Bleach(03)
Hailing from Osaka, Japan, Bleach (known in North America as Bleach03) was a whirlwind trio delivering shuddering waves of thrash and hardcore to the airwaves.
Active from 1997 to 2009, the band released 7 albums and 3 EPs to massive success.
Touring the US through three runs of Japan Nite, an annual music event featuring Japanese artists, Bleach03 garnered acclaim for their vivid stage presence and wild live performances.
The band’s sound is multifaceted, playing with varying degrees of “girl rage.” Expertly-wielded growls and banshee-like screams meld with a fast-paced, thrashing guitar and irreverent drumline.
Some songs are pure mad energy, a whirlwind of chaos and catharsis. Others are thudding, slow-paced war ballads reminiscent of early 2000’s nu metal.
My favorite album, “The Head That Controls Both Right And Left Sides Eats Meats And Slobbers Even Today,” is the kind of record that makes you sit back and go, “holy sh-t.”
Midori
I’m a sucker for punk fusion, and I’ll be damned if Midori doesn’t take “fusion” to the next level.
Also from Osaka, the multi-genre punk band drove audiences wild from 2003-2010, putting out three albums, three EPs and two demos.
One of the band’s major draws was its unique stylistic energy, featuring blends of melodic singing and upbeat rhythms with fierce screaming and gnarled guitar.
Despite their chaotic sound, the band bore the “punk” label somewhat begrudingly.
In an interview with Japan Times, vocalist Mariko Goto described the band thusly:
“I’d say we’re a punk band. But the sort of punk we make is nostalgic and lonely. It’s like a four-tatami room with just one door and one window; a very old, small, seedy apartment. And there’s a bald, old guy sitting in there alone, screaming and screaming. That’s punk to me.”
Goto, clad in a schoolgirl’s uniform and featuring a classic blunt bob, was the band’s iconic “face” — transforming the conventional into the radical, the girlish into the churlish.
Otoboke Beaver
I had the absolute privilege of seeing this fantastic band live back in April 2024.
Hailing from Kyoto and dressed to the nines in color-coordinated 60’s-style party dresses, Otoboke Beaver runs like a well-oiled machine.
The chaos has a high production value, expertly-timed and paired with irreverent lyricism and ironic “cutesy” affect to create a pesudo-idol experience.
If you’re into punk but averse to the heavier stuff, “Itekoma Hits” offers a sweet balance of heavy vocals and fast-paced instrumentation with a more riot grrrl-inspired twist.
