20 Underrated Japanese Hardcore Punk Records (1988-2008)

Sicilian Blood was a largely forgotten band that had some great songs between 1986-1990. The band started in the city of Nakatsu but later relocated to Tokyo with some member changes along the way. Violent Storm EP was released on vinyl by Japanese labels Adventure Family Records and Nouzui Records in 1988, being one of the most unique sounding releases of the era. Sicilian Blood’s sound was mainly mid-paced stomps but also had some faster moments throughout. They have a lot of hooks and choruses, taking nods to both British punk rock and the American hardcore sound of the time. The band reunited and released a new record in 2018 called Since 1986, consisting of rerecorded material from the past plus one new song.

Acid formed in Tokyo around 1987 and were essential for the development of the Japanese crust sound in the ‘90s. Released by the legendary label Selfish Records in 1989, Shock Troop was the band’s follow up to their already great demo from 1988. In these ten songs, the band was influenced by the more aggressive post-”Short Sharp Shock” era sound of Chaos UK, along with the Japanese hardcore of Crow, Gauze, and probably some US influences from Final Conflict and Crucifix thrown into the mix. Sounding absolutely incredible for its time, this 1989 album paved the way for the coming wave of heavier, harsher and more metallic production in the years to come. The legacy of Acid is still not as widely recognized as some other bands of that era, but anyone listening to both Shock Troop and their second Gray Earth LP will agree that the band was highly influential for a whole lot of Japanese crusties like Gloom, Collapse Society, Antiauthorize, and many more.

Osaka’s Griffin formed in 1984 to become one of the most unusual and interesting bands in the Japanese scene. Instead of playing raw, noisy and apocalyptic type of punk, they captured that groovy surf-influenced style of bands like Youth Brigade, Agent Orange, and T.S.O.L. Griffin’s debut The Phantom Of The Shocker‎ 7” came out in 1988, followed by the great 獅子吼 EP in 1990. Both seven-inches showcased a great sensibility of the band to play catchy Californian-style songs with enough melody and speed. The band continued to play all throughout the ‘90s but changed their style more towards streetpunk and Oi! sound.

Crocodile Skink, or Crocodileskink on later releases, formed in Tokyo in 1990 and up until 1997 played an important role in the ‘90s Japanese crust punk scene. Crocodile Skink’s bass player Shigenori also ran the seminal Tribal War Asia Records label and released some brilliant records at the time. Crocodile Skink’s legacy on the scene, however, is largely underrated compared to most of their contemporaries in the Japanese crust scene. Their most acclaimed records to date are the split EPs with Sweden’s No Security and Finland’s Força Macabra, however, I still like Crocodile Skink’s debut EP from 1992 more. In this early EP, the band was still not playing crust but fast UK-influenced hardcore instead. This EP was really great and the cover artwork reminds me of a lot of British bands at the time.

No matter how much credit they get, Kochi City’s Insane Youth will forever be in the shadow of some more popular bands of the era. Though always being buried beneath the grandeur of their peers of Disclose, Insane Youth influenced a lot of Japanese bands and a little known fact is they were the main precursor for the development of the so-called neocrust genre tag: they have songs that sound like Tragedy almost a decade before them. Insane Youth’s lineup was also brilliant. They featured guitarist Souichi, who played in Gudon between 1988-1991 and started Forward in 1996. Insane Youth’s Hiro was one of Kawakami’s best friends. Hiro’s main band was Insane Youth and Kawakami’s band Disclose, but from time to time Hiro would play in Disclose and Kawakami in Insane Youth. Disclose and Insane Youth did the Kochi-City Hardcore split 7” in 1993, but their best record was 1994’s Not Give A Damn EP. The sound of the band just screamed Scandinavian Jawbreaker era Anti-Cimex and even the vocals sound almost exactly like Jonsson’s! Plain and simple, to this day Not Give A Damn is the most perfect 12 minutes of pure Scandinavian-inspired hardcore punk thrash. Also look at that brilliant artwork from the Japanese legend Sugi!

