I run a small, DIY record label and I created this page to share my love and passion for the Japanese hardcore scene.
I publish here interviews with musicians and other relevant articles, like bands info, album and gig reviews etc.
If you love Japanese hardcore music, I believe you will enjoy this space.
A new EP from Osaka's NUMBERNINE - 'New Phenomenon', has been released as of the 10th of June. The album is available on all main streaming platforms, and well, it's phenomenal in so many ways! Big respect to the band for such effortless ability to mix hardcore with melody and alternative sounds and put together such a fantastic album. Everything from the first sound is refreshingly innovative, the songs are super catchy, written so cleverly and yet keeping the hardcore spirit.
It's an album from the top shelf, in terms of song writing, execution and experimenting with different sounds, especially considering that the material for this album has been recorded over two years ago.
'New Phenomenon' - recorded at LM Studio, Osaka in March and April 2022.
Recorded , mixed and mastered by Akira Inada (!!!)
Members at the time of recording:
Vocal: Kai
Drums: Hidetatsu
Guitar: Takahiro
Bass: Masayuki, Takahiro
Current members are Kai (the only remaining founding member), Hidetatsu and Takahiro.
I asked the guys about their main inspirations and influences, and here's what Kai (vo.) said about the lyrics:
"I like to write in an abstract way and use metaphors as an art. Besides, after I went through the Corona crisis, my lyrics became more introspective."
What Takahiro (gu.) finds inspirational for song writing is: "New York Hardcore bands that expanded and evolved with their music."
Takahiro also says that there are no plans for a physical release at the moment, but it doesn't mean that the band wont consider it at all. I guess we will find out soon, as I don't believe any record label wouldn't want to pick it up.
So if you're feeling the sounds of the melodic end of things, SNAPCASE, SHELTER etc, fused with some classic NY growl check these out!
Here are official videos from the new EP, have a listen, have a watch and I hope you get the vibes.
BAYONETS 1st full length album, 'GOOD OLD DAYS' was released on 24-04-2024 (via Bootstomp Records) and I couldn't not to mention it!
I can't wait to listen to it, they're not on any streaming platform or Bandcamp at the moment (proper old school!), but if you're into solid, hard and fun oi! music, you'll dig this band. You can find them on YouTube instead, I've copied link at the very bottom of the post..
Here's a band profile, introduced by Masa (BAYONETS vo.):
"BAYONETS is made up of the members of YOKOHAMA CITY SKINHEADS. All members of YCS met in 1996 in a juvenile detention centre and started playing music after their release.
The members of BAYONETS have been in various bands and formed in Yokohama in 2012.
Influenced by Skinhead Reggae, NYHC, Ska, hardcore punk and Oi punk, they swallow it all and spit out their own interpretation of thuggish hardcore punk.
Their live performances are intense and hilarious and will definitely make you want to pump your fists in the air. Vigorously active.
Their first album 'GOOD OLD DAYS' is an album that reminds them of the past and their determination to keep singing old songs."
The bands are: Vocal: Masa Oi!Oi! @masaoioi Guitar: Oi!KB @okb_1980 Bass: ShuheOi! @skinheads86 Drums: KOi!Ji @kyochang156
Check out their Instagram profiles and info about upcoming gigs, if you are in Japan and have an opportunity to see them and grab the new CD!
ANGER FLARES are street punk oi! band from Tokyo, active since late 90's. They stopped playing for a while around 2007, but reformed in 2013 after relocating to Tokyo from Kobe and have since been actively touring and playing gigs.
They are one of the most hard working bands there, regularly putting out great records and playing all over the world whenever they can., bringing out what's best about Japanese oi, authenticity, pride and catchy tunes.
They are familiar to the UK's audience, they have played in the UK a few times before, including Rebellion Festival in 2015, 2017 and 2019, but it was the first time for Anger Flares to play at London's legendary '100Club' as a part of their UK Tour 2023.
Supporting Cockney Rejects on their final tour, which ended with two shows in London on 15th and 16th of December, both dates were sold out way in advance!
