Japanese punk!

[Bear 1817]

As most of you know, I'm quite a fan of punk and its subgenres, and the Japanese punk scene sure deserves its own thread on the forum. I guess everybody on the forum knows bands like The Stalin, Anti-Feminism, Balzac, The Piass and so on, so I won't make a big deal about those, even though I am a fan of several of those. But feel free to talk about all kinds of punk from hardcore to d-beat to crust to horror punk to grindcore to skate punk to street punk to thrashcore to psychobilly and so on, but keep it to the bands that are on the punk side. Take grindcore as an example: please do talk about grindcore, but keep it to the bands rooted in punk.

 

Bands like S.O.B., Napalm Death and Extreme Noise Terror played a type of grindcore that belongs in this thread. These guys basically played hard, brutal punk with metal influences, unlike grindcore bands such as Impetigo, Terrorizer and Repulsion who were more on the metallic side and played and more death metal influenced grindcore. Same goes with metalcore and whatnot too. You get the point.

 

 

 

 

 

 

I'll start and post some of my favourites from the Japanese scene throughout the time:

 

Gauze

 

Formed in 1981, Gauze turned out to be one of the most influential Japanese punk bands of all time, if not THE most influential band from the punk scene in Japan. The band is recognized throughout the underground punk scene in the whole world to have released two of the best hardcore albums of all time with 1984's Fuckheads and 1986's Equalizing Distort, and the band proved to have a massive influence of the scene in Japan, as well as underground scene all over the world. So the band did get lots of recognition, but far from what they had deserved IMO.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DR1f17xEzSo

 

S.O.B.

 

Another highly influential band, but unlike Gauze this band had more influence on the grindcore scene throughout the world, and grindcore legends Napalm Death, Brutal Truth and Carcass have all told lots about the influence S.O.B. had on them, Lee Dorian, vocalist on Napalm Death's two first albums, have always been open to how the band borrowed a shitload of S.O.B. riffs for their 1988 masterpiece From Enslavement to Obliteration. Lee Dorian and Shane Embury even went on to play on 1989's Thrash Night EP. The band started out as a brutal and fast hardcore band, before evolving into a pure gindcore band with 1990's What's the Truth?. Their debut EP Leave Me Alone consists of 9 songs, clocking in on 09,16 minutes, and their debut album consists of 18 songs, clocking in on 19:42 minutes. Too short? Nah. With the intensity of the bands music the lenght are more or less perfect.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Eib9a4GM5M

 

G.I.S.M.

 

G.I.S.M. are robably best known for their strange live shows where Sakevi did plenty of strange things, like running into the crowd with a chainsaw, attacking front rows with a lit flamethrower, beating random concertgoers with a club, and firing gun shots on stage with a revolver, as well as attacking journalists and photographers who try to approach him. But beneath this, we find one of the early metapunk bands, blending hardcore and heavy metal into one raw, dirt mix. Their second album saw the band leaning more towards heavy meta, though, with close to no hardcore left in their sound. It's a great album, but not close to as good as their debut, Detestation.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=twFu0ZABwvk

 

Disclose

 

Disclose are one of the hundreds and hundreds of Discharge clones, but unlike all the other clones, this band is actually more or less just as good as the original. Disclose plays d-beat and sounds like a fuzzy and distorted version of Discharge, and for someone who worships the altar of Discharge it's impossible not to love this band. There's not really more to say. Fantastic band!

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pv7-ziKfbIQ

 

Framtid

 

This band here, is one of my all time favourite hardcore bands. Framtid isn't a very productive band, and during their 20+/- year long career they've only released two full lenghts (16 and 21 minutes long), a few demos and a few split releases. So yeah, not very productive and it took them 11 years from their first to their second full lenght. But who gives a fuck when the quality of what they're releasing is as high as it is? Two genius albums and two of the best in the genre. Raw, dirty and brutal hardcore. This band is hardcore hell!

