Balzac: The Birth of Hatred

Balzac: The Birth of Hatred

2011

Misfits Records

Format I Own it on: Compact Disc

Track Listing:  Disc 1: 1. The Shadows of Daybreak I  2. Distraction  3. Swallow the Dark  4. Dakedo Sonna Hibi-No Nakade Boku-Wav  5. Momentary Degeneration  6.  Hurt  7. Paranoia  8. Frankenstein's Walk  9. Maybe True  10. Destruction = Construction  11. Justice, Pity and Hatred  12. The Howling Wolf  13. Pray  14. The Shadows of Daybreak II  15. Hikari Naki Sekai  16. Unfeeling Blood  17. Dakedo Sonna Hibi-No Nakade (Alternate Take)  18.  I Must Do It Anyway  19.Pray (Alternate Version)

Disc 2: 1. Balzac  2. Go Against With My Monster  3. Nothing  4. Diabolic  5. Goddamn Son of a Bitch  6. Scapegoat I  7. Scapegoat II  8. Diabolos  9. Violent Paradise  10. Thirteenth  11. God of Mercy  12. Monster  13. Eeba  14. Who Will Survive  15. The Final Day  16. Break Down  17. Final Freedom  18. Night of the Blood Beast  19. God of Mercy II  20. Fiendish Ghouls  21. 13 Ghosts  22. Atom-Age Vampire In 308  23. A Taste of Blood

Oh my God, this is a lot of Balzac... With two  70 minute discs of music and a third disc featuring the  band''s  videos, you're looking at over 200 minutes of unrelenting horror-punk...I wasn't sure if I could handle sitting down and listening to this all in a row after spending the last couple days listening to nothing but the other two Balzac albums I own, but it turns out this was pretty easy...

The first disc is comprised largely of their 2008 album "Hatred: Destruction=Construction,"

It actually finds the band stretching out even further...It's still largely  consists of hooky pop-punk tracks, but they seem to distance themselves even further from overtly emulating the Misfits, with the notable exception of \ "The Howling Wolf" (which bears a bit of a similarity to "Wolfsblood.")

 It says a lot that some of the standout tracks aren't even punk songs. "Hikari Naki Sekai" isn't unlike some bloated Guns N' Roses "Use your Illusion" era ballad...the only difference being I can stand to listen to this...This song actually gets stuck in my head all the time, but since the lyrics are in a different language, I normally just sing nonsense along with it...:"ADEEEEE DYYYYY...."

Another great one is the unlisted track "Tomorrow Never Comes," that follows some silence after the hardcore-screamer "Destruction = Construction." It's a pop-song based around a nagging keyboard hook that burrows its way deeper into my brain each time I hear it... I'm really dying to check out what the band comes up with next!

The second disc contains re-recordings of the band's earliest demos called "The Birth of Evil..."

This is some of the most blatant Misfits-worship in the band's catalog... The sing titles "Goddamn Son of a Bitch" and "Violent Paradise" say it all..."Goddamn Son of a Bitch" has the exact same guitar part and even some fo the same lyrics from "Where Eagles Dare." A lot of this reminds me of  "American Psycho" era Misfits, however the cover clearly states that these songs are from 1992-1994, which predates the Misfits reunion...So could it be that the Misfits have been influenced by Balzac? Jury's out here, since I haven't actually heard the original versions of these songs...But it's all fun,  solid pop-punk, with virtually none of the hardcore and industrial noise metal that sometimes pops up on their albums...If you're purely into the band for the pop-punk aspect, this is the place to go...If nothing else, check this out for  the awesome track  "The Final Day"

All in all, this thing is an incredible bargain...3 and a half hours of Balzac and it usually sells for around the $12.00 mark. Everything here is good to great...So if you're into Jerry Only-era Misfits, well...you probably don't need me to tell you to check this out...I'm sure you're already well aware of this...but I think fans of the darker side of punk in general (and don't mind the language barrier) will be well into this...

Oh yea, what do you serve your guests while you're headbanging to Balzac!

Halloween Pocky! Everyday is Halloween with Balzac! 

Man, I want this Pumpkin Pocky so bad!

So let's celebrate Halloween in March with  "The Final Day" by Balzac...

