Japanese Rock & Metal

Generic Dreadhead

Deserves it's own thread maybe?

Granted a lot of the Rock is better than the Metal.
But seriously the amount of good bands they are putting out is crazy.
It's come up on a number of threads before so I just want to see if there's sufficient interest to warrant a discussion.
A lot of stuff from bands there is surpassing their European/American equivalents IMHO.
Plus the bands seem to hit the ground running and generally have a very cohesive sound by their 1st full album.

Is this down to culture?
Are asian kids learning violin at the age of 3 preparing them musically to compose good rock/metal when they hit adulthood?
Is there less of a binge drinking culture allowing bands to actually work and focus on music at weekends when we are all drunk/hungover.
Will there be much dishonour brought on their family if they preform badly at gigs?
Are they less resentful and more open to change/ideas so embrace cross-genre music more?
Are they ahead of the curve technology wise and have better home or professional studios?
..... something something small hands something easier guitar playing something (joking)

Obviously these questions are somewhat tounge in cheek but is there a glimmer of truth maybe?

Generic Dreadhead

I'll kick things off with this gem

GLaDOS

Can't say I listen to much, but I love these guys

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=05uI1tjBlHU

gizmo

Since it was on this forum that I was first introduced to this lot, it's only fair I return the favour.

Generic Dreadhead

^^^ This.... This I like

Links234

Cormac... wrote: »

Is this down to culture?

Japan just has an incredible rock and metal scene, and that's all it's down to. People don't seem to realize just how thriving it is, or how popular rock and metal music is in Japan, you'd need to see it to experience it. Some of the best nights of my life were hanging out in dingy rock bars in Osaka, or one time seeing The Sex Machineguns do an in store event at HMV, you kinda get a sense of how big the scene is, and just how incredibly vibrant it is. This is the country that took Marty Friedman, and gave him his own TV show, so yeah, let that sink in.

There's also a huge variety of genres and styles, so you'll have something very Japan-specific like Visual Kei, or more western influenced genres, like Death Metal and the Japanese just take it and do their own thing with it. You could be a fan of any kinda subgenre and you'd find there's Japanese bands will be doing it, and doing it extremely well.

Generic Dreadhead

Soooo, not just down to tiny hands and small servings of saki you say?

I wish i could afford to go -_-

Links234

Anywho, one of my absolutely favouritest bands ever are D If you've not listened to them, do.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AFRIhc8k5yU

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tvs6GcacLtU

The singer, Asagi, is one of my favourites too, mainly because of the diversity of styles he throws in, from clean vocals to more aggressive styles, and his sheer range, he goes from really deep to high in a moment, it's unreal.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RX_VZubr6Lo

Links234

Cormac... wrote: »

Soooo, not just down to tiny hands and small servings of saki you say?

I wish i could afford to go -_-

No, not at all. Also, if you think the Japanese don't binge drink, you've never seen the salarymen staggering home, or being bunged into a taxi or being helped onto the train by mates. The corporate work culture is nuts over there, so when these guys go out, they go ****ing insane. Kinda strange if you don't expect to see these businessmen in nice tidy suits getting absolutely ****faced, but yeah... no bingedrinking culture my ass! :pac:

westernfrenzy

Links234

By the way Cormac, as an aside from the other thread, if you enjoy bands who mix some electronic elements into their music, then seriously check these out:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lk22alvpfpQ

I saw Girugamesh live back in June and they were absolutely incredible, amazing live:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FyRI1SCT-C8

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_xxmkj7JRcs

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LvphbOzspZY

Links234

gizmo wrote: »

Since it was on this forum that I was first introduced to this lot, it's only fair I return the favour.

You missed out on the video for Alien, which NEEDS to be seen the whole way through! Absolutely incredible video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TdwT5JlH8gM

Generic Dreadhead

WTF did I just watch :pac:

Links234

Cormac... wrote: »

WTF did I just watch :pac:

I don't know, what did you just watch?

Also, one of the most ****ed up vids I've ever seen, NSFW:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qpuYs1DE97k

spiritcrusher

Japanese metal? There can be only one...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UQHhcEjtpp4

The two European guys are just live musicians.

Links234

****ing love this video

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mu2z4Uf9Tgc

Dublin Red Devil

How dare you start a Japanese Rock/Metal thread and not Headline with

BABYMETAL


Blasphemy!

Links234

Dublin Red Devil wrote: »

How dare you start a Japanese Rock/Metal thread and not Headline with

Because there is so much more than just Babymetal, so very very much more.

