Underground Japanese Rock that makes you wish you were turning Japanese… I really think so… Although it might not be everybody’s cup of tea, Japanese rock, punk and rock never got any better. Plan X From The Eastern Dark is a compilation album that showcases some of the best underground deathrock, punk and rockabilly acts waving their banner all the way from the land of the rising sun.
If you’ve never tried your hand at anything else Japanese apart from sushi, then take a stab at listening to this one. You might not get most of what they’re saying, but it’s a good listen especially if you’re into the genre.
The album is put together by vocalist of 13th Moon, Nao12xu. He’s taken 13 tracks from some of the most interesting up and coming and existing underground bands from Japan. Add to the mix his own band, 13th Moon and their track Vanished from the Pocket and you get one loud and unpredictable compilation album.
Apart from 13th Moon’s track, another one of my favorite tracks is The Lechery from Mars’ Creatures (Void SS). This one reminds me of those fast, guitar and drum driven tracks of the late 70s. Like most people that would listen to this, I have no clue what they were singing about, but the drum beats and sound is enough to make me bob my head up and down.
Each of the band in the compilation has their own unique style and brand of music. Although it takes a bit of getting used to and certainly will not equate to an easy listen for most people, this is an album worth listening to if you like exploring foreign music. Or if you’re simply curious how people from the East side of the globe are translating their love for punk, deathrock and noise in their part of the world.
Related Links:
13th Moon Blog
Plan X on Zorch Factory Records Website
Links for Other Bands
The Lechery from Mars on Myspace
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