Bonescratch - Diaglam [1996]

Here's an oldie but goodie from the frozen wasteland of Sapporo (actually, not sure how frozen it is cause I've never been. But it sounded cool, right?). This three-piece played throughout the 90's releasing several albums as well as splits with bands like Sawpit and In/Humanity. After they dissolved, members went on to form The Carnival of Dark-Split, Black Film Dance, and eventually Discotortion. So, there's some pretty heavy pedigree here. At some point, one of the members, Hiromichi Kanno, died somehow, which led to the breakup of The Carnival of Dark-Split. I never noticed before, but on the liner notes of the Black Film Dance/Carnival of Dark-Split split CD, they have a goodbye to him. Pretty sad stuff.

Anyways, Bonescratch plays 90's style emotional hardcore. Anybody into Ebullition bands of that day would totally be into this. If you're not, I'd still check out the video below, because these guys seriously ripped.

Bonescratch - Diaglam

1. Ego

2. Diaglam

3. Dust Space

4. 8:2

5. Something Call

6. French Toast

7. Large

8. Why Are You Here?

9. Good Rising

10. Scratch

11. Sleep in Black

12. Little My Eye

13. Nothing Case

14. Promise

The Carnival of Dark-Split / Black Film Dance split [2002]

Ah, one of the "jewels" of my collection. This is one of my favorite CD's I own, which is also one of the rarest. The Sapporo scene always seems really far removed from the rest of the Japanese Underground, so recordings and bands always come out of left field. The great thing about it is that they truly make original music, and these guys are no different.

The Carnival of Dark-Split released a full-length on HG Fact after this, which was amazing. At some point, one of the members died and they disbanded. Members went on to play in The Sun. 

Black Film Dance is the bomb.com. Their sound is so cathartic and textured. These songs are some of their best. Members went on to form The Sun after their dissolution.

You have to listen to this!!!

The Carnival of Dark-Split / Black Film Dance split

1. The Carnival of Dark-Split - Crash the View

2. The Carnival of Dark-Split - Rental Response

3. The Carnival of Dark-Split - Rotten Pupetts

4. The Carnival of Dark-Split - -----

5. Black Film Dance - Flower Silence

6. Black Film Dance - Sometime

7. Black Film Dance - I?

VA - I've Come For Your Children Summer 2003 Sampler [2003]

Here's a little blast from the past. When I first started the I've Come For Your Children distro in 2003, I put together a sampler CD to give out to people (I'm not sure if I even gave them to anyone). It had a track from every release I was carrying at the time, which is on the inside with prices. It also included a track from the demo of my band at the time, The Baldwin Mass Suicide (of which Matt and I went on to form Cease Upon the Capitol, and Roy joined on Bass later).

VA - I've Come For Your Children Summer 2003 Sampler

1. Gauge Means Nothing - Right Hand

2. Envy - Color of Fetters

3. Torico - In the Air

4. Black Film Dance - Escape

5. Amanda Woodward - Pleine de Grace

6. Enforce - Kusari to Kaembin

7. The Jhai Alai - Wise Old Man

8. Iscariote - Moonbeam and the Dark

9. 324 - Quarter Moon

10. Kulara - Your Own Gain

11. The Baldwin Mass Suicide - First You Broke My Heart, Then You Broke the Hula Girl on My Dashboard Confessional

12. Vanilla - Body Fever

13. The Carnival of Dark-Split - New Normal

14. There is a Light That Never Goes Out - Hijou Jitai