Japanische Kampfhörspiele

Repudiating assimilation by an English-dominated music mainstream can either be damning or defining for a band. For listeners, it provides a convenient and interesting excuse to use those amusingly ham-fisted web translators. JaKa (translates from German to "Japanese Battle Radio Plays”) combines the exceptional elements from a wide range of influences to create what is best described as a grindpunk cochlear onslaught. Encompassing punk rock ethic and attitude, they are consistently unafraid of thrashing between opposite genres, bolting between skilfully simple, punk rock drum beats, the spastic brutality of grind and the more crushing and occasionally melodic elements of death metal. The second song, "Scheisse der Lehrer,” (translates to "The Teacher Shits”) begins with a sample of noisy children playing, coming into the song with an alarm bell sample that is trailed by groove-laden metal riffage reminiscent of Carcass. From there, they incorporate some punk gang vocals with a call-and-answer German sing-along. They keep it threatening using a high-pitched demon voice, which, over the course of the record is often paired with a lower growl for a full Deicide vocal meltdown. Eventually it slows down to a technical grind and back into call/answer chants. Throughout the well-timed 21 minutes and 40 seconds, they chart an impressive amount of territory. It’s a constantly morphing experiment that maintains unity while destroying the confines of genre specificity.