Coffins - The Fleshland (2013)

  Due to the band's impressive productiveness, the plenty of split album appearances and several EP and compilation releases, it's kinda surprising, that "The Fleshland" was only the 4th full-length album by Coffins. 
  Even though the band's concept is pretty simple and strict the same time, the changes that meanwhile occured in the extreme underground, didn't leave their music untouched. "The Fleshland" became somehow more intense compared to their previous releases and therefore it might sound slightly diverse too. However, this first impression might be just an illusion, that just came from the increased intensity, meant by death/doom standards of course. The band still prefers the very basic, punk influenced beats, that by increased speed might seem more evident. And for the same reason the short solo themes that used to have further down pulling effect while interrupting extended monotonous riffs, now leading the listener more effectively at middle and slightly fast tempo. In both cases the short solos had boosting effect on the musical environment, and this time it's slightly different than before was.However, by such this heavily distorted and noisy musical assistance and deep growling vocal style, it's still unable to convince punk audiences, and also keeps mainstream metal fans and even the majority of extreme audiences in safe distance. But since these are exactly the features that made their music highly enjoyable for the the fans of the most exaggerated form of death/doom. 
   In total: Coffins still cannot disappoint, they're truly the undisputed masters of the obscure and unfriendly sludgy death/doom subgenre!

Basilisk - End of Catastrophe (2013)

   Basilisk formed as a black/death metal band, and their so far one and only album might be controversial for those, who expect to hear something similar to Dissection or Necrophobic, or even war metal. The band offered an own solution how the two styles could be combined, and they did that by a pretty unusual perspective. 
   However, their music is definitely more relatable to the Northern styled black/death. Plenty of old school black metal references could be found on the album, and most of the riffs are evidently reflecting '90s Norwegian and Swedish black metal bands. This they combined with strongly thrash influenced death metal, and by picking these two ancient forms of both styles, they just did what Japanese bands used to do: by analyzing the selected subgenres to the core, they give importance to their essence. What makes "End of Catastrophe" harder to go into for black metal fans is the drastically reduced role of the atmosphere, that partly came from the modern sound and partly from the band's pretty technical approach. There are simply so many theme and tempo switches that couldn't allow any atmospheric effect to prevail, even if its role was preferred. The focus lies on intensity, and in this case on technical intensity, that piles up plenty of switches. At one hand this is a more modern tendency compared to ordinary black/death, and well, technical black metal didn't become a common thing for a reason. The technical intention came definitely by the influence of the mid and late '90s pathfinding death metal experiments. Despite the complex concept, it's pretty strictly taken, and theoretically nothing stands against this genuine approach. Only there are no examples or barely any examples to find for anything similar. By giving several listenings to the album, it becomes clear, that the band's solutions that might seem as a bond of paradoxes, aren't really counting as paradoxes. 
   This twisted mix of old school and modern directions is pretty extraordinary, and more recommended for the fans of technical and progressive death metal. 

Anatomia - Decaying in Obscurity (2012)

   Similar to most Japanese extreme underground bands, Anatomia also have a long list of split albums, therefore the 7 years that have been passed since the first record, wasn't spent inactively. By their second full-length album, the band continued the line of strongly Autopsy influenced death/doom metal, they've established their style on by "Dissected Humanity". 

   But "Decaying in Obscurity" became somehow different. While the first album was like a remake of the style of old Autopsy, this time the band started to add their own imaginations, and they've ended up as major defining features. The sound became way different, close to the sound of a rehearsal record, probably to reflect the old school feeling of early '90s records, and this resulted a quite raw main impression. The doom metal influenced themes had the main focus, and also they showed way bigger diversity than at other Autopsy influenced bands, which are (similar to their role model band) simply intending to rely on the contrast and sudden switches of slow doom influenced heaviness and intense death metal hammering. This intention didn't disappear from "Decaying in Obscurity" of course, but the doom metal themes became extended, and not only showing more diverse themes, but also bravely adding effects (such as keyboards), and features (short hard rock and even punk influenced themes) that are referring back to the oldest aspect of the genre. Involving older references and going back to the basics and to the core of the genre isn't something surprising to hear from Japanese bands, and it's definitely a more authentic incorrupt approach, than what hipster bands started to do the same time in Europe and in the US.

