Balzac (band)
Encyclopedia
Balzac is a Japan
ese punk
band formed in 1992 in Osaka
. The band was founded by singer and songwriter
Hirosuke Nishiyama, who has remained the only constant member of the band since its creation. Since the beginning, Balzac was highly influenced by the sound and image of the famous horror punk
band The Misfits and, especially during the very early years, Glenn Danzig
's Samhain
, adopting and combining the musical and visual style of both bands to create their own. To this day, they are considered by many to be the Japanese counterpart to The Misfits. The band often stays away from the "campy" horror lyrics and image found in most horror punk bands, as the lyrics by Hirosuke tend to be more like dark poetry and, though not always serious, deal with themes of darkness, loneliness and fear.
The band has gained a certain amount of recognition and exposure outside of their native country, where they are well known. Currently they have five official clothing brands (Shocker!!!, Dementia 13, Culture, XXXxxx and Balzac) with one store in Japan, plus three online stores (Shocker Webstore, Shocker World Wide and Shocker EU). They also have their own official record label
called Evilegend 13 Records on which they have released EPs, singles and videos. Balzac is also well known for its toy releases, some created by the companies T.W.I.M. and Secret Base, and its extensive discography and side-projects.
The current lineup of the band consists of Hirosuke Nishiyama (vocals), Atsushi Nakagawa (guitar/chorus), Akio Imai (bass/chorus) and Takayuki Manabe (drums/digital effects/chorus). Musically the band has drawn from punk
, pop
, industrial
and noise
, across their various releases.
, Japan
fronted by vocalist/songwriter Hirosuke Nishiyama; it was heavily influenced by the legendary Japanese rock group Gastunk
. After releasing just one demo cassette, entitled The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, Hirosuke decided to disband and started his next project, Balzac, in 1992. The name of the new band came from the famous French
novelist and playwright
, Honoré de Balzac. Hirosuke first came in contact with the novelist's work during junior high school; he liked how the name sounded and decided to use it. The band's first lineup consisted of Hirosuke Nishiyama on vocals, Yoritsugu "Anti" Azuchi on bass, Tetsuya on guitar and Naoki on drums. During that time the band released their first demo cassette, which was limited to 13 copies only, entitled Scapegoat666.
In 1993, by the release of their second demo cassette, Descent Of The Diabolos, the band went through their first lineup change. Guitarist Atsushi Nakagawa and drummer Koji replaced Tetsuya and Naoki, respectively. This new lineup went on to release the band's first single, "The Lord of the Light and of the Darkness", on their own record label, Evilegend13 Records. Over the next few years the band released four more singles, "Atom Age Vampire in 308" (on MCR), "Isolation From No. 13" (on HG Fact), "When the Fiendish Ghouls Night" (on Evilegend13 Records), and were part of some various artists compilations.
By 1995 the band managed to release their first full-length album, The Last Men on Earth, after being signed to Alchemy Records
. This would be their only release on Alchemy. Just before releasing their 3rd single, "Isolation From No. 13," the band lost its long time bassist (and Jerry Only look-a-like), Anti, as well as their drummer, H. Nishio. A long time friend of Hirosuke's and avid Balzac fan, Akio Imai, joined the band as the new bassist. Masami sat behind the drums for the next few releases.
, the band once again found themselves without a drummer. They recruited another long-time friend and very experienced drummer, Futoshi Okano, to fill the spot. They would call upon him a few times over the years to help out with recordings when they found themselves without a drummer. Okano is a very technical drummer and was able to include his signature sound into the new recordings. Member swaps were not the only changes for the band happening at that time; they also became a part of Diwphalanx Records
on Halloween
of that year. Though not a major label, Diwphalanx Records is very well known in the indie scene throughout Japan. All subsequent major releases by the band would be on Diwphalanx Records, or on the band's own label, Evilegend13 Records.
In the year of 1998, Kill joined the band as the new drummer, while they began to gain real recognition and notoriety in the indie scene. At this moment they had caught the attention of the recently re-incarnated Misfits. Now being headed by original member and long time bassist Jerry Only
, Balzac was asked to open for The Misfits when they came for their first Japanese tour. This would mark a milestone in the band's career, which would lead to much success for Balzac outside of Japan in the coming years. This year was explosive to the band, as they were playing in much larger venues and to a bigger crowd. They released a split CD with The Hate Honey, were featured on the Devilock Night video, released their own VHS, entitled Video Deep II, and their third album, 13 Stairway - The Children of the Night
. They launched a full-scale all-Japan tour to promote their album and played to sold-out crowds.
In 1999, Balzac released a split single, "Oldevils Legend of Blood", with friends and fellow Japanese rock band Sobut. They released a special 12-inch version of "Isolation From No. 13", a remixed tape as a special box set with toy industry friends, T.W.I.M (The World Is Mine) whose headquarters are in Nagoya, as well as playing on a Gastunk tribute album. On Halloween they released one of their most popular singles, "Into the Light From the 13 Dark Night", on vinyl, CD, and cassette. It would be re-recorded in many different versions over the next few years. They also released the flexi 7-inch including "Neat Neat Neat," a Damned cover. This year also marked the beginning of the band's own fan club
, the Fiendish Club. Obviously modeled after The Misfits' Fiend Club, it offered fans a great way to stay in touch with the band and to receive some very rare items at the same time; it was exclusively for people living in Japan. Eventually the band would create the Fiendish Club International and the Fiendish Club Europe, exclusive versions of the original Fiendish Club for people residing outside of Japan and in Europe, respectively.
. In this year there was a lot of heavy touring for the band, but they managed to release another video and the Kubrick sets. These sets included cute Medicom Toy Co. versions of the band members and their "Hands of 9 Evils" 7-inch was included in the package. Soon after, they released a figure, this time a 12-inch RAH version of the band's mascot, the Paperbag Man. In December 2000 Balzac released their next full-length album, Zennou-Naru Musuu-No Me Ha Shi Wo Yubi Sasu. It was a concept album and sold extremely well. The album was very dark and had very strong industrial
influences. Balzac opened their first retail store in Osaka
, Japan during this year. "Shocker!!!" was something they had wanted to open for a long time. It is a small store where they sell their own original brand, Shocker!!!! merchandise, as well as band merchandise. Hirosuke also has his own clothing brand called "Dementia Thirteen" which is also available through the store. Most recently, they have also launched yet another clothing brand, "Culture", and are in the process of fully releasing another one called "XXXxxx".
