ANARCHY CHAOS DESTRUCTION

Crow are a heavy metallic crusty smashing machine; they've been at it since days of yore and have only gotten better. I'm posting their Bloody Tear release for two reasons even though it's been about the internets.

I. I like it a lot, and if I didn't post stuff I like a lot, then what would be the point of all this anyhow?

II. All the digital permutations I've seen of this have been horribly tagged; multiple tracks called Japanese Title, no track numbers etc... Anyway, this is a rip of the CD release on Mangrove, and I've tagged all the tracks with their Japanese name, transliterated name, and translated name.

In any case, Crow are sick. Download this now if you don't have it.


BLOODY TEAR (CD)

324 : Customized Circle

Old school stuff (released in 2001, recorded in 1997, first seven tracks previously released on vinyl) from Japanese grindcrust gods 324.

Vicious with conviction and as excellent as might be expected.

CUSTOMIZED CIRCLE

Junior High School Student Coffins (Chuugakusei kanoke) : Musumesensochu

A 2007 release, the title of which could mean 'at war with daughters/girls' or 'girls/daughters at war', but don't take my word for it as even my English is actually rather dodgy. Anyway, like all the other stuff from these guys it's pretty fucking awesome.




For descriptions, info and such-like check my earlier posts here & here.




PART I
PART II

(Download both or they will not extract)

Rebreather : No. 4

I really like this band. Rebreather started out heavy and stoned molasses slow. Throughout the years they leavened their sound with some lighter and somewhat faster influences, and their later releases, to me at least, constitute a lovely union of heaviness and shades of melodic indie rock. Great guitar tone and solid songwriting abound.

This is their fourth release (surprised, aren't you), and my personal favorite (or maybe not- their other stuff is also pretty excellent). For some shameful reason this has never seen a proper release, making it a perfect and guilt-free album to put up on a music blog.




Their most recent album, 'sunflower' did have a proper release in 2008 and can be gotten here. I also see that they have another album in the works, so I'm happy.

Come to the back / Madre

NO. 4

GREENMACHiNE : The Earth Beater + 3

Because of their association with Boris and Eternal Elysium, their Kyuss derived band name, their intermittent use of doom riffs, and their apparent love for the devil weed (song titles like 'Slow Burn', 'Machinist's Smoke', 'Red Eye', and 'Hempty God, Return to the Sky'), GREENMACHiNE are often pegged as a stoner/doom band, but, though they incorporate elements of those styles, the backbone and raging heart of GREENMACHiNE's music is hardcore--inflected with Sabbithian noodling and occasional doomish slow-downs to be sure, but hardcore nonetheless.

I was lucky enough to see GREENMACHiNE several times in Tokyo, and appearance-wise they were nothing exceptional--slap some suits on and they'd fade into the salaryman crowds--but their shows were furious, intense and definitely constitute some of my better live music experiences.

A taste:

The Earth Beater was originally released in '99, this is a 2004 re-release with three extra tracks. Greenmachine are now, sadly, defunct but have two other full lengths that are also very good--especially 2004's The Archive of Rotten Blues (which incidentally is also just a great title for an album). Excellent angry stuff with great tone and texture.



THE EARTH BEATER PLUS THREE

Fuck Shrek

Ogre breaks bones, snaps tendons and picks lesser bands from between its rotten molars. Ogre is a rough beast with hardcore bones, thrashing muscles and grinding teeth.

This band has been around for a while, though I had never heard of them till recently, and I can state that they slay.



The sort of glutenous, scratchy shouts and howls that drive good Japanese hardcore and some vocal sections reminiscent of Tsukasa Harakawa combine over thrash, furious grindy blasts, and pounding metal & hardcore(they drop Force as an influence, and Hellchild fans also might like this).

Eater of Sounds officially recommends Ogre. This originally came out around '03, but has recently been re-released: buy it here. Band site here



LACERATE THE BETRAYER