Selfish - Life Has No Vacant Time

You already know Selfish. You may know the fellow finnishpunks to be the most boring punk band ever to watch live but they've released some the best japcore albums ever. Life has no vacant time is their latest album on Feral Ward records. It's been recorded some years ago but never saw the light of day until now. Heavy and in your face like a fighting movie scene directed by Chan-Wook Park. "life in every breath" kicks in like a kick trying to destroy an enormous door. oh man, i had a long time to listen such a good jap record. The flying solos and the biting vocals, the fast tempos. Everything is absolutely perfect here, nothing will make you feel numb or bored. Grab a huge glass full of london's finset dry gin with tonic, hold this record in your hands and go to the nearest beach bar. Grab the neck of the stupid dj, hit him hard and play SELFISH louddddddddddddddddd.....you know Life has no vacant time.

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Padlock - Reason to fight

Once again, i'm so bored to upload shit, so once again some friend have to make this dirty job. This time V. drummer of GUTTER (and 1 million more bands) try to explain how we should eat sushi :

-V. oiled machine:

Reason To Fight is the second release of Padlock released somewhere in 2004. 5 explosive Songs with catchy choruses, the japanese way of cool melodic chord progressions and furious solos.
The production is better than in their debut, with the drums and guitars on the forefront. But the vocalist is so vicious! It sounds like he is struggling to be heard between the loud instruments. One could think that after the sessions he should not be able to speak for a week or so...haha! Yes! The vocal delivery is so intense!
There is no doubt that "Wait For The Sunrise" is their most recognisable track, and one of my personal favorites. It just brings a feeling of "whatever the bleak future brings to oneself he will find the willpower to face the difficulties in life" kind of way...But as a whole this record is so addictive and short. A great shot of adrenaline! Served cool with a shot of a Jameson irish whiskey.

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Origin of M - Struggle

Origin of M comes from Hiroshima city, japan and features mr. Guy, the singer of GUDON and Maru, the guitarist of ASPHALT. The band reminds me of the usual burning spirits sound but with more rock'n'roll and metal stuff in it. Tight and steady sound bringing a huge hardcore wall in front of you. Like a speeding kawasaki motorcycle the hiroshima citizens delivers up-speed hardcore punk with a delightful rock touch like Death Side used to mix Iron Maiden with Chaos U.K. The album starts with gunshots and guitar leads. You know the japanese madness, i bet they'll have you jump around like an evil goat, and in case you like to know the cd version released from Straight Up records in 2010. Danceable burning spirits, punk...

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P.S. thanx to alex who remind me the origin of m existence

Padlock - Struggle in red

-Vangel. the oiled drum-machine :

Padlock is one of today's best japanese hardcore punk bands in the burning spirits style.I think I've read somewhere that they have broken up some months ago(??). Whatever. This is their first release from 2003 entitled "Struggle in Red".
Hardcore riffing with a touch of melody, a vocalist screaming like there is no tomorrow and a snare-backbeat like a trash can , which is also a signature in their other two releases. A great debut from a band that deserves more attention in my humble opinion! Check'em out! Up The Burning Souls!

"Borderline Disorder Where Is My Tomorrow... "

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Dirty Wombs - We Rise cassette

“You can sample the sound of fire or the air in the woods. But, to sample the sound of rain, that is forbidden. And the sound of bell too. Especially, if it's used on a band's first demo or album. Any band that use a bell or a rain on it's first release it's doomed to fail.”

fenriz to metal hammer gr / 2001. No.201

Well, Dirty Wombs from Patras, greece did the sin in fenriz's black book. In their latest cassette they kick off with some rain sound only to start their attacks of speedy hipper energetic tunes of good old-school hardcore. I think i have to sent him this cassette, with the note “First album, rain sample. Kicks ass”. Nice guitar works and double shouted / gravy vocals by some nice and “down to the ground” kids (consider that they call a 27 year old girl “cougar” and you'll understand why I have to call them kids).

“Eternity shore” starts with a great japanese fa(s)t and tight heavy riff (just after the rain sample) that many bands would like to have on their releases, while the rest tracks nail you to the ground. So, com'on push the PLAY button again - you fuckers - coz these guys really deserve it.