In early 2001 the band released numerous singles, as well as a box set featuring the amazing artwork of Japanese manga artist Suehiro Maruo
, which had been used on the album Zennou-Naru Musuu no Me ha Shi wo Yubi Sasu. They also contributed a noise rock version of "Day the Earth Caught Fire" and another very catchy pop-influenced song, "The Silence of the Crows" on the Abstruct Madness split with Rocky and the Sweden and Delta. "The Silence of the Crows" would prove to be an instant hit with many fans. Near the end of the year the band found themselves once again without a drummer. Kill quit the band for personal reasons and was replaced by Takayuki. He had been a friend of the band's for many years and had just quit playing for the band The Batties Boys. They also opened their second retail store, Coffin, in Kyoto
.
For 2002 Balzac released a split single with The Misfits. Balzac covered the songs "The Haunting" and "Don't Open 'Til Doomsday" as a medley, while The Misfits covered the Balzac's "Day the Earth Caught Fire". In April 2002 Balzac released their fifth full-length studio album. The album was a double disc set called Terrifying! Art of Dying - The Last Men On Earth II. The first disc was mostly new material while disc two was a complete re-recording of the band's first full-length CD, The Last Man On Earth. On Halloween the band was invited to play in New York City
, USA, with The Misfits, making this the first time the band played live outside of Japan. They were received very well and would be asked back to tour the following summer.
The year of 2003 would be a huge one for the band internationally. Before touring with The Misfits, The Damned, The Dickies
, and Agnostic Front
, they released a maxi-single entitled "Beware of Darkness". It was included as a part of a special 4-figure toy set from Medicom Toys Co. The video for the song was recorded in the USA and was released in May 2003. There was a censored, as well as uncensored version, due to the graphic nature of the video. They also released their first USA CD, Beyond the Darkness
, on the newly founded Misfits Records. In September they released Out Of The Light Of The 13 Dark Night
on the German label, G-Force Records.
In 2004 they released their sixth full-length album, Came Out of the Grave
. It was released in a special edition long-box with a Be@rbrick figure inside. During that summer they played a large festival with American punk rock
band Rancid
, and released a tour documentary about their first USA tour, The Fiend Fest. It featured artwork by an American fan, Tony O'Farrel. They also played their first tour in Europe during the summer. The band had truly become an international success. The band also released a special limited single entitled "Zodiac Killer" under the name Zodiac and even played a special live show as the "secret" side project band. They also played a special live show playing only Misfits covers as a part of a very special live event during the Christmas holiday season.
By 2005 they released the single "D.A.R.K". Soon after they released a mini album entitled Dark-Ism
. This mini album included a song entitled "Yami no Hikari e" which had a much different sound than previous Balzac recordings. They shot a promotional video clip for the song too (released with a full-color hardcover photo history book), which was also very different from their other videos. It showed the world another side of the band that had not been explored much. This song was originally performed on stage with Hirosuke playing rhythm guitar. This year also saw the band touring Japan again for the Darkism Tour. Late in the year they played the track "Moonlight", a Buck-Tick
cover for the tribute album Parade -Respective Tracks of Buck-Tick-
, as well as a version of The Damned's "Smash It Up
" for a tribute to The Damned. They also released a special picture disc 7-inch with T.W.I.M where they included the new song, "(I Touched the Silence of the) Rain". This was an earlier, rough version of the song that would later be included on the "Horrorock" single, which was included with a new 12-inch Paperbag Man figure from Medicom Toys Co., which came in 2 limited colors.
in March. It was coupled with a special SkullBat figure, also in 2 limited colors. The all-Japan tour began soon after. During the tour they released their first "real" best-of CD, 13 Hits From Darkism. It includes many of the band's classic songs re-recorded with all the energy of the past combined with the technical talent of the present. A huge 66-song, 2-disc, DVD set was released during the tour as well. A second, smaller-scale DVD-r of Yami Live from 2004 was released during the tour as well. Balzac also played two extra special shows. The first show was in Tokyo's Shimokitazawa Yaneura at the end of June to a small crowd of 138 fans. The second was on July 1 in Osaka at Osaka's Namba Bears, the small club where the band's career began. During this year the band released the album The Deranged Mad Zombies under the same name without giving any notice and hiding completely all traces of Balzac's connection to the album.
On November 11, Balzac released a full-length Zodiac album to end the year, Beware On Halloween. They also played a few huge shows with the visual kei
band Mucc
, and put on a special year-end live event where they took the stage as both Balzac and Zodiac. In 2007 Balzac released a 6-CD set of totally re-mastered previous releases. Once again they toured Europe and the USA, just after putting on a special memorial tour in Japan commemorating the release of their re-masters set. On 2007 they released a new single, "Swallow the Dark".
In April 2008, Balzac released their 8th full-length album entitled Hatred: Destruction = Construction
. It marked a return to the heavier and darker side for the band, reminiscent of some of their earlier work which was more brooding and dark. It was released in a regular edition, as well as a 666mm special edition featuring artwork by comic book artist Liam Sharp
.Around the first week of December the band released " The Box Of 4 Evils", a box set containing re-recordings of the first 2 demos by the band and a couple of others songs from their early years, all of this in cassette format. On December 30, the band released a commemorative DVD/CD for the 10 years on the release of their album 13 Stairway - The Children of the Night, calling it "Live From 13 Stairway: Shelter & Fandango 1998".
Around May 2009, the band gave the first hints on the process of making their next full-length album. They also released a couple of toys, shirts, pens, mugs and other items in collaboration with the Japanese company Sanrio
, more specifically their character Hello Kitty
, having the famous cat donning the characteristic skullsuit that the band has made so popular.
