Shizuoka City Hardcore: Music Against Suicidal Depression

The Japanese city of Shizuoka lies close to the great and mighty Mount Fuji and serves as the administrative center of Shizuoka Prefecture. Thanks to a highly developed fishing industry, the city ranks first in tuna catches nationwide. Yet despite all this, Shizuoka has long carried the dubious honor of being unanimously labeled “the most boring place on Earth” by the rest of Japan. Adding to this grim reputation is its proximity to Mount Fuji, not only a global landmark, but also a tragic destination for many suicides in Japan.

And yet, despite this bleak setting, Shizuoka in the 1980s was home to a number of young people who refused to accept boredom, depression, and the dull grind of everyday life. Instead, a local hardcore scene arose and steadily grew stronger. Casual listeners of hardcore punk might not immediately recognize the bands discussed here, but devoted fans of Japanese hardcore know exactly how much raw energy groups like Deadless Muss, So What, Innocents, Zamza, Rustler, Swindle Bitch, and others carried. Their music was wild, diverse, and deeply disturbing. Most of these releases came out on the excellent local label Dirty Informal Section Records (D.I.S.), which played a crucial role in documenting this overlooked scene.

Deadless Muss

The debut release by this incredible band marked the beginning of the short but intense life of D.I.S. Records. The 8″ flexi Rise Against was released in 1984 and featured seven sharp, mid-tempo tracks. The raw production paired perfectly with gloomy vocals and surprising touches of melody in the choruses. It’s hard to believe the members were only 14 or 15 years old at the time, especially given how hoarse and weathered the vocalist already sounded. The drummer on this release was someone known as Sita, later replaced by Tem, who would also play in Zamza and Innocents.

The theme of war runs through the entire record, from the opening track “Atomic Bomb” to the closing sample of a Hitler speech. Even the artwork reinforced this militaristic atmosphere.

In 1985, Deadless Muss released the excellent 7″ EP I Will…, the third release on D.I.S. Records. At that time, the lineup consisted of Gizzy-Hinomal (vocals), Kili (guitar), Sizuki (bass), and Tem (drums). The band significantly increased their speed and power on this record. Gizzy’s even more aggressive and hostile vocals clashed beautifully with unexpectedly melodic guitar solos. All six songs are minor hardcore masterpieces. Choruses like “Freedom and rights for you and me!” radiate a powerful sense of liberation and clearly show the band’s commitment to equality.

On the back cover of I Will…, alongside the “Dirty Informal Section” logo, the words “We are NON SECT RADICAL DEADLESS MUSS” appear, likely a declaration of independence and conviction. The band’s appearance reflected their beliefs: Gizzy wore a spiked jacket with a peace symbol, while Kili sported a military beret. Yet on this release, war and political struggle give way to the band’s core message: never give up your life.

The record opens with “Never Say Die,” and closes with “Future Memory,” which includes the lines: “Time heals all sorrows / Never give up your life.” This stance sharply contrasted with Japan’s traditional attitude toward suicide, “kill yourself before you disgrace yourself.” The sound of ocean waves and crying seagulls closes the EP, leaving the listener suspended in reflection.

After I Will…, Deadless Muss drastically changed their sound, abandoning Japanese thrash in favor of upbeat, American-style youth hardcore. The EP 860 Seconds Cooking (1987) and the LP 5 Years Imprisonment (1988), released on Selfish Records, were reportedly impossible to compare with their earlier work.

So What

These guys favored a deliberately simple drumming style. Heavy percussion was paired with abrasive guitar squeals and scraping noise, all topped off with brutally unfriendly vocals. The band consisted of Johnny (vocals), Ewu (guitar), Yoshi (bass), and Lip (drums). Their first 8″ record, Injustice, was released in 1985 and became the second release on D.I.S. Records.

So What weren’t the fastest band of their era, but their music boiled over with rage. The solid recording quality allowed Injustice to sound loud and crystal clear. Of the five tracks, the final two, “Go To Hell” and “Sorrows Continuative,” stand out. Johnny’s vocals on “Go To Hell” practically choke on hatred, while “Sorrows Continuative” proved so strong it reappeared on the band’s next release.

That next release was the ultra-rare 7″ Blood Wash The Dead City, allegedly released in 1986, though possibly not on D.I.S. Even veteran Japanese punks know very little about this record. Here, So What pushed their sound further into noise territory, cranking up guitar distortion while maintaining their signature bleak atmosphere and venomous vocals. The record opens with a threatening instrumental intro and includes a re-recorded version of “Sorrows Continuative,” but the centerpiece is undoubtedly “Tomorrow Of Instruction,” a three-minute hardcore masterpiece. The band also reportedly released a 7″ EP titled Murder and contributed tracks to various compilations.

Innocents, Zamza, Rustler

The fourth release on D.I.S. was the 7″ Masho by Innocents, released in 1989. It remains their first and only official release. Unfortunately, very little information about the band survives, which is a real shame, the record absolutely rips. Like So What’s second release, it opens with a grim instrumental intro, while the closing track “Shelley” seems to reference the 1948 US Supreme Court case Shelley v. Kraemer, which established important guarantees of individual civil rights.

The name Innocents perfectly matched the band’s reckless, unhinged spirit. These “innocent babies” created a bizarre, anarchic atmosphere that felt like a riot in a kindergarten or elementary school classroom. They clearly had a strong sense of humor: the deliberately silly artwork of Masho, children’s choir backing vocals, and crude, disrespectful lead vocals make it impossible not to grin. Listen to “Bear’s Drunker” or “Tooth Ache” and you’ll immediately get the idea. Innocents also appeared on the compilations Target Dictator and Who’s Chained Up To The Dogs Of Outrage!! (LP, 1991). Before becoming Innocents, the band operated under the name Zamza and released a demo cassette.

Sadly, very little concrete information about other Shizuoka hardcore bands from the 1980s has survived. What is known is that Rustler released a flexi 7″ and recorded a split with So What, leaving behind only fragments of a scene that once burned intensely against boredom, despair, and silence.

Originally published in Diversion zine by AlexPro.