They did also the great japanese trick. They wrote some of the couples in greek and filled the choruses with English (that's clever guys...) while the majority of the English shouts have that old greek accent (αξεπέραστη ελληνική προφορά στα όρια της θέωσης). They did a great cover to Death side's “Fight your way” changing the lyrics to the greek language and added a bouzouki instead of a piano. Goat followers, tzatziki eaters and larissa locals take care (η αλλιώς “η προβατίλα μυρίζει από μακρυά”). Fans of japanese – burning spirits style – hardcore check these malakes coz many bands would like to have this sound and most of all, many bands would like to have so good compositions. If you like bands like D.S.B, Crude, Death side and the rest in your face doomed hardcore punk legends these dudes doing it great filtering it, in their own unique style. Arigato...

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P.S. Ένα μεγάλο ευχαριστώ, στον ντίνο και τον βάιο από dirty wombs που μας άνοιξαν το σπιτικό τους, μας σήκωσαν στον αέρα για να κάνουμε crowd surfing με χίλιες δυο βλακείες για soundtrack, μας σκλάβωσαν με τα καθαρά χαμόγελα τους και μας έδειξαν τα κατατόπια σε ένα πραγματικά απολαυστικό σαββατοκύριακο για όλους εμάς που δραπετεύσαμε για λίγο απ'τα νυχιά της μητρόπολης.

Wild//Tribe - Endless Nights

Found this band on the net "by accident" and fuckin' blown away. Wild//Tribe comes from texas and share members with the great crust/core band Unit 21 (or Tribe is the new band of that fellows, i don't know for sure).

So, i don't really have so much to say.. Here we have a band that combines great japanese hardcore with that Tragedy pogo parts. They keep on reminding me the better stuff of World burns to death (early days) with that metallic edge d-beat or how Masakari would propably sound if they didn't change so much their sound after their first 7''. This is a 6 track album with great tracks that will make your neck ache and knees broke, and by the way this is awwweesome. Cover art by Sugi!

buy here

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"...that is something wrong with this world. You don't know what it is, but it's there, like a splinter on your mind driving you mad."

Holy crap, i'm so excited to write about some of the best N.W.O.J.N.H. bands (new wave of japanese noisy hardcore) in this post that i can't feel my legs. Here we go. I first listened to these comps mainly to the "italian" monsters Isterismo (songs of the band included on both comps). But here we have some deadly good hardcore, Hit it band-by-band.

Here you'll get two compilations released in japan. Hard Core Inferno and Yotsuva. Both comps have been released in 2009. Firstly, let's see Hard Core Inferno.

First band is Death dust extractor that everybody knows more or less (they have tracks on both comps and you gonna noise your ears really bad with these gents). Ada plus max and Krossa are the highlights on this comp. Ada plus max have that dirty hardcore sound, with some metallic riffs that make me want to lay down and trip out really bad. Krossa continues that noisy hardcore full of vocal-reverbs but they do it really great. I prefer them in compare with other "famous" noisy bands. Deathtribe mixing their technically accomplished crust ala Battle of disarm with fast drums and schizzoring guitar tunes, while Skizophrenia have the most radio-friendly tracks, i don't like the voice (reminds me of UK82 style in a strange way) but the tracks are blistering. Tantrum are good and fast, but nothing extraordinary. Disturd are fucking heavy and a little bit thrashy reminding me how Bolt-throwerish crust should be played. Play them loud and you'll be deaf. Chaotix are more or less "expected" and isterismo are Isterismo. Last but not least, Sacrifice. Good as an old wine, noisy crust.

Yotsuva comp starts with three tracks from Isterismo (can you ask something more?) and continues with three tracks from Death dust extractor (No, you can't ask for nothing more). Lastly (the band) are not my cup of tea but you can say that have this crazy chaotic sound. Zyanose continues the noise odyssey but in an exeptional way. Crazy japanese motherfuckers, sniffing pepper.

VA - Hardcore inferno & VA- Yotsuva

Crude - Corner 12'' (2010)

Happy new year to everyone, guys. Hope the new year will be much better than the previous one. I had a perfect anniversary evening with lots of friends, good home-style wine and tsipouro, met the guy behind crustcracker blog and slept on a floor. The previous year was in general bad, but it had the so-called highlights.

