Saturday, April 3, 2010

Swarrrm - Nise Kyuseishu Domo (Thee Imitation Messiahs)




While Kobe, Japan's, Swarrrm has been making music for over ten years they remain relatively obscure. Trying to find info on them is like pulling teeth. The elusive band has released 3 full lengths, 3 EPs, and at least 13 splits.
Labeling this band grind would be inaccurate. While they are no stranger to playing at lightning speed, they're also not afraid to slow it down, lose the distortion, and play some fucked up meta-jazz on occasion. They also aren't afraid of exploring instrumentation outside of guitar, bass, and drums. Mandolin and piano both show up in this album. While they do use these instruments don't think that they're some noodley prog band. These guys are still raw and brutal. They are one of the few bands that are truly unique and difficult, if not impossible, to compare to anyone else.
While the music is great the vocals are outstanding.
While they have had different vocalists for nearly every release, they all seem to have the same concept. Rather then using lyrics they view the voice as an instrument which has many unexplored possibilities. This album features Hatada, perhaps one of the best to front Swarrrm so far. This guy screams, and sure its unsettling in a am-i-listening-to-a-singer-or-a-someone-being-raped-and-murdered type of a way, but he takes it further, coughing, choking, spitting, etc. This guy sounds like a legitimate psychopath. Its totally fucked up and unparalleled by anything I know of.
MF Japan. Always raising the bar.

Here is the first track from the album, while its closer to a straight grind song there is some sweet mandolin shredding going on...




Download here.
Note: I can't find this for sale anywhere. Its possible that its out of print. If someone knows where to find it let me know.

2 comments:

Aylmer said...

Great album, great band. My next post was gonna be a Coffins lp. You've stole my nippon thunda.

Peter said...

Coffins rules man, you should definitely post them.