On August 21 the band released their new full-length, a mini-album titled "Paradox". The album was fully produced by Takeshi Ueda
of The Mad Capsule Markets
fame. Balzac and The Mad Capsule Markets have had a close relationship for over 13 years and finally they had a chance to collaborate on this very special release. Takeshi has not only fully produced the entire mini-album, he has also done all the programming and recording arrangement. The album presents the established Balzac's horror punk tunes with the addition of their characteristic digital hardcore style, now present on the whole album. The band has come to refer to this sound as a "new digital horror punk sound". The mini-album was released along a single, in vinyl format, and an special Box Set release. The European release of the album is being expected for October 16, this version will include a bonus DVD titled "Hatred Lies Deep Inside" which was previously released and has a full Promotional Video for every song on the album "Hatred: Construction = Destruction".
n serial killer
known as the Zodiac Killer
. This cold-blooded assassin gained much recognition for his cruel killings and encrypted letters that he sent both to the police and newspapers. He was never caught. In 2006 the band created the Zodiac Fan Club (Z.F.C.), an off-shoot of the Fiendish Club dedicated to the new band and only available for Japan
ese residents. They also released the first and so far only full-length album, Beware On Halloween. The musical style of Zodiac's songs have the same sound and style as old Balzac songs during that band's first years of existence. As they do with Balzac, the band has also released toys and clothing under Zodiac's name and image.
Recently the band decided to release yet another Box release under this name. The Box package known as "Zodiac Is Alive" contained a couple of t-shirts and other Zodiac goodies plus a new Zodiac recording, a 2 track single CD, "Death Waltz/Seventeen", and a split cassette between Zodiac and The Deranged Mad Zodiac, the later being a Zodiac version of their also parallel band, The Deranged Mad Zombies.
, Germany
.
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
ese punk
Punk rock
Punk rock is a rock music genre that developed between 1974 and 1976 in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia. Rooted in garage rock and other forms of what is now known as protopunk music, punk rock bands eschewed perceived excesses of mainstream 1970s rock...
band formed in 1992 in Osaka
Osaka
is a city in the Kansai region of Japan's main island of Honshu, a designated city under the Local Autonomy Law, the capital city of Osaka Prefecture and also the biggest part of Keihanshin area, which is represented by three major cities of Japan, Kyoto, Osaka and Kobe...
. The band was founded by singer and songwriter
Songwriter
A songwriter is an individual who writes both the lyrics and music to a song. Someone who solely writes lyrics may be called a lyricist, and someone who only writes music may be called a composer...
Hirosuke Nishiyama, who has remained the only constant member of the band since its creation. Since the beginning, Balzac was highly influenced by the sound and image of the famous horror punk
Horror punk
Horror punk is a music genre that mixes Gothic and punk rock sounds with morbid imagery and lyrics, which are often influenced by horror films...
band The Misfits and, especially during the very early years, Glenn Danzig
Glenn Danzig
Glenn Danzig Glenn Danzig Glenn Danzig (born Glenn Allen Anzalone; June 23, 1955 is an American singer-songwriter, musician, author, entrepreneur, and a progenitor of the horror punk subgenre of music. He is a founder of bands the Misfits, Samhain, and Danzig...
's Samhain
Samhain (band)
Samhain was an American rock band formed by singer Glenn Danzig in 1983, immediately following his departure from the Misfits. Samhain played in more of a deathrock and heavy metal-infused style of horror punk than Danzig's previous band. By 1987 Samhain's membership evolved into a new band,...
, adopting and combining the musical and visual style of both bands to create their own. To this day, they are considered by many to be the Japanese counterpart to The Misfits. The band often stays away from the "campy" horror lyrics and image found in most horror punk bands, as the lyrics by Hirosuke tend to be more like dark poetry and, though not always serious, deal with themes of darkness, loneliness and fear.
The band has gained a certain amount of recognition and exposure outside of their native country, where they are well known. Currently they have five official clothing brands (Shocker!!!, Dementia 13, Culture, XXXxxx and Balzac) with one store in Japan, plus three online stores (Shocker Webstore, Shocker World Wide and Shocker EU). They also have their own official record label
Record label
In the music industry, a record label is a brand and a trademark associated with the marketing of music recordings and music videos. Most commonly, a record label is the company that manages such brands and trademarks, coordinates the production, manufacture, distribution, marketing and promotion,...
called Evilegend 13 Records on which they have released EPs, singles and videos. Balzac is also well known for its toy releases, some created by the companies T.W.I.M. and Secret Base, and its extensive discography and side-projects.
The current lineup of the band consists of Hirosuke Nishiyama (vocals), Atsushi Nakagawa (guitar/chorus), Akio Imai (bass/chorus) and Takayuki Manabe (drums/digital effects/chorus). Musically the band has drawn from punk
Punk rock
Punk rock is a rock music genre that developed between 1974 and 1976 in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia. Rooted in garage rock and other forms of what is now known as protopunk music, punk rock bands eschewed perceived excesses of mainstream 1970s rock...
, pop
Pop rock
Pop rock is a music genre which mixes a catchy pop style and light lyrics in its guitar-based rock songs. There are varying definitions of the term, ranging from a slower and mellower form of rock music to a subgenre of pop music...
, industrial
Industrial music
Industrial music is a style of experimental music that draws on transgressive and provocative themes. The term was coined in the mid-1970s with the founding of Industrial Records by the band Throbbing Gristle, and the creation of the slogan "industrial music for industrial people". In general, the...
and noise
Noise rock
Noise rock describes a style of post-punk rock music that became prominent in the 1980s. Noise rock makes use of the traditional instrumentation and iconography of rock, but incorporates atonality and especially dissonance, and also frequently discards usual songwriting conventions.-Style:Noise...
, across their various releases.