I start feeling like the official site of Crude 'coz the majority of band's album are posted here, but then...com'on : Crude! PLUS : this month i'll post only japcore albums (what an originality, ha!).

Being among the lucky elitists that saw these sharp-eyed mosters some time ago in a basement somewhere in the world, and being impressed from the shinning smiles of the japanese guys (great for a band that the only english were "ok", "yes", etc) i thought that you might want to listen this album before you buy it.

Here you'll get no fancy, car-stereo, diamond-sound album. The album is recorded on a four-track and i must admit that i was a little bit sour with the sound 'coz you can't listen clear enough neither the bass lines, nor the guitars. After 10 times, i finally believe that the guys do the right thing. The know that these tracks have not the quality of "Attitude" lp so they accomplished to have a dirty and raw sound so the recording to be more "dog-bitting". If you expect some familiar poser-friendly solos or the usual epic Crude guitars you can skip this post 'coz it will led you down for sure. On the other hand here we have CRUDE.

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Crude - 1st Lp

Thanx to great guy the japcore world know as fabian...take his words for granted and cut your throat!

- Fabian, the mongoloid behind Burial's drumkit :

So, what to write about CRUDE/s album from 1996...I am not really sure when it came out but it was recorded in 1996, 14 years ago. I think it came out on Straight Up Records in Japan and on some label called Dynamite kids from Belgium. Whatever, like their earlier stuff it's a little raw, which suits the songs really well. There are ten tracks on this record, the first song being kind of an intro which is pretty atmospheric and moody. My favorite track is the fourth song on the first side with a Japanese title. A real punk stomper they perform live on a regular basis. Come and get wild! And bring weed for them, they will appreciate that. I am not sure if they will like Tzatziki as much as I do, but you should try. Back to the record. On the LP they were a four-piece, now they turned into a three-piece, having two original members left, the drummer and the bass player who are brothers. Weed-adorers. Potential Tzatziki-fetishists. Unfortunately their new LP is already sold out, for all of you who wanted to buy it...but so you can safe your well-earned cash and get `em some dope. Opa opa, otsukare!!!

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Selfish & Liberate - split - The only thing between life and death ... is you

Let's get once more, "back in the day". It was propably 2001 or 2002 when alex from hibernation sent me a bag of cool stuff. Detestation's "the inhuman condition" 7'', Cavity's "Fuck diablo" 7'' and this masterpiece split between two of the greatest japcore bands of the planet... I couldn't find it ripped anywhere, that's why i rip it. Since i can't trace it anywhere and as it was a request of buddy 7inchcrust here we go...

This 7'' has been released from H:G fact records (H:G fact-111 release) in japan and contains 4 songs of ultimate destruction...Songs to drink beers, songs to cry, songs to wake-up from hangover or songs to stare at birds (Liberate's "need the power..."). Also, Sugi's artwork is amazing and propably one of the best drawings the dude ever done.

On a-side we have Liberate from Tokyo, japan and the only think i know about them is that they are ex-members of ACID and Macrofarge and pre-members of Crossface.
Now, the sound is thick, modern japcore with great metallic riffs and crazy vocals like a dog barging before the bite. the japanese motherland has the tendency to offerr us... thanx for that... (and the bassist is Kawagutsi that i can not recall...other bands maybe?)

Selfish on the other side, is more or less well-known as one of the best japcore bands outside japan (alongside Burial). They started as a crustcore band with uk influences and soon change their sound to japanese hardcore. This is the first 7'' with the usual solid japanese sound. Tight ass maybe is the most ugly and sing-along song Selfish ever wrote and has a secret magic power to make you wanna do harakiri..Yeah right, and you know something... Chelsea (from Death side and Paintbox) do the guitar-solos here... The grave is open, go on and hide... Last chance.

Never gonna lose it

World burns to death (What do you, still, seek to know?)

-DBILL, the lazy malakas... :

Mike has been expecting this review for about a month (or maybe three months, bill?), so i can guess the look on his face when he reads these words. My apologies Mike, but better late than sorry!!!!...to the point now:

World Burns to Death. Fuck! A band that continues to surprise me with their 7'' releases. It's not that their LP's are bad, it's just that their 7'' are so fucking ''knife to the bone'' that without wanting it, you let their 12 inchers aside.