One band that deserves special mention here is Tokyo legends Assfort, who formed in 1988 and released a slew of great hardcore punk records through the 2000s, including a split with Chaos UK. Their 亞吸不汚吐 (Asūfuoto) EP on Prank Records stands out for me: an absolutely breathtaking display of raw power and hardcore punk fury! The band also toured the United States in 1995, and Ken Sanderson of Prank Records shared a great story about that tour: “When Assfort first came to the US in 1995, they were the perfect ‘Japanese hardcore’ band to come to here as they were young, really great and had no expectations that an older, more established band might have. Their LP on Vinyl Japan was just about to be released. My favorite show they played was at the coffee shop in Santa Rosa, about 90 minutes from SF, on a weeknight. We had a friend who was a locksmith by trade drive us to the gig in his work van, squished among the tools as the keys along the walls rattled when the van hit bumps in road. Maybe 12 people showed up. Even people I knew there into hardcore didn’t come out, and Assfort absolutely did not care that no one was there, and completely leveled the place. The bassist at the time was a muay thai kickboxer and at one point kicked a heavy bottomed microphone stand and sent it sailing across the room, full throttle show.”

AGE (Armed Government’s Error) was a stenchcore band from Niigata, Japan. Their Inside Darkness EP was released in 1997 by Dewa Records. The opening song “Women in Slaughter” deals with abuse towards women as objects of rape and personal conquest by soldiers during war time, dealing with one of the most touchy subjects of their country’s imperialist history. The other song is an angry response to the society’s conditioning and mass production of public opinion. The style of the band is influenced by the metallic riffs of many early ‘90s bands from UK’s Peaceville label but besides being musically captivating, AGE stand out with their lyrical expression on a level uncommon for most Japanese bands even today.

Hyper Hindu Squatters were an all-female band from Japan that was absolutely amazing! Their discography included a couple of demos and a self-titled seven-inch record that I’ve played on repeat countless times. Their sonic identity was characterized by high-energy performances that seamlessly blended elements of early USHC, skate thrash, kängpunk, and japcore. What set them apart were the distinctively feminine and high-pitched vocals, reminiscent of the early days of Melt Banana, adding a unique and cheeky charm to their sound.

Shikabane, the Japanese word for corpse, was a blackened hardcore band from Tokyo. They put out several releases spanning from the late ‘90s to early 2000s. The band was ahead of its time, mixing blackened crust, metalcore, grindcore and noise. I really loved the snarling vocals that sounded so Japanese, mixed with the intensity of a band like His Hero Is Gone. The Ego And Desire 7” is my favorite Shikabane release that I still occasionally put on my record player. I also love the artwork blending elements of Eastern spirituality with skulls and more typical metal artwork.

ασσαυλτ (aka Assault) was a high-spirited hardcore punk band from Tokyo, led by vocalist Yoshiaki Negishi, who was also in bands such as G.A.T.E.S., Heavy Metal Glue, and Church of Misery. The band’s style is a ripping blend of the Japanese Burning Spirits style hardcore with some more contemporary metallic hardcore influences. Assault released their first album on CD in 2021 via HG Fact, followed by a second album in 2003, which was later released on vinyl by Portland’s label Partners in Crime in the US. Martyrdom 7-inch EP was another certified banger released by Partners in Crime.

Originators of the Japanese Youth Crew, Spitfire was a band from Sapporo (hometown of bands like Slang) that played hardcore in the style of Minor Threat, Stalag 13, and early Uniform Choice. According to Max Ward of 625 Thrashcore, he first heard about Spitfire from Mitch of Face of Change. “He took the time to explain about the Sapporo punk scene, how it had been around for so long, but much like the Southern punk bands in the US scene, was often overlooked. No record labels released Sapporo bands, no big-named Japanese bands went up there to tour, etc. But in the mid-’80s, all these bands started playing, and they took their influence from all different sources, European, American, Japanese, etc.” Released in 2002, Spitfire’s discography compiles the five song demo tape from February 1987, plus live tracks from two live shows in 1988. Absolutely underrated band that played a style so popular in the US and Europe at the time.

D.S.B., short for “Defiance of Shit Bastards,” was a hardcore punk band from Shinjuku. They gained more attention in 2001 when they toured Japan with Portland’s Deaththreat, which helped boost their popularity in the United States. Credit for this goes to Billy Davis, a bassist for Deaththreat and Tragedy, who co-runs the seminal hardcore punk label Partners in Crime and played a key role in organizing D.S.B.’s first American tour. In 2002, D.S.B. released three singles in quick succession, each with its distinct color and sound: Pure Cultivation in black, Battle Into Invisible Zone in red and Wait Tremblingly!!! in white. These singles showcased their diverse influences and creativity, making them a favorite band at the time. After this flurry of releases, the band went on their first US tour in 2003.