1993-1995: The Early Years
Astrozombies was a band from OsakaOsaka
is a city in the Kansai region of Japan's main island of Honshu, a designated city under the Local Autonomy Law, the capital city of Osaka Prefecture and also the biggest part of Keihanshin area, which is represented by three major cities of Japan, Kyoto, Osaka and Kobe...
, Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
fronted by vocalist/songwriter Hirosuke Nishiyama; it was heavily influenced by the legendary Japanese rock group Gastunk
Gastunk
Gastunk is an influential Japanese rock band, first active from 1983 to 1988. They reunited in 1999 and 2006 for reunion concerts, but officially restarted activities in 2010.- Members :...
. After releasing just one demo cassette, entitled The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, Hirosuke decided to disband and started his next project, Balzac, in 1992. The name of the new band came from the famous French
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
novelist and playwright
Playwright
A playwright, also called a dramatist, is a person who writes plays.The term is not a variant spelling of "playwrite", but something quite distinct: the word wright is an archaic English term for a craftsman or builder...
, Honoré de Balzac. Hirosuke first came in contact with the novelist's work during junior high school; he liked how the name sounded and decided to use it. The band's first lineup consisted of Hirosuke Nishiyama on vocals, Yoritsugu "Anti" Azuchi on bass, Tetsuya on guitar and Naoki on drums. During that time the band released their first demo cassette, which was limited to 13 copies only, entitled Scapegoat666.
In 1993, by the release of their second demo cassette, Descent Of The Diabolos, the band went through their first lineup change. Guitarist Atsushi Nakagawa and drummer Koji replaced Tetsuya and Naoki, respectively. This new lineup went on to release the band's first single, "The Lord of the Light and of the Darkness", on their own record label, Evilegend13 Records. Over the next few years the band released four more singles, "Atom Age Vampire in 308" (on MCR), "Isolation From No. 13" (on HG Fact), "When the Fiendish Ghouls Night" (on Evilegend13 Records), and were part of some various artists compilations.
By 1995 the band managed to release their first full-length album, The Last Men on Earth, after being signed to Alchemy Records
Alchemy Records (Japan)
Alchemy Records is a record label based in Osaka, Japan, specializing in noise / experimental music and psychedelic rock. It is run by Jojo Hiroshige of the noise group Hijokaidan. Alchemy has released albums by Hijokaidan, Balzac, Hanatarash, Masonna, Incapacitants, Borbetomagus, and Merzbow,...
. This would be their only release on Alchemy. Just before releasing their 3rd single, "Isolation From No. 13," the band lost its long time bassist (and Jerry Only look-a-like), Anti, as well as their drummer, H. Nishio. A long time friend of Hirosuke's and avid Balzac fan, Akio Imai, joined the band as the new bassist. Masami sat behind the drums for the next few releases.
1997-1999: Breakout
During 1997, when they were about to record their second full-length album, Deep - Teenagers from Outer SpaceDeep - Teenagers from Outer Space
Deep - Teenagers from Outer Space is an album by the Japanese horror punk band Balzac.-Track listing:#"Psyche Dungeon when the Fiendish Ghouls Night"#"Wall"#"The Human Blood"#"Legacy"#"Black Sunday III"#"Deep"...
, the band once again found themselves without a drummer. They recruited another long-time friend and very experienced drummer, Futoshi Okano, to fill the spot. They would call upon him a few times over the years to help out with recordings when they found themselves without a drummer. Okano is a very technical drummer and was able to include his signature sound into the new recordings. Member swaps were not the only changes for the band happening at that time; they also became a part of Diwphalanx Records
Diwphalanx Records
Diwphalanx Records is a Japanese punk/metal record label. It releases primarily Japanese bands.-Artist list:*Antiseen*Balzac*Banana Shakes*Bitter Sweet Generation*Blue Beat Players*Boris*Church of Misery*Central*Cool Wise Men*Dead Pan Speakers...
on Halloween
Halloween
Hallowe'en , also known as Halloween or All Hallows' Eve, is a yearly holiday observed around the world on October 31, the night before All Saints' Day...
of that year. Though not a major label, Diwphalanx Records is very well known in the indie scene throughout Japan. All subsequent major releases by the band would be on Diwphalanx Records, or on the band's own label, Evilegend13 Records.
In the year of 1998, Kill joined the band as the new drummer, while they began to gain real recognition and notoriety in the indie scene. At this moment they had caught the attention of the recently re-incarnated Misfits. Now being headed by original member and long time bassist Jerry Only
Jerry Only
Jerry Only is an American bassist. He is the current bassist and vocalist for the Misfits. He is credited with creating the infamous hair style known as the devilock.-Life and career:...
, Balzac was asked to open for The Misfits when they came for their first Japanese tour. This would mark a milestone in the band's career, which would lead to much success for Balzac outside of Japan in the coming years. This year was explosive to the band, as they were playing in much larger venues and to a bigger crowd. They released a split CD with The Hate Honey, were featured on the Devilock Night video, released their own VHS, entitled Video Deep II, and their third album, 13 Stairway - The Children of the Night
13 Stairway - The Children of the Night
13 Stairway – The Children of the Night is an album by the Japanese horror punk band Balzac.-Track listing:#"Atomic-Age"#"Nowhere Number 13"#"Sad Nos. 99"#"Legacy II"#"Tomorrow"#"Slaughter House"#"Destruction Another Wall"...
. They launched a full-scale all-Japan tour to promote their album and played to sold-out crowds.
In 1999, Balzac released a split single, "Oldevils Legend of Blood", with friends and fellow Japanese rock band Sobut. They released a special 12-inch version of "Isolation From No. 13", a remixed tape as a special box set with toy industry friends, T.W.I.M (The World Is Mine) whose headquarters are in Nagoya, as well as playing on a Gastunk tribute album. On Halloween they released one of their most popular singles, "Into the Light From the 13 Dark Night", on vinyl, CD, and cassette. It would be re-recorded in many different versions over the next few years. They also released the flexi 7-inch including "Neat Neat Neat," a Damned cover. This year also marked the beginning of the band's own fan club
Fan club
A fan club is a group that is dedicated to a well-known person, group, idea or sometimes even an inanimate object . Most fan clubs are run by fans who devote considerable time and resources to supporting them. There are also "official" fan clubs that are run by someone associated with the person...