SilverScreen

Boris obviously

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gbw62iCsS34

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3ocS6IGaaT8

Dublin Red Devil

Links234 wrote: »

Because there is so much more than just Babymetal, so very very much more.

Just go see them man. They come back to London in November. They are absolutely ****ing unreal, You will be blown away.

Reiketsu

I think Dir en grey are the best band in the world and everyone who thinks otherwise is wrong :pac:. All jokes aside though, Japan produces some amazing stuff. I'm off to see Sukekiyo next month and I have no doubt it'll be great . I also really like Nocturnal Bloodlust, Boris, D'espairsRay. I like MUCC's older stuff too.

Grayditch

This will become a one man Babymetal thread by next week

Links234

Reiketsu wrote: »

I think Dir en grey are the best band in the world and everyone who thinks otherwise is wrong :pac:. All jokes aside though, Japan produces some amazing stuff. I'm off to see Sukekiyo next month and I have no doubt it'll be great . I also really like Nocturnal Bloodlust, Boris, D'espairsRay. I like MUCC's older stuff too.

Still gotta check out Sukekiyo myself, but enjoy yourself!

Gotta share the Nocturnal Bloodlust love!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a9pdYssTH74

But yeah, some of the best metal bands by far are coming from Japan these days! Love me some X-Japan, Versailles, Deluhi, Sadie, Nightmare, Lynch., exist†trace, Blood Stain Child, Gyze, Sigh, Jupiter, and so much more!

Links234

Grayditch wrote: »

This will become a one man Babymetal thread by next week

Not if I can help it There's too much awesome music from Japan, and I'll keep posting different bands for folks to check out

Here, try Imperial Circus Dead Decadence

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LD3baPUqa2E

Not your thing? Maybe try Intestine Baalism

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yS1CAdCwDHw

How about something thrashier?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bngeWVxWC7A

Grayditch

Mong Hang

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gfzMRWCWRKY

Links234

Grayditch wrote: »

Mong Hang

...

I got nothing

Grayditch

They toured with Tub Ring years ago, heard of them through listening to them guys.

Always put a smile on my face.

Links234

Wouldn't quite be my thing Grayditch, but they're damned interesting!

Actually, another band I absolutely love but forgot to mention earlier is Matenrou Opera, and I'm posting this song in particular because it shows off something that I find very unique to Japanese metal, that amazing vibrato the singer has, it's just one of those things that draws me to a lot of Japanese music in general.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=72RbMHylx2M

Grayditch

Links234 wrote: »

How about something thrashier?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bngeWVxWC7A

This, I can get behind.

Links234

Grayditch wrote: »

This, I can get behind.

In that case, some more that might be of interest to you!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vdRZPvlS2PQ

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QkMTdigY0oI

Rothko

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XmqLn-GMQfg

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z77nkj4DrhY

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8jN8SII8ytI

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZWWa8nEMjT4

SilverScreen

I love Boredoms. One thing Japan is great at is producing bat****-crazy experimental music.

Links234

See, I think this thread has more than enough going for it and more than enough interest for it to be taken over by a single poster with a questionable obsession. The amount of different things being posted shows what an incredible music scene Japan has, there's stuff that's being posted I've never listened to that I'm going to take the time to later. This is a pretty god damn awesome thread, and put a huge smile on my face

Another band I love is Sadie, and I think this song gives a good idea as to why they're awesome, it's just so dark and atmospheric

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kl_ZjcoqVzI

And I haven't even gotten to Versailles or Deluhi yet

Links234

Going more oldschool, any love for X Japan?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7NVEpqTTjkY

Dublin Red Devil

Sakura Gakuin. Yes their an idol group but "Ganbare"! (Hang in there/Keep going) is by far their most rock song. Also their most successful single in their 4 year run to date

I know what you're thinking. Wait! "Did I just recognize two of the most awesome heavy metal performers in the world today in that video?


Yes you did. That is Yuimetal and Moametal.

Yes 2/7 of the most F'cked Up, Insane, Ridiculously Awesome band there has ever been. BABYMETAL!

lord lucan

I'm going to nip this in the bud now before it goes too far. I get that DublinRedDevil loves BabyMetal and fair play,nothing wrong with that. But if threads are going to be spammed full of BabyMetal then i'm going to start deleting posts. This thread has had some great stuff in it and we'd like to keep it that way.

Angron

The main Japanese metal band I'd listen to would be, by a wide margin, Sigh.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NfRGvrfdpds

Cracking band, I wouldn't mind seeing them live some day.

DazMarz

The only Japanese metal band I listen to with any great degree of seriousness is EZO. Produced by Gene Simmons, they were really Americanised and glammed up to fit into the late-80's paradigm of metal.