"So welcome home heroes to a sea
of "made in china" U.S. flags
Ceremonial burial shrouds
For these, your honorable dead"

I'm referring to the split 7''s with Japans Slang and Blowback, as well as (actually ESPECIALLY) the ''The War Can Go On Forever'' 7''. The band seems tighter, faster and more ferocious than ever before. Imagine ''the Graveyard of Utopia'' era songs, blown out to total punk chaos hymns. Like a 10 ton bulldozer building up speed, the songs just grow and grow and grow, eating up everything. These new 7'' also celebrate the inglorious return of that echoing effect on the guitar leads I was missing since ''No Dawn Comes...Night Without End'' 7'' and the split with Sick Terror (NEVERENDING WAR...what a song!)...all hail that echoing effect!!

Actually I've been listening to the World Burns to Death sides so intensively (almost like some drug overdose religious ceremony...) I haven't gotten to the Japs yet...no kidding...
I'll leave a comment though when I get to them!

World Burns To Death - The War Can Go On Forever EP

World burns to death - splits with Blowback and Slang

(some rips are stolen from fugitive equilibrium)

Nightbringer - Inhale, the night begins 7'' (2010)

Just get home from my best friend's birthday party. Everything was fucking awesome. beer as well as wine runs in my veins. As i opened the door and pressed the pc-button i realised that i have a fucking gift. Drock from the canadian bulldozer called System Shit (check them here and here) sent me the new 7'' of canada's japunks Nightbringer released this year on Chris Colohan's (yep, Cursed fame) label High Anxiety records. I'm so fucking excited.

Motorhead meets Bastard. Can you call this life?

Here we have, ann arbor's nightbringer - consisting of Ruination, Earthmover and Life set struggle members among others - that offer us three raging hardcore hymns in the vein of their first demo but with more (or less.hahahah i'm drunk) japanese elements. Imagine judgement plays like Warcry. D-beat mania for the wicked. The second song is a fucking killer that starts with all that cliche motor engine (BIKES SOUND - JULIA’s 1984 HONDA VF500F and IAN’s 2003 KAWASAKI Z1000) giving heads to a great rock'n'roll riff, fucking reverbed vocals and a bass-guitar like a five-speed fueled engine. Something like Burning Leather αλλα φουλ πιο αλητεια. Yes, they play both kinds of rock n roll...fast and loud, indeed. The sound is great, dirty and punky as it should be - Chris Colohan made a great job as producer - and if you like i can upload also their previous demo that is solid as hell but i know that you now found your new fix, one way or another, you have to ask for it. Finally, if i have a statement, this propably is :
INHALE, THE NIGHT BEGINS...

"I stormed the gates of heaven
And found their god was gone
Despite all those converted
By the sword and by the crown"

Nightbringer - Inhale, the night begins 7''

Nightbringer -  demo 2008 & live concert

va - abstruct madness tour cd - Balzac & Delta & Rocky and the sweden

Once again i'm waiting dbill to write some inglorious words about WB2D. As the time passes i said : "screw him. let's make a good post". So, here we go. This 3 way split is a fucking rare and ugly japanese treasure and the only reason i post it is Delta.

This split cd has been released back in 2001 by Diwphalanx in japan in only 600 copies as a limited tour edition and was available only in the shows these three japanese bands made together in 2002.
Balzac is a very famous band in japan widely described as the japanese Misfits. You know what you'll get so i don't go further 'coz i neither like misfits nor the death-rock stuff. Then it was time and after that was Rocky and the sweden. The guys are great. They mix japcore with some good old punk with amazing great backing vocals. They remind me a lot bands like Paintbox, Forward or even Judgement. The usual great japcore, you know what you're coming for... They participate two tracks, one theirs and one is a great cover on "Crime for revenge" from Ultra Violent. Now, let's get to the point....

S.D.S or Delta? I can't tell

Delta is the legendary continue of S.D.S. Yep, the japanese Antisect and one of the best crust acts ever. As my comrade 7inchcrust has described very well in the past (check two posts about S.D.S here and here). Now, Delta is a more thrashy and metallic version of S.D.S while the clear early '90s crusty elements is everywhere on the recording. Delta continues where S.D.S stopped. Rough vocals, unstoppable drumming and crazy driven riffs. I forgot to mention that here we have three guys from the original S.D.S line-up plus the Iconoclast drummer. Not bad, ha? They had schedule to release a 7'' on MCR company but the band sadly broke-up. FUCK!

