Eternal Elysium - Spiritualized D [2000]

This is a masterpiece. Being both a Japanophile and huge doom nut, I'm fucking surprised I didn't know about this band's greatness until just recently. They are my new favorite band because of this record. I have their whole recorded output but nothing really comes close to what this album does. It blends psychedelic melodies with fuzzed out, doom-laden riffs and emotive, strong vox. "Floating Downer", "Splended Selfish Woman" and "What a Diff'rence a Day Makes" are instant classics if any contemporary doom is. The album's absolute best moment is on the short "Trick or Steal" where, at the one minute mark, the smoke lifts for a moment and takes a backseat to a lovely psyched-out melody with a huge, beefy bassline, reminiscent of the more well known Japanese psych masters. This is great! You must have this.

Genre: Doom/Psych
Label: Meteor City
Country: Japan
Bitrate: 320k
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Les Rallizes Denudes - Mizutani [1991]

Here's one of the first official CD releases from LRD, recorded live in '70 and unearthed decades later, this is the lo-fi experience of delay and fuzz from a garage somewhere in Japan. "Otherwise Fallin' In Love With", the last track, is probably the most well known of this, and was recorded at a later date (discogs says '73) and goes by another name, "Romance of the Black Grief". This is one of R'N'Rs most overlooked groups of the 70s and if you don't know them, I suggest you read up. Mizutani Takashi is probably my favorite guitarist. By the time this album came out officially Kevin Shields was already borrowing from this guy and hipsters everywhere were proclaiming genius.

Genre: Psych/Noise
Label: Rivista
Country: Japan
Bitrate: 128k
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Nagisa ni te - The Same as a Flower [2004]

More sweeping acid folk from the land of the rising-san, this boyfriend-girlfriend couple do things up right with clear acoustics, fuzzy wah freakouts and typical hippie vocals. The band leader runs the label, which has also put out shit from Maher Shalal Hash Baz (which I don't like, but whatever). This will make you think of summer days and hallucinogenic drugs. You can't ask for more.

Genre: Acid Folk
Label: Org
Country: Japan
Bitrate: 192k
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Hallucinogen - In Dub [2002]

I'm one to scoff at remix albums but holy FUCK - this is just amazing.

I had forgotten this was laying around on the hard drive. Within around 15 minutes (which barely covers the first track), I was hooked. This is everything awesome about Hallucinogen (who if you don't know, you fucking should) with everything "dubbed up" on MDMA and Red Bull by producer Ott. He's chosen six Hallucinogen favorites, amped up the bass and phasing and seemingly had them injected into Scratch Perry's amygdala. There is just so much going on here. And with six tracks going an hour you'd figure he'd wear out his welcome, but I'll be damned if I ain't gonna search out this dudes solo work (as well as the other Posford remixes he's done (one with Shpongle!)) and see if I can't get more info on him (the wiki is barebones, yo). This will have you craving for more.

And you'd think "LSD", being a staple for the entire goa scene, could NEVER be outdone or remade in any respectable way. Well fucking download this and tell me I'm wrong.

Genre: Dub/Goa/Psytrance
Label: Twisted
Country: England
Bitrate: 320k
Length: 59:49
Part 1 - Part 2

Hanatarash - 3 [1992]

Hanatarash is best known for being Yamatsuka Eye's original snot-nosed disturbers of the peace before he started the most important band in the world. This is their third release and contains all of the unintelligible screaming, tape loops, warped instruments, power tools and feedback you could want. Most of this shit makes Boredoms sound like an all virginal female twee pop band from Scotland. Makes Merzbow look kinda tame by comparison, too.

Genre: Noise
Label: RRRecords
Country: Japan
Bitrate: 128k
Length: 46:18
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Acid Mothers Temple - The Day Before the Sky Fell In America [2003]

Here's a somewhat overlooked and really great live recording from Kawabata & co. most often known as the '06 release with the Amon Düül-like cover. This is the same recording under the original Eclipse label and showcases no "speed-guru" rock-outs but only a single, droning improvised jam. This was also before Cotton Casino left for a solo career (did that even happen?) and was recorded during their tour for La Novia. So if you liked that release at all you really fucking need to hear this. The main Novia theme is heard at the beginning of the second track. I prefer the first side better but theres a lot going on here for any AMT fan. Alongside Crystal Rainbow Pyramid this is my favorite AMT release.

Genre: Psych
Label: Eclipse
Country: Japan
Bitrate: ~256k
Length: 41:23
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disembowelment - Transcendence Into the Peripheral [1994]

Here's a famous Relapse release most everyone is familiar with by now with its 3xLP/2xCD re-release a few years back. Just to reiterate, this is essential listening for anyone into doom, funeral doom, black metal and grind. Just listen to the first 40 seconds or so and you should know immediately what the fuck is up. Further listening reveals long dirges, bits of ambiance and shattering blastbeats, sometimes all within the same track (the first two tracks being an example). That moment at 8:15 on "The Tree of Life and Death" has to be one of my favorite moments in metal. I could talk forever about why this album is amazing but its all been said before, probably by people who can say better than I. For a band that never had but a handful of recordings and never played one show, it's staggering. It's essential.

Genre: Funeral Doom/Grind
Label: Relapse
Country: Australia
Bitrate: 192k
Length: 59:37
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