, the Fiendish Club. Obviously modeled after The Misfits' Fiend Club, it offered fans a great way to stay in touch with the band and to receive some very rare items at the same time; it was exclusively for people living in Japan. Eventually the band would create the Fiendish Club International and the Fiendish Club Europe, exclusive versions of the original Fiendish Club for people residing outside of Japan and in Europe, respectively.
2000-2005: Expansion
2000 saw The Misfits back touring Japan, and Balzac was there opening for them once again. Directly after, they played a string of shows with The Mad Capsule MarketsThe Mad Capsule Markets
The Mad Capsule Markets were a Japanese band that formed in 1990 and were active until 2006...
. In this year there was a lot of heavy touring for the band, but they managed to release another video and the Kubrick sets. These sets included cute Medicom Toy Co. versions of the band members and their "Hands of 9 Evils" 7-inch was included in the package. Soon after, they released a figure, this time a 12-inch RAH version of the band's mascot, the Paperbag Man. In December 2000 Balzac released their next full-length album, Zennou-Naru Musuu-No Me Ha Shi Wo Yubi Sasu. It was a concept album and sold extremely well. The album was very dark and had very strong industrial
Industrial music
Industrial music is a style of experimental music that draws on transgressive and provocative themes. The term was coined in the mid-1970s with the founding of Industrial Records by the band Throbbing Gristle, and the creation of the slogan "industrial music for industrial people". In general, the...
influences. Balzac opened their first retail store in Osaka
Osaka
is a city in the Kansai region of Japan's main island of Honshu, a designated city under the Local Autonomy Law, the capital city of Osaka Prefecture and also the biggest part of Keihanshin area, which is represented by three major cities of Japan, Kyoto, Osaka and Kobe...
, Japan during this year. "Shocker!!!" was something they had wanted to open for a long time. It is a small store where they sell their own original brand, Shocker!!!! merchandise, as well as band merchandise. Hirosuke also has his own clothing brand called "Dementia Thirteen" which is also available through the store. Most recently, they have also launched yet another clothing brand, "Culture", and are in the process of fully releasing another one called "XXXxxx".
In early 2001 the band released numerous singles, as well as a box set featuring the amazing artwork of Japanese manga artist Suehiro Maruo
Suehiro Maruo
, is a Japanese manga artist, illustrator, and painter.-Biography:Maruo graduated from junior high school in March 1972 but dropped out of senior high school. At the age of 15 he moved to Tokyo and began working for a bookbinder...
, which had been used on the album Zennou-Naru Musuu no Me ha Shi wo Yubi Sasu. They also contributed a noise rock version of "Day the Earth Caught Fire" and another very catchy pop-influenced song, "The Silence of the Crows" on the Abstruct Madness split with Rocky and the Sweden and Delta. "The Silence of the Crows" would prove to be an instant hit with many fans. Near the end of the year the band found themselves once again without a drummer. Kill quit the band for personal reasons and was replaced by Takayuki. He had been a friend of the band's for many years and had just quit playing for the band The Batties Boys. They also opened their second retail store, Coffin, in Kyoto
Kyoto
is a city in the central part of the island of Honshū, Japan. It has a population close to 1.5 million. Formerly the imperial capital of Japan, it is now the capital of Kyoto Prefecture, as well as a major part of the Osaka-Kobe-Kyoto metropolitan area.-History:...
.
For 2002 Balzac released a split single with The Misfits. Balzac covered the songs "The Haunting" and "Don't Open 'Til Doomsday" as a medley, while The Misfits covered the Balzac's "Day the Earth Caught Fire". In April 2002 Balzac released their fifth full-length studio album. The album was a double disc set called Terrifying! Art of Dying - The Last Men On Earth II. The first disc was mostly new material while disc two was a complete re-recording of the band's first full-length CD, The Last Man On Earth. On Halloween the band was invited to play in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, USA, with The Misfits, making this the first time the band played live outside of Japan. They were received very well and would be asked back to tour the following summer.
The year of 2003 would be a huge one for the band internationally. Before touring with The Misfits, The Damned, The Dickies
The Dickies
The Dickies are an American punk rock group formed in San Fernando Valley, Los Angeles, California, U.S. in 1977.-History:The Dickies were among the first punk rock bands to emerge from Los Angeles...
, and Agnostic Front
Agnostic Front
Agnostic Front is an American hardcore band. The band began playing hardcore similar to their contemporaries, and were thrust to the forefront of the burgeoning New York hardcore scene in the mid-1980s with their widely regarded 1984 classic Victim in Pain before evolving to incorporate thrash...
, they released a maxi-single entitled "Beware of Darkness". It was included as a part of a special 4-figure toy set from Medicom Toys Co. The video for the song was recorded in the USA and was released in May 2003. There was a censored, as well as uncensored version, due to the graphic nature of the video. They also released their first USA CD, Beyond the Darkness
Beyond The Darkness
-Track listing:#"Thirteen"#"Day The Earth Caught Fire"#"Wall"#"Into The Light Of The 13 Dark Night"#"Black Light Shines In '99"#"Nowhere #13"#"Yami-No Mukou-No Subete-Wo"#"Out Of The Blue II"#"In Your Face"#"The Silence Of Crows"#"Tomorrow"...
, on the newly founded Misfits Records. In September they released Out Of The Light Of The 13 Dark Night
Out Of The Light Of The 13 Dark Night
Out Of The Light Of The 13 Dark Night was the first official full-length album released in Germany by the Japanese horror punk band Balzac. It consists of re-recordings of previously released songs by the band and is considered by some as European counterpart to the album Beyond The Darkness, as it...
on the German label, G-Force Records.
