It is the first of September and it is a Friday, you know what that means: Bandcamp Friday is back! The first Friday of the month, when a Bandcamp Friday takes place, is the day when Bandcamp waives their revenue share. This means more money is left for artists and labels after music fans buy music and merchandise through Bandcamp. That’s Bandcamp Friday in a nutshell.
Now that it is Bandcamp Friday, it is time to highlight some Japanese artists and labels in an article. Do you want to know who we have highlighted in the past? Be sure to check to read our articles listed here.
Kanashimi
Not a whole lot is known about the black/doom metal band Kanashimi. Multi-instrumentalist O.Misanthropy is behind this Shizuoka-based band and likes to keep up the mystery surrounding himself. The most recent release by Kanashimi, 闇歌 (Yamiuta), is the third full-length album and carries the concept “Darkness of the heart”. Interesting is the use of piano in the music which he dubs as romantik black metal.
Theodora Katz
The bass player of the experimental grunge punk band SEAPOOL, Maho Iitani, started this solo project that gets described as experimental and noisy. The project appears to have begun under her own name before being renamed to Theodora Katz (stylised as theodora katz) earlier in 2023. In May of the same year, the first album by Theodora Katz got released, titled HENRY’S POCKET, which seems to be a Bandcamp-only release.
POISON D’HERMÈS
Last August, POISON D’HERMÈS opened a Bandcamp page with two releases, mini-album Offrir du Poison and maxi single Waiting For……/All I Want, both released in 2022. The gothic rock band was formed in the summer of 2016 and consists of vocalist KAAMA (known as vocalist and keyboardist of goth band JELSOMENA, as well as the band Kaama Kamilion), guitarist AI, bassist TAEKO and VJ Kihito.
Isiliel
We have already written several times about Isiliel, the solo project of NECRONOMIDOL leader Himari Tsukishiro. Now that the idol group NECRONOMIDOL has been put on a hiatus, she has been fully focusing on this project where she combines atmospheric metal, black and doom metal with pop. She released her first album, 月虹創聖記 (Moonbow Genesis) earlier this year, released several music videos and has been touring all over the world.
Narcolepsy Records
In 2014, the label Narcolepsy Records was formed as an experiment for Yosuke Hamada (better known for his sound project Engage Blue) where he explores new distortion possibilities while using different names for different approaches. With his sound, he has created a significant presence in the Japanese music scene over the years, contributing songs for local compilations and performing at events.
It is good to know that on Bandcamp Fridays, an average of 93% of your money reaches the artist or label (after payment processor fees). On other days, an average of 82% reaches the artist or label. Who are you going to support on Bandcamp Friday?
