We also saw more Japanese underground music being released outside of Japan, with the Blue Friend LP being released by Dog's Knight Productions in England, Heaven in Her Arms/Cohol split LP from Moment of Collapse Records in Germany, and several Japanese releases from the now-defunct Keep It Together Records (USA) and Imminent Destruction Records (UK). All in all, a banner year for Japanese music and 2015 looks to be even better!
Before we move on, thought, let's take a look back at some of the best releases from this year. This is totally my opinion, so don't be offended if your favorite release isn't on here.
1. Tetola93 - Self-Titled
It should make sense that a record I sunk a crap-ton of cash into this year is the same that I loved the most. I've been watching Tetola93 since around 2011 when I first heard them, and I'm thankful that I was able to help get this out. This album is Tetola93's final output, re-recording some of their best songs and adding in a few new ones. From start to finish, it is breath-taking, with a focused originality that few bands have these days. Taking queues from German emo-violence bands and Japanese epic screamo bands, Tetola93 create a unique sound entirely their own. For that reason, I suspect that a lot of people won't truly get what they're doing. That's always the case with bands breaking new ground, I guess. Years later, people might actually appreciate or copy what they're doing, but for the present only a few of us will recognize the best album of the year for what it is.
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2. Isolate - Hibinokoto
Since Isolate's first mind-blowing EP, they've constantly evolved with each output. That first EP was so good and focused, that with their subsequent release's exploration of a more atmospheric sound, I was a little bit lost. This album, their first full-length, pulls it all together. Isolate has truly harnessed their exact sound and they ruthlessly drag the listener through 14 tracks of their madness. I was so excited for this, I pre-ordered it from Japan, and it totally blew me away. Typically Japanese bands have a certain type of recording quality, a certain type of song-writing, and this is what I love about Japanese music. With this album, Isolate has really split from their country and created something that is quite place-less. The recording quality is claustrophobic and punishing, the melodies occasionally nostalgic, like most Japanese bands, but also bizarre and frightening. The entire album feels extremely focused and cohesive. With an album like this, I really think that Isolate has potential to break out in the world. Irregardless, if you don't get this, you're missing out on the cutting edge of heavy music.
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Amazon Japan (CD)
3. Fog / Weave split
Here we have a split album showcasing two of the best emo bands in Japan. Both are showing some Bluebeard influence, but have such strong song-writing they don't sound derivative or boring. The bands share every other track, so both sounds are interwoven on a single listen. Usually this approach can be pretty painful when one band is weaker than the other or if the genres are too disparate. But this split is the exception where both bands are similar enough that they play on the same emotions but different enough that each one is unique.
Fog is from Kyoto, and this is their first proper release. Their songs are truly magnificent. Their early sound was more screamo, and you can tell they have a tendency to get aggressive and epic in their tracks. Looking forward to more from them, for sure.
Weave is from Tokyo and this is their first follow-up after their excellent 2013 full album. They continue to show that they are one of the best emo bands in Japan right now, with a solid and consistent sound. Three tracks that definitely up the quality over their album.
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4. Zdzis Law / Herlens split
Well, the Zdzis Law songs do not disappoint. Five tracks here that are impossibly fast and precise with tons of passion. They do take some liberties in the tracks to expand on their sound that I find a little out of place, but I wouldn't say it ruins any of the songs.
Herlens is definitely a surprise on the last part of this split. From Osaka, I've heard their name for some time but somehow thought they were a pop punk band (not that there's anything wrong with that, John). Their 5 tracks here are definitely not pop punk. They're more of a mix of Japanese epic screamo and a tinge of emo-violence. It's hard to place them, but they definitely play solid, heavy screamo.
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5. Heaven In Her Arms / Cohol split
This LP release was a wonderful surprise, coming from Germany's Moment of Collapse Records. I already had the CD from it's initial release in 2013, but vinyl is always more welcome.
Heaven in Her Arms. You've all heard them, you all love them. Here are three new songs that are more brutal and post-rocky than ever before. It's nice to see their style continuing to develop. It seems like they are really taking a lot of influence by blackened screamo like Celeste. I only wish there was less post-rocky songs (only one of the three tracks even has vocals).
Cohol's songs really impress on this split. Cohol has been around for over ten years now, and in that time has developed a completely unique metal sound that takes a lot from the Japanese screamo scene (guitarist/vocalist Itaru was also in The Black Line Fever and Henoa). These three tracks capture the oppressive viciousness that the band has always been searching for.
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6. Asthenia / Blue Friend / Calculator split
Released in conjunction with the Calculator tour of Japan in August 2014, hosted by Blue Friend & Asthenia, this split CD sees the best songs from all 3 bands on one release. Blue Friend presents two tracks that weren't on their 2014-released album. Honestly, I like these songs better than anything on the album. They feel much more confident in their sound and are more cohesive, mixing the European screamo sound with the Japanese aesthetic. Asthenia's track is solid, continuing the approach from their recent 10" release. Their sound is consistently awesome, channeling old school US and UK screamo. The two Calculator tracks are re-released from another split. They are awesome, as expected.
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7. Saisa - Aftermath
Saisa continue to put out some of the best post-rock in the world. Aftermath, their 2014 EP, is only 3 tracks long, but demonstrate just how it's done to all the other wannabes. Adding some strong piano to their tracks and a touch of synth only adds to the epic, dreamy nature of each track. There are no surprises here, but that's kind of what I wanted. Great recording quality, great song-writing. After a full-length in 2013, I hope that this is just a stop-gap for an album in the works for 2015.
8. Zenands Gots - 暗夜に蠢く
Zenands Gots was mostly a mystery to me before this album. I'd seen their name on flyers of Stubborn Father concerts, but couldn't find anything online. When I got my hands on this album, I knew the wait was worth it. Zenands Gots is a two-piece experimental grind band from Tokyo. Their music is fascinating and brutal, the recording belies the band's few members. The drums especially stand out with complex rhythms that are constantly interesting and changing. The only downside to this album is how short the 14 minutes (7 songs) feels, since it blazes by at a breakneck pace.
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9. Swarrrm - Flower
Swarrrm has long been one of my favorite bands. Each new album brings new experimentation in grind, they constantly keep things fresh and unexpected. 2014's Flower is no exception. The album starts out with an almost acoustic track with rumbling growled vocals over it. The second track sounds like some sort of rock ballad with the same tortured vocals. By the third track, the grind engine has started and things get expectedly grindy. Throughout, Swarrrm pushes the envelope on song structure, rhythm, melody, and instrumentation. Flower sees Swarrrm trying some new things, but they maintain their position as the kings of Japanese grind.
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HandShake Inc. Releasing on Vinyl Soon! (USA)
Amazon (Japan)
10. Stereo Type - Anthology
Stereo Type, a long-running post-rock band from Tokyo, announced their disbanding earlier this year. As one final hurrah, they released a best of album, Anthology, to prove to everyone that they were one of the best post-rock bands ever. I've followed them for awhile, but really started to take notice with their Out of Sight, Out of Mind EP from last year. This final album collects songs from all over their history and gives the listener a wide range of styles to illustrate Stereo Type's mastery of them all. Post-rock is not my favorite genre, but strong songs that have a defined sense of mood to them definitely appeal to me. That's what I get out of this album, very focused songs with expert instrumentation. Definitely one of the best instrumental rock releases of the year.
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Strange Tales Records (USA)
Further Platonix Records (Japan)
