Obscurities of Japanese noise

[THE RITA HN]

M.D.M. - Underdone (Self Abuse Records)
Really heavy driving mass of harsh noise.  At a time of feverishly buying DBL, Macro, Taint, etc. I remember being so blown away by this project and being so excited to hear more, but unfortunately this was it.  I wouldn't have even grabbed the release if it was not for being on SAR.  One of the most unrelenting and thick harsh noise releases from the rarer side of Japanese HN circles that include names such as Crack Steel, Crack Fierce, and Mo*Te.

[FreakAnimalFinland]

I wonder how "obscure" we can rate Crack Fierce? It seemed that many people talked about it, but I was just one day looking discogs and noticed that debute tape was limited to.. 30? So obviously not so many should have heard them? My copy comes in heavy duty woodblocks & screws + band name & tape name burned in wood. Haven't listened it for years. I mean literally probably  10+ years. Yesterday I almost uncrewed it to give it a chance..

[FreakAnimalFinland]

Got 7 tapes of 80's project called GIANT PANDA. Oh yes, the name is pretty bad, these are all Zing! Went The Records releases, all following kind of uniform lay-out. His influences were said to be Broken Flag label, MB and.. NWW? Well, releases have plenty of variation. Yet to listen more than 3 first ones. "Chauve Max", "Death punk" and "Loxos". Death Punk is pretty much rubbish. a-side is nothing but hardcore fast paced techno. One nice piece of noise and rest strange clumsy collages or playing vinyl on b-side. Debute tape is very simple, very crude noise. 3rd tape shows improvement, but still remains live-on-tape deck thin and simple harshness. Broken electronics very disjointed feeling. Perhaps the referred influences will be more visible on later tapes, but this is like american tapes type of broken noise aiming for thirdorgan. There is no release or recording dates mentioned. One can find absolutely nothing about it online. It seems weird that such amount of very well made tapes have disappeared in void of noise history. All tapes have very well made professional covers (considering the time). If looking for heavy and hard "well done" jap noise, not your thing. For fierce broken irritation, oh yes. Delivers the goods.

[tisbor]

I got a few "mystery tapes" in Tokyo , some are good - maybe i could post scans in the remote case anybody knows ?
I remember one was by wife of an Incapacitants guy , with cute manga octopuses carved in alluminium paper .

Other couple good names i don't see mentioned much : Mothra , Cry Havoc , Seed Mouth
and yes , the little Gasolineman i heard is great !

[FreakAnimalFinland]

Yama-Akago is the kosakai's wife project. Have some old tapes. Recent live show was very good!
Some tapes like Cry Havoc, d/l, Maru-X, R.D.P.,.. from 90's. Should play to report..
And more recent ones of new breed of japan: The Cracked Mirror, Jah Excretion, Kazuma Kubota,... have just heard recommendations but material itself is in pile of new arrivals to be listened.

[tisbor]

ah yes , Yama-Akago !
the tape i have is heavy on psychedelic noise and vocals manipulation , quite nice . i should listen to that again .

I have The Cracked Mirror tape on Phage Tapes and it's really good monolithic harsh noise . The days of Kazuma Kubota / Bloody Letter were also good .

[FreakAnimalFinland]

Jah Excretion "Legalise It, Seriously" CDR
New jap noise. Most of all its harsh. Nearly wall-of-noise sometimes, but perhaps too much of dynamics. 1st track and last track share many similar characteristics. It's full force harsh noise blast. Sounds digitally compressed and distorted. sharp, crispy, but also little flat. Yet doesn't sound totally computer generated, but perhaps some pedals, feedback and junk somewhere there? 3rd track has rhythm and sound of vehicles passing by, and 2nd track is the weakest with very obvious digital effect/software type of sound. His noise is very much riding with one idea. When track starts, that's about the sound he'll offer. There is movement only within restricted parameters. I can see that with just little touch of creativity and perhaps some more dirt to sound, he'll improve greatly.

[FreakAnimalFinland]

KAZUMA KUBOTA "a sense of loss" 3"CDR
fuck!!!!!!!!!! With 3"CDR handed to you at stairway of venue while you walk out, you never expect this! BRILLIANT release put out by american Pitchphase. Most often probably known for pure harsh noise releases, but this, this is something else. 3 tracks, 4:38, 6:51 and 8:26 are their length. First half minute is slightly so-and-so. You wonder if it tries to be glitch noise or drone or electro-acoustic, but suddenly the drive and composition just captures your senses. You could put this artists next to anyone. Any big names of Metamkine 3" series or whatever. It blends together harsh noise, glitch, electro-acoustic, acoustic drones, perfect skills of dramatic compostion and building tracks that actually go somewhere. Only fault of this release is that it's CDR. Instant multiple plays are possible due short playtime. And I can't be sure is it's negative or positive, since while I'd like to hear more, every time I push play, the structure of songs is being absorded into brain little bit better.

[FreakAnimalFinland]

The Cracked Mirror "damage" tape
phage tapes
Nice looking tape with nice hand made b/w collage arts. Sounds like? Well, wall of noise. This is about as typical as it can be. There are couple moments when restless layer of hammering rumbles starts to fall apart into slightly more loose and random harsh noise, but as soon as possible, it returns back to HNW. It sounds ok. But in line of countless of perhaps 99% same sounding releases, it's hard to get too excited about it. Listening this is satisfying, but no need to listen it again. And even in first place it could have been almost anyone else in the genre. Anonymous monumental sonic fuzz.

[Henrik III]

KAZUMA KUBOTA "a sense of loss" 3"CDR
fuck!!!!!!!!!!

Pretty much summarizing my thoughts as well (and I got it the same way...). Really excellent work, it is rare to make all these different aspects blend so seamlessly and maintaining the fury in it. I heard some earlier CDR, it is along the same lines but wasn't nearly as accomplished work. Very much looking forward to his future werks.

[Bloated Slutbag]

Jah Excretion "Legalise It, Seriously" ...Yet doesn't sound totally computer generated, but perhaps some pedals, feedback and junk somewhere there?

Live performances at least have been analog affairs. Small mic'd metal cage the principle source - and a good metaphor for the tightly restricted sound palate on offer. No bullshit no holds barred fare of which I am the consummate sucker. Absolutely no complaints, though I can see where the shit may not necessarily translate on disc, or where the need for digital crutches might be felt. Still, one of the good guys.

[Bloated Slutbag]

KAZUMA KUBOTA "a sense of loss" 3"CDR
BRILLIANT release...

What I like best about Mr Kubota is that he publically refers to Endo as "my master!" While a number of noise perv-eyors have expressed sentiments of comparably worshipful calibre, none have made it quite so personal. (And I'd argue that no one has had the balls to even try their hand at the Endo-ness. If technically proficient noise had its day, it was because few could stand the humiliation of being so emphatically killed.) Idolization does have its virtues, when harnessed right.

[Bloated Slutbag]

M.D.M. - Underdone (Self Abuse Records)I remember being so blown away by this project and being so excited to hear more, but unfortunately this was it.

The SAR Building Of Gel tape contains a track entitled "MDM", which serves as an interesting contrast to Mr Shii's short-lived solo project. If memory serves, a bit more fleshed out and psychedelic than the Underdone tape, possibly owing to contributions from other BOG members.

[phagetapes]

Kazuma Kubota = The Cracked Mirror

seems like both are being discussed and im not sure if people are aware that they are the same person.   

[Bloated Slutbag]

Maybe Kubota-san should refer to Endo's Alphaland* for inspiration of the raw kind. These HNWs are clearly not working for him...

* comp-stealing contribution to seminal United Syndicate -ilation New Catastrophic Forces