Coffins - Ancient Torture (2011)

   For the fans of bands who are famous about having countless few songs appearences on very limited split album releases, probably the most fortunate event is if the material of those split albums gets released on a compilation. And in the case of Coffins, the frequent release of compilation albums is kind of nesessary.
    On the side of several songs that could have been enough for a full-lenght release, but didn't appear yet in any other form than on split albums, "Ancient Torture" includes  plenty of covers (Asphyx, Goatlord, Cathedral, just to mention some) and rehearsal records of older songs. The covers are giving exact hints about the band's influences, and by their unique, noisy performance also fitting well next to their own songs. To hear very familiar themes and melodies this way, by not even trying to imitate the style and sound of the original bands - unlike how others usually doing covers -, is somehow satisfying. This double album release could be also advantageous if the listener desires to get permanent brain damage, since it offers the opportunity to enjoy the infamously challenging noisy, dirty, putrid sound of Coffins in nearly 2 hours lenght. Such a long duration uncompromisingly filled with primitive rotting heaviness is definitely not an easy thing to go into. But for a Coffins fan it's really not possible to ask for more, "Ancient Torture" could be like a real gem to own. 

Coffins - Buried Death (2008)

   As one of the most nerve wrecking death/doom bands, Coffins represents a traditional direction of musical extremity based on strictly old school influences and overwhelming heaviness. But the same time their music also fits to the main tendencies of the late '00s/early '10s when musical minimalism and the importance of the sound (mostly based on distortion experiments) was brought into focus.
   Since the beginning they're using the same simple recipe at every album that somehow never can fail and never gets boring. Probably the best aspect of this recipe was their third full-lenght album "Buried Death". The excellence of Coffins lies in simplicity. There's really nothing new in what they do, but their performance was able to give a new meaning to these good old things. They're mostly operating with very slow, repetitive themes and at speed ups their music never gets more complex than an ordinary punk song. Still their strongly distorted, noisy sound and the assisting animalistic deep growls are increasing the heaviness of the main view in such an extreme way, that it makes their music harder to go into. This form of pure noisy heaviness could be more like a challenge for ordinary doom or punk fans to listen, than enjoyable entertainment. Plus they have never been famous of being in a hurry, so the endlessly extended slow downs having a monotonous and therefore very demoralizing effect. There's no break from the constantly sick, mournful feeling, the stench of death haunts over the album in full-lenght. It's a quite authentic and probably the most compromise-less form of the genre. A real masterpiece.

Intestine Baalism - Ultimate Instinct (2008)

   It's always appreciating to find a melodic death metal band that truely have death metal themes in it's music, and not playing simply heavy metal or some modern influenced melodic metal with growling vocals and over emotional background. Intestine Baalism's music is one of the few of the style who are fitting to the term for real.
   Their music is able to recall nostalgic feelings because of the old school touch of their main themes, but the same time returning melodies are taking over the lead temporarily. It's a well made combination based on a contrast of rough approach and softening '80s styled heavy metal themes mixed with blackened influences. Before the listener might get used to one of each, the direction is switching to the other side. The combination of black and heavy metal is based on a well discovered analogy that's quite operable, even though not many have experimented with that in similar context. The vocals are also conforming to this direction by switching to blackened styled cawing. The death metal parts are represented by brutal themes, fast speed both by blast beats and thrash styled drumming and deep growling vocal. The 2 sides are easy to distinguish, but together they creating an interesting and quite colorful main view. At the end of the album the heavy/black metal side gets dominant. "Ultimate Instinct" might be compatible with wide audience, but for those, who are expecting some Göteborg styled melodic death, that actually lacks death metal influences and reminds to bands like In Flames or Dark Tranquility, this album could be disappointing.

Flagitious Idiosyncrasy in the Dilapidation - Idiosyncrasy in the Dilapidation (2008)

   For the Japanese grindcore is a genre that allows them limitless possibilites to express themselves on 2 fields the same time. The first is maximalism based on detailed studies of the exact musical style (it's correct nearly about everything they're starting), and the second is their exageratedly sick tendencies.
  The same happened in this case, and it's a plus interesting thing that Flagitious Idiosyncrasy in the Dilapidation is a female grindcore band, that counts quite extraordinary. Even though their wider show up had good timing because of the new wave of grindcore, their music was closer to the old school style of genre, that also sympathized with death metal on the side of simple, punk influenced themes. Therefore their music doesn't lack heaviness, and even if the switchings from simpler, mid speed themes to grinding cannot create real contrast from this level, they're still taking an important role in making the main view diverse. Similar to newer bands, vocal switchings from deep growling to high toned screamings are common. The intensity of the album seems constant because all sides of their mentioned musical toolbar are represented in every song, it doesn't matter how short are they. Longer term listening might cause irretrievable brain damage. Excellent entertainment for grindcore fans!

