The Year in Japanese Screamo - 2025
9 of the best releases of the year
2025 was another great year for Japanese Screamo. From wild stretches of the genre, to solid new entries in established sounds, this year has a little something for everyone.
Is there ever a bad year for Japanese Screamo? One of these days, I want to do a little data analysis of previous years to see what was the worst year for Japanese Screamo. Maybe mid-Covid, 2020? My vote for best year would probably be 2002, the release of my beloved: Envy’s All The Footprints…
On a personal note, I had the indescribable pleasure of finally revisiting Japan this year. It had been almost 22 years since my last visit, and the amount of changes were shocking. I was able to meet long-time friends, many for the first time IRL. And I went to a couple of amazing concerts, jumping on the bullet train in between since they were hundreds of kilometers apart. That was definitely something I couldn’t have done in my younger years (mostly due to money). I plan to go again this year (2026) and I want to make it an annual habit.
Anyways, let’s get to my favorite releases of the year. I’ll just list them alphabetically. If there’s anything in particular that you enjoyed, I’d love to hear from you in the comments! Thanks for reading.
PS: I’m still hard at work on the fourth wave article, and I’ve started the design for my Japanese Screamo Disc Guide book. Get pumped!
Asunojokei - Think Of You
I’ve been a fan of Asunojokei since their first demo. It’s always exciting to see what new spin they’ll put on their sound, as they are constantly evolving. I loved their 2022 album Island. It felt like they were coming into their own as they moved away from the blackgaze sound. Well, 2025’s Think Of You finally sees them reaching their final form. An unbelievably danceable mix of metal and J-Pop, with some screamo and post-rock sensibilities. Every listen of this album has me grooving my head and gives me chills.
Cranehillzero - 沈黙した世界の声明と衝動
The chaos of Covid led a lot of people around the world to self-reflect and reassess the directions of their lives (myself included). For some, it reignited their passion to create music. In Tsuruoka, a seaside town in Yamagata prefecture, members of the second wave screamo band Cranehill, decided to reform under a (slightly) new name Cranehillzero. After playing quite a few live shows in 2024, they released this six-song EP. I love the classic take on Japanese screamo. There are some modern touches and a progressive direction, but ultimately the Envy influence carries through the entire thing.
Crows Caw Loudly - Crows Caw Loudly
I was surprised to learn/realize last year that Crows Caw Loudly share two members with Undermark. Guitarist Nagasaka and bassist Takahashi switched instruments to join with two more members for Undermark. That’s a bit of a tangent, but last year their original band Crows Caw Loudly are back for another self-titled release. This time they bring a 12-song, double 7” of thrashy, dissonant screamo. I feel lots of The Carnival Of Dark-Split in the sound with more energy and less broodiness. These songs are rocking, chaotic, and feel a little like losing your mind (in a good way).
Inverted Clap - Struggle To Fabrication
I wrote a full review of this album last year. It’s still great on repeated listens. Chaotic Japanese screamo.
Ixtab - 差出人不明の告発
Ixtab has been on my radar for awhile. Since their first EP in 2015, their chaotic, dark screamo sound has consistently reached for new heights. I was able to see them play last year in Niigata, and it was really a revelatory experience. With a new member line-up forming around the sole founding member Toshi, I feel like they’ve finally hit upon a perfect combination. These three new tracks are intense, manic, and totally over-the-top. The group is based in the Gunma prefecture near where Tetola93 was based, and I can’t help but see parallels in their sound.
The Bandcamp release has vocal cameos from Poetry of Torch, Crows Caw Loudly, and lang. I have some copies of the cassette release in the distro, you can get that here.
My Eyes - Day By Day
When Dignity For All reformed for a reunion show in 2023, the band expressed their intent to keep playing under a different moniker. In 2025, My Eyes, their new formation, released the debut EP Day By Day. True to the members influences, they play a revival-esque form of 90’s passionate hardcore. It reminds me of the Ebullition-style of bands, but with some modern updates. This is truly for fans of the older sound, and new entrants to the genre.
Re-formation b.B - Do Not Kill
This was definitely a surprise for me. I picked it up at Otonashi Records on the recommendation of Mizutani-san. It’s a bit of an experiment, where every song has a different vocalist, and often the style of each song is tailored to the vocalist’s particular style. As a result, the genres vary between hardcore, grind, metal, rap-rock(!?), and screamo. I’m an old fan of Swarrrm, and some of the songs feature their original vocalist, which is amazing. This is an incredibly fun album. You can pick up a copy from Otonashi Records.
Serotonin Mist - Reality of Mirror
I plan to write a standalone review for this album, but to put it shortly, this is a huge step forward for screamo and hardcore everywhere. Serotonin Mist quickly dropped two demos in 2024 before releasing this full album last year. They’re combining screamo and 90’s hardcore with some infectious and genius breakdowns. I don’t want to write too much now and rehash it in my later article, so I’ll stop here. Just listen to it.
Still I Regret - Demo 2025
A surprise release from Still I Regret, who was last active in the early 2010’s. This demo is a revival in many ways. They play a sound influenced by 90’s emotional hardcore, such as Unbroken. But the vibe they create is truly channeled through decades of Japanese screamo innovation. There’s something about the tension they create in their music that is truly disquieting.
All Releases
I might have missed some, but here is (almost) every Japanese Screamo release this year (apart from those already listed). I’ll provide links where I can.
blue sketch - Demo2025 [DL]
Calmgale - Life [DL]
Cissné - WILL / straysheep [DL]
Crann / Portia Fading - Split [CD/DL]
Dancebeach - No Name Noise [CD]
Futafutafuta - Goodbye to your pity! [streaming]
Fuyajoh / Never Confuse Loneliness With Isolation - Split [streaming]
Gil Cerrone / Poetry Of Torch - Split [CD/DL]
House Of The Blood Choir - 2nd Demo [DL]
I Have A Hurt - 00:00.00 EP [streaming]
I Have A Hurt / Shuto - Dirty Blanket [streaming]
Kallidinogenase - Kallidinogenase [DL]
Kiima Kariis - 魂の告白 [DL]
Knivesunderthepillow - 苦しみの4章 [DL]
Moreru - ぼぼくくととききみみだだけけののせせかかいい [DL]
Murrumbidgees - 僕が見た世界は全て嘘に染められた [DL]
Nesitivepunch - 寂しい世界 [DL]
Nobody Celebrates My Birthday - 閻魔 [CD/DL]
Off-End - Hidden Words [CD]
Retratos De Heroina / 吶喊 - Split [CD]
Sans Visage - Drowned/Resistance [Cassette/DL]
Sassya- - WorldWorldWorldWorldWorld [CD/DL]
Soccer. - Internet [CD/DL]
Togusa - 土になるまで [DL]
Ululou - 月蝕/動き出す世界 [CD-R/DL]
Unmold - Unmold 1 [DL]
Weep - Total Eclipse [streaming]
生活 (Seikatsu) - 生活 [DL]
終末回路 (Shumatsu Kairo) - 終端から引き剥がす [DL]
Edit: Thanks to Sascha and Raul for pointing out things I missed!