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Go filth go - no escape from noise dis-truction (tape)

From the burrows of kotzi city, tzapan, here comes the power-quartet well-known as go filth go.
Go filth go are the true wolves under Kawakami's holy belt where the mist of raw, d-beat noise wisdom comes...
Including members of black trinity, dyspnea and terrorismo musical these guys are your new fix for good, old-school dis-core like the "parents" first played.

Pure noise D-Beat in the old Discharge way, but with the reverb,distortion and tremble turned up until the buttons on the amp fall off from overturning!!! (dbill's holy words - sideburn's of the guy are way more punkier than kawakami's). Go check dis-or-die.blogspot 'coz the guy behind it also sings for GFG, so ask him for distribution etc or use the band's mail for further infos : gofilthgo@live.com (buy some copies mates, it's worth everyfucking cent). Skip the rest article (greek fucking language) and on the bottom of the post, you'll see a download link. Hit it.
What else to say for these fuckers? ENOUGH SAID! enjoy the filth...

RAW FILTHY PUNX :

常に前進決して後方

Είναι πολύ περίεργο συναίσθημα να  προσπαθήσεις να περιγράψεις τον ήχο ενός συγκροτήματος, το οποίο συμπαθείς και θεωρείς φίλους (τουλάχιστον ένα απ'τά υποκείμενα που το αποτελούν). Θα βάλω τα δυνατά μου.

Μιλώντας συχνά πυκνά με τον Δημήτρη (κιθάρα σε black trinity / Go filth go) δεν μπορώ να κρύψω την συμπάθεια μου προς τη μπάντα και αυτό όχι για μουσικούς λόγους. Νοιώθοντας ότι μοιραζόμαστε κοινά εδάφη, τρόπους επικοινωνίας, ιδεολογικά και πολιτικά πεδία καθώς και αγάπη για την αυτοοργάνωση και την καλή μουσική (θα αφήσω τις ταμπέλες έξω για λίγο) νομίζω πως δε θα είμαι αντικειμενικός με αυτούς τους μπουγατσαδες από το Κοτζι city.

Εδώ, λοιπόν, έχουμε να κάνουμε με την πρώτη κασέτα (ναι, βγαίνουν ακόμα) με τίτλο “no escape from noise dis-truction” που πρόσφατα οι συμπαθέστατοι θεσσαλονικείς κυκλοφόρησαν. Με το τεράστιο πνεύμα τον Confuse να κυριαρχεί αυτά τα νόθα παιδιά του γιαπωνέζου Cal (aka Kawakami) κατάφεραν να ακούγονται φρέσκοι και πολύ δυνατοί. Συνδυάζοντας τα καλύτερα στοιχεία των Discharge, Disclose και Contrast attitude με ολίγη από Disable δηλαδή αυθεντικό “γαμώ-τη-μανά-σου-DBEAT” με κιθάρες πιο βρώμικες και από ένα Morbidangel-ικο βόθρο (γίνεται απλά : παίρνεται το πιο φτηνό guitar-distortion, το πιο φτηνό ενισχυτή των 15 watt και τα βάζετε όλα στο 10 για να μη πω στο 11. Η συνταγή αυτή βρίσκεται επίσης στον πρώτο δίσκο των Entombed. Nicke Anderson’s τσελεμεντές, εκδόσεις Clandestine, έτος 1989.)

