It was with great excitement and joy that we had the chance to attend Broken By The Scream’s one and only performance at Japan Expo in Paris, on Friday, July 4, on the Tsubamé stage. To build up the anticipation, we had even published a short guide to help newcomers discover the group.

They had already performed in France, but this was their first time at Japan Expo. Let’s dive into this live report!

They performed nearly six songs on the festival’s music stage. Since it was their only appearance, a large crowd had gathered well before the show started, just to make sure they wouldn’t miss them.

They opened the set with サヨナラバースデー (Sayonara Birthday), kicking things off with over a minute of non-stop screaming right out of the gate. The piercing screams from Yayoi Takayashiki and the deeper growls from Io Nodukidaira took many by surprise, but that shock quickly gave way to synchronized headbanging over the delightfully aggressive guitar breakdowns.

The show continued with 感情クロスカウンター (Kanjou Cross Counter), TOKYO RIDE, and 恋は乙女の泣きどころ (Koi wa Otome no Nakidokoro), where the clean vocals of Tsubaki Nanaougi and Shizuku Mikogami really shone through. The melodies leaned more of a poppy, catchy vibe, still layered with heavy, brutal instrumental breaks.

Finally, what felt like a far too short set came to an end as the crowd stayed fully engaged, calling out and dancing along to the sharp riffs. They wrapped it all up with 夢花火 (Yume Hanabi), and naturally, everyone was left wanting more!

Later that same day, fans who still hadn’t had enough took part in a special meet-and-greet session with the group.

Unfortunately, the members couldn’t stay longer at Japan Expo due to a tight schedule. In the middle of their “Screaming Inferno Europe Tour 2025”, they were scheduled to perform in Lyon two days later and then off to Italy on July 7. As of writing, the tour has turned out to be a real success!

Broken By The Scream were a fantastic surprise. Beyond their raw, fast-paced sound, what we saw was a sharp and tightly executed set, and delivered by expressive members who were clearly happy to be there. A killer combo that makes us look forward to the next headbang-worthy performance.

Thanks to Japan Expo for offering the opportunity to meet such an amazing group.

In the meantime, feel free to check out our full gallery below!