Shakily debuting as a dramatically stripped down (and much sloppier) clone of Naked City's "hardcore" phase, Painkiller rapidly transmuted into an aural odyssey of Middle Eastern dark ambient, industrialized dub, and sludge-jazz coincidentally similar to the Swiss band 16-17. The effect/loop experimentation on the instruments (mostly a dry bass, drums, and sax) is impressive not only for it's atypicality, but for the hallucinatory depth it achieves in each session's ambiance. I don't believe there's been any document of the band's collective mindset or goals, anything Harris or Zorn have ever said of the project were terse references to generic jamming...but the strange uniqueness they concocted refuses to show any hint of age or age-induced cringe. As Mick would have called it: "Proper". P.S.: And goddamn do their layouts still impress me. Stunningly beautiful morbidity! 
Painkiller - "Collected Works '91-'94" 4xCD 1997 & "50/12" CD 2005
Shakily debuting as a dramatically stripped down (and much sloppier) clone of Naked City's "hardcore" phase, Painkiller rapidly transmuted into an aural odyssey of Middle Eastern dark ambient, industrialized dub, and sludge-jazz coincidentally similar to the Swiss band 16-17. The effect/loop experimentation on the instruments (mostly a dry bass, drums, and sax) is impressive not only for it's atypicality, but for the hallucinatory depth it achieves in each session's ambiance. I don't believe there's been any document of the band's collective mindset or goals, anything Harris or Zorn have ever said of the project were terse references to generic jamming...but the strange uniqueness they concocted refuses to show any hint of age or age-induced cringe. As Mick would have called it: "Proper". P.S.: And goddamn do their layouts still impress me. Stunningly beautiful morbidity! 
Korpses Katatonic - "Sensitive Liberated Autistiks" Cassette 1983
Pre Zero Kama (ritualistic industrial supposedly made with human skulls and bones...I still can't tell). Quite a variety of electronic sounds can be found on this tape. Hypnotically looping Throbbing Gristle cloned creep-drones share (or overlay) equal time with arhythmic low-bit beats. Unlike Zero Kama, it actually resembles TxGx a great deal, but seems to rely less on improvisation than the interplay of preconceived sounds (electronic OR vaguely organic). I found it to be slightly indulgent, aging noticeably worse in that regard than other projects endemic in mindset to that era of industrial (faux intellectualism, forced shock value, art students in berets et al), but it still offers some fun timewarps back into what makes that same era so continually endearing: exploring minimalism at it's maximum to trigger the pineal gland.
Death Rattle - "Noiz And Peace" CDR 2015
Professionally recorded rototom noisecharge. It's heavy
as fuck, with the (still noisy) guitars having a thick body that belies
the band's overall crashing approach (there's also a slight similarity to Nerveskade, at least in speed and apparent song arrangement). I really...really...dislike modern
noisecore, but this is a project that impressed me enough to attempt to remember. Five
anti-songs in 12 minutes (with full scans...you can thank Phil for ALL of this by scoping out his very un-hipcore label).
Phil-anthropy 4: Japsnore
"Deserve To Die - Demo 2015 New grindcore band from Japan. Touches of PV. I predict this band will be getting heavy radio play in 2016 and selling out the House Of Blues." [They have a surprising resemblance to Endless Demise...with way weaker vocals. --S]
"Fortitude - Resist Til Death And Resisting After Death CD (2008)
One of the best Japanese grind releases i've ever heard...this and their 7" are superb. Love this Osaka band. Shame their not more prolific. Anyone who's not heard them and is into grindcore will blow their nutsack."
"Assembrage - Demo (2012)
Only demo from Assembrage, put out about a year before their 12" "
"13th Moon - CD-Single & Witch Hunt CD (2011)
Death Rock. [Not bad...but not Bauhaus. --S]"
"Chiba Last Warrior - Compilation CD (1993)
Highly obscure and seldom seen compilation from 1993 featuring a mix of bands, some known, some lost to the mists of time. The band Parasite on this is a different one to the metal punks that people know. Scum Blast songs are different to the split 7" with Ghoza, Gestapo also feature on the Museum comp tape series and are pretty cool,although why they sing about fucking dogs is anyone's guess.They come across as a bit of a joke band really. Their songs on here are different than on those tapes also. My favourite band on this comp is probably Soltic, never heard anything else by them other than these songs though. The Beni Tsubaki songs are better than on their 7" releases, but that's not saying much."
"Clown - Deadly Drive Demo CDR
4 track demo from Nagoya City (Traditional) Hardcore outfit Clown. It don't get more Japanese than this."
"The Epidemic - 2nd Demo
3 tracks of hard edged pogo punk from Japan. Sounds like a mix of Last Survivors and The Erections."
"The Geros - Demo (2014)
[Loud traditional garage in Friction's semi-fi style, with vocals not far removed from Watch's more controlled moments. --S]
"Humongous - Thrashing Punk Attack (2002)
Good shit, I'm drunk...make your own shit up." [VERY energetic traditional Japcore that doesn't mire itself in technicality or too much metal. I actually liked it. --S]
"One River - Demo CDR (Year?)
5 track demo that sounds like it was recorded in someones bathroom. Shame, because it's pretty cool ripping hardcore. This band also had a 7" release and an appearance on the MCR compilation 'This Is The Life Volume 3'."
"EVE - 2nd Demo (2004)
5 song demo CDR recorded a couple of years prior to their release on Blood Sucker Records. Everything is in Japanese on the packaging (except the date)."
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