In 2004 they released their sixth full-length album, Came Out of the Grave
Came Out Of The Grave
Came Out Of The Grave is an album by Balzac-Track listing:#"The Grave - Dreizen"#"Zetsubou-No-Ano-Basyo-E"#"Season Of The Dead"#"Inside My Eyes"#"Shi-Wo-Yubi-Sasu"#"The Pain Is All Around"#"Came Out Of The Grave"#"Beyond Evil 308"#"Art Of Dying"...
. It was released in a special edition long-box with a Be@rbrick figure inside. During that summer they played a large festival with American punk rock
Punk rock
Punk rock is a rock music genre that developed between 1974 and 1976 in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia. Rooted in garage rock and other forms of what is now known as protopunk music, punk rock bands eschewed perceived excesses of mainstream 1970s rock...
band Rancid
Rancid (band)
Rancid is an American punk rock band formed in Berkeley, California in 1991. Founded by Tim Armstrong and Matt Freeman, both of whom previously played in the ska punk band Operation Ivy, Rancid is credited—along with Green Day and The Offspring—for reviving mainstream interest in punk rock in the...
, and released a tour documentary about their first USA tour, The Fiend Fest. It featured artwork by an American fan, Tony O'Farrel. They also played their first tour in Europe during the summer. The band had truly become an international success. The band also released a special limited single entitled "Zodiac Killer" under the name Zodiac and even played a special live show as the "secret" side project band. They also played a special live show playing only Misfits covers as a part of a very special live event during the Christmas holiday season.
By 2005 they released the single "D.A.R.K". Soon after they released a mini album entitled Dark-Ism
Dark-Ism
Dark-Ism is a 2005 album by the band Balzac.-Track listing:#Beyond Evil 308, Pt. 1#D.A.R.K.#Blood Inside '68#Beyond Evil 308, Pt. 2#Gyakusatsu-No-Mukougawa#XXXxxx#I Can't Stand It Anymore#Yami-No-Hikari-E-Credits:* Hirosuke - vocals...
. This mini album included a song entitled "Yami no Hikari e" which had a much different sound than previous Balzac recordings. They shot a promotional video clip for the song too (released with a full-color hardcover photo history book), which was also very different from their other videos. It showed the world another side of the band that had not been explored much. This song was originally performed on stage with Hirosuke playing rhythm guitar. This year also saw the band touring Japan again for the Darkism Tour. Late in the year they played the track "Moonlight", a Buck-Tick
Buck-Tick
Buck-Tick is a rock band formed in 1983 in Fujioka, Japan. The band has consisted of Atsushi Sakurai , Hisashi Imai , Hidehiko Hoshino , Yutaka Higuchi and Toll Yagami for the majority of its existence...
cover for the tribute album Parade -Respective Tracks of Buck-Tick-
Parade -Respective Tracks of Buck-Tick-
Parade -Respective Tracks of Buck-Tick- is a Buck-Tick tribute album, released on December 21, 2005. It collects cover versions of their songs by various artists.- Tracklisting :...
, as well as a version of The Damned's "Smash It Up
Smash It Up
"Smash It Up" is a song by The Damned, released as a single in 1979.The single was the second release from the band's Machine Gun Etiquette album, where it was listed as "Smash It Up ". The single was banned from BBC Radio 1's playlist because of its perceived anarchic lyrics, stalling at number 35...
" for a tribute to The Damned. They also released a special picture disc 7-inch with T.W.I.M where they included the new song, "(I Touched the Silence of the) Rain". This was an earlier, rough version of the song that would later be included on the "Horrorock" single, which was included with a new 12-inch Paperbag Man figure from Medicom Toys Co., which came in 2 limited colors.
2006-2008: Deep Blue & Hatred
Balzac started out 2006 in earnest. They released their seventh full-length album, Deep Blue: Chaos from Darkism IIDeep Blue: Chaos from Darkism II
Deep Blue: Chaos from Darkism II is an album by the band Balzac. One of the songs, XXXxxx, is originally from their 2005 album Dark-Ism, and the track D.A.R.K. is a re-mix of a song of the same name. It also features a cover of David Bowie's "Ziggy Stardust".The record has six different pieces of...
in March. It was coupled with a special SkullBat figure, also in 2 limited colors. The all-Japan tour began soon after. During the tour they released their first "real" best-of CD, 13 Hits From Darkism. It includes many of the band's classic songs re-recorded with all the energy of the past combined with the technical talent of the present. A huge 66-song, 2-disc, DVD set was released during the tour as well. A second, smaller-scale DVD-r of Yami Live from 2004 was released during the tour as well. Balzac also played two extra special shows. The first show was in Tokyo's Shimokitazawa Yaneura at the end of June to a small crowd of 138 fans. The second was on July 1 in Osaka at Osaka's Namba Bears, the small club where the band's career began. During this year the band released the album The Deranged Mad Zombies under the same name without giving any notice and hiding completely all traces of Balzac's connection to the album.
On November 11, Balzac released a full-length Zodiac album to end the year, Beware On Halloween. They also played a few huge shows with the visual kei
Visual Kei
is a movement among Japanese musicians, that is characterized by the use of make-up, elaborate hair styles and flamboyant costumes, often, but not always, coupled with androgynous aesthetics. Some sources state that visual kei refers to a music genre, or to a sub-genre of Japanese rock, with its...
band Mucc
Mucc
is a Japanese visual kei rock band formed in 1997. Named after a character from the Japanese children's TV show Hirake! Ponkikki, the band is also known by the nickname 69 since "six nine" can be pronounced "muku" in Japanese...
, and put on a special year-end live event where they took the stage as both Balzac and Zodiac. In 2007 Balzac released a 6-CD set of totally re-mastered previous releases. Once again they toured Europe and the USA, just after putting on a special memorial tour in Japan commemorating the release of their re-masters set. On 2007 they released a new single, "Swallow the Dark".
In April 2008, Balzac released their 8th full-length album entitled Hatred: Destruction = Construction
Hatred: Destruction = Construction
Hatred: Destruction = Construction is the 8th full-length album released by the Japanese horror punk band Balzac. It was released with four different covers and one special 666mm edition. The album has two hidden tracks. The first one is called "Tomorrow Never Comes" and starts at the end of the...