Barbatos - Let's Fucking Die! (2006)

   Barbatos was founded in the mid '90s as Yasuyuki Suzuki's (Abigail) side project, and over the years it gained similarly notorious and cultic status by it's never endig productiveness, like Mr. Suzuki's main band. 
   Even though the main concept was similar, fortunately it's not an exact copy of a main project like how usually side projects are ending up. Barbatos could be also called as "street metal" like Abigail and also reaches it's "evilness", if these lovely titles could be or should be taken seriously, but the approach of Barbatos is more old school (like if Abigail wasn't enough old school already). Japanese bands really like to dig deep to the very roots of music genres, and in this case Mr. Suzuki dug as deep as possible. The music is more into thrash metal, and also have strong punk influences. This mix of punk, black and thrash metal is like an experiment to recall an old school '80s feeling that may sound very nostalgic, but never really existed in this form that time. This is quite usual at new waved old school oriented bands too, and it's also a main importance for them to imitate the rehearsal/demo-like sound of  the '80s underground. The main impression of this style mix is like if it was the more aggressive and dark toned version of Motörhead and Venom. The returning lyrical topics like war (mainly WWII addiction, but from Japanese aspect), sex, partying, sympathy for occultism, and the pornographic imagery are strictly following the musical concept. It makes the Motörhead-like exaggerated party compatible impression stronger. Sex, drinks and rock and roll... (alongside a little bit of war and satanism).

Anatomia - Dissected Humanity (2005)

   A big empty hole was left behind after the split-up of Autopsy, and it seemed like nothing was able to permanently ease their lack. A line of new bands showed up from the second part of the '00s who were strongly influenced by Autopsy, and tried to imitate or bring back the endlessly sick feeling of their music. Anatomia was one of the first of these self-dedicated followers.
   The band focused mostly on the doom influences of Autopsy, so they approached the endlessly obscure feeling from it's core: the extended sick melodies that are able to open new perspectives of extreme insanity. The contrast of intense speed and slow themes had minimal role, the band preferred slow and middle speed, and wasn't into sudden tempo switchings. This direction could be also very effective by it's sinister feeling that predicts the arrival of the most inhuman events of gore and horror. The extremely brutal sexual crimes, rotting corpses and the necrophilia that seems like an inevitable outcome, are only the tip of the fleshberg. "Dissected Humanity" offers excellent entertainment and nostalgic feeling for those who are missing old Autopsy, and of course for everyone who desires to merge into the depths of musickness.

Coffins - Mortuary in Darkness (2005)

   Mainly influenced by a new waved minimalistic style called drone metal, a new minimalist trend showed up in the main scene. Even though the main intentions of Coffins were strictly old school, and were focused on death/doom and sludge metal, in their music the same tendency could be discovered.
   Similar to most Japanese bands, Coffins also dug down to the very core of the selected music style like in case of an investigating research. Than they've recreated the style by using up it's main essence. The advantage of this method is that it's easier to avoid direct references to other bands, but the same time the style determination remains quite evident. It also requiers basic themes, and at this point the actual trend and the ambitions of an old school perspective have met. The band suddenly became one of the most extreme death/doom bands by their minimalist repetitive themes, very noisy sound and extended song lenghts; a main view, that's also not far from funeral doom. The difference is the lack or smaller role of the atmosphere. Of course an atmosphere is also possible to create by noise, but in this case it's not an emotional or sad/broken approach, but something endlessly demoralizing mixed with a putrid impression, that's definitely something that not many can or want to relate to. The intro track is a perfect example for that, but still it has depths: the most demoralizing and terrified approach of the black end. If we think about the oldest and less popular death/doom classics like Winter, Sempiternal Deathreign, Goatlord, Cianide or Esoteric, who determined the style the most authentically, Coffins' music absulutely fits into the line. The band kept operating with basic themes even at more intense songs, that are musically closer to punk than to metal, but the strong sound distortion, deep growling vocal and the endlessly obscure feeling easily makes it unnoted. In summary: "Mortuary in Darkness" was a strong debut that brought some familiar, but long lost feeling into death/doom metal, that was also able to match the actual trends.

