MerryGoRound is a hardcore punk legend in Himeji, Japan. This is their 1983 cassette demo released as 7" vinyl. Limited edition! Our take: Vinyl reissue of the 1983 cassette by this band from Himeji, Japan. I was familiar with Merrygoround’s No War flexi (I own it but haven’t spun it in a few years), so I was excited to see this release, particularly since the packaging includes cool photos and a short but informative history of the band. Like the original cassette release, one side of this 7” is a live recording, while the other is a studio recording. The live recording has a rough sound with the bass up front. Since the bass seems to carry the melody for a lot of the songs, these tracks have a punkier feel that reminds me of Trash-era Stalin. The tracks on the b-side are listed as a studio session, but given that the recording quality is even rougher it might be a rehearsal room recording rather than multi-track. Regardless, the more even mix and aggressive approach reminds me of Fuckheads era Gauze or perhaps Kuro, whom the band lists as an inspiration in the liner notes. While Merrygoround is a deep cut, the packaging and presentation here is on point, making this a solid buy for anyone into raw Japanese hardcore.
