Envy - Japanese Hardcore
All The Footprints You've Ever Left And Fear Expecting Ahead (2001)
A Dead Sinking Story (2003)
Insomniac Doze (2006)
My love for all thing Japanese is official. Okay, at least in terms of rock. The girls are cute too. But this post is about Envy, the Japanese hardcore screamo post-rock band. They have been around for years, operating in near obscurity until more recent years. They were picked up by Mogwai's Rock Action Record Label for European distro and vocalist Tetsuya Fukagawa was featured on Mogwai's latest album, Mr Beast on the song I Chose Horses.
But Envy is a far cry from even Mogwai's most abrasive moments. Envy plays real hardcore, with frantic screaming vocals and cathartic heavy leads and pounding drums. They also know how to lead into an an explosive piece of work. Beautiful post-rock builds ebb and flow lulling the listener into its safety and warmth before exploding in your ears with the fury of a volcano.
Envy's latest album, Insomniac Doze, has made quite a splash, making fans of both hardcore kids and post-rock kids alike. They are signed to Temporary Residence Limited in America and are supposed to be quite awesome live. So keep up with them through either of their above labels or, if you can read Japanese, check out the bands website.
My money is on buying the vinyl for these releases as they have awesome artwork, and vinly is just cooler. You know it. (psst. its also about half as expensive as stupid CD's)
Envy's Website
Envy on Wikipedia
For those interested in more:
Angel's Curse Whispered In The Edge Of Despair
Breathing And Dying In This Place
Burning Out The Memories
Compiled Fragments 1997-2003
The Eyes Of Single Eared Prophet
posted by blend77 at 3:38 PM
7 Comments:
MOTHER FUCKIN ENVY. I saw them last
August. I have damn near every recording made by those gods of music including video I shot myself. They're incredibly cool people and I didn't mind the 15$ merch, as intercontinental travel is a bitch for bands. I will make the trip to Japan just to see them again someday.
Oh, and I'm sure the other bands you mentioned are quality as well. :)
I also saw them in August. It's the closest I've come to crying at a show... so overwhelming.
Thanks a bunch for these great tunes!
A Dead Stinking Story was the first screamo record I ever heard. It was an epiphany... I never knew music like that existed before.
Obviously, I got Insomniac Doze as soon as it was released. "Cinematic" I think is an adjective which is often used in reviews. It's amazing, but maybe a bit too post-rock? Dead Stinking Story just has that perfect balance of soft and loud.
Now for some delving into their back catalogue...
@ GabbaGabbaHey
go back and find the funeral diner post...just like this stuff... (also get the portraits of past...an earlier version of this style)
i still struggle with insomniac doze. the other two are far ahead of it imho.
the older stuff is more straightforward hardcore.
Thank you so much for this man, envy kicks ass. You have been making some quality posts lately. It's definitely appreciated.
What I did find impressive, and if you haven't heard it, is a three way split Yaphet Kotto/This Machine Kills/Envy called No Sleep Til Jaguchi Pants. I first found Envy when I got it at a Kotto show. Each band contributes 3 songs, and the 10th track is a collaboration where the three bands all play together. If you ignore the rest of the split, that song is incredible. If anyone'd like, I could go rip my copy and put it up.
On a side note, Funeral Diner always impressed me more than Portraits of Past. I've seen the Diner live multiple times and the power they exhibit is awe-inspiring.
@ neil.
yes. Funeral Diner >>> Portraits of Past. I would like to catch them live.
I have a link for that 3 way split. lemme dig it up.
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