Gallhammer - Gloomy Lights (2004)

   There are two possible outcomes if Japanese starting to play metal: they chosing an old school path that refers back to the basics of the actual genre, or they mixing various genres to create something weird. The second happened in the case of Gallhammer, a band that also sparked attention because of it's female lineup.
   Basicly their main concept is about simplicity. In this case there could be more ways to determine the style of a band than if an exact direction with it's features was chosen, so it's quite objective. The influence of black and doom metal could be sensed in their music and that's already something uncommon to hear in general. Things getting more complicated when the album turns more intense by some raw middle speed crust punk-like themes. They've operated with the simplest basic themes by picking something from everything. The album isn't so uninfied and sounds like if they didn't relly care about to create a whole by trying to find some common ground for these mixed influences. Instead of the atmospheric sound of black, the heaviness of doom or the intensiveness of crust punk there is something that more reminds to the desolated impression of early grunge and sludge bands. A frustrated atmosphere that becomes heavy by self-destruction and randomly shows it's hidden inner rage. "Gloomy Lights" sounds the same way depressive, chaotic and insane. The very sick vocal style and the rehearsal room sound just increased it's rawness and effectiveness. An interesting aspect of musickness!

Church of Misery - Master of Brutality (2001)

   Serial killers became the part of Western pop culture, so their various appearence in entertainment industry isn't surprising. This was exactly the reason why Church of Misery found them as an inspirational influence.
   Each of their songs are dedicated to a notorious serial killer. The way how they combined this topic with a chilling but heavy stoner/doom musical backgound might sound weird first, but this combo just worked out fine. Like most other Japanese bands, they probably also spent a lot of time to analyze the genre and it's influences to create something that sounds like anything but Japanese music. And they did it with the same musical fruitfulness like usually. Church of Misery sounds like a pro American stoner band straight from Palm Desert Killifornia. They reinterpretated the style of '70s hard rock in early '90s style, and their themes including plenty of nostalgic references on the side of Black Sabbath, that is the most commonly returning one. "Master of Brutality" could be an excellent example to introduce the style and it's origin. But their lyrical topics made them genuine first of all, because to put such violent idols into the main focus wasn't usual in this style. This concept is also related to the scale of pleasure and pain (in this case death too), the difference is that in stoner rock it used to appear in everydays form. The popularity of these modern aspects of boogie men started to increase fast that time, so they just invlolved them into an uprising audience friendly style.

Cryptic Revelation - The Truth is Out There (1999)

   Even though Cryptic Revelation counts as an ancient death metal band, and one of the first death metal bands in Japan, they only had one EP during the long decades.
   That EP was musically a quite diverse one, mixing the old school style with the modern sound of death metal. From insane brutal hammering to slow, doom influenced themes they intoduced most common features, like if this record was a mini encyclopaedia of the genre. The productiveness of local bands showed up only in this short lenght, so it's maybe not so easy to get into for a start, but definitely worths to try. The common speed changes increasing the intensiveness too on the side of diversity. The vocal style isn't boring either, deep growling and insane screams switching each other. The lyrics are definitely following to the modern style of death, no sign of classical gore based topics, and the X-Files reference is also like an update compared to the old school horror movies. The source of their topics fits to the actual decade just like in the case of old bands 10-15 years earlier. It's probably one of the best early death metal records of the small Japanese extreme scene.

Corrupted - Paso Inferior (1997)

   If sludge metal isn't enough demoralizing, why not mix it with doom? Most bands in this style doing the same partly for the heavier effect, and partly because this offers them wider perspectives. In the case of Corrupted, the first could have been the main reason.
    Their music counts very exaggerated even in sludge/doom, and they are probably one of the most demoralizing and audience-unfriendly bands ever. "Paso Inferior", their full-lenght debut included only one album lenght song. To extent a track like that points through on the ordinary concept of the style. It's not the noisy sound that is assisting to the simple, raw themes to increase their effectiveness... it's only about the noise. The lyrics are Spanish, that may sound weird from a Japanese band, but for a so slow music like this, no long lyrics are needed, and anyway it's only about one song. In truth Corrupted is like the musical version of dadaism, to deny every rules that may be important in music business. There were similar ambitions in plenty of genres, but none of them were so authentic like this band. Unpopular style and concept, uncommon language selection, noise in focus instead of themes (or melodies, but yeah, even to name melodies may sound folly), exaggerated demoralizing in extended lenght, no promo pics of the band, no importance of image or visual designs. So to think again what rebellious ambitions could mean in music, may sound reasonable. Like most Japanese bands, they are also known about their productiveness, so the lovers of extreme demoralization can chose from plenty of Corrupted materials to set up their gloomy days.

