News of T1419’s debut has been known for a number of months, but the day has finally come. The nine member group introduced themselves to the K-Pop world via pre-release track “Dracula” in October of 2020, and today the music video for the track currently sits at seven million views, a pretty impressive feat for a group that had still been mostly unknown by that point. The second pre-release “Row” garnered up 4.5 million views, so it’s safe to say there’s a lot of interest in the groups’ potential. On January 11, the group released their first single BEFORE SUNRISE Part 1 featuring lead title “ASURABALBALTA.”

“ASURABALBALTA”

If there was any sort of prediction on how this group would enter the scene, it’d likely be the use of fast-paced tempo and a darker concept. That’s certainly what comes through with “ASURABALBALTA,” consisting of a hip-hop driven beat with a memorable opening. The song follows the formula of a hard-hitting opening with a memorable element followed by a buildup into a drop at the chorus, which introduces an interesting synth sound that is definitely different. The song packs a punch and combines different elements of hip-hop and dance music, and if you’re into the harder type of sound, you’ll definitely be a fan of this single. 

The darker concept is highlighted by the all black outfits that the members wear in one of the dance settings and the complementary red and black ensembles in another. Fire and fiery colors like oranges and reds are a big visual element in this portion of the video as well, adding a bite to the already intense atmosphere. What is particularly interesting is the contrasting sets: one has the boys in a forest-like scene with a water floor and bright outfits and the other in an ice castle set with all white outfits featuring pops of color in each member’s jacket. It’s like hitting two sides of a coin in visuals, an interesting choice for the overall intensity of the song.

The B-Side

BEFORE SUNRISE Part.1’s B-side “Butt Out” drives home the intense air the boys want to present, with pure hip-hop roots in the melody and a heavy focus on rapping. Probably the most intriguing thing about the song upon first listen is the use of a church choir harmonization as the opening melody, the type of sound that is a foundation in symphonic metal. The beat of boom clap, boom boom clap is rather reminiscent of B.A.P’s “No Mercy,” and with the heavier focus on rapping, it definitely feels like it’s in the same vein musically. 

Overall, at least for me, the debut for T1419 has been rather intriguing, and it’ll be interesting to see what direction they go in for the next release. So far, they’re a group for the fans of harder music. Be sure to check out this new group!