BLOODBATH RECORDS is undoubtedly a long-running and one of the oldest independent record/production/distribution labels in Japan. I’ve known Yutaka Kimura (label owner) since the mid-90s when I started to wholesale and distribute some Bloodbath Records releases; among which include Grind The Faces Of Rockstars comp.tape, Bizarre Abnormality comp.tape, Deviant “Deviant Mass-Turbation” tape, demotapes from bands such as Intestine Baalism, Carcass Grinder, Desperate Corruption and a few more that I myself have forgotten, as well as his old good fanzine Gouon‘zine. Through Kim and his label, I learned a lot about the Japanese extreme/underground music scene. Thank you Kim for the long friendship. Well, here is a special discussion about the respected Bloodbath Records. - Interviewed by Atandistorted, 13 August 2022
1: Hello Yukata Kimura. What’s up today? Introduce a little background about yourself?
Hi, I am still alive!!! After pandemic of Covid-19, I am slowly running label (Bloodbath Records) and organizing shows in Koiwa, Tokyo (Koiwa Death Fest. since 2000 and Distro. Day since 2020). I am Yutaka Kimura from Japan, I start my activities since 1994 in Kyoto, Japan. I love Malaysian scene extremely, because when I visited to KL in 1992 first time, I am very surprised at existence of many cassette shops in the shopping mall or other places and found big scene there. At that time, I bought many cassette tapes and still have them. VSP rules! In Japan, death metal/grind core are still underground, from that time we could not buy the stuffs in any shopping mall.
2: Congratulations for keeping Bloodbath Records active & productive for so long. Share the establishment history of the label and what exactly encouraged you to form it?
I started the label from 1994. To make the scene in Kyoto strong, it is the biggest reason. From that time I fully supported Grind Core/Death Metal music. To spread that kind of styles, I start the label. At the beginning, I released home dubbed cassette tapes and 7-inch vinyls. First CD release is 2000 (BIMI028 2000 BRUTALITY REIGNS SUPREME (Holland) - Back From The Dead). I was also organizing shows in Kyoto, Japan (In Sonic Chaos), invited many bands from Tokyo or foreign countries (Warsore from Australia, Birdflesh from Sweden, and so on). I was more into Grind Core styles, because my friends in Kyoto are mostly Hard Core/Fast Core freaks.
3: What are the types and criteria of bands you like to sign and work with under your label?
It is only feeling what I want to support. Of course underground extreme-style bands; Death Metal, Grind Core, Hard Core, Noise Grind, Black Metal, and so on.
4: What are some of the best moments you’ve had while running Bloodbath Records, and have you had any bad & difficult times?
It was always fun for me. But when I was very busy for my real job, I ripped off some people in the world. Because I had no time to communicate, trade, distribute, I want to apologize it around 15 years ago. After that, I became more slow and lazy… And my organizing shows were also always great moments, I could have a lot of friends over the world. I cannot count it.
5: List the 10 most essential products (band/release title/year) under the Bloodbath Records discography according to your personal preferences?
BIMI009 1996 VOLTIFOBIA (Japan) / IMPREGNATE TRICHOMONAS (Japan) Split 7"EP
BIMI019 1998 DxIxE (Japan) / AGATHOCLES (Belgium) Split 7"EP
BIMI012 1998 DEMISOR (Singapore) / C.S.S.O.(Japan) Split 7"EP
BIMI025 2000 MORTALIZED (Japan) / EVOL (Japan) Split 7"EP
BIMI022 2001 NIKUDOREI (Japan) / DxIxE (Japan) Split 7"EP
BIMI044 2004 MAGGUT (Japan) - Into The Gore CD
BIMI045 2005 REALIZED (Japan) - 21st CENTURY TERMINAL WORLD CD
BIMI053 2006 WARSTATE (Japan) - Endless Confusion CD
BIMI064 2008 DEADLY SPAWN (Japan ) - From Beyond The Dark CD
BIMI062 2008 CATAPLEXY (Japan) - ...Lunar Eclipse, Chaos To The Ruin... CD
6: List some new & latest releases from this label and some plans for the upcoming products?