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uPJ07f4V6q8

 

Zouo

 

There's not too much info on this band around, but what I do know is that this band played top notch hardcore. Dark and dirty, with obvious G.I.S.M. influences, though the hardcore side of G.I.S.M. Fantastic band!

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bavbNYSA8_s

 

Death Side

 

Pure hardcore with fantastic leads and great riffs and vocals. Not as raw or ugly as some of the other mentioned here, but just as good as most of them.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v1gJHPGoPS8

 

 

 

Other great bands to check out:

 

Unholy Grave

Deathpeed

Kriegshög

Outo

Gudon

Electric Funeral

Crow

Paintbox

D.B.S.

Ghoul

Kuro

Nurse

Disarray

The Rustler

Swindle Bitch

Kyah

Mental

D-Clone

Forward

Confuse

 

and

so

on

 

All these are well worth checking out IMO. Great bands, al of them.

[kyoselflove 2680]

I'm not a fan of punk that much but it's my husband's favorite genre, so thanks!  I recommended a lot of the bands he hadn't heard of.

[Lestat 2167]

I do like punk and HxC, I just never really give myself the time to step into it more often. Exploring it is difficult seeing as especially early punk from the 80's to early 90's is hard to come by nowadays, both as actual physical copy as well as rips. I did some exploring not too long ago and found two bands I really like. 

 

GASTUNK

 

 

The Execute

 

 

They probably weren't that deep down in the underground though. 

[kurenaishineek 646]

Do you count Pop Punk into that as well ? If yes you might be interested in the new album from Glory Hill , they managed to make and almost perfect mix of melodic hardcore , punk rock and pop punk . Also you might read up more on that album in my review or just go straight to the download section to download it if you are interested .

[Bear 1817]

Exploring it is difficult seeing as especially early punk from the 80's to early 90's is hard to come by nowadays, both as actual physical copy as well as rips. I did some exploring not too long ago and found two bands I really like. 

 

The label SS Recording's been releasing good shit for the past 10 years or so. They've re-released albums, EPs and compilations with bands such as Ghoul, Kuro, The Stalin, DIsarray, Kikeiji, Kyah, Final Bombs, Innocents, Mental, The Rustler, Swindle Bitch, Nurse, Gastunk and many more. I don't think it's too hard to come by. And a lot of these have been uploaded to the internet in lossless in recent times.

 

 

 

And it doesn't matter if something is underground or not. What matters is that it is punk and good. And Gastunk is good. At least some of their stuff.

 

 

 

 

Lip Cream

 

Another legendary hardcore band from Japan, playing pure, classic hardcore in the vein of Gauze. Kill the IBD and Kill Ugly Pop are two fantastic releases. If you're into raw hardcore, then this are for you.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O8dQJwM6gDc

 

Systematic Death

 

Systematic Death stated out in the 80's and are still going strong. I don't think they've been active all this time, but they're active now at least. Despite releasing their first EP back in 84, they didn't release their debut album before 2009. Not heard their full lenght, but their two first EPs are fantastic.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wbtHlTTGy_M

 

Kriegshög

 

I mentioned this band in my first time, and I'm mentioning them again now. Their self-titled debut album, released back in 2010, are among the best punk albums in recent times. THey just hit every button with it. Don't miss with a single thing. Raw and uncompromising hardcore.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z-Q1RJ4xa4M

 

 

 

 

 

 

That is a picture of Mirai (SIgh) around 1990, but this was not taken on a Sigh gig. This is from a Ramones coverband he sang in. I'd love to hear that.

 

 

Mirai was/is also in a band called Cut Throat with Shinichi (ex-Sigh), Yasuyuki Suzuki (Abigail/Barbatos) and Youhei (Abigail, ex-Barbatos). They play thrash metal, mostly doing covers of classic thrash metal songs from bands as Exodus, Tankard, Hirax, Sacrifice, Razor, Warfare and so on. But they've also done a shitload of Misfits covers. I can only find a few tracks from the live split with Abigail and Barbatos on youtube, but you get an impression of what they sound like:

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N5Db86dCfxQ

 

Mirai sounds awesome on these songs.