Balzac: Out of the Grave and Into the Dark

Balzac: Out of the Grave and Into the Dark

2005

Misfits Records

Format I Own it on: Compact Disc

Track Listing: 1.The Grave - Dreizen  2. Zetsubou-No-Ano-Basyo-E  3. Season Of The Dead  4. Inside My Eyes  5. Shi-Wo-Yubi-Sasu  6. The Pain Is All Around  7. Came Out Of The Grave  8. Beyond Evil 308  9. Art Of Dying  10. The World Without End, The Pain Is Not Around (reprise)  11. I'm Losing You  12. Beware Of Darkness (2004 version)  13. I Know  14. Gimme Some Truth (bonus track)  15. Beyond Evil 308, Pt. 1  16. D.A.R.K.  17. Blood Inside '68  18. Beyond Evil 308, Pt. 2  19. Gyakusatsu-No-Mukougawa  20. XXXxxx  21. I Can't Stand It Anymore  22. Yami-No-Hikari-E

This is the second compilation release from Misfits Records. This time we have tracks from the band's Japanese albums "Came Out of the Grave" and "Dark-Ism."

It's a little less "Woah oh oh-ey" as the band cuts down on the pogo-punk and ups the hardcore/industrial screaming quotient, "Zetsubou-No-Ano-Basyo-E" being  particularly scary...but don't worry...there's still plenty of catchy pop... See "Season Of The Dead" and "Yami-No-Hikari-E"  for proof...

You start to hear the band step away from the overt Jerry Only worship here, "The Pain Is All Around" is even a pop-punk song with lots of "Woahs" but there's a more distinct personality behind it...I can't ever really make out the lyrics, but it still gives off a dark vibe without the monster matinee feel of the Misfits...

I hate to bring up the Misfits so much when I'm supposed to be discussing Balzac but it's pretty difficult to do...the influence is so strong, still it's important to note that it really only is influence...despite all outward appearance they never really "rip-off" the Misfits...They bring their own feel and culture to their music and besides, it's great shit to blast when you're in the mood to jump up and down and shout some "Woah oh ohs"...

Man, I can't believe I haven't made a single "Ballsack" joke yet...Amazing...

I love this kind of Horror-Punk stuff...The great ones always put so much thought and energy on the visuals, packaging,  presentation and merchandise...It's always eye-catching...A Horror-rock band with a shitty album cover is just doomed...

Anyway, let's check out some more of the band's merchandise....This time we're going to look at their "Hello Kitty" stuff...

Mystery and weird!

Yellow Hello Kitty

Balzac/Hello Kitty mug...

This is probably my favorite one! A black Hello Kitty!

Now let's check out "Season of the Dead" by Balzac...

Balzac: Beyond the Darkness

Balzac: Beyond the Darkness

2003

Misfits Records

Format I own it on:  Compact Disc

Track Listing: 1. Thirteen  2. Day The Earth Caught Fire  3. Wall  4. Into The Light Of The 13 Dark Night  5.Black Light Shines In '99  6. Nowhere #13  7. Yami-No Mukou-No Subete-Wo  8. Out Of The Blue II  9. In Your Face  10. The Silence Of Crows  11 .Tomorrow  12. Vanishes In Oblivion  13. The End Of Century  14. Monster II  15. Beware Of Darkness  16. Violent Paradise  17. Bleeding Light  18. Diabolos (live bonus track)  19. 13 Ghosts live bonus track)   20. Day The Earth Caught Fire (live bonus track)

This is (as far as I know) the first US release by the Osaka, Japan Horror-Punk band Balzac. It's was released in 2003 on Misfits Records and consists of re-recordings of songs from the band's extensive Japanese  back-catalog. 

Musically (and visually) it's very reminiscent of punk legends the Misfits, being an especially close relative of that group's post-Danzig output. They replace the Heavy Metal aspect of the Misfits' sound with slightly different influences, namely Scream-o and rackety industrial noise, but otherwise the dark subject matter and catchy "Woah oh oh's," are unmistakably Misfits. I swear every single song is loaded with "Woah oh ohs." This record is pretty much "Woah oh oh" porn.

They have the songs too! "Wall," "Violent Paradise," and "The Day the Earth Caught on Fire," stand up next to their forbear's best tracks, and for Misfits die-hards this is probably the best album to start with, since it's the one that resembles that band's output most closely. This band is always ridiculously generous with their output too...I think every Balzac album I own runs about the 80 minute mark, some of them feature multiple discs and usually a DVD of videos...The length and relative same-ness of the material sometimes make it hard to digest it all in one sitting, but for those moments where you've played all your Misfits albums to death, you're going to be thankful  that there's so much of this...

In Japan the band is famous for their marketing, which includes limited album pressings, toys and clothes...I love this kind of stuff...Let's check out some of their merchandise...

Balzac Figure Collection....

 "Atom age Vampire in 308" Vinyl model...

"Paradox" Color Vinyl

 

"Bag-Head' figure...This guy probably has a name...if so, I don't know it...

Misfits/Balzac split single vinyl cover...

Skull-Shaped picture disc...

Balzac picture disc...

"Ogon Skullman" figure...

Alright...Time to put the toys away and  listen to "Wall" by Balzac...Enjoy...