Nice View - Thirteen Views With... [2005]

Nice View is a long running Japanese thrash/hardcore band. I don't know many details about them, but they've got plenty of releases before this one. This is their first album on Sonzai Records, though (Tetsu from envy's label). 13 tracks of hi-octane Japanese thrash. I'm not sure who to compare this to, it's awesome though.

Nice View - Thirteen Views With...

1. scene #1

2. 崖っぷち

3. 泥の誘惑

4. ラジオの向こう

5. scene #2

6. タ焼けとモンスター

7. ロースハム（for empty head）

8. deaf ear

9. scene #3

10. 残像

11. sense of doubt

12. フールの誕生 (karaoke mix)

13. ready to accept

Balloons - 9:40 p.m. [2003]

Sorry this is so late. I kind of had a different idea for releases this week before deciding on the current theme but... whatever.

If you're not familiar with them, this is Balloons first album. They have members of 3cm tour (the bassist, I think), [Update: I don't think this is true. I looked at the members of both bands and there aren't any matching names in the credits. Now I can't even remember where I heard this.] and maybe some other bands. My memory's fuzzy and the internet is useless for that kind of stuff.

Anyways, some really smooth math-rocky emo with good sung vocals. This stuff is just nice. Reminds me of No Knife a bit, but like I wrote earlier, just about everything in Japan does. Balloons is really, really good. If you like almost anything that isn't white noise, country, or porno grind, then you will probably like Balloons. Check it out!

Balloons - 9:40 p.m.

1. Anonymity

2. Is This Really the Way It Is

3. Einige Dinge Die Ich Weiss

4. Measly Arguments

5. Last Front

6. Go Outside of You

7. The Biggest Numbers

8. Excess Baggage

9. 9:40 P.M.

10. Flotsam

Infro - Demo [2005]

I first heard infro on the first "Here Comes the Bottom Line..." compilation from Impulse Records. They had two songs that just rocked so good. There sound takes some cues from 1000travels of Jawaharlal, Turbostaat, and early envy. Kind of that whole rocking, but melodic, and screaming punk or hardcore. Not sure what to call it, but it's great. But what I think makes infro so good is that they get better the more you listen to them. Their music is so deep. There's so much going on that you won't notice at first. Listening to this demo again after 7 years, I'm still finding new things to love about it.

Luckily for humankind, these guys are still fucking rocking out. Their site has tons of information, and they even put out a split 7" last year. Impulse Records has put out an almost album (7 songs) and another EP, which is a good amount of stuff to sink your teeth into (I'll probably be posting Melody soon).

Funny note: in searching for this video below, I found that a shit ton of youtube people don't fucking know how spell "info." It's not "infro" you dummies. God!

Infro - 1st Demo

1. Magatta Senaka

2. Digidigi

The Black Line Fever - Self-Titled [2005]

The closest thing that these guys did to a full-length. What else can I say about The Black Line Fever? They were a once in a lifetime band that played with such honesty and fury. One of my favorites that ended too soon.

The Black Line Fever - Self-Titled

1. intro

2. dryflower

3. 974

4. ground level:44

5. am i

6. friends are strangers

7. lights in the cage

8. god speed

Heaven in Her Arms - Self-Titled CD-R [2005]

Salvation Records was one of the first (if not the first) to start releasing and evangelizing the new Japanese screamo movement (this is at the turn of the millennium). I contacted Jerome when I was just starting my distro, and ordered some copies of his first release (Black Film Dance - John's LP). Jerome continued to release incredible stuff, as well as cultivating an amazing distro full of ultra-rare Japanese things.

One of his great ideas was releasing a CD-R from Heaven in Her Arms, still in their youth as a band at the time. I'd heard their first demo before that, and was not impressed at all. Until I heard the first track on this CD-R, I was questioning Jerome's judgement, but the band had completely changed. I don't know if HIHA got new members, or just had a "Come to Jesus," but they fucking brought it for this CD-R and their releases after this have been top notch.

Heaven in Her Arms - Self-Titled 

1. a secret signal... here is...

2. akai yume

3. get out!! (live)

4. a secret signal... here is... (remix)

5. akai yume (remix)