[Bear 1817]

Do you count Pop Punk into that as well ? If yes you might be interested in the new album from Glory Hill , they managed to make and almost perfect mix of melodic hardcore , punk rock and pop punk . Also you might read up more on that album in my review or just go straight to the download section to download it if you are interested .

 

Everything punk goes in this thread. If it is a pop band with punk influences, then not so much. But if it is a punk band with pop influences, then yeah sure. You get it.

 

Not gonna check out the album, though. I'm not that into pop punk. Don't get me wrong, I love plenty of pop punk, but it's not what I spend the most time listening to. I prefer the harder and rawer subgenres like hardcore, crust and neocrust, d-beat and grindcore. But that doesn't mean I don't love early Misfits (like their 70's stuff) or Ramones to death or anything, because I do and I spend lots of time listening to them. It's just that the rawer subgenres works way better for me.

[kurenaishineek 646]

Its Pop Punk , and sounds like all the american Pop Punk bands like Sum 41 and Blink 182 . A lot of typical punkish riffs , very melodic and upbeat , its not your typical heavy punk stuff, but its not so much into pop that would be hard to hear the punk stuff in it .

Also i first hear the term pop with punk influence . Its more like a contradiction , altough punk can get more mainstream by adding pop to it , making thus pop punk , i dont know how would pop with punk influence sound .

Not to mention ive said they are pop punk cause they just sounded similar to other pop punk bands i know , but on japanese wiki they are tagged as melodic hardcore / rock / emo (not really know why emo the songs are happy and full of postive vibrations) .

But just check them out it will be easier , for me they are punk for you they might not be punk , its so simple .

If you go to the point of sperating pop punk bands into what you just said , than it would be easier to say that this topic is not about pop punk .

[Bear 1817]

Oh, for god's sake, man. It's a general topic about punk. As I stated in the OP (if you bothered reading?) it's a thread for all kinds of PUNK. PUNK, PUNK, PUNK! If it's punk it belongs in this thread. Simple as that. No idea why you're making such as fuzz about this, man. No reason to waste time on something like this.

[kurenaishineek 646]

Yeah okay sorry my bad got a little overboard with this .

Altough i cant post anything from their new album cause its nowhere on youtube so you have to go to download this . But here is something from their Indie Era . They are way better on their new album , but there are still some good songs in their indie era thats worth to mention .

And here is one more good band , but they are more harder . Great Melodic Hardcore/Punk Rock band .

And one more , one of my favs on the Beatdown Hardcore scene in Japan , Loyal To The Greave .

If anyone wants i can upload their albums .

[Tokage 5930]

Most of THE CRAZY SKB's stuff is quite enjoyable, IMO. He's sort of infamous for being both an underground wrestler and a hardcore punk vocalist, as well as the fact that his live performances usually feature lots of stuff blowing up. Check out QP-CRAZY, Hightechnology Suicide and Moudoku for some examples of his stuff. He's collaborated with Anti-Feminism's Kenzi at some points too.

Dokusatsu Terrorist are also quite amusing. Angura kei/punk mixture that pokes fun at and parodies pretty much everything, from North Korea up to Ayumi Hamasaki and Ultraman. Like most of the Angura classics, I don't think they're active anymore sadly enough...

Shine Shine Dan is another cool and somewhat underrated (at least among Western listeners) Japanese punk band. To me personally they are sort of like precursors to acts like KYOKUTOU GIRL FRIEND and Merry in that they blend a sort of "traditional" Japanese attitude with punk. They were signed to the legendary Nagomu Records label for a brief period of time, so you know it's good. (Not to mention the fact that they named themselves after the villains of the classic Japanese superhero show Rainbowman)

[Bear 1817]

SS should get a mention too. They weren't only the first hardcore band in Japan, but one of the first bands in the world playing hardcore as we would know it later on. They didn't release much, and I think everything released are live stuff. But it's well worth a listen. One of the very, very few live albums I give a fuck about and care to listen to.