I wanted to see Anger Flares badly, I've been following them for a while and never managed to catch them in the UK before. I was also a bit disappointed when I went to Japan and they didn't play any gigs around the time I was there. So it turned out to be a perfect occasion and I luckily managed to get a ticket for the Friday night.
Their set included 13 songs:
United and Strong (which I sadly missed, thanks to the long queue outside the venue..)
Let's Get Drunk
We Got the Power
On the Street Again
Stay Punk
Get Back Future
Never Give In
Fighting For Survival
Go For It
Rebels With a Cause
Keep the Faith
Here Comes Anger Flares
This time along with their undeniable energy and fun, they also brought, for this mini tour, a new drummer.
I wanted to use the opportunity to introduce him with this follow up interview.
(Japanese language version below!)
Hi Yatching-san, it was nice to meet you at the show and watch you guys playing live!
How did it happen that you joined the band just before the UK tour? Did you know each other for long before?
Y: Thanks for contacting me! Since September I have been drumming (with them) at several gigs as a support, and we have come to understand each other. I think that's the major reason.
Besides, I feel like this band also uplifted my motivation.
Their former drummer was a good friend of mine and he used to invite me to ANGER FLARES gigs, which is how I got to know the members.
We haven't known each other for long, but I quickly became friends with SHINJIN (gu) and TAXX (ba) right away because we are the same age.
Could you tell me a bit more about your previous bands you've been involved in? What's your musical background?
Y: I've never been able to stick with one band for long, so I've been hopping from one band to another.
There are many reasons for this...
When I started playing drums at 17 years old, I discovered punk. Then, I explored various genres - punk, melo-core, ska-core, and then came back to punk.
But I've always had punk at the core of my music, and I've never wavered from that.
Was it your first time in England? How did you find the whole experience, what did you like the most?
Y: This is my second time in England.
I think the last time I was here was only for about 3 days. It was during a European tour with a band I played with a long time ago. We performed in Germany, Belgium and England at the time. We only did one gig in England, though.
What struck me in England was the age range of the audience at the show! Of course, I know the Cockney Rejects are a band that has been around for a long time, but I guess the audience consist of old-timers too!
There are old punks in Japan, but they can't compare to those in the UK!
Touring abroad means playing in a completely different environment. I think it's a great way to develop our playing skills by performing in the same way we always do, even in such environment.
I believe it has allowed me to play more closely with the band members, despite having joined the band only recently.
Is ANGER FLARES to be a permanent thing now? And if not, what plans do you have?
Y: As I mentioned earlier, I've never been able to sustain a band for long, so I'm determined to make sure that doesn't happen with ANGER FLARES! Unless something special happens, we'll keep going!
I want to create and release as many new works as possible and tour not only in the UK, but also in various other countries!
If we think about important places in the hardcore scene in Tokyo, NERDS RECORD STORE in Shibuya is definitely at the top of that list. I believe most people in hardcore community worldwide have already heard about this place somehow.
Established in 2014 via RETRIBUTION NETWORK / ICE GRILL$. The owners are Hiro, who also serves on guitar in legendary Japanese HC band - LOYAL TO THE GRAVE, THE TEN COMMANDMENTS (also State Craft and countless other music projects), who has been distributing hardcore music via Retribution, and Mizuki who runs ICE GRILL$, dealing with the pop punk side of things.The shop's main focus is vinyl, but it also has tons of CDs in stock and a good amount of band T-shirts, fan zines etc. But mostly records - all hardcore, punk and also a fair amount of metal and grindcore - everything I personally call a ‘cool spectrum’, otherwise it’s called ‘underground music’. You choose.
The main focus is the new hardcore, basically the best stuff from all over the world. Although there are Japanese releases, worldwide hardcore is what the Japanese people want (they are probably not as obsessed with themselves as we are with them).
You can also find lots of old school classics, but more from the classic 80’s American hardcore era.
I visited the shop for the first time in September 2023. In fact, it was the very first place I went to in Tokyo, as it’s been on my ‘wish list’ forever. During my short stay I got back there to check the new arrivals, but mostly to hang around for a little chat. Guys also had a big stall in the Bloodaxe Festival on 23rd September, and obviously Hiro also played the show with Loyal to the Grave.
