First off, I definitely do not own an actual copy of this extremely rare gem. Released in an almost criminally low run of 300 copies (never repressed) in 1988, this fucking goldmine of Japanese hardcore brilliance was actually given away for free according to all of the information that I've encountered. In my narrow and limited opinion, I view this 7" as quite possibly the best Japanese hardcore/punk release of all time. Regardless, the title track, "Step", is definitely the single greatest Japanese hardcore song ever. No questions asked. I defy anyone to play for me a better song. Their overall still may be your basic blast of fast and endearingly raw hardcore, but the songs are just super fucking catchy and energetic, so you just can't get enough of it. All of their material that I've heard is solid, but this particular EP is the cream of the crop and I love all 10 minutes of it. The only reason I have the songs is thanks to a bootleg CD called "For the Punx and Thrashers" that I picked up from good ol' Vacuum distro many years back. As usual the bootleg has some incorrect song titles and is a relatively shoddy affair (it also didn't have their flexi on it, just the two other EP's, the LP, and some compilation tracks), but shit, I tend to take what I can get with this stuff, you know? I've also seen this EP referred to as the "Muryo Haifu" 7" instead of the "Step" 7", but I'm not really clear on what the deal is there. Either way, the fucking songs kill. Eat up:
1. "Step"
2. "Sink You"
3. "T.O.K.I.O."
4. "Read on Speed"
5. "Gamble"
6. "Bad Boy"
Comments
Hell yeah! Systematic Death does in fact rule. BUT the best japanese hardcore song of all time goes to Hightechnologysuicide’s Paint It Black Sabbath off the screaming bodhisattva drug junky cd. Or any song off Etae’s 2003 7inch ep.
4.28.2005 | By Zach
First, thanks a ton for posting the songs up.
In that style, Gauze is still my favorite Japanese HC/thrash band. They might be a little slower and less complex musically, but their songs are so damn catchy. The Fuckheads LP is what I’m thinking of. Maybe it’s the dueling vocals. Maybe it’s the floor tom. Dunno. One Last Kiss gets my vote.
Still, Systematic Death sound great. I’ll keep my eyes open, but like like you said with most Japanese HC, I’ll take whatever I can get.
4.28.2005 | By aither
I’ve got some Gauze that I’ll have to revisit. For some reason Systematic Death is always at the front of my brain because I was so floored when I first got that bootleg since it opens with the “Step” EP.
I think I have that Etae 7”, I’ll have to look and give that another shot, too. I’ve never even heard of Hightechnologysuicide so I’ll keep an eye out for some of that.
Thanks!
4.29.2005 | By Andrew Aversionline
FYI: “Muryo Haifu” means “free distribution,” (or freely distributed) which is probably due to, or the cause of, the info you’ve heard about the original release.
5.23.2005 | By Anonymous
The EP is known as “Muryo Haifu” cause it was given away free at a gig back in 1988, at the Toshima Kokaido in Tokyo. Given away as in, being thrown off the stage into the crowd by Shigeru, the singer. He must have thrown out at least a hundred or so-I don’t know how many survived the pit…I managed to snag one though.
Damn, it was a great show. Outo, Lip Cream, S.O.B, Systematic Death+a couple of others…Gauze headlined. There is video of the show, which was somehow released by a major label over here in Japan, “Complete Death Live.” I think there are some scenes of Shigeru chucking the records into the crowd. No Gauze though, they were totally against the video (coming out on a major and all) so they put up a huge banner in front of the stage denouncing the video and basically fucked with the camera crew through their whole set.
Anyway, a great record.
5.24.2005 | By nobu