 

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ONTj9Hgh_To

 

 

 

Huge fan of Gudon too. Fast hardcore in the vein of Gauze and other bands.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xMJ1fxlUoy4

[Lestat 2167]

Anyone a fan of 流血ブリザード/Ryuuketsu Blizzard? I love them, they've done some lives with 凛 too.

I'm quite often in contact with their bassist, she's a sweetheart.

[doombox 4421]

That Ryuuketsu Blizzard is nice, I've never heard them before. But omg what are those stage antics @ 3:08 holy carp. lol.

 

 

Day tripper has a new album coming out that I'm eager to hear. 

They're saying they're melodic hardcore but... I don't know. That's not exactly the first thing that comes to mind when I hear them. XD

[indigo 389]

Death Side is badass. I'm thinking of buying Bet On The Possibility LP.

 

I also like Kriegshög, Framtid, Disclose...

 

Just checked out Zouo and Kuro and they sound sick too.

[nattliga_toner 240]

Great thread! So many great bands mentioned ...KURO, GUDON, OUTO, THE RUSTLER etc.!!

Kinda on the fence on Zouo tbh... and I have to say GISM may very well be one of the most overrated Japanese HC acts of all time!

 

Anyway, figured I'd throw in a couple of personal faves that (hopefully) aren't total bullshit:

 

MINK OIL

Totally underrated band IMO! Not especially hard stuff to find, but it just seem to have blown over most punk dudes heads.

The first RE ZIST flexi is sort of in the same vein... totally raging with utterly pissed off vocals!

 

INNOCENTS

Mentioned above, but this band is just so much fun! Their "魔性" EP is an all time fave ...tight playing and hilarious engrish lyrics.

 

MATSUJI (まつじ)

Pretty particular mix of epic riffs and all out HC mayhem. Great EP!

 

AKA (赤)

Total MASTURBATION rip offs! But they somehow pulls it off ...one of the first Japanese punk records I got!

 

THE SEVENTEENS

Going into love-it-or-hate-it terrority now ...I love if of course! In my ears this is totally up-yours snotty delinquent youth punxXxXxX!

The IZUMO PUNKS flexi is pretty similar in style. I can recommend them both, but they can be a bitch to find unfortunately.

 

SEX COMPLEX CLASS

From their utterly weird egyptian-inspired 2nd release. Manages to be pretty straightforward and pretty damn weird at the same time.

 

aaaannd a last one ...honorable mention:

 

KYOJINBYO!!!!

No description necessary ...just 100% KILLLLLERRRRR!!! I've got their second EP, but this first one has still eluded me. Everybody else seem to score cheap-o copies on the regular though T_T

[nattliga_toner 240]

Shit, I totally forgot about THE WILLARD (as if the above onslaught wasn't enough).

More or less Japans answer to THE DAMNED ...epic punk moves for days!

 

 

 

 

...some proto-VK vibes even?

[Bear 1817]

How exactly do you think G.I.S.M. are overrated? They've got the status they've got for three reasons:

 

1. because of the cool music.

2. because of Sakevi being a crazy motherfucker.

3. because they did something that at the time was incredibly unique, and proved to be a massive insiration for bands to come.

 

 

I mean, I can fully understand people not enjoying their sloppy-ass metalpunk, but how people can see them as overrated is beyond me to be honest.

[nattliga_toner 240]

To be fair, you're absolutely on point in that they did come up with a pretty much unique sound. And that Sakevi was/is a crazy motherfucker 

 

It's a matter of taste of course, but apart from a few songs ("Endless Blockades...", "Nih Nightmare" ...maybe their tracks from the "Great Punk Hits" comp as well), I just don't think GISM songs really hold up that well. I've yet to make it through either the whole of "Detestation" or "M.A.N" since I just find myself bored halfway through.

