Balzac (band)

Infobox musical artist
Name = Balzac


Img_capt =
Img_size =
Background = group_or_band
Origin = flagicon|Japan Osaka, Japan
Genre = Horror punk
Hardcore punk
Punk rock
Years_active = 1992-present
Label = Alchemy Records, Diwphalanx Records, Misfits Records, FiendForce Records, Gan-Shin Records, Evilegend13 Records
URL = http://www.balzac.jp/
Current_members = Hirosuke Nishiyama
Atsushi Nakagawa
Akio Imai
Takayuki Manabe
Past_members = Tetsuya
Yoritsugu "Anti" Azuchi
Naoki
Kohji
Hajime Nishio
Kill
Masami
Futoshi Okano

Balzac is a Japanese horror punk band formed in 1992. They are considered by many to be the Japanese counterpart to the American horror band The Misfits, basing their music and their looks off the band. The band has promoted clothing brands Shocker and Dementia 13, and distributes clothing and accessories such as gloves, bags, and jackets which are inspired by the band's horror imagery. The band also distributes several BALZAC-themed toys and posters, many of which are created by TWIM and SECRET BASE.

History

The first line-up consisted of Hirosuke Nishiyama on vocals, Yoritsugu "Anti" Azuchi on bass, Tetsuya on guitar and Naoki on drums. Their first release was a demo tape called "Scapegoat 666", and included six songs, one of them being a cover of the The Misfits' song "Where Eagles Dare." By the release of their second demo "Descent Of The Diabolos" (released 1993), the band had two new members: guitarist Atsushi Nakagawa and drummer Kohji The band would feature on some various artists' compilations and release a couple more demos before releasing their debut album "The Last Men On Earth" in 1995, on which Kohji was replaced by Hajime Nishio on drums.

In 1997 the band featured Hirosuke (vocals), Atsuhi (guitar), and new member Akio Imai (bass). This line-up released the album "Deep - Teenagers from Outer Space". They soon got a new drummer called Kill, to fill the void. The band would release three more albums before Kill would leave the band: "13 Stairway - The Children Of The Night" (1998), "Zennou-Naru Musuu-No Me Ha Shi Wo Yubi Sasu" (2000), and "Terrifying - Art of Dying/The Last Men on Earth II" (2002). The last one features seven new songs, plus a new recording of the band's first album. In 2002 they also released a split single with The Misfits.

Balzac often is the show opener on The Misfits concerts. When Kill quit the band later that year, he was replaced by Takayuki. In 2003 Balzac released their first American album with the compilation "Beyond The Darkness" on Rykodisc/Misfits Records. It featured the new single "Beware Of Darkness." In 2004 "Came Out Of The Grave" was released, and in 2005 "Dark-Ism". In America the two albums were released on one CD, called "Out Of The Grave And Into The Dark", and came along with a DVD. In 2006 ' was released, followed by "Paranoid Dream of the Zodiac" in 2007. In 2007 Balzac also released a split single with German musician Bela B. during their Coupling Tour with "MUCC" in Europe. Balzac's latest CD single "Swallow the Dark" was released in Japan on December 28th, 2007. In 2008 Balzac released a Complete Legacy Book with two versions available, each book includes a bonus CD and a complete discography, toyography, reviews, and a complete history. They also released a new Album called ' which was also released in Europe during their "Hatred: Germany Tour 2008".

Band members

Current members

* Hirosuke Nishiyama - vocals (1992-)
* Atsushi Nakagawa - guitar (1993-)
* Akio Imai - bass (1997-)
* Takayuki Manabe - drums (2002-)

Former members

* Tetsuya - guitar (1992-1993)
* Yoritsugu "Anti" Azuchi - bass (1992-1997)
* Naoki - drums (1992-1993)
* Kohji - drums (1993-1995)
* Hajime Nishio - drums (1995-1997)
* Kill - drums (1997-2002)

