Tag: reviews
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Hide’s Visual Kei Vanity Project: The Strangeness of Seth et Holth (1993)
“Everything is wrong in this place. I wonder what will become of us?” Seth et Holth is a 45-minute film conceptualised by Hide, the guitarist of the band X Japan. Released in the early ‘90s around the band’s commercial peak, It’s one of the most bizarre films involving a musician that I’ve ever come across.…
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THE SUSUMU HIRASAWA FILES VOL.3- BEFORE THE FREEZE
The year is 1984, and the world is moving incredibly fast. Everyone is carrying a Walkman, listening to new music and AOR, and adjusting their eyes to the bright neon lights that weren’t on these streets before, or at least not in this density. Young people frequent clubs, go on late-night drives in stylish cars,…
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bed: Japan’s Most Revolutionary Band is About to Turn Tokyo Music Upside-Down
Shibuya, 2:30am. You are at a party in Dogenzaka’s clubasia with 600 other people. The night so far has provided an eclectic mix of EDM DJs, rappers, and a psychedelic rock band. You follow the crowd to the main hall. The techno DJ is turned down. You hear a few electric sparks, then the sound…
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The Class of 97: 3 Japanese Bands That Changed Japanese Rock
Satoru “Teshi” Teshima joins Japanese Alternative Magazine for it’s first guest feature. The Berlin based music nerd and connoisseur hosts Teshi’s Fine Hour and an Instagram page packed to the brim with musical oddities. Teshi offers a listening experience that can range from obscure anime soundtracks from the ’70s, electronica anomalies, Reiwa era gems to…
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JP ALT’s Best of March ’26
ผ้าอ้อม99999- Junk Pop Right after going mildly viral for their eccentric music videos and chaotic “acid bass” sound, pa-o-mu99999’s debut LP solidifies the band’s position as one of the more compelling acts in the Japanese Hip Hop scene. JUNK POP takes the listener for a ride through post-apocalyptic landscapes, oddly reminiscent of Toxitown, the main location…
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Love, Zombies and Rock ‘n Roll: Revisiting Guitar Wolf’s Wild Zero (1999)
“Love has no borders, nationalities or genders! DO ITTTTT!” Every great band needs a movie to immortalise their exploits on the silver screen. The Beatles have A Hard Day’s Night, the Spice Girls have Spice World, and garage punk power trio Guitar Wolf have 1999’s sci-fi shlock horror masterpiece Wild Zero. Guitar Wolf certainly need…
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JP ALT’s Best of February ’26
Monthly highlight: GEZAN- I Know How Now GEZAN, since formation, have been unruly. Their albums are an amalgamation of different sounds, sometimes so harsh that you want to overthrow the government, sometimes so bright it fills your heart with hope. Meanwhile, the frontman of the band, MahiToThePeople, has been releasing soft folk albums, building a…
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JP ALT’s Best of ’25
JP ALT’s Seb, Emily and Cam pick their favorite releases of 2025. This list is not ranked, and exists to showcase the best projects released in the past year, spanning from mellow indie rock to wildly experimental noise. Seb’s picks The Dresscodes- † For me, the current musical landscape lacks bands like the great 90s…
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SUSUMU HIRASAWA FILES #1- THE MANDRAKE DAYS
The beginnings of Susumu Hirasawa’s legendary career