Dig A Hole - The Cost of Digging EP [1998]

I've had this sitting on my computer for awhile, just been procrastinating. Here is the earliest recording I have from Dig A Hole. It's pretty much what you would expect from them, noisy post-hardcore/post-punk from the late 90's. They were one of the few bands around at the time doing this sort of stuff. Their contemporaries in Tokyo (Wall, Swipe) and Sapporo (Next Style, Dignity For All) were pursuing a similar sound, but in totally different places. The scene in Japan was not so closely knit back then, so I'm not sure how much those bands played together despite having similar sounds.

When I scanned this art in, I saw that they have actually released another album. This means my "Dig a Hole" collection isn't complete (sadface). Tag Rag released it, but I don't know of a really good way of finding old shit in Japan other than being over there and scouring used CD places. Well, I prefer Dig a Hole's later stuff anyways, so maybe it's not a total loss. Apologies to Arthur for it taking so long for me to post this!

Dig A Hole - The Cost of Digging EP

1. My Habit of Saying

2. Words Eye

3. Instant Life

4. Recirc

5. One (Live)

Creep - My Self Portrait [1999]

I first heard Creep on the split they released with a couple of other Kansai bands (Unfold Split) and was hungry to find more recordings. In 2002, I was at school in Kansai, so it wasn't too hard to find things from these bands. I believe I was looking in a box of clearance CDs at a random music store and found this. At first, I wasn't entirely sure that it was the same band that I was looking for. But, it was discounted enough that I gave it a shot.

Turns out, this is a Creep release that came well before the split, but it's still amazing. It has a really strong San Diego feel, which is caught between Unbroken-era and Swing Kids-era stuff. Still, so good. It has that dark, misanthropic mood that is so fully realized in The Carnival of Dark-Split.

Anyways, enjoy this. It's a really good showing of non-Tokyo, pre-2000 Japanese hardcore/screamo.

Creep - My Self Portrait

1. Intro

2. Entered Me

3. Cynicism

4. Narrow

5. Link Up

6. Wall

7. Nothing