Sabbat - The Dwelling (1996)

   If Venom had an almost twenty minutes long song about the rampage of dark forces that used to exhibit their high musical capacity, why not to try to do something similar? Or even better, why not an album-lenght song?
   "The Dwelling" is probably the most remarkable masterpiece of Sabbat, another proof about their limitless productiveness. In truth the album easily could be divided to 8-9 songs, but the way how they operated with the transitions, the returning leading melodies and the balance of harmony and disharmony; is able to hold the attention of the listener enough to give up similar plans soon. "The Dweling" maybe includes the catchiest themes that Sabbat ever  wrote. The mix of heavy, thrash and black metal now creates a whole that fits together very well as a soundtrack for the birth of evil. Keyboards and acoustic parts turning the main view more colorful. The album sounds to get a bit tired close to the end, and after such musical diversity it wouldn't be a wonder. But it seems like Sabbat always have a plus card to impress and to show what musical maximalism means. Even though the main inspiration of "The Dwelling" is clear, it's a very enjoyable and genuine extreme metal masterpiece.

Abigail - Intercourse & Lust (1996)

   The basics of the very tiny Japanese extreme metal scene were laid down mostly by Sabbat, and later plenty of smaller short lived projects appeared. Abigail as one of the few permanent ones, chose to follow the basics and to extend them to a so exaggerated level as it's possible.
   With the same incredible productiveness they tried all possibilities of black/thrash metal. From the simple, punk-influenced thrashing, through the old school spirited mid-speed aggressiveness to the endlessly sick black/death-like brutality all aspects of the style could be found on "Intercourse & Lust". The often annoying yowling vocals that are usual in Japanese music are completely missing (fortunately), wretched/evil cawing having exclusive role. On the side of the hostile dark forces and violence, sexuality and sexual sadism is a common topic of the band, and just like most similar bands, lately they also focused more on that topic. Even Satan worths nothing without sensual pleasures. Abigail was mostly free from the influence of the Northern black metal scene, and it was one first bands after Sarcófago and Blasphemy that showed a different perspective in black influenced metal.

Hellchild - Where the Conflict Reaches (1993)

   Even though old school death metal is rare to find in the very small Japanese metal scene, they also couldn't completely avoid the underground wave of the late '80s/early '90s.
    Hellchild is one of the few bands, who survived longer than only 1-2 album releases, and they also count as veterans. "Where the Conflict Reaches" was a strongly thrash influenced death metal album that refers back to the late '80s when they started their rageful hammering carreer as one of the first metal band in Japan and on the whole Asian continent on the side of Sabbat. And a thing in which they were certainly the first: their music didn't sound like Japanese metal, lacked most of the local features (common high yowling, weird musical solutions). The album sounds like any other '90s old school death metal album, intense, heavy, sick. The intensiveness came from the common speed and theme switches, and for the sick impression mostly the vocal style was responsible. The main view reminds to Torchure, and the way how they built up the song structures and their musical concept is similar like in the case of old German death metal bands.

Multiplex - World (1992)

    Extreme metal only slowly oozed into Japan without any significant wider attention. Most of the earliest bands stayed in the depths of underground and reached only the most obsessed metal fanatics.
   Similar to most Japanese bands, Multiplex was pretty good in practising abstraction. Even if they were determined to play in an exact style, the direct musical influences of other bands would be hard to mention. It's clear that their music is the mix of death metal and grindcore, but the features that referring to others are missing. They created an own possible approach of the genre, which gave them (and to Japanese bands in general) a lot of credit in genuineness. "World" is a quite raw and experimenting album, with a wide range of themes. It sounds like the band tried all possibilites how to play death/grind, but not at the ordinary way, because their music lacks completely the simple, punk influenced features of grindcore. This weird, very raw heaviness represents a less known, but interesting experiment the style of death/grind.

Sabbat - Evoke (1992)

   The Japanese thrash/black metal veterans started to shock their small local audience in the mid '80s with a more heavy metal oriented music. Soon after the appearence of black metal, their style became harser too.
   'Evoke', their second full-lenght album showed more from these harsh ambitions and had better quality in sound. Venom, Celtic Frost and Bathory should be mentioned in first line as their possible musical influences, but they were never really involved into the new wave. They kept their heavy metal influences all the time. It's like they stayed loyal to the old school sound and style of the '80s. The slowly uprising black metal gave only a darker tone to their music which took place between the most genuine bands of the extreme scene. Not only the themes referring to heavy metal, but the occasional appearence of high yowling vocals too. Their style is like a different and very original approach of blasphemous extremities. The song structures and album compositions telling about a freer musical concept, and far wider borders than it was usual in the genre.