Chainsaw was a fast paced hardcore punk band from Osaka, Japan, heavily influenced by the USHC of the 1980s. The band released an extensive catalog of singles and EPs since 1997, including a split with Vöetsek and Conga Fury for the US label 625 Thrashcore in 2003. Six Weeks Records also released a CD containing Chainsaw’s 1991-2001 discography in 2002. Their songs were short, fast and loud heavy hitters with a distinct Japanese vibe in the vocals and occasional guitar solos.

Mind of Asian was a fastcore band from Tokyo with a strong female presence in the lineup. The band released a bunch of EPs through Hellnation’s Ken Hansford label Sound Pollution Records, who was a US distributor of Japan’s MCR Company. Mind of Asian also released split seven-inch records with Straight Edge Kegger, Vöetsek, and Unholy Grave. In 2003, Sound Pollution released 紅い華 = Akai Hana, which was absolutely wild stuff. Still one of the best fastcore records ever recorded!

Hailing from the Kumamoto Prefecture, SOULCRAFT was an outstanding band that I already reviewed at DIY Conspiracy. The band was hot on the heels in the early 2000s and Absolute Suspicion was released on vinyl by the Swedish label Putrid Filth Conspiracy, owned by Rodrigo of the band Intensity. Musically, SOULCRAFT were ripping and roaring with the perfect blend between energetic early ‘00s crusty hardcore and the classic Burning Spirits sound of Japan. This LP is a stampeding beast from start to finish and I was so hyped when I heard it for the first time. Still having a great time with this LP!

Tomorrow are a Japanese hardcore punk band from Okazaki, Aichi Prefecture. I don’t know much about them besides that they formed in the ‘90s. Their album Chiedi Troppo was released in 2004 and was recommended to me by YouTube when I was listening to Isterismo. Just like Isterismo, Tomorrow are a Japanese punk band singing in Italian. Unlike Isterismo, Tomorrow actually have melodic sensibilities and play fast, intense and catchy hardcore punk inspired by Italian bands like Negazione. The album is just amazing, thank you YouTube!

Another record that I already reviewed here. Nātïonstāte was a band from Osaka that existed between 2003 to 2006. 業火の残像 (Gouka no zanzou) was released on CD (the one that I got) and vinyl in 2006 by F.T.U. Records. Their style was influenced by the ’90s style American crust with dual male-female vocals spitting tons of rage and raw aggression. Taking influences ranging from the rough sound of Misery and Nausea to the more technical style of His Hero Is Gone, there’s no single track on this record that’s not an absolute banger. Seriously, this rates among my all-time favorite crust records!

I picked up this seven inch a while back when I was looking for the releases of Dublin, Ireland’s Easpa Measa. To this day, I don’t know much about Nemetona other than they’re a Japanese band, but these three songs just rip so hard. Probably a short-lived band, they played powerful, chaotic, noise-drenched hardcore with some heavy doom and rock parts. The sound is raw as hell, the rhythm section is hard as nails and the screams are pure fire. Let me know if you have more insight into this band.

Shrouded in mystery, Muga (無我) was a metallic crust band from Nagoya featuring Tatsuhiro of Result on guitar/vocals. During their existence, the band took the Tragedy style to a whole new level. Their debut 2002 self-titled album was characterized by the typical for the ‘90s crust scene shouted dual male and female vocals. The band released a two-song EP in 2004, followed by the suicide of their bass player / second vocalist Koketsu. In 2007, Dan-Doh label released a split of Muga and Kobe’s grindcore band Swarrrm. The second LP There Is Nothing Eternal Exists came out in 2008. Both albums are absolute rippers from start to finish. Still one of the best neocrust bands EVER!

Formed by ex-members of Gudon, Warhead and Asphalt, Hiroshima’s Origin of [M] were among Japan’s best kept secrets. The band is definitely belonging to the Burning Spirits school of hardcore, but it’s really hard to label them since they are influenced by so many different styles. They even have a bit of a groovy metallic edge and comparisons to NYHC’s Leeway would be also appropriate. The self-titled LP was reissued by Burai Core in 2011 and it’s fairly easy to find for cheap.