Bastard "Wind Of Pain" lp (Bastard, Bloodsucker 1990 / Japan)
They don't make em like they used to. When was the last time that you heard a hardcore lp that was 100%, balls out, all killer and no filler? Maybe you did hear one recently, but let's get honest here, such a thing doesn't come around every day. Hell, most bands can't even put together a half decent ep it seems!
To me, there couldn't have been a better time for the Bastard full length to come out. 1990 wasn't exactly 'prime time' for punk around the world and for bands like Bastard and Death Side to carry the flag and keep the sound of traditional Japanese hardcore alive in these dark times, well, i just feel they don't get enough credit for their work in that department. Wind Of Pain is flawless. I would even argue that one can't possibly have a decent taste in punk music unless this ranks high on their list. Yes, it's that good and most folks with half a brain have not only realized this, but have also shelled out the bucks for an original copy of this already legendary platter. I've had friends who have gone to japan with one goal in mind and that was to find the Bastard lp. Expensive little trip, but if you've ever been, you know that you can find most anything you want...for a price. Some cases i would disagree, but i'd have to say that this IS one of those records that people need, regardless of cost.
Why exactly do i speak so highly of this record? To begin with, i've always had a taste for japanese bands but that was amplified ten fold after going on tour there for almost 2 weeks, where i was able to see some amazing bands, enjoy the culture and pick up the occasional record. When i arrived home, my interest grew and i found myself indulged in many of the country's older bands. One of the things that i had picked up on the trip was Bastard's "No Hope In Here" cd, an official discography put out by the band to combat the bootlegs that were floating around. The Wind Of Pain tracks on this were the standouts for me and like so many other records, it got added to my ever growing want list. All 8 songs are perfect burning spirits style. If I was trying to explain to someone traditional japanese hardcore, this would be what i would direct them to. It's heavy and it's hard. Not too clean but not too dirty. The constant raging of this record never ceases even at it's slowest and mid tempo'd parts. Just listen to the intro to To The Stumped Underdogs. That shit is hard as nails and the breakdown that falls later on in the song, just takes it to the next level. That's not even mentioning Zigyaku's INSANE guitar work on this, which blows my mind everytime. Still not convinced? Give Misery a spin and prepare to flip some furniture in your living room.
I just got this a couple days ago in the mail and it's left my turntable once, just for it's pretty picture. As it would turn out, a gent from the states wanted a my copy of the Riot 303 7" and though i didn't really want to part with it, i figured i'd have more of a chance at finding one of those again before i would a copy of this. As you can imagine, i'm pretty content with said trade which worked out good on both ends of the deal. Most copies of this that i've seen recently have gone for over 100 bucks, which seems to be a bit more than what it's been going for in the past, but i wouldn't be surprised if this just kept on increasing in price. I'd say that if you're planning on adding this to your collection, you'd be wiser to get this now or pay the price down the road. As with most records, they're not getting much cheaper.
I should also mention that any fans of Bastard would be wise to look into Zigyaku's band which followed Bastard, Judgement. All 4 singles pick up where Bastard left off and are not to be skimmed over...
To me, there couldn't have been a better time for the Bastard full length to come out. 1990 wasn't exactly 'prime time' for punk around the world and for bands like Bastard and Death Side to carry the flag and keep the sound of traditional Japanese hardcore alive in these dark times, well, i just feel they don't get enough credit for their work in that department. Wind Of Pain is flawless. I would even argue that one can't possibly have a decent taste in punk music unless this ranks high on their list. Yes, it's that good and most folks with half a brain have not only realized this, but have also shelled out the bucks for an original copy of this already legendary platter. I've had friends who have gone to japan with one goal in mind and that was to find the Bastard lp. Expensive little trip, but if you've ever been, you know that you can find most anything you want...for a price. Some cases i would disagree, but i'd have to say that this IS one of those records that people need, regardless of cost.
Why exactly do i speak so highly of this record? To begin with, i've always had a taste for japanese bands but that was amplified ten fold after going on tour there for almost 2 weeks, where i was able to see some amazing bands, enjoy the culture and pick up the occasional record. When i arrived home, my interest grew and i found myself indulged in many of the country's older bands. One of the things that i had picked up on the trip was Bastard's "No Hope In Here" cd, an official discography put out by the band to combat the bootlegs that were floating around. The Wind Of Pain tracks on this were the standouts for me and like so many other records, it got added to my ever growing want list. All 8 songs are perfect burning spirits style. If I was trying to explain to someone traditional japanese hardcore, this would be what i would direct them to. It's heavy and it's hard. Not too clean but not too dirty. The constant raging of this record never ceases even at it's slowest and mid tempo'd parts. Just listen to the intro to To The Stumped Underdogs. That shit is hard as nails and the breakdown that falls later on in the song, just takes it to the next level. That's not even mentioning Zigyaku's INSANE guitar work on this, which blows my mind everytime. Still not convinced? Give Misery a spin and prepare to flip some furniture in your living room.
I just got this a couple days ago in the mail and it's left my turntable once, just for it's pretty picture. As it would turn out, a gent from the states wanted a my copy of the Riot 303 7" and though i didn't really want to part with it, i figured i'd have more of a chance at finding one of those again before i would a copy of this. As you can imagine, i'm pretty content with said trade which worked out good on both ends of the deal. Most copies of this that i've seen recently have gone for over 100 bucks, which seems to be a bit more than what it's been going for in the past, but i wouldn't be surprised if this just kept on increasing in price. I'd say that if you're planning on adding this to your collection, you'd be wiser to get this now or pay the price down the road. As with most records, they're not getting much cheaper.
I should also mention that any fans of Bastard would be wise to look into Zigyaku's band which followed Bastard, Judgement. All 4 singles pick up where Bastard left off and are not to be skimmed over...
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