Επίσης θέλω να σταθώ στα φωνητικά της μπάντας. Ο man πίσω απτό μικρόφωνο τυχαίνει (?) να έχει τα καλύτερα copy-paste φωνητικά του πλανήτη. Εδώ να υπογραμμίσω ότι το λέω αυτό με θετική χροιά. Ακούγοντας ειδικά τα φωνητικά του με black trinity θεωρώ ότι ούτε ο nocturnο culto μπορεί να κάνει πλέον τόσο καλά τα – ιδία του – τα φωνητικά όποτε καταλαβαίνετε λοιπόν ότι ούτε ο Kawakami (πόσο μάλλον ο Tsoukasa) θα είχε πρόβλημα (μάλλον θα σιγονταρει άπ'τον επουράνιο θρόνο του). Τέλος, ο ίδιος άνθρωπος βρίσκεται πίσω απτό dis-or-die.blog οπότε τσεκάρετε το και αφήστε του μηνύματα και παραγγελίες της εν λόγο κυκλοφορίας ή επικοινωνήστε με τη μπάντα στο mail : gofilthgo@live.com

Η κασέτα κυκλοφόρησε πρόσφατα και μπορείτε να την βρείτε σε χίλια δυο όμορφα μέρη η να επικοινωνήσετε απευθείας με την μπάντα. Περιέχει 13 κομμάτια "χορευτικού" hardcore με διασκευές σε Discharge και Disclose (πως και έτσι?). Οπότε μη χάνεται χρόνο.

Τέλος, να πω και το παράπονο μου. Έχοντας δει 2 φόρες live τη μπάντα έχω να πω πως παρότι είναι καταπληκτικοί και πολύ δεμένοι, τα set υπερβαίνουν κατά πολύ τη μια ώρα κάτι που κουράζει συνήθως. Μάγκες κάντε κάνα 35 λεπτό set-ακι ώστε ο κοσμάκης να φωνάζει ρυθμικά το όνομα σας (sic) και αφού δε θα κάνετε encore γιατί δεν είστε τίποτα φλορούμπες, θα περιμένει καρτερικά την επόμενη συναυλία……

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The lost self who beats your ass

Last days i find my self in a spiritual nirvana. Lately i'm so obsessed with weird (for me) music styles like stoner rock or even sludge (i'm sick, doc.) reminds me the first days as a "university" student, back then i was loving the first two Spiritual beggars albums and the "In the mushroom" cd of LID. Nowadays i discovered 16 (holy shit), Laughing hyenas (they are weird, aren't they?) and witchcraft. On the other hand i have to listen one time per day (pharmacy's prescription) Poison idea's "Feel the darkness" and Out cold's "Permanent twillight world" (Oh my god, i haven't done a single post about OUT COLD).

But, what the hell i'm talking about? If the hell could speak in tongues, it's name would be WARHEAD :

thanx to penny lane for the photo - thanx, (pin-up) girl!

So, warhead is one of the most underrated bands from japan. When everyone talks about Gauze and Stupid babies go mad (???) here's the real deal. Hailing from a city outside Osaka called Kyoto these punks have released one lp, two seveninches and a split 7'' while they have a 4 way split with DSB, Zone and Extinct Government. they have toured uk and usa (with Tragedy if i'm not mistaken) and they have write some of the best thrashy songs.

Raging thrashy hardcore / crust. If you wanna hear a madman who drunk some shinning nails you have to hear this. Do you need anything else?
Here you'll get :
-Cry of truth 7'' (1991 self released, later on Amok records)
-What to do with this Yearning & The lost self and beating heart (Ugly Pop records, reissue - Batguano's rip)
-Drive it in your head (1999, Fast nail records)

Judge dredd (movie) is starting up, so i'm leaving you in "good hands". Enjoy  (also check a very good article about japanese hardcore here)

Just, potatoes and rice (usual stuff - Japcore. press the fucking button)

Organism - Hope Lp

I can't remember the last time. Yeah, right. the last time.
When you got sharp and long wolves-teeth and you bite everything around you. Let's sharpen our teeth and eat some flesh while listen some A' class japcore.

I can still remember the first time i've listened to these punks. A couple of years ago, i was taking the subway to go for my wine-class. While i was waiting i pushed play on my mp3-player, when a tight bombing sound scratch my ears. Looking left and right to be sure : Sub hasn't hit me... Yep, Organism's fist. my ears...

