Japanese Heavy Metal Scene and Artists

Devoted to the discussion of the Japanese heavy metal scene and its artists! Rather nice to start things fresh in this topic. Being somewhat of a cultural anthroplogist, I’ll probably post a couple of essays later for discussion on. Artist updates, releases, and album and song reviews are welcome!

Personal favorite bands: Galneryus, Gallhammer, Boris, Kadenzza, Church of Misery, and Sigh. I don’t classify Dir en Grey and Maximum the Hormone as metal since they lean towards hardcore and hard rock more than anything. But that’s always up for debate :P.

Great links!

You Oshima from Kadenzza, in interviews, talks about the Japanese extreme metal music scene.
http://www.kadenzza.com/bio/bio_index.html

The Omega Order. Great, reliable, cd order site. Contains several artists.

http://www.theomegaorder.com/s.nl/sc.2/category.-102/.f

Though they may not be Japanes - they’re from Taiwan - I think Chthonic is pretty good. Especially Doris…ahhhh, sweet, sweet Doris…

Rather than put this in my thread, I’ll just put it here.

Japanese Melodic Speed Metal

http://minstrelix.fc2web.com/

Lola, the vocalist, actually has a very similar sound to Sonia Pineault’s vocals, from the Canadian band Forgotten Tales (one of my absolute favorites) so it’s no surprise that I should love MinstreliX as well.

More Japanese stuff…

Japanese Melodic Power Metal

http://www.alieson.net/html/

I absolutely adore their album artwork!


Japanese Symphonic Power Metal

http://dragon-guardian.com/index.html

Just because I felt like posting more Japanese stuff.

Dragon Guardian - Dragonvarius (2009)

What’s up with that homepage? Where’s the metal?


If you’re referring to Dragon Guardian, click on the page, but they don’t have samples on it.

You’d be better off going to their Myspace page if you want something other than intro music.

Diggin’ the drummer, but that vocalist is like ANTI-metal.

fillet wrote:


How so?

Because Metal is something solid, heavy, reliable. Not a gasp in the wind.

i know 3 metal bands from Japan

Dir En Grey
Maximum The Hormone
Detroit Metal City

fillet wrote:


Foolish, foolish child.

Time to bust out the leotards?

Throw on some of Hideaki Nakama’s stuff, like Minoru Niihara or Emerald Forest and go for it!

I never heard japanese metal before. I wonder what the basslines are like.

Pretty much right there, man.

I liked Emerald Forest’s second preformance better.

Hi guys, I’m from Australia and considering coming to Japan/Tokyo in September to see the Thrash Domination Tour. My friend and I are going to stay in Tokyo and see the Kawazaki shows and possibly the Nagoya show. We dont speak a word of Japanese and we were just wondering if there is a metal scene/website in Tokyo which would be willing to get in contact with me and perhaps meet up at the shows. It would be great to get a locals view/help.

Thanks in Advance!
Steve

Just because I’m currently enjoying them.

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Just because I love this video.

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