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The Hawks formed in 1995 and are from the Kansai area this is their second album and follow up to 2000's "Living on the edge" CD. The Hawks always sounded a bit like the Chiswick bands from the UK combined with Skrewdriver. This album has some more other influences, some songs remind me of 80's melodic hardcore from the USA. Anyway still very melodic and Skrewdriver like, they also included a Skrewdriver cover song "Patriot" sung in english. I have to say the less heavy melodic
sound of the Hawks is very catchy and the songs stay in your head all the time. The Hawks together with Strong Style form the top of the Nationalist scene in Japan. Their early releases made me believe they were a more traditional skin band, compilations with non political bands like LRF etc. But i guess they fooled me. This CD is released by Jukeboxxx records. The artwork features a winged skull ( with japanese helmet ) holding a ribbon with the words "Samurai Spirit". The rest of the lay out has a kinda gangster feel to it. Listen to some samples on the Hawks myspace.
Strong Style features members of Cannons and the Akashi EP was released in 2002 on Jukeboxxx records. The EP was released as a CD and pressed on vinyl. The big difference between the two is the vinyl EP has a different cover and is long sold out also the first 100 copies are pressed on white vinyl and included a sticker. The first track Akashi is a very melodic sing a long track, great guitar work with some nice riffing going on in the intro. Second track starts of kinda bluesy on the guitar but soon transforms in a slow paced melodic sing along tune. The last and third track is "Rising Sun" an old Cannons tune (check out my earlier post on them to hear the original tune). I have to say this version is great, cause these guys really can play their instruments and this EP has a great production. Strong Style to my knowledge is now the leading nationalist band in Japan together with The Hawks and luckily they haven't a adopted a too metal sound like many Japanese bands do now a days. Instead Strong Style releases more old school sounding skinhead tunes, the great different with the old Cannons sound to me is more experienced song writing and instrument skills. I recommend this record to everyone! Check out some sound files on Strong Style's website
Above: Alternative artwork for CD
The Hawks formed in 1995 and are from the Kansai area this is their second album and follow up to 2000's "Living on the edge" CD. The Hawks always sounded a bit like the Chiswick bands from the UK combined with Skrewdriver. This album has some more other influences, some songs remind me of 80's melodic hardcore from the USA. Anyway still very melodic and Skrewdriver like, they also included a Skrewdriver cover song "Patriot" sung in english. I have to say the less heavy melodic
sound of the Hawks is very catchy and the songs stay in your head all the time. The Hawks together with Strong Style form the top of the Nationalist scene in Japan. Their early releases made me believe they were a more traditional skin band, compilations with non political bands like LRF etc. But i guess they fooled me. This CD is released by Jukeboxxx records. The artwork features a winged skull ( with japanese helmet ) holding a ribbon with the words "Samurai Spirit". The rest of the lay out has a kinda gangster feel to it. Listen to some samples on the Hawks myspace.