Available:
BIMI085 2020 REALIZED (Japan) - Proud of Fire Flag 7"EP
BIMI086 2018 CORBATA (Japan) - Un Odio Sin Fin CD
BIMI087 2019 PAGAN FIRE (Philippines) / PERPETUAL (Malaysia) split live CD
BIMI088 2019 PUNISHMENT FOR BARBARIAN (Japan) / WHILE THE CITY BURNS (Japan) split CD
BIMI089 2019 TASTE (Japan) / INFECATED (Vietnam) split CDEP
BIMI090 2021 BOLT STEIN (Japan) / HUMILIATION (Malaysia) split 7"EP
BIMI091 2021 HUMILIATION (Malaysia) - Execution Outline Sendai 2019 / Sendai Invasion 2016 Double Live CD
BIMI092 2021 TASTE (Japan) - Suffer at Mamat Fest. Live CD
BIMI093 2022 DxIxE (Japan) - d.i.e.r.r.e.a. CD
BIMI094 2022 HUMILIATION (Malaysia) - C.O.V.I.D. (Conflict. Over Verge Intrusion. Detest) CD
BIMI096 2022 DEADLY SPAWN (Japan) - Live...Pandemic Fear of Death Live CD
Next:
BIMI095 PAGANFIRE (Philippines) - Of Deathblades And Bloodsoaked Paths CD
BIMI098 PNEUMONIC PLAGUE (Myanmmar) CD
In Sonic Chaos from 1995, in Kyoto/Osaka Japan - I already mentioned above, I organized shows in 27 times until 2014.
Koiwa Death Fest. from 2000, in Koiwa Tokyo Japan - Still continuing. Currently total 85 times happened. Many many bands have played from all over the world, like HUMILIATION from Malaysia, XANADOO from Singapore, DEAD INFECTION from Poland, DEAD from Germany, AGATHOCLES from Belgium, NUN SLAUGHTER from US, AGENTS OF ABHORRENCE from Australia, MEINHOF from UK, FETUS SLICER from Taiwan, ENEMA TORTURE from Taiwan, PENIS GEYSER from US, DIE PIGEON DIE from Australia, WARMASTER from US, PULMONARY FIBROSIS from France, EMBRYOPATHIA from France, SULSA from Korea, SEDEM MINUT STRACHU from Slovakia, DECHE-CHARGE from Canada, STARGAZER from Australia, 2 MINUTA DREKA from Italy, BRUTAL BLUES from Norway, DERANGED INSANE from Brazil, ABERRANT from US, ARSEDESTROYER from Sweden, BODIES LAY BROKEN from US, UTTER BASTARD from US, and many more to be mentioned.
Distro. Day, in Koiwa Tokyo Japan - Still continuing, Co-organizing with Jero from Abigail. The name of event is inspired from Malaysian scene. And because of Pandemic, we were forced into limited activities. So I decided to organized the small show in daytime because I don’t want to stop anything. That was the reason to start. Already 11 times happened.
Hai Ba Trund Deathfest from 2017 to 2020, in Hanoi Vietnam. When I was living there, I organized 8 shows, invited the bands from Japan or other countries. The biggest bands are INCANTATION from US and DEIPHAGO from Philippines. When I lived in Vietnam, for me really great because it was really easy to go to KL and joined many shows in Malaysia. I could join so many shows, those were also great memories for me.
8: How do you see the future of Bloodbath Records, for the next few years to say the least?
I will continue something surely in underground deeply. It will be 100 percent. We need to pass our activities on to the next generation, that will be next purpose to continue.
9: Please share some information about your legendary Gouon zine? Have you ever thought of going back to editing and publishing the fanzine?
Oh, too old, but it was professional printed fanzine I edited/published in 1994-1995 in Kyoto. I released 2 issues and both were limited 200 copies each. I wrote a lot of reviews about Malaysian cassette tapes on pages. These stuffs were bought in KL directly as I mentioned above, not promotion or something. I only introduced my collection at that time, haha!
Currently in Japan, many printed media stopped the activities. In that situation, my friends started new underground magazine called GUT ZiNE from 2020, then of course I am supporting it. Unfortunately the magazine is written only in Japanese, but the front cover is always featuring cute girl photo, haha. But the contents are so maniac for normal people, please check in near future.
Personally I can’t start the fanzine again. Because it is needed to spend many times and efforts. To need to share tasks with friends is the best way to keep it.
10: Last question: What do you think about current Japanese metal/grind underground scene? Any new bands with great potential?
We need young generation, all bands and people in scene became old (average year 30-40, I guess). Young is power to keep our history. I don’t know much bands or people under 30 years old. It is serious issue in current Japanese scene. Old people still buy vinyls, cassettes, and CD’s even though they can download the contents of them. That is the biggest gap between young people and us. I respect Malaysian scene, because still many people buy physical stuffs.
*Note: This interview is as published in Reveal #15
