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SPEED AND NOISE! The rallying cry of this hardcore band from Sapporo Japan who existed from 1985 to 1988. Gaizin brought forth a unique sound which could only have come out of the mid to late 80's Japanese hardcore scene. Influenced by the trademark raw and abrasive sound of the early wave of Japanese hardcore bands like Gai and Confuse, excellent bands from their hometown like Tranquilizer, G-Gas, and Napalm, but also the current wave of UK thrash bands like Heresy and Ripcord who along with so many of their countrymen were both turning up the speed on hardcore. This 7" serves as an excellent document of the band's history compiling the best tracks from their extremely scarce tape releases, as well as unreleased studio tracks. 330 copies pressed on black vinyl with 80's Japanese style fold out EP jacket.
Our take: Compilation of rare recordings by this band from 1980s Sapporo, Japan. Situated on the northern island of Hokkaido, Sapporo has produced great punk bands over the years (including G-Gas and Slang), but their scene gets less attention than what happens in the larger cities. However, as with American bands from off-the-beaten path cities, there’s often something special about the music from these places. Gaizin have plenty to offer the Japanese hardcore fanatic: gutteral vocals, metallic riffing, and raw, in your face production. But they also sound out of step. Like the label’s description mentions, the thrashy quality of the riffing and the blistering tempos remind me of Heresy, as do the short songs and dramatic stops and starts. I’m not sure if it’s coincidence or influence, but it makes for one of the more unique-sounding 80s Japanese records you’ll hear. Oh, and these sold out from the label, so if you want a copy you’d best jump on it before it disappears.