 

And were they really so influential? Apart from Sakevis gruff vocals later bands adopted (FREEDOM, HEADLESS etc. comes to mind), I'm just not hearing much of their sound otherwise in bands of the time. I'd say most took their influence from THE STALIN and THE EXCECUTE and stuff like that. I have to confess that I'm pretty much only knowledgeable about 80:s japanese HC/punk stuff, so maybe bands of the 90:s and 00:s were more influenced?

 

Bottom line is that I just don't think that GISM is the end all be all zenith of japanese HC as they're sometimes made out to be. 

[nattliga_toner 240]

Mad props to SKV for fucking up JAGATARA's shit though!

 

[Bear 1817]

And were they really so influential? Apart from Sakevis gruff vocals later bands adopted (FREEDOM, HEADLESS etc. comes to mind), I'm just not hearing much of their sound otherwise in bands of the time. I'd say most took their influence from THE STALIN and THE EXCECUTE and stuff like that. I have to confess that I'm pretty much only knowledgeable about 80:s japanese HC/punk stuff, so maybe bands of the 90:s and 00:s were more influenced?

 

Yes, I'd say they were. Not huge like Discharge or Amebix anything, but having a pretty big influence on the underground metal and hardcore scene, especially considering they played a type of metal punk that was way ahead of its time. Poison Idea are one of the bands citing G.I.S.M. as a big  influence. Dwid of Integrity and Sean of Rot in Hell also mention G.I.S.M. as a huge inspiration. "We listen to the wisdom of Sakevi Yokoyama and Pentti Linkola, not the fripperies of Belladonna and Mustaine". Heh.

 

But more than being a musical influence, I believe G.I.S.M., along with bands such as Plasmatics, Amebix and Sacrilege, was very important in "uniting" the two communities. Suddenly it was cool to like both metal and punk, and suddenly you had both metalheads and punks going to the same gigs.

[nattliga_toner 240]

Hey now, wasn't this thread about japanese punk bands?

 

But yeah, I see what you mean and as for international influence I stand corrected. You're definitely on point about GISM being instrumental in forging bonds between the metal and punk scene (for better and for worse?), and their inclusion on that "International P.E.A.C.E" compilation most certainly put JPHC on the map to some extent.

 

Nevertheless, I'm still going to be a grumpy asshole and say that this:

 

 

doesn't hold a candle to contemporary stuff like:

 

 

But yeah, in the end, I suppose it's just diff'rent strokes for diff'rent folks 

[Bear 1817]

It's about Japanese bands, but when Poison Idea and Integrity mention you as a huge influence you've done something very right.

 

With that said, I also prefer The Execute to G.I.S.M. Still dig G.I.S.M. though. But I just can't see past G.I.S.M. There's something very special about their music.

 

 

Another band that deserves a mention is Effigy. Crushing crust/thrash metal in the vein of old Sacrilege and Axegrinder. Despite being active from 1989 to 2007-2008 or something they only released two short EPs, as well as spits with Apärät, Häväistys, Acrostix, Zoe, Disturd, Hellshock and Abigail. They were also included on an Amebix tribute with Acrostix, Raw Gauge, Age, Life and Zoe. One of the very few tribute albums I've found myself listening to over and over again over the years. So they don't have too much material on their hands, but what they have are excellent. Someone should re-release all their stuff on vinyl.

 

 

Evil Fragments (FULL ALBUM)

From Hell/ Grinding Summer Massacre

 

 

Magnificent band. I even own a zipper hoodie from this band. No idea where I got it from.

[Jigsaw9 6783]

Holy fuck, Effigy is good!!! Just started listening to them. dat guitar sound is making me feel things... 

Also: random horror soundtrack samples, I can hear youuu~ ;D

[Peace Heavy mk II 7200]

Stupid question, but what is "d-bear?"

[Bear 1817]

It's a typo, that's what it is. D-beat is the correct term, but d-bear sounds cool enough though.