Volume One: Tracks 1-4 from "First-Last" 7-inch (Hold Up Records, 1986). Tracks 5-7 from "Nucler Blood" flexi (Uma Oi Records, 1985). Track 8 from "I'll Gather Up" 8-inch compilation (Musical Friends, 1989). Tracks 9-12 from "Violence Action" flexi (Z Records, 1988). Tracks 13-19 from "Disarray" flexi (ADK, 1984). Tracks 20-24 from "The Last Days" flexi (Kochi Records, 1985). Tracks 25-27 from "Jisatu" 8-inch compilation (?, 1985).
Volume Two: Tracks 1-3 from "Middle East Combat Area" 7-inch (Dogma, 1984). Tracks 4-5 & 27-28 from "Great Punk Hits" compilation (Japan Records, 1983). Track 6 from "Hold Up Omnibus" 8-inch compilation (Hold Up Records, 1985). Tracks 7-9 from "Hiromi's Party Part 1" flexi (ACS, 1984). Tracks 10-14 from "Dead Person" flexi (Stomping Records, 1987). Tracks 15-17 from "Destroy" flexi (ADK, 1984). Tracks 18-22 from "Final Count" flexi (Final, 1988). Track 23 from "Enjoy Your Youth" compilation (Adventure Family, 1988). Tracks 24-26 from "Criminal Flowers" 7-inch (Hit Parade, 1984).
NOTES:
Anti-Septic - First-Last: "Not much seems known about this band other than they released this classic EP in 1985. Just about everything on this record epitomises the classic Japanese hardcore sound of the mid ’80s. Gruff vocals, mid tempo beats, crunching guitar, metallic riffs and memorable songs. Like many Japanese bands back then these guys had big hair and weren’t afraid to sport make-up & lipstick - in stark contrast to European and North American bands." -http://www.7inchpunk.com/?p=353
Crime - Nucler Blood: "Here’s another obscure japanese punk flexi, as they were plenties in that era… Despite the fact it’s not written in kanji letters, I know nothing about the band. About the music, it’s typical UK influenced stuff, mostly Chaos UK on this one, with a gruff voice, as many Jap bands (Mobs, Ghoul, Freedom, Zouo….). Notice the typical obligatory japanglish deformation in the title." -www.7inchpunk.com/?p=368
Z - Violence Action: "The “Violence Action” flexi is a particularly ugly example of the Japanese noise-core sound near the end of its ‘80s incarnation. Before long, the facepaint and studded face masks would give way to the more traditional rags-core style of UK crusties. Here, whether intentional or not, the blinding white noise of the flexi seems to derive more from an encounter with early industrial music than from an attempt to outdo Chaos UK. In this way, the flexi evinces a feeling one associates with punk of the ‘80s, before the range of influences from which punk bands drew narrowed and ossified. Against this argument is the mediocrity of the band’s other recordings, as I mentioned. That unevenness, too, however, also seems wholly of the ‘80s, when first releases far outdoing subsequent ones was the norm. It’s nice to think that Z were trying to combine extremely harsh proto-industrial noise with Discharge and Napalm Death, though it’s probably just a fantasy. More likely, these punks just went for it and what resulted was a better outcome, in terms of extreme music, than anyone should’ve expected. The important question is: what the heck was Z Record 001? A demo perhaps?" -http://www.shit-fi.com/articles/JapaneseNoiseCoreRecords/Z
Disarray - S/T: A total mystery to me…one of the BEST releases that the legendary ADK label ever released & it has the “classic” TAM sound/production…obviously a Tokyo area band…at least some members later appeared on the Killer BITOUSHA flexi about 1 year later…a 2nd ,self-releaesd, hard-vinyl 7? came out in 1985 & its called “In Search Of The Miraculous”…its pretty lame in comparison to this flexi …supposedly one member eventually played in COCOBAT, and a member now plays in a band,which is still active in Japan, called DESSERT. check out the lyrics to “Bad Blood” & you’ll realize that thoughts of rightous revenge will NEVER DIE!!" -http://www.7inchpunk.com/?p=540
The Sexual - The Last Days: Their second flexi. 'Devil Reversion' is one of my personal favorite Japanese punk tracks ever! "This is one of great bands from Japan and probably from Earth. Just wait to hear "The Last Days" song and you'll understand what I'm talking about, it sounds like a soundtrack from a sinister movie. I got the feeling that I've heard that song before." -http://carry-on-screaming.blogspot.com/2008/01/sexuals-complete-discography-83-85-cd.html
M78: Side project of Ghoul, Gas, Systematic Death, & Gastunk.
The Clay - Middle East Combat Area: "Another great Japanese band that put out a 7? and some comp tracks and faded into obscurity. I don’t really know much about this band except, this is a killer 7?." -http://www.7inchpunk.com/?p=197
Bitousha - Hiromi's Party Part 1: "Ultra-rare flexi by this Sendai city HC all stars project band. Featuring the Disarray singer, Sekinin Tenka and Rebel members. The female guitarist Hiromi(Rebel) and the bassist Jun(Sekinin Tenka) later moved to Tokyo to play in G-Zet/Bloodberry with Tam(The Stalin). Hiromi did the vocals for them. Bloodberry actually played both G-Zet and Bitousha songs. Amazing flexi. This is some quality metallic Japcore. Awesome lyrics, too. Very sought after early Japcore rarity. "Absolutely demented vocals appear on two of the three tracks here.It's again that metal-punk style of GISM, but lighter on guitarwork. Complex, and evil-sounding." (MRR #23 review)" -http://hardcorebeaver.blogspot.com/2008/11/new-list-dec-19th-2008-part-1-z.html
Dead Person - S/T: ?
LSD - Destroy: Pre G-Zet?
Final Count - S/T - "Japan's Final Count with their self titled 1988 7" flexi (self released) sort of reminds me of a more structured GISM in places and a less brutal version of Societic Death Slaughter. What ever the lame comparisons you can rest assured it's a fine record and worth your time and effort." -http://madblastsofchaos.blogspot.com/2008/10/final-count-final-count-7-flexi-1984.html
The Execute - Criminal Flowers: Pre Gastunk.