Organism comes from Osaka, japan and the legend says that they might have some connection to the bands Warhead (one of the next posts, folks), Nightmare and Acrostix and not only music influences. Things are simple. Power, energy and energy and power!
The sound is solid as fuck and keeps you jumping like a lunatic in your room while your speakers shouting paranoid and unintelligible words in a bellicose language.
The title of the album is Hope and i really doubt if you can find any in here.
All tracks counts 1-2 minutes, the drumming is unstoppable having the guitar back-ups to shred everything up while the bass is heavy as a japanese sumo fighter. And the vocals are dual!
Don't except chelsea's hot riffs and solos, neither saxophones. This is fast as fuck, powerful hardcore punk. This is war. This is "how it's should be played". Raging, raging, raging.
Plus : this 12'' have been released from a small label named Hardware records, known for it's great releases. Few but great, including burial / antimob split.
Listen it while you reading seicho Matsumoto's "Tokyo express".

casus belli

Inu - tracks from upcoming split with Kroia

Spain : a country well-known around the world for awesome dishes and food reserves, barcelona fc and zara clothes. As for the hardcore community, spain is worshiped as the motherland of the modern, pessimistic and catchy as hell, tragedy / from ashes rise influenced crust (don't start throw rocks on me, i know that great bands like otan or destino final are from there too), bands like Madame germen, Ictus, Leadershit and so much more made this genre so popular inside punk community. I'll get to the point.

Some days before moro (guitarist of Inu) contacted the blog and asked, if i can, to post their brand new five tracks from their upcoming split with indonesia's Kroia. After some e-mail exchanges, here we are...

As a big japcore fan i couldn't say no to a truly great band as Inu really is. Hailing from the northwest of spain, la coruna to be more specific, the guys that fuels the engine of Inu have been playing in some other bands also. Blunt (great crust band, check some stuff here and here), Codia (old-school hardcore punk), Noitebrega (black metal), Kephra (post-metal) are some of the them.

Moro has sent me also the lyrics, that deals with personal issues mainly but also with some politics. Now, as far the sounds that will come out of your speakers. Well, you must go and buy some new ones 'coz Inu certainly will burn' em out even if you're gonna play it on 0 decibel. Full DEATH SIDE maniacs here. era : With the first riff "All is here now" comes to mind in a physical way. Crazy, driven by demons Chelsea's riffage, crude drumming and judgement feeling (almost forgotten : add some Iron maiden for the flavour and for satan's sake)... Yeah, Inu rocks really hard. Imagine a torch-holding army marching to the deepest of all hells and you may catch the feeling. The sound is more than decent, counting that the band has recorded all tracks by themselves in their practice-room (that's how DIY recordings must be).
Hope you like them... Cook some extra spicy vegeterian paella, grab a cold glass of sangria and enjoy.

Dedicated to moro who sent me these tracks and black Mitsos that will love them for sure.

Shot in the head

Tetsu arrey - discography part 2

After some time this is the second and last part of Tetsu arrey's discography.
I have write some lines in first part, so i'll keep it simple (add that i'm feeling a bit bored so you get the picture).

Tetsu arrey (or tetsu array if you wish...) is a legend band from tokyo, japan. As a part of the (in)famous vinyl comp. "eyes of the thrash guerilla", Iron dumbbell (as the band's name translation is) continue the delivering of raging, pissed-off hardcore with rock elements and metallic edge. For me just motorhead playing japcore. But foe some other guy : "these guys are as punked out as they get, but it's the way they combine typically catchy street-punk screamalongs with Sabbath-esque guitar sludge that gives them an edge up on the competition". I think they have some connection with the band Extinct government.

Here you'll get their second album, their mini-lp "14all" (note that this one was released back in 2000 and not 2003 as the folder says) and the rocket / core 7''.
The masterminds of "burning-spirits" term.
Dedicated to ilias (you don't have to wait anymore). cheers...
...and also to the old-school japcrust freak 7inchcrust...

enjoy and leave comments...

Tetsu arrey - Discography part 1

I decided not to post one of my favourite greek hardcore bands (just for now) so, go get some japcore.

Sweat, sweet and anger. Tetsu arrey. One name, the history of a kind (a genre to be more specific).
Throw away your pants, here's the real deal.
If you like your sex, wet and fast, full of emotions and powaaa, Tetsu arrey.

The constructors of the "Burning spirits" sound, tetsu arrey counts the days from the devastating year 1988 with their appeareance in the compilation lp "Eye of the thrash guerrila". They have released two lp's and three 7'' (in this post you'll get the 7inch called "force" and their first Lp).