Hiro with LOYAL TO THE GRAVE
Running the shop as well as playing in one of the pioneering bands in Japanese hardcore and being involved and supporting lots of tours and shows, Hiro is the man who knows best what’s happening in Japan in their hardcore scene. He is also a super nice guy.
We agreed that I will put it all into words on my return to London and will send a few follow up questions.
So here it is:
Hi Hiro, I hope you are good. It was such a pleasure to finally meet you and visit NERDS in person! Do you have lots of foreign people visiting on a daily basis, who purposely come just to see the shop and say hello?
H: Yeah thanks for stopping by the store and some shows as well. It was an honour to meet you last year. Yeah, after covid we have so many visitors from foreign countries daily. 80% of people are from outside of Japan lol. It's a wonder to me but the store has its 10 year anniversary this year so I’m so happy that people know our store and come to stop by.
I know you’ve been releasing music and running distros long before you’ve opened a physical store, could you give us a bit of the history of what led you to open NERDS?
H: Yeah I had my old distro called BLOODAXE COMMUNICATIONS in 1999. We just printed catalogues and sent them to customers and we got orders through phone and fax. We started a web store in ‘06 as RETRIBUTION NETWORK DISTRO. And we released some releases on the label.
I opened my store in 2014 with Mizuki from ICE GRILL$ who is putting pop punk releases in Japan and organising tours as well.
This was a big challenge in my life. Because I used to work at a company as an office worker.
But now almost 10 years have passed and I'm having a great time with my job. Now I have RETRIBUTE RECORDS and TOUR also still HARDCORE DISTRO for mail order as well. 25 YEARS STRONG!
I have a feeling that the majority of people in Japan prefer CDs over vinyl. From your perspective, what is the reason for that, purely financial or is there more to it?
H: Yeah I can't believe people will buy CDs in this country. If I sell 100 items of a new album from some bands, 90 copies would be CDs, 8 Vinyl and 2 cassettes. I don't know the reason much because no one buys CDs in the UK or USA right? (only a few collectors still buy cds..) but Vinyl prices are going high in Japan because retail prices over there and also postage, USD/EURO rate in Japan etc.. This means there is worth to my label and what we are doing now through RETRIBUTE RECORDS.
Apart from running NERDS full time, what are other projects you are currently involved in?
H: Yeah we have stacked releases in 2024 on my label. The 1st release is DOMAIN.
We are working with great labels that are very active and popular in the hardcore scene world wide, like Triple-B, DAZE, FLATSPOT, CLOSED CASKET etc... We will announce new releases next week from your England. Also just announced a MOURNING/TEMPLE GUARD Japan tour. We released their full length on my label in 2022/2023 so stoked for this UKHC takeover tour in May. Also I am ready for the new release of my band LOYAL TO THE GRAVE in a few months. I will be involved in this release as well so we have many plans. And I have a few tours as well. Watch out!
In Japanese hardcore, what would you say are the bands to pay attention to at the moment? Is there an obvious direction things are heading right now?
H: Yeah, the Japan hardcore scene is growing up well! Lots of new bands are playing in the scene and they are organising shows by themselves and releasing material actively. Also older bands are still opening up the scene so we are one in the hardcore scene. VIEW FROM THE SOYUZ, DECASION, TIVE, ALSEID, TRUE FIGHT, UNHOLY11, played on our NERDS FEST and RETRIBUTE TOUR end of last year. They are doing great as young gunz. Also mighty KRUELTY, GATES OF HOPELESS, NUMB, SAIGAN TERROR, SUPERSTRUCTURE, DOMINATE, BYBO, NERVOUS LIGHT OF SUNDAY... many more haha.
Thank you so much for your time and especially for the hospitality I’ve got in Japan from you and all the HC community. I hope to be back next year and I’ll be definitely hitting NERDS to fill up my luggage with cool records.
You can find NERDS here:
Japan, 〒150-0042 Tokyo, Shibuya City, Udagawacho, 11−11, Ryukou Building, 4F
Like every year I want to highlight my Top 10 releases. My choices, as always, are very subjective, emotionally dictated, biassed and heavily influenced by the company of Lee Jones, his “opinions” and lots of weed and endless discussions about Japanese music. Here, in random order. Enjoy!
