Digital Catatroph 1997 Remixes & Originals

Another addition to the already numerous compilations of 90's Japanese underground music posted on this blog. This time we have ZK record's bands being remixed by DHR (digital hardcore) artists on one disc, and the original songs on another. The DHR remixes sound pretty much like you'd expect them to: like digital hardcore stuff, with varying degrees of the original's texture preserved. I'm mildly partial to the sound myself, especially when it comes without A. Empire's inane vocal stylings.

1 Violent Onsen Geisha & DMBQ : Mood Of Mods Generation (Alec Empire Remix)
2 Cowpers : Don't Trust In Me (Killout Trash Remix)
3 Atomic Fireball : Split (Sonic Subjunkies Remix)
4 Coaltar Of The Deepers : Breast Stroke (Christoph De Babalon Remix)
5 Korean Buddhist God : Come On, Ghost (Ec8or Remix)
6 Gaji : Quick-Buck, Quick-Fix (Shizuo Remix)
7 Surfers Of Romantika Papua (Alec Empire Remix)


The Remixees have for the most part made previous appearances on this blog, though I don't know much about Surfers Of Romantika or the Cowpers. They're a mix of noise and experimental rock, with the highlight for me being the Atomic Fireball song, split, which doesn't appear on their other releases, and the Sonic Subjunkies remix of the same song earns points for its incorporation of samples from Street Fighter II.

1 Cowpers : Don't Trust In Me
2 Coaltar : Of The Deepers Breast Stroke
3 Surfers Of Romantika : Papua
4 Gaji : Quick-Buck, Quick-Fix
5 Korean Buddhist God : Come On, Ghost
6 Atomic Fireball : Split
7 Violent Onsen Geisha & DMBQ : Mood Of Mods Generation

DIGITAL CATASTROPH REMIXES & ORIGINALS

Tsukasa Harakawa : God of Growling

I wouldn't claim to be a true fan of br000tal vokillers; I find most pure growlers & grunters somewhat monotonous, and the regurgitative and barnyard schools of vocalization do little for me, but there are a few definite exceptions, and for my money the above pictured Tsukasa Harakawa is the best death-style vocalist around, has been in several exceptional bands.

I like Harakawa so much because of the range in style and expression-especially on later stuff-of his semi-wordless roars, shrieks, occasional croons and howls(there are lyrics in English, but for the most part they only correspond roughly to the sounds produced), and because of his manic intensity, which is really something to see live.

Harakawa has been fairly prolific, performing in several different bands throughout his career but his first significant works came from his time in the superlative Hellchild. A death metal band which slowed down a bit later in their run, combining sludgy groove, technical skill, complex song structure and Harakawa's vocals into something pretty awesome.

Evidence:

Their best release(maybe):

Publish Post

Hellchild : Bareskin　 1999

After Hellchild's breakup Harakawa, with Hellchild's bassist Yasu(rip 2005, replaced by benny of Multiplex fame), and a former Hellchild drummer, formed From Hell (a band which, thanks to a mediocre Johnny Depp adaption of an excellent Alan Moore comic gumming up the interwebs is difficult to find information on in English or Japanese): somewhat less metallic than Hellchild and without the groove/prog/tech tendencies of departed guitarist Suzuki, From Hell are as, if not more brilliant (recently I've been leaning towards more), heavy, intense and so on.

From Hell haven't released anything since this (which makes me wanna cry), but are still active.




From Hell : Empty Words 2004


Next, in a convergence of superiority like Conan the Barbarian and Mad Max joining forces to kill hippies, Harakawa became the new vocalist for Swarrrm:




Swarrm : Black Bong 2007

MORE STUFF:

More vids here.

Harakawa's single (I think) release as vocalist of Atomic Fireball at the redoubtable Cephalochromoscope , where you can also find Harakawa's grind project (w/ members of Hellchild & Multiplex): Force

Frodus & Atomic Fireball : Split

Atomic Fireball + Frodus cover one another's songs on this split- an idea I always like- with good results.

Frodus & Atomic Fireball

Atomic Fireball : Undivided EP

Good metallic hardcore from 99 or so. What I said about their full-length all applies here too. The first song -undivided- is one of their catchiest offerings, and probably my favorite track of theirs.

Undivided EP

Atomic Fireball : Strange Ways ('99)

Dense semi-chaotic hardcore from Japan. This band would later briefly feature Tsukasa Harakawa on vocals (during which time they would release a split with Swarrrm, another band Harakawa went on to join). In this incarnation they play bottom heavy, somewhat experimental metal/hardcore. The production is compressed to a degree while the vocals are static-laden and relatively low in the mix .

I have to say I didn't particularly like this when I first heard it, but it grew on me with more listens, as was the case with some Steve Austin-produced stuff which this reminded me of production-wise.

Strange Ways