Last year, Julian Cope published his book
Japrocksampler to much acclaim. For the singer/songwriter, author, and antiquarian, the book was a follow up to his now way-out-of-print cult classic
Krautrocksampler, which documented the fertile post-WWII rock scene in Germany.
Japrocksampler gave the same treatment to the history of Japanese hard rock, and its eventual turn to heavy metal, with emphasis on the era between 1951 and 1978.
Today, an entirely new wave of Japanese heavy metal rock bands are dominating the metal world. Below is an overview of essential listening of some of yesterday’s—and today’s—top Japanese rockers.
Blues Creation – Japanese heavy rock and metal owes a serious debt of gratitude to
Blues Creation. Their
Demon & Eleven Children is possibly one of the greatest achievements of heavy rock across any genre, and was a ripple in the Japanese rock world whose effects are still being measured today. The band toured Japan with American rockers Mountain, who broke up shortly after the tour. Mountain bassist Felix Pappalardi, however, went on to produce the next few Creation records.
Essential Listening: Demon & Eleven Children (Nippin/Columbia; 1971)
Flower Travellin’ Band – Japan’s answer to Black Sabbath? You betcha!
Flower Travellin’ Band took biker rock to a logical extreme, and are often credited right along Sabbath as precursors to gut-rumbling doom metal. In fact, they’re on record as the first band to cover the group with their own version of the song “Black Sabbath”. Not to be overshadowed by their U.K. counterparts, FTB were quite a force in their own right before moving in a more prog-influenced direction.
Essential Listening: Satori (1971; Warner Bros.),
Made In Japan (1972; Atlantic)
.jpg "Les Rallizes Dénudés")
Les Rallizes Dénudés –
Dénudés are probably one of the most extreme bands of the 1970s. Their sound was more psychedelic noise than anything else, with layers of cascading wailing feedback and repetitive bass grooves. Not content to just be a band, various members were involved with cult-like organized crime and outsider extremist groups, which all came to a head with the 1970 hijacking of Japan Airlines Flight 351. Although they are frequently name dropped and credited alongside other Japanese heavies, much of their recorded work remained unreleased until a resurgence of interest in the late 90’s.
Essential Listening: Heavier Than a Death in the Family (Ain’t Group Sounds; 2002),
Mizutani (SIXE-0203, 1991)
Boris – We talked about
Boris recently as one of the heaviest metal power trios around. But beyond that they are a hard-as-nails band that has more than held their own, with a prolific output and collaborations with everyone from extreme Japanese noisemaker Merzbow to Sunn0))). Since the 1990s, Boris has pumped out a consistent number of albums, and have burst more than a few eardrums on the road. A Japanese counterpart to Neurosis in their prime would be a good point of reference.
Essential Listening: Akuma No Uta (Southern Lord; 2002),
Pink (Southern Lord; 2006)
.jpg "Acid Mother's Temple")
Acid Mothers Temple – Logical heirs apparent to the Dénudés throne,
Acid Mothers Temple & the Melting Paraiso U.F.O. (Underground Freak Out) are a communal group of psychedelic warriors. The loose constituency incorporates Hawkwind, Blues Creation, and a dose of Stockhausen’s avant-experimentalism into their sound, releasing an average of an album a week. Though hard to keep up with the quality, control seems to be in place and the live experience is unparalleled.
Essential Listening: St. Captain Freak Out and the Magic Bamboo Request (Ektro; 2002),
Crystal Rainbow Pyramid Under the Stars (Important; 2007)
.jpg "Ghost")
Ghost – Since the late 1980s guitarist Masaki Batoh has led various incarnations of
Ghost. Unlike many of their peers their albums are readily available domestically, thus making them more accessible. The band straddles a line between Amon Duul’s repetitive mantra-like drones and the Melvins’ more stomach-rattling moments.
Essential Listening: Self Titled (Drag City; 1991),
In Stormy Nights (Drag City; 2007)