Having seen some of the more modern Japanese metal bands and all the glam stuff they go in for, I can't help but think that EZO were the grand-daddies of them all, in some shape or form. EZO were awesome in their day. A bit esoteric (their début album is all over the place in terms of genre; is it glam? is it hard rock? is it thrash? who fukken knows...), but undeniably good.

The image:





The sound:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Zt6W35zIYc

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2uTnwVJoJ78

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sF45RmBO72g

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xwc_XAryLlg

Links234

DazMarz wrote: »

Having seen some of the more modern Japanese metal bands and all the glam stuff they go in for, I can't help but think that EZO were the grand-daddies of them all, in some shape or form.

You know, you do hit onto something, the glam aesthetics were a big part of the formative Japanese metal scene in the early 80's and they took in a lot of influence from different styles like early thrash and glam, mixed it all together and came up with their own thing, Visual Kei. But the real grand-daddies of them all are none other than X-Japan.



Probably the most influencial band in the Japanese metal scene, and the term "Visual Kei" even originated from them. In terms of the particular look, X-Japan guitarist Hide (RIP) was and still is an icon.



Musically, the term Visual Kei is incredibly broad, bands under the VK banner can be incredibly diverse, and there's a lot of genre-hopping to begin with. Along come Malice Mizer and add distinctively goth rock styles into the mix, accompanying aesthetic and all:



But then evolving to encorporate more and more elaborate costumes, their stage shows were incredible.





And, if you've ever wondered where the whole Gothic Lolita fashion style in Japan came from? It was Malize Mizer guitarist Mana:





Then you can kinda see where that brings us to more modern bands, such as Versailles, the hair, the makeup, the faux-Rococo inspired costumes.



So there you go

DazMarz

Didn't realise that X Japan came out before Loudness and EZO. That's me told...

Links234

DazMarz wrote: »

Didn't realise that X Japan came out before Loudness and EZO. That's me told...

Oh they didn't, while X Japan were formed around the same time, early 80's, the likes of EZO, Loudness and Anthem were releasing albums before X Japan. But in terms of how they influenced the Japanese rock and metal scene, X Japan absolutely eclipses the others. They practically started the whole Visual Kei scene, you can still hear their musical influence, not just the aesthetic style.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hF9unwhikO4

yknaa

Along with Loudness I can only really recall Vow Wow.

Also Marty Friedman seems to big a big hit there. New 'Inferno' album out now

http://www.rollingstone.com/music/features/life-after-deth-how-megadeths-marty-friedman-became-a-japanese-superstar-20140819

youtube!

To this day I consider "Thunder in the East" by loudness one of the greatest metal albums of all time from any country in fact I would have it at number 2 behind only Rust in Piece.

Generic Dreadhead

This.... just this.... love the delay effect on the intro:

Also fun chorus is fun :pac::pac::pac:

Generic Dreadhead

Also "Maximum the Hormone" are really growing on me

Links234

So, one band I know there's a couple of fans of here are Dir En Grey, and what a ****ing band they are! I found them hard to get into, but their music is always an incredible listen, they've been quite the genre-hoppers over their careers, and have this incredible prog/death that's just so dark and atmospheric.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=APITF3yAvGQ

It's just pure art

Cormac... wrote: »

Also "Maximum the Hormone" are really growing on me

Glad you're enjoying them! Awesome band, but I really need to get their new album too

Generic Dreadhead

I had to share that this happened just yesterday mere hours after my related post, me and this guy never talk about music ever (he's a gamer friend of mine)
What the sweet sam hell are the actual odds of this happening :pac::pac::pac:

darconio

Epic thread, I discovered some great bands previously unknown to me: thank you guys!
Here's my contribution

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=196Xf3TXprk

Links234

Galneryus are just so cheesy good!

Syu is a ****ing monster guitarist! :eek:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-hL-iO86vdI

darconio

Links234 wrote: »

You missed out on the video for Alien, which NEEDS to be seen the whole way through! Absolutely incredible video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TdwT5JlH8gM

After watching this video I feel like I've started experimenting with LSD :eek:
When the cartoon starts is a different song? Fukin' epic!

Not a band but these guys are quite amazing:

BlaasForRafa

Seriously how can there be a Japanese metal thread and no mention of Sabbat? 30 years thrashin and they're still going. I remember in the 90's getting some of the "Harmaggedon" singles from distros like Russ Smith and Malicious records, class stuff

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IGJRl-dMa9Y

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x8cdApYHHgQ