Zeni Geva
Freedom Bondage

THE REVIEW

Zeni Geva is a Japanese band formed in 1987 by singer-guitarist K.K. Null.

The scene they belong to and should be classified under is definitely hardcore, although their works prominently feature elements of metal, progressive, noise, and industrial.

Freedom Bondage, released by Alternative Tentacles (Jello Biafra's label, just to be clear), came out in 1995 and, like many of their albums, is produced by Steve Albini, who has often declared himself a great admirer of the Asian band and has occasionally collaborated with them as a guitarist (both live and in the studio).

It's difficult to draw comparisons with other groups, although it's worth mentioning that Zeni Geva, at least in their early albums (such as Total Castration), learned a lot from the lessons of Albini's own Big Black at first, and then Godflesh.

This album, while not the best from the Japanese band, is certainly among the most interesting, especially one of the most underrated and overlooked (at least by critics). Here, the band's characteristic sound emerges, comprising a fierce hardcore with tempos that are sometimes "mathematical," and a unique singing style that, in my opinion, is what sets them apart (the choice to sing almost entirely in Japanese certainly makes their hardcore more rigorous and powerful).

Among the tracks, "Death Blows" definitely stands out as one of their best pieces ever, and "Hate Trader/Interzona", the latter being essentially two songs in one, where Null and Tabata's guitars impress with their grandeur and power. The use of keyboards, which masterfully amplifies the sense of unease and tension always present in Zeni Geva's albums, should be highlighted.

In short, a must-have album, hard to despise for those who love dissonant sounds and dark atmospheres à la Swans and Neurosis, just to cite two illustrious examples.