Releases

Albums

* "The Last Men on Earth" (Alchemy Records, 1995)
* "Deep - Teenagers from Outer Space" (Diwphalanx Records, 1997)
* "13 Stairway - The Children of the Night" (Diwphalanx Records, 1998)
* "Zennou-Naru Musuu-No Me Ha Shi Wo Yubi Sasu" (Diwphalanx Records, 2000)
* "Terrifying - Art of Dying/The Last Men on Earth II" (Diwphalanx Records, 2002)
* "Beyond The Darkness" (US CD/DVD Misfits Records/Rykodisc, 2003)
* "Came Out Of The Grave" (2004)
* "Dark-Ism" (2005)
* "Out Of The Grave And Into The Dark" (US CD/DVD Misfits Records/Rykodisc, 2005)
* "" (2006)
* "Paranoid Dream of the Zodiac" (German CD Gan-Shin Records, 2006)
* "" (US CD/DVD Misfits Records/Diwphalanx Records, 2007)
* "" (Diwphalanx Records, Europe: Gan-Shin Records, 2008)

ingles

* "Lord of the Light and Darkness" (1993)
* "Atom Age Vampire in 308 (Agevin '08" (1995)
* "Isolation from No. 13" (1996)
* "When the Fiendish Ghouls Night" (1996)
* "Who Will Survive - Off the Wall" (1997 split with Hate Honey)
* "The 4 Brothers Meet Misery Skull" (1998)
* "Oldevils Legend of Blood" (1999 split with Sobut)
* "Isolation from No. 13" (1999)
* "Into the Light of the 13 Dark Night" (1999)
* "Neat Neat Neat/The End of Century" (1999 double a-side)
* "Hands of 9 Evils" (2000)
* "Nowhere Number 13/Tomorrow" (2001)
* "Unvarnished Facts" (2001)
* "Thirteen Ghost/Psycho in 308" (2001)
* "The Silence of Crows/Vanishes in Oblivion" (2001)
* "Don't Open 'Til It's Doomsday/Day the Earth Caught Fire" (2002 split with The Misfits)
* "Out of the Blue" (2002)
* "Beware of Darkness" (2003)
* "Out of the Blue" (2003 Germany)
* "Out of the Light of the 13 Dark Night" (2003 Germany)
* "Screwbiter" (2003 split with Cocobat)
* "Gimme Some Truth" (2004)
* "Inside My Eyes" (2004 Europe)
* "D.A.R.K." (2005 CD/DVD)
* "Der Graf vs. Horrorpunks" (2007, split single with Bela B.)
* "Swallow the Dark" (2007)
* "Zombie A Go Go" (2008, split single with Rodrigo Gonzalez)

Demo tapes

* Scapegoat 666 (1992)
* Descent Of The Diabolos (1993)
* Megabattle '93 (1993 various artists)
* Veritas Tempore Patet Oculta (1993)
* One Night In Hell (1994)
* Weird And Occult (1995)
* Psycho In 308 (1995)

Videos

* Curious Lore And Evil Legend (1993)
* Lord Of The Light And Darkness (1995 bootleg)
* Psycho In 308 (1995)
* This Is Video Devilock (1998 video compilation)
* Video Deep II (1998)
* Taste Of Fear II (2000)
* Nowhere Number 13 (2000)
* Evils Is As Evil Does (2001)
* No Death Before The Human Race With Mental Faculties (2001)
* 20010112 (2001)
* Terrifying Tour 2002 (2002)
* (2002)
* 20020511 AX (2002)
* TWIM-Age Vampire (2002)
* The Legacy Of Terrifying #1 (2002)
* The Legacy Of Terrifying #2 (2002)
* Beware Of Darkness (2003)
* America's Most Wanted (2003)
* Friday The 13th Boxset (2003)
* The Night The Fiendish Ghoul Came Out Of The Grave (2004)
* Live At Shibuya O-East 2004/03/05 (2004)
* The Making Of Came Out Of The Grave (2004)

Various artists

* Safe Rock And Roll Sucks (1995)
* Kamikaze Attacked America (1995)
* Total Insubordination (1996)
* Hell On Earth... Hail To Misfits (1996)
* Skullping: A Tribute To Gastunk (1999)
* London Nite 20th Anniversary Extrax (2000)
* Abstruct Madness (2001)
* V.A. Super Hiside - Leather Heads (2002)
* This is Horrorpunk Vol. 1 (2004)

Books

"Complete Legacy Book" (2008, two versions available)

See also

* The Misfits
* Horror Punk
* J-Punk

External links

* [http://www.balzac308.com Official USA Balzac Site]
* [http://fiendishclub.com Official Balzac International Fanclub]
* [http://www.samuraifactory.com/balzac/ Japan Balzac Site]
* [http://www.balzac-europe.com Balzac Europe Website and Shop]
* [http://www.jmusicamerica.com/us/database-artist.php?id=206 Balzac profile at JaME]
* [http://www.jmusicamerica.com/us/article.php?id=2377 Interview with Balzac at JaME]