(Anyone knows if I could/should post this in some other forum? I'll try here first)

I'm going on a vacation to Japan in March and I plan to buy like one ton of records... I thought it might be a good idea to spend some of my money on Japanese releases - albums, live albums, special editions - you name it! Any stuff that has only been released in Japan and might be hard (impossible?) to get your hands on anywhere else.

Anybody's got any advice of albums to purchase? I'm interested in about anything except from death metal - even alternative music, all kinds of rock - just tell me everything that you want to recommend!

Or maybe somebody knows a good website with some kind of list of Japaneses releases?

Thanks a lot!

Ok, let's see. If you like Post-Rock there is a great band called Mono (all albums are great but "Walking Cloud and Deep Red Sky, Flag Fluttered and the Sun Shined" and "You Are There" are my favorites), if you like Power Metal then Concerto Moon is a good option. For some Symphonic Prog Rock, Ars Nova is the one, try their album called "Book of the Dead" or even "The Goddess of Darkness". For a little Doom/Drone Metal Boris is a great band (also check their album with Sunn O))) ). For Blackened Avant-Garde Metal, Sigh's Hangman's Hymn is a great album. For Symphonic Goth Metal, Moi Dix Mois ia a good option.

Also try: Malice Mizer (prog rock) and X Japan (heavy/power).

I'm sure Joel (Hyvaarin) or Vik (Judas) would agree with me here: Sex Machineguns. Their name's obviously a spin on The Sex Pistols, but they play Heavy/Power, although their music can only truly be appreciated if you are also accustomed to the strong Japanese accent in vocals (Especially since they sing in Japanese, of course). I advise you check out their album Heavy Metal Thunder

get anything from Boris. also there are a large number of pscychedelic/noise bands in japan that are rather interesting, but these usually have massive discographies and it's hard to pick up a random album.

nonetheless try to find some Acid Mothers Temple (Electric Heavyland), Ghost (Hypnotic Underworld) and Boredoms (Pop Tatari or Chocolate Synthesizer).

ps, try getting your hands on the album Boris made with Michio Kurihara, called Rainbow.

Try some Melt Banana and Deathgaze too.

Melt Banana is brilliant, i second that. And I also second Damnated's Boris recommendation.

I know people give Dir en grey a lot of shit, but their albums Vulgar and Withering to death. are really good imho.

Written by vulgar talent on 10.02.2008 at 04:21

I know people give Dir en grey a lot of shit, but their albums Vulgar and Withering to death. are really good imho.

True, but they can be found here too, you don't have to go to Japan just for Dir en grey.

You're right, but if you're feeling really ambitious try looking for their older albums or singles like MACABRE, GAUZE, or Myaku. You wont find those at FYE .

Written by vulgar talent on 10.02.2008 at 04:21

I know people give Dir en grey a lot of shit, but their albums Vulgar and Withering to death. are really good imho.

Dir En Grey are quite nu-metallish. Not recommendable for a metal fan. From Japan, in the rockish and metallish genres, try either Moi Dix Mois or Melt Banana. Melt Banana are noise rock, so it does require a bit of tolerance towards that kind of music. Moi Dix Mois is catchy gothic metal. Just avoid the last album, preferable an album with Juka on vocals. Oh, and X Japan's Blue Blood if you are into power/progressive metal. Oh, and HIZAKI grace project. -If you can stand the visual kei image- they are a power metal band.

Besides that, videogame and anime soundtracks, and Japanese electronic music. Japanese are actually much better in those genres than metal.

Personally, I intend to get Malice Mizer's "Merveilles" when I go to Japan in March. If you're into pop, Tainaka Sachi is pretty good. Moi Dix Mois was mentioned above, they're a good choice but not on par with Malice Mizer's best work. (The driving force behind the bands is same, Mana.)

My favorite Japanese band is D'espairsRay, you might want to check their EPs, like BORN. You can find their studio albums and the DVD in Europe, too. They're industrial/nu-ish metal, but there's absolutely nothing wrong with that. If you're after Japanese music, you might as well go for what they're good at. Classic metal isn't their strongest point.

If you're into game music, though, you simply must get both the Black Mages albums. They're Nobue Uematsu's band that play rock/metal versions of Final Fantasy pieces. That's what I'm getting if I find them.

I used to be obsessesobsessed with Malice Mizer when I was 13. I mean it was baaad. I don't want to talk about it. They were really good though in their early days and their later days. They had that whole twin guitar thing going on. Now that I listen to them again, I'm not to fond of their techno-dancey stuff. Memoire and Bara no Seidou are my favorite albums.

Mana really is a good musician if you can look past his nasty over-priced fashion label and his friendship with Amy Lee.

Written by IronAngel on 17.02.2008 at 23:18

My favorite Japanese band is D'espairsRay, you might want to check their EPs, like BORN. You can find their studio albums and the DVD in Europe, too. They're industrial/nu-ish metal, but there's absolutely nothing wrong with that.

They're on the Taste Of Chaos tour this year, right? With MUCC. Mucc is also a very good Japanese nu-metal band. Too bad ToC is like....... the worst tour ever created.

Written by Guest on 23.01.2008 at 09:50

I'm sure Joel (Hyvaarin) or Vik (Judas) would agree with me here: Sex Machineguns. Their name's obviously a spin on The Sex Pistols, but they play Heavy/Power, although their music can only truly be appreciated if you are also accustomed to the strong Japanese accent in vocals (Especially since they sing in Japanese, of course). I advise you check out their album Heavy Metal Thunder

sex machineguns are KILLER. their tekken II song is SICK.

@vulgar talent: Oh shit Mana is friends with Amy Lee? Wahh, tell me more!

Galneryus

Much of their stuff is available via iTunes, but keep your eyes peeled for anything Japan only.

Merzbow - Pulse Demon

Boris - Amplifier Worship

this band isn't Japanese,but they have a Japanese front woman,Bloody Panda,pretty solid doom band.