• The Legend of Kansai Hardcore Book

F.O.A.D Records

Regular soft-cover version.
172 pages, full color.

"Kansai" is a region in Japan that lies in the southern-central territory of Japan's main island Honshu and includes the prefectures of Mie, Nara, Wakayama, Kyoto, Osaka, Hyogo and Shiga. The metropolitan area of Osaka, Kobe and Kyoto (Keihanshin region) is the second-most populated in Japan after the Greater Tokyo Area.

This book, previously published only in Japanese and now finally translated into English, is an incredible journey through the depths of the Kansai Hardcore hell run by none other than Ishiya of DEATH SIDE and FORWARD fame. Teaming up with him in the interviews is Shintani from RAPES, whose career stretches from the early days of the Punk/Metal scene to the present. Packed with interviews, tons of interesting anecdotes and spiced up with rare pictures, this is the definitive work about that legendary scene, a true-to-the-bone, authentic Hardcore report..

Bands included: ZOUO, S.O.B., OUTO, RAPES, WARHEAD, NIGHTMARE, MOBS, Charmy & Pon (LAUGHIN’ NOSE, NASHI) and more!

Expanded version with an extra chapter all dedicated to the many Japanese Hardcore/Punk/Metal releases on F.O.A.D. Records with artwork and info. All written in English! 172 pages, full color.