IT’S ALL GOOD
It’s my absolute no 1 (randomly) that came out in 2023! Pure banger of an album, hard as fuck and so well produced. This couldn’t go wrong. The band consists of big names in Japanese hardcore, and this is their first full album since they formed in 2019. It’s been worth waiting for! As I mentioned before, this is top shelf hardcore with super dense beats and riffs for days. Proper gangsta shit!
Released on 18th March 2023 via BOWLHEAD INC.
2. FIGHT IT OUT ‘Skinhead Grind’
Smashing! On every level. I mean absolutely crushing. Not only in its heaviness but in its frantic, whiplashing pace and changeability. Flinging you from disjointed blast beats into an old school Bboy frenzy without you even questioning it.
Released on 3rd Nov 2023 via BOWLHEAD INC.
3. KILLOUT ‘Spirit of ‘83’
KILLOUT have made such a comeback after over 10 years!
How genius this album is?! Such an old school sound and so much personality to it. The whole album is fast and they managed to keep the tempo throughout the whole album and also keep it interesting all the way, without making all the songs sound the same and getting boring, not an easy task! Fucking diamond of an album!
Released on 29th April 2023.
4. KRUELTY ‘Untopia’
KRUELTY amazed me from the very first time I heard them, somewhere around their first release, and they keep evolving and keep their standards so high, it’s great! Great to see the band who has a capability of combining a few genres in one album so easily and effortlessly and making it sound just epic.
I think on this particular album hc influences manifest more through brutal intensity and occasional trashy/punk tempo, especially in drumming parts, but what glues this album (and previous albums) is the trademark sludgy death metal akin to perhaps autopsy or grief.
It's a completely balanced album on a scale of brutal hardcore and gory death metal, without sacrificing on either end. Also nice that it's mostly sung in Japanese.
Released on 17th March 2023.
5. ‘Obscured Mortality’ 3-way split: DOOMS OF GHETTO / HORSEHEAD NEBULA / Vice City Slave
The heaviest shit out of 2023. Dark, violent, slow, ugly and epic. I’ve just described this entire album in five words. And that’s what it is. Not an ounce of bullshit. Pure violence. I just love it!
Released on 27th Sep 2023.
6. BLINDSIDE ‘Promo 2023’
Only 2 songs, but definitely worth making an effort to check out. A great addition to the already impressive back catalogue. I have a feeling that they're gonna hit us hard next year. I hope they will, such a great band!
Released on 15th July 2023.
7. VIEW FROM THE SOYUZ ‘Immaculate’ ep
Immaculate album with almost too good of a production job that is so brilliantly good, you have to admire it. I saw them live and I just fell in love with their energy and intensity and HAD to check the album out, even though I normally listen to less “melodic” stuff. They really hit me like some of the high end and well established bands out there like Darkest Hour. A well earnt place on this list.
Released on 10th February 2023.
8. GUIDING ‘Will / Anger’ 10” double A-side mini LP
Yes, it’s Chopstick’s own release, so obviously I’d include it here as my very personal choice. It has that old school sound, and it’s done so well. It’s actually refreshing to see that there are bands who still draw inspiration from 1988 and continue to do it a tremendous justice. ‘Burning Spirits' and ‘youth crew’ mixed together in the best way possible.
Released on (fuck knows what to put here…pressing plant fuck up!) 10th Dec 2023
9. SETE STAR SEPT ‘The Judgement By Reaper’
This band have impressed me over and over with an anarchic jazz noise that seems totally chaotic and unruly until a melody suddenly somehow finds its way seamlessly sitting at the forefront of it all. A grind band grinding the way grind should be ground!
Released on 7th April 2023 via 4iB Records.
10. TAMAKI ‘珠鬼’ EP
TAMAKI have just dropped this sick debut ep, raw hardcore punk at its best. They are just emerging and I’m sure they will be noticed and appreciated by those who like straightforward but hard hitting, fast hardcore. Real badass as a virginity taking release, I already can’t wait for what they come up with next.
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