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Japanese metal recommendations

Posted: Fri Aug 11, 2006 9:40 am
by The Sentinel
I'm not to familiar with the Japanese Metal scene from the 80's and was wondering if these following bands are worth getting:

EX DANGER
PARANOIA
WOLF
DEAD END
BELLZLLEB
CASHBAH
HELLEN

Thanks in advance !!

Posted: Fri Aug 11, 2006 10:06 am
by omen of hate
I only know CASBAH. They were playin' Speed/Thrash and they had an album of album out in late 80's.
I have their "Infinite Pain" demo (released in '87 ???). It's quite average ,...

Posted: Fri Aug 11, 2006 12:40 pm
by DaN
I´m a bit behind on plenty of old Jpn Metal myself. A lot of what I´ve heard is way too slick and/or melodic (in a commercial way) and there seem to be a lack of really good, heavy, Power/HM stuff from this country. I still haven't gotten over the disappointment of that CROWLEY LP.

The best full-length I've heard so far is BREEZE LEAST's only LP. You might have trouble finding an original, but this is seriously an album everyone should at least try to get on mp3 or cdr. Killer NON-commercial melodic Metal!

SEIKIMA-II did a few good ones as well. Pretty european-sounding trad HM, although most Japanese hard-core metalheads seem to hate them because of their image.
DEAD END
BELLZLLEB
CASHBAH
HELLEN
I've only heard DEAD ENDs MLP. Sounded like pretty slick US Metal, but not that special songwise.
BELLZLLEB I'm desperately searching for myself. It's supposed to be occult Doom(!) although probably not Doom in a traditional sense if I know my Jpn-weirdness well. Their "Satanic Metal" flexi is one of my top-wants.
I have the "Russian Roulette" 7" '86 by CASBAH. It's pretty kool deathlike Thrash. I would love to hear their 1st live flexi from '85. Their later material is more American sounding thrash.
HELLEN was a disappointment for me. Way too melodic/commercial to deserve all that collector hype.

To me the early 7"s of the Jpn Metal scene look more interesting than most of the albums. See my wantlist for reference.

Posted: Fri Aug 11, 2006 5:07 pm
by xr2m
DaN wrote: BELLZLLEB I'm desperately searching for myself. It's supposed to be occult Doom(!) although probably not Doom in a traditional sense if I know my Jpn-weirdness well.
Believe it or not, but there are BELLZLLEB videos on Youtube:

http://www.youtube.com/results?search_q ... rch=Search

Posted: Fri Aug 11, 2006 6:06 pm
by DaN
AAAAARRRGH!!!! :twisted: :twisted: :twisted:

Total Japanese Insanity!!! Dark, twisted and weird - just the way I love it, even if I sensed some off-center BIG BLACK/MELVINS influences there as well. MUST - HAVE - BELLZLLEB!!!

Posted: Fri Aug 11, 2006 7:02 pm
by The Sentinel
Thanks for the info sofar. The BREEZE LEAST is indeed a killer, some incredible guitar shredding to be heard on that one. I'm also looking for that bastard quite some time now.

I saw that CASBAH 7" once at a market and didn't pick it up because I thought it would be nothing, AAARRGH, well next time I know better then...

Posted: Sat Aug 12, 2006 7:00 am
by Junkyard Barbarian
omen of hate wrote:I only know CASBAH. They were playin' Speed/Thrash and they had an album of album out in late 80's.
I have their "Infinite Pain" demo (released in '87 ???). It's quite average ,...
:shock: :shock: :shock:
I guess tastes are tastes, but I always considered "Infinite Pain" to be excellent, even wonderful stuff when it comes to 80s death/thrash, it is even one of my favourite tape in the genre... oh well :o

Posted: Sat Aug 12, 2006 3:10 pm
by Hellhammer
My fave might be Xenolith Oger

Wolf

Posted: Sat Aug 12, 2006 9:48 pm
by Fils Du Metal
I can recommend if you love Japanese "power" metal with some melody and really strong vocals. Otherwise: BREEZE LEAST and for sure the CROWLEY 8"...an absoulte must-have if you don't mind the little bit high-piteched Japanese vocals... there are 16 Crowley songs I know. some real good some not so fine on the LP. But the 8" is very hard to get. HELLEN in my eyes is below average heavy rock.
Other great stuff is PROWLER, EXCULIVER, MEIN KAMPF, UNITED

Posted: Sun Aug 13, 2006 10:54 am
by DaN
I second your opinion of the CROWLEY 8" and UNITED (at least the debut EP), Peter. Some of the finest asian metal ever recorded.

I got the second demo by epic metal gods BRAVE BOMBER a while back. It's possibly the best 90's 'Manowarian' Metal I've heard. Someone mail me their first demo please....

Posted: Fri Aug 18, 2006 2:41 am
by speedmetalpunk
crowley for sure

love them

see avatar for example of my love haha

Posted: Thu Aug 24, 2006 9:06 pm
by omen of hate
DaN wrote:I second your opinion of the CROWLEY 8" and UNITED (at least the debut EP), Peter. Some of the finest asian metal ever recorded.

I got the second demo by epic metal gods BRAVE BOMBER a while back. It's possibly the best 90's 'Manowarian' Metal I've heard. Someone mail me their first demo please....
I've just finished listening to Crowley's "Whisper of the Evil" and it's brilliant !!

Another great band we forgot to mention : Genocide. Their "Black Sanctuary"is good.

Posted: Fri Aug 25, 2006 8:05 am
by ION BRITTON
DaN wrote: I got the second demo by epic metal gods BRAVE BOMBER a while back. It's possibly the best 90's 'Manowarian' Metal I've heard. Someone mail me their first demo please....
I have a demo of these epic metal freaks from 1990. Is it the first one or the second one? It includes a 10 minute opus called March to Death. Is this the one you have Dan? I can send it to you through e-mail. Care doing a trade?

Posted: Fri Aug 25, 2006 8:27 am
by ION BRITTON
You must also check these two releases as well:

STINGRAY - The Legend 12" (It includes two very fine epic hard rock songs, a more melodic tune and also an awful experimental track!)

CRY-MAX - S/t 8" (Straight forward Accept-ish heavy metal, very tight, strong vocals, not your ordinary Nippon metal release!)


The EX- DANGER EP you mentioned is quite good too. Some sort of classic epic metal in the vein of Rainbow and Dio, with memorable songs and well-made production. Two versions exist, each one w/ different cover!

Posted: Fri Aug 25, 2006 8:30 am
by ION BRITTON
P.S. Am i the only one who likes the debut album of SABBRABELLS?