. It marked a return to the heavier and darker side for the band, reminiscent of some of their earlier work which was more brooding and dark. It was released in a regular edition, as well as a 666mm special edition featuring artwork by comic book artist Liam Sharp
Liam Sharp
Liam Roger Sharp is a British comic book artist, writer and publisher.-Early life:Liam Sharp was born in Derby at St. Mary's Hospital to parents Roger and Linda Sharp. He has a younger sister, Kerry, and younger brother, Rien. He went to School at Brackensdale Junior then infants school, before...
.Around the first week of December the band released " The Box Of 4 Evils", a box set containing re-recordings of the first 2 demos by the band and a couple of others songs from their early years, all of this in cassette format. On December 30, the band released a commemorative DVD/CD for the 10 years on the release of their album 13 Stairway - The Children of the Night, calling it "Live From 13 Stairway: Shelter & Fandango 1998".
2009 - Future: Paradox
In March they released a remake of the old "One Night In Hell" Box set, with exactly the same contents the old one had but with the songs re-recorded. Also starting on March, the band released the first of twelve thematic "CD+T-shirt" sets called "Shock & Horror! Weird the Balzac". Each set will have an special T-shirt and a remix CD of an specific song and design. They will be available on the 13th of each month and will be available for buying until the release of the next set. Each song will be arranged and remixed by the band drummer, Takayuki Manabe.Around May 2009, the band gave the first hints on the process of making their next full-length album. They also released a couple of toys, shirts, pens, mugs and other items in collaboration with the Japanese company Sanrio
Sanrio
is a Japanese company that designs, licenses and produces products focusing on the kawaii segment of Japanese popular culture. Their products include stationery, school supplies, gifts and accessories that are sold worldwide and at specialty brand retail stores in Japan...
, more specifically their character Hello Kitty
Hello Kitty
is a fictional character produced by the Japanese company Sanrio, first designed by Yuko Shimizu. She is portrayed as a female white Japanese bobtail cat with a red bow. The character's first appearance on an item, a vinyl coin purse, was introduced in Japan in 1974 and brought to the United States...
, having the famous cat donning the characteristic skullsuit that the band has made so popular.
On August 21 the band released their new full-length, a mini-album titled "Paradox". The album was fully produced by Takeshi Ueda
Takeshi Ueda
, is the bassist, programmer, additional vocalist and song writer for The Mad Capsule Markets. He is often known for his unique way of bass guitar playing, and ever changing haircuts.-Musical career:Takeshi was born in Yokohama, Japan...
of The Mad Capsule Markets
The Mad Capsule Markets
The Mad Capsule Markets were a Japanese band that formed in 1990 and were active until 2006...
fame. Balzac and The Mad Capsule Markets have had a close relationship for over 13 years and finally they had a chance to collaborate on this very special release. Takeshi has not only fully produced the entire mini-album, he has also done all the programming and recording arrangement. The album presents the established Balzac's horror punk tunes with the addition of their characteristic digital hardcore style, now present on the whole album. The band has come to refer to this sound as a "new digital horror punk sound". The mini-album was released along a single, in vinyl format, and an special Box Set release. The European release of the album is being expected for October 16, this version will include a bonus DVD titled "Hatred Lies Deep Inside" which was previously released and has a full Promotional Video for every song on the album "Hatred: Construction = Destruction".
Side-Projects
Apart from the main band, Balzac is also well-known in the scene for their multiple side-projects, which mainly consist of the same members of the band playing in a different style or under a specific theme.Zodiac
The origins of this band date to 2004, when Balzac first released a CD entitled Zodiac Killer under the name of Zodiac and by playing live events under that name too. Both the name and lyrics of the band, as well as the merchandise, are based on the famous North AmericaNorth America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
n serial killer
Serial killer
A serial killer, as typically defined, is an individual who has murdered three or more people over a period of more than a month, with down time between the murders, and whose motivation for killing is usually based on psychological gratification...
known as the Zodiac Killer
Zodiac Killer
The Zodiac Killer was a serial killer who operated in Northern California in the late 1960s and early 1970s. The killer's identity remains unknown. The Zodiac murdered victims in Benicia, Vallejo, Lake Berryessa and San Francisco between December 1968 and October 1969. Four men and three women...
. This cold-blooded assassin gained much recognition for his cruel killings and encrypted letters that he sent both to the police and newspapers. He was never caught. In 2006 the band created the Zodiac Fan Club (Z.F.C.), an off-shoot of the Fiendish Club dedicated to the new band and only available for Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
ese residents. They also released the first and so far only full-length album, Beware On Halloween. The musical style of Zodiac's songs have the same sound and style as old Balzac songs during that band's first years of existence. As they do with Balzac, the band has also released toys and clothing under Zodiac's name and image.
Recently the band decided to release yet another Box release under this name. The Box package known as "Zodiac Is Alive" contained a couple of t-shirts and other Zodiac goodies plus a new Zodiac recording, a 2 track single CD, "Death Waltz/Seventeen", and a split cassette between Zodiac and The Deranged Mad Zodiac, the later being a Zodiac version of their also parallel band, The Deranged Mad Zombies.
The Deranged Mad Zombies
The Deranged Mad Zombies, like Zodiac, is a band composed of the same members of Balzac; it first appeared in 2006. The name came from various influences of singer/songwriter Hirosuke. "Deranged" comes from the title of one of his favorite movies. "Mad" derives from the name of one of his favorite Japanese bands, the Mad Capsule Markets. "Zombies" is taken from The Misfits song "Astrozombies". More than a side-project, this band is an experiment by the band members who felt like doing it just for fun. All the songs released under this name are in fact Balzac songs, mixed down rougher and trashier, giving each song more of a lo-fi and under-produced sound. For the full-length album the band launched under this moniker, they kept their identities hidden using nicknames and showing no track list or band photo on the package. Only 20 copies of the self-titled CD were pre-ordered before the fans found that this was in fact Balzac in disguise. So far the band has released two more albums and one official bootleg under this name.728 Misfits: Naniwa Misfits
728 Misfits, also known as Naniwa Misfits, is a Misfits cover band formed by Balzac. This is the less known side-project of the band and the only one without any official releases. So far Balzac has kept this band only for special and rare live events, without any known plans to release any singles or albums using this alter-ego. Peer-to-peer programs around the Internet have circulated a bootleg containing a rehearsal of this band, as well as a bootleg video of their famous live event at Molotov Club in HamburgHamburg
-History:The first historic name for the city was, according to Claudius Ptolemy's reports, Treva.But the city takes its modern name, Hamburg, from the first permanent building on the site, a castle whose construction was ordered by the Emperor Charlemagne in AD 808...
