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I need some help. Which Japanese Record Labels released European/American metal in Japan? Preferably in the 1980s. What kind of rare metal was released back then, and can you mention some specific releases? I don't mean early Japanese pressings that were pressed in Japan due to the lack of CD plants in Europe/USA, I mean genuine legit releases with obis. Thanks!

Pretty much all FEMS stuff, beware bootleg replicas though.

FEMS? What's that?

FEMS = Far East Metal Syndicate
Include such great releases as:
Apocrypha "The Forgotten Scroll", Chastain "Mystery Of Illusion", Chastain "Ruler Of The Wasteland" and many others

Oh, didn't know, thanks!

Any other known Japanese labels?

Browsing through Discogs (http://www.discogs.com/label/Far+East+M ... t=date,asc). Think Discogs are better and more accurate than the German Sammler?

I'm trying to figure out why you want this information?

Because I love Japanese CD editions, and I am often sure that they are legal.

Maybe you right, also japanese editions sound better because they do their own sound mastering of every release or most of them. But as for me i am searching only for japanese releases if it 1st edition on CD format. Examples:
Chastain "Ruler...", "7th...", Holy Terror "Terror &..", Agent Steel "Unstoppable...", Mad Max "Rollin Thunder" and few others, but they are VERY expensive nowadays.

Yakish wrote:Agent Steel "Unstoppable..."

The jap version comes before the Combat (made in japan ^^) one ?

I don't really know, but both CD versions from 1987 were print in Japan and both expensive. So I'd be glad to have any of them.
P.S: Sure, if Shiremen means only true japaese releases with OBI, both laguages in booklet etc. those Combat versions printed in Japan not counted.

Hi Shiremen, just asking, were you the Swedish guy who sold the Grim Reaper "Rock you in Hell" Japan CD on eBay around 1/2 year ago?

Nop, that wasn't me.

I am going through Japanese Black Sabbath CDs from my own website (www.sabbath.se), and going through the different labels, I can't really say that they are "metal-labels". The labels I have checked so far are Imperial Records, Victor, Teichiku (and all their sub-labels), and Vertigo (Japan).

It would be fun to collect labelwise, so I need your suggestions of "fun" Japanese labels to collect

As far as I know, in the 80s Metal CDs were largely released by those major record companies like Sony, EMI Toshiba, Warner-Pioneer, etc. Back then they used alphabets (represent the year) on the date codes for the CDs instead of standard numeric dates like what we commonly seen since 90s.

Beside FEMS and Teichiku, some other Japanese records co that had put out great Metal CDs are:

- Victor Japan (mostly those Euro Power Metal stuff)
- King records (Glory Bells, Heavy Load, Sabbrabells, etc)
- Marquee Inc Japan
- Toy’s Factory (famous for Earache’s catalog)
- Pony Canyon (those NWOBHM stuff)

Personally I love to collect Japanses pressings for several reasons:

1) They sound better, period (isn’t this the most important thing?).
2) The overall quality (eg, printing and paper) is better too. Hell, even the jewel cases have better quality. The other day I was dusting off my CD collection and I realized some of my old Euro/US pressed CDs have deteriorated (ie, CD rot). I don’t see much same problem on my old Japan CDs hence I guess Japan CDs last longer.
3) Unlike labels in other countries, Japanese print truthful information on their CDs. You will find date of release indicated on the CD/obi. They use new Cat# when they reissue albums. Sometimes they even indicate specifically on obi for batch of CDs that is 1st pressing in the world or Japan. But those info is only benefit to people who can read some Japanese characters...
4) Bonus songs. I know this is no big deal nowadays, but in older days, people simply loved to have extra songs on their CDs!

i love japanese CDs only if they are one of followings

. released only in japan at the 8-90's old days
. japanese cd is first version on cd format (as like many NOWBHM albums)
. they has different artwork with original one (as like Airdash)