Japanese metal

[Greeno]

Does any one know of a good website about Japanese Heavy Metal (in English)? I'd like to find a site with a liitle history of the 80's scene there along with some discographies of the bands and I can't find anything really. I've been picking up any Japanese metal LP's that I come across these days and am really starting to get into it. Besides Loudness and EZO none of them really made it to the US, but man, there was a ton of them!!! Bands like---
Earthshaker
Action
Bow Wow
Vow Wow
Rajas
X-Ray
Blizard
44 Magnum
X-Japan
--and many more. Any help would be great. Suggestions of Japanese bands to check out would be cool also.

 

[DrillSergeant]

I'm not familiar with the Japanese scene at all. Neither do I know whether this is what you're searching for but you might find this link interesting:

http://www.metal-archives.com/browseC.php?c=108

This might come handy to anyone with whatsoever interest he might have, cause when you click the Home-button you can let the machine sort by almost anything - home country, genre or just the name. Enjoy!

 

[Greeno]

I'm not familiar with the Japanese scene at all. Neither do I know whether this is what you're searching for but you might find this link interesting:

http://www.metal-archives.com/browseC.php?c=108

Thanks! Looks like a good place to start. It looks like it is mainly newer bands from the 90's up but there are some older 80's bands on there. I've been to this site before but never noticed that you could serch by country... nice!

 

[Electric Savage]

 

[Psychonaut]

Loudness was pretty damn impressive. I'd recommend them!

 

[sixxswine]

Loudness was pretty damn impressive. I'd recommend them!

Them & EZO. :Spin:

 

[Bryant]

I don't know much about the Japanese metal scene at all. I had "Thunder in the East" (Loudness) on vinyl back in 84-85 maybe. Killer release.


Bryant

 

[Fangface]

If you like Loudness check Anthem asap, it's close musically and as good if not better.
My favorite Jap band by the way...

 

[Bryant]

I don't have anything but the "Thunder in the East." I have heard a couple of their other releases but they didn't do much for me. I didn't like the American singer at all and he was terrible with Accept as well. Akira Takasaki (guitarist) absolutely rips though.

Bryant

 

[Fangface]

Yeah but don't listen to their releases with Mike Vescera, it's not really Loudness anymore
The previous albums are better IMO.

 

[Bryant]

Yeah but don't listen to their releases with Mike Vescera, it's not really Loudness anymore
The previous albums are better IMO.

That's right it was Vescera, who later played for Yngwie. He was one of Yngwie's better vocalists, but I didn't like him at all in Loudness. I don't know why I thought it was that guy who joined Accept for the one album.


Bryant

 

[Greeno]

If you guys like Loudness you should check out Bow Wow. From what little info I've found on them it looks like they were the first big Japanese mteal/hard rock band, starting backing in the 70's. They have a big discography, I have 4 or 5 albums and they are very good, more on the hard rock side. They changed their name to Vow Wow for a few years because of confusion with the band Bow Wow Wow, but they eventually went back to Bow Wow.

Here is some info on them -- http://www.rockdetector.com/artist,1319.sm