The sound is as you can imagine, fast aggresive japcore as this blog often or not so often use to post. If you want to hear the japanese motorhead go download these fuckers. If you are in the crew of maniacs dying slowly for bands like Forward, Crude and the likes... Rockish hardcore punk over the top. I'm stealing some already written things from mountza fanzine : "tetsu arrey started this whole "Burning-spirits" thing alongside Forward. To make things more clear, burning spirits first was only just a name / title for the gigs of the afore-mentioned bands. Also, Death side had a track called "burning-spirits" so, some clever americans came up with the term "burning spirits sound" as an easy way to describe all that bands."

Some more stealing :
Huge drums start building up, and might I add, these drums sound GREAT for like 1989 or whenever. When the guitars come in its with a busy little riff halfway between Motörhead’s Iron Fist era and Kill ‘Em All Metallica. But when the song gets going, there’s a curve ball, the drummer takes marching style beat. It’s one of the hardest things I’ve ever heard. Skull cracking, biker Motörpunk, all with classic growling Japancore vocals laid on to.

download and die

Nightmare & Burial & Crude - Axis of wolves - 3 way split Lp

I think, you already know who the fuck these japcorers are, so i'll keep it simple.
Nightmare hails from osaka and it's propably the longest act from japan. Started in 1988 they have released a bunch of records, seveninches and splits and they have been part of the famous "Eye of the thrash guerilla" compilation Lp. Here they participate two ugly, noisy, long and fast as fuck tracks of pure raging japanese hardcore. If you like the first releases of nightmare (and not the shitty lp scaterraw) this will shake your body really bad.
Next in line, my favourites german japunks (or japanese germ-punks?) from hagen, germany. You may be aware of the unleashing power of Burial's tank, but for those that don't, this is by far the best japcore band around the globe nowadays. They have released two lp's, two seveninches (get them here), and a split 7'' with athen's finest Antimob (get it here). Also, they have toured constantly including in their tours isolated places such as greece and japan, or not so isolated like northern europe.
Here you'll get two awesome in your face anthems, with the sound to be similar with their first 7inch. Forward, forward, forward....
Last on the bill, Hakodate's Crude. They started back in the mid 90's and they made a bunch of releases also. Full lenghts, splits and the list goes on and on... If you visit this blog frequently you already know that crude is the sword to chop some stupid heads off. Enjoy responsibly their previous posts here and here.
The vinyl version released as an one-sided, gatefold lp from hate records and the cd version by HG : fact records from japan, so if the economical crisis hasn't affect you yet, go and buy it...
This release came out to support the japanese tour these three bands did in 2007.
Thanx to dbill for this one, once again. cheers, mate.

tsouuaaa (download)

I'll start this off with one and only statement...this split LP is worth buying (or downloading) for the Burial tracks alone...they fucking rip you to pieces. I have said before that Burial is one of the few bands who constantly evolve their, and true to their game they add a heavy dose of thrashing to their equally heavy rocking...rocking and thrashing actually sums up what this band does on this LP. Bare in mind that these tracks were recorded after the ''Hungry Wolves'' 7'' and before the ''Speed at Night'' LP, with Norman from Bombenalarm as the guitarist (the bald jazz cutie they toured greece with the second time)...Eternal Excess might be my favorite track......addictive shit.

Packed in this piece of frozen petrolium is the monstrous Nightmare, and the epic Crude. If you are into total noise attack then you will fall in love with Nightmares sound. Raw as fuck production topped with nonstop screaming...I'm not the biggest fan of Nightmare, but their audio violence is well appreciated. Crude on the other hand are one of my favorite bands...the epic guitar leads, the catchy riffs, and the great song structures...though they are really held back on this recording mostly due to the really bad recording...''Attitude'' or ''1999'' LP's would be a much better introduction for you to this Jap monster...the songs on this split were later re-recorded with much better production, and re-released on Jannick's Feral Ward label as a 7''.

Last but not least the artwork is done by the huge Sugi, while the gatefold LP has a beatifull collage of pictures from the Nightmare-Burial-Crude ''Axis of Nightmare'' japanese tour, which will make you grateful you aren't as fucked up as Fabian...in your face Fabsie!!!!!!

dbill, Ph.D. in loving Burial