After the breakup of Japanese Crust Punk band Gouniromech in March 2024, multi-instrumentalist Black Infestation decided to take a darker turn. The raw crust foundation remained intact, but the focus shifted towards Black and War Metal. Together with Brazilian musician Alcoholizer, he initially formed Oumech, a project that soon changed its name to Hanzaisha. Since then, Alcoholizer has parted ways with the band, yet Black Infestation carries on undeterred. With this new EP, he now delivers his sixth release – following four demos and a full-length album.
The Hanzaisha EP once again presents a furious dose of uncompromising chaos. Musically, it can best be described as Bestial War Metal infused with crust punk aggression. The band themselves claim to be “Japan’s Crust Punk answer to Blasphemy” – a bold statement, perhaps, but one that doesn’t sound entirely misplaced once you’ve heard the record. It’s raw, direct, abrasive, and utterly unrelenting: exactly what you’d expect from this most savage corner of extreme metal.
The five tracks blaze past in merciless fashion. From the venomous “Angel Lust”, through the hateful and unforgiving “Human Unrest”, to the closing track and longest cut “Imperial Buddha” (which at only three minutes and seven seconds still leaves no room to breathe), Hanzaisha creates an atmosphere that is both chaotic and precise in its destruction. The sheer energy makes the blend of crust and bestial black work so effectively – short, violent strikes with not a single wasted moment.
That said, with only five tracks, there’s definitely room for more. The EP is over before you know it, and it leaves a sharp craving for the next assault. Whether this release will ever see a physical edition is still unclear, but as it stands, Hanzaisha prove that their fusion of War Metal ferocity and punk mentality has real weight and potential.
In short: this is not music for the faint of heart, but for those who thrive on extreme, chaotic, and uncompromising noise, this EP delivers a powerful, unrelenting barrage. Something a little different – and absolutely worth your attention.
85/100
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