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
.
Discography
| Studio albums | |
|---|---|
| 1995 | The Last Men on Earth |
| 1997 | Deep – Teenagers from Outer Space |
| 1998 | 13 Stairway – The Children of the Night |
| 2000 | Zennou-Naru Musuu-No Me Ha Shi Wo Yubi Sasu |
| 2002 | Terrifying! Art of Dying – The Last Men On Earth II |
| 2003 | Beyond the Darkness Beyond The Darkness -Track listing:#"Thirteen"#"Day The Earth Caught Fire"#"Wall"#"Into The Light Of The 13 Dark Night"#"Black Light Shines In '99"#"Nowhere #13"#"Yami-No Mukou-No Subete-Wo"#"Out Of The Blue II"#"In Your Face"#"The Silence Of Crows"#"Tomorrow"... |
| 2003 | Out of the Light of the 13 Dark Night Out Of The Light Of The 13 Dark Night Out Of The Light Of The 13 Dark Night was the first official full-length album released in Germany by the Japanese horror punk band Balzac. It consists of re-recordings of previously released songs by the band and is considered by some as European counterpart to the album Beyond The Darkness, as it... |
| 2004 | Came Out of the Grave Came Out Of The Grave Came Out Of The Grave is an album by Balzac-Track listing:#"The Grave - Dreizen"#"Zetsubou-No-Ano-Basyo-E"#"Season Of The Dead"#"Inside My Eyes"#"Shi-Wo-Yubi-Sasu"#"The Pain Is All Around"#"Came Out Of The Grave"#"Beyond Evil 308"#"Art Of Dying"... |
| 2005 | Dark-Ism Dark-Ism Dark-Ism is a 2005 album by the band Balzac.-Track listing:#Beyond Evil 308, Pt. 1#D.A.R.K.#Blood Inside '68#Beyond Evil 308, Pt. 2#Gyakusatsu-No-Mukougawa#XXXxxx#I Can't Stand It Anymore#Yami-No-Hikari-E-Credits:* Hirosuke - vocals... |
| 2005 | Out of the Grave and into the Dark Out Of The Grave And Into The Dark Out Of The Grave and into the Dark is Balzac's compilation album of their albums, Came Out of the Grave and Dark-Ism.-Track listing:CD#The Grave - Dreizen#Zetsubou-No-Ano-Basyo-E#Season Of The Dead#Inside My Eyes#Shi-Wo-Yubi-Sasu... |
| 2006 | Deep Blue: Chaos from Darkism II Deep Blue: Chaos from Darkism II Deep Blue: Chaos from Darkism II is an album by the band Balzac. One of the songs, XXXxxx, is originally from their 2005 album Dark-Ism, and the track D.A.R.K. is a re-mix of a song of the same name. It also features a cover of David Bowie's "Ziggy Stardust".The record has six different pieces of... |
| 2006 | Paranoid Dream of the Zodiac Paranoid Dream of the Zodiac Paranoid Dream of the Zodiac is an album by the band Balzac. This CD combines two of ZODIAC's - "Beware on Halloween" & the maxi-single "Zodiac x Balzac".-Track listing:#"Before the Nightmare"#"Brain Control"#"the Fright"... |
| 2007 | Deep Blue: Chaos from Darkism Deep Blue: Chaos from Darkism -Track listing:#"Death and Confrontation"#"Godless"#"The Scare"#"In Those Days"#"D.A.R.K."#"Horrorock"#"Ziggy Stardust"#"The Gaze"#"rain"#"[Untitled]"#"Deep Blue"#"Japanese Chaos"#"XXXxxx"#"[Untitled]"#"Japanese Trash"#"I Can't Stand It Anymore"... |
| 2008 | Hatred: Destruction = Construction Hatred: Destruction = Construction Hatred: Destruction = Construction is the 8th full-length album released by the Japanese horror punk band Balzac. It was released with four different covers and one special 666mm edition. The album has two hidden tracks. The first one is called "Tomorrow Never Comes" and starts at the end of the... |
| 2008 | The Birth of Evil The Birth of Evil (album) The Birth of Evil is an album released by the Japanese horror punk band Balzac. The album contains re-recordings of the band's earliest material... |
| 2009 | Paradox Paradox (Balzac album) Paradox is a mini-album released by the Japanese horror punk band Balzac.-Track listing:#"Schiz-Ism I"#"Hazard"#"Paradox"#"Spiral"#"Space Vampire In Silence Noise"#"The Eyes "#"Schiz-Ism II"-Credits:* Hirosuke - Vocals... |
| 2010 | Judgement Day |
Current members
- Hirosuke Nishiyama – vocals (1992–present)
- Atsushi Nakagawa – guitar (1993–present)
- Akio Imai – bass (1996–present)
- Takayuki Manabe – drums (2002–present)
Former members
- Toyoki Takimoto – guitar
- Tetsuya Kitagawa – guitar (1992–1993)
- Yoritsugu "Anti" Azuchi – bass (1992–1996)
- Naoki Shinjo – drums (1992–1993)
- Koji – drums (1993–1995)
- Hajime Nishio – drums (1995–1996)
- Masami – drums (1996–1997)
- Futoshi Okano – session drummer (1997–1998)
- Kill – drums (1998–2002)