Hey guys, looking for stuff based on japanese culture. No specific genre required. Some examples would be Persefone's Shin-Ken or Whispered's Thousand Swords. Anything thats related lyrically, but stuff with an epic overall feeling is a big plus.

(I imagine there will be a ton of stuff relating to samurai and bushido, but are there any bands out there that deal with more contemporary subjects? Japanese cultural attitudes during and post-WWII perhaps?)

Cheers

Hurusoma is a black metal band from Japan that may fit what you looking for.
Also Kogai is a progrssive death metal band that has lyrical themes about Japanese Culture.
Magane and Mïsogi are both black metal bands from Japan that deal with Japanese folk themes.
Ningen-Isu isn't as heavy but has a large discography and have lyrics about Japanese history.
You can also check out Whispered and Zenithrash for melodic death metal that is similar themed.

Not only Japanese history, but also a lot of Japanese literature and mythology. Of course the lyrics are in Japanese, so I don't know if that's really what the OP is looking for...

Magane i've heard of. I'll have to check out the other recs..

Thanks!

Mononofu


Samurai metal

Thirding them, they are a great band and lyrics in Japanese work great for metal in my opinion.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-70B71Ms ... =1&index=5
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7v-ySgKAqLI
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Of-mBkIt-s8

the melodic death metal band whispered have like samurai elements in their sound

No mention of the most famous of the far eastern hordes? Sabbat's Karisma seems to focus on quite a bit of Japanese Mythos as well with other songs.

Some of Sigh's earlier work falls into this category, before they started singing about serial killers.

Also check the theatrical metal band Onmyo-za, as much of their discography qualifies, and there is a lot of it.

-auto

Shuriken Cadaveric Entwinement. Their lyrics are Japanese themed, yet they have quite a old-school death metal sound.

I was going to mention these guys when I opened the thread. So now I'll just second the recc.

Kadenza FTW

Guys speaking of Japanese metal there's this band which has an album cover with green, flowers and samurais on it(I think), and the only thing I know is that they're Japanese, can someone lend me help?

Ninja may appeal to you with songs about Fighting, Warriors and of course Ninja's.

Manipulated Slaves have some songs tied to Japanese things as far as I understood about checking out 'em lyrics on two first albums. Never got into them albums as yet, but they sound cool. Japanese thrash with some epic bits.

Ayakasi Kagura for traditional instruments and horror folklore in brutal techy death all sung in Japanese. Surprised i was only one to give them (yeah, him really) a vote in the top albums this year. Genuinely inventive and enjoyable recording.

dazzle vision & babymetal! metalcore/j-pop, baby:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oy3tJAQ2Rrw
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3fgZsT1wjyg

Imaginary Flying Machines with their two albums of Studio Ghibli anime music covers

Could be Sigh's Imaginary Sonicscape.


And yeah, Sigh's more traditional Japanese influenced stuff is strongest in their early albums.

Speaking of Magane, there's also Quest for Blood, which is formed by most of Magane's band members, but with traditional Noh flutist Yukihiro Isso also performing alongside them. The one album they made is a bit unusual and is mostly instrumental, but the flute playing is pretty traditional (if not improvisational), so it might be worth a check.

What about Gotsu-Tostu-Kotsu? Death metal from Japan, with Japanese lyrics about samurai and stuff.

I also second Ningen Isu.

Check out ningen isu (human chair). I just found them on metal archives and I'm really digging them. Very bizarre but enjoyable. In one of their songs I remember they ripped of the budgie breadfan riff.