“Sakura Fubuki”

January 1st, 2010

Hellsakura: vigor storm!
By Ricardo Tibiu

In 2008, São Paulo-based trio Hellsakura shortened the distance between Brazil and Japan by sharing a split with Japan’s Kamisori. It was as if the two countries had celebrated the centenary of the Japanese immigration to Brazil the punk rock way. Now with a tour scheduled for May ’09 in Japan, Cherry (guitars/vocals), Napalm (bass) and new drummer Pitchu will visit Godzilla, taking a monster EP in their backpacks. “Sakura Fubuki”(or “Sakura Storm” or even ??? if you prefer) is released through Japanese-Brazilian label Karasu Killer Records and comes with six tracks that will stop the Shinkansen.

When forming the band in 2006, Cherry (active in the Brazilian underground scene when she fronted Okotô) and Napalm figured they would get far, but not “to the other side of the world”. Pit-chu, whose drumsticks gave the already potent songs an extra punch with her collaboration.

The moment of landing in the Land of the Rising Sun (or the album’s opening track) is marked by some tension generated by sharp guitar riffs and a mixture of punk rock and metal in “Leave My Skull” and “Very Dark Sunday”. The latter features Donida, former guitarist and also the brains behind Matanza, a Rio de Janeiro-based country-metal-core outfit.

Just like the pioneers in the Ramones, Hellsakura injects a punk punch in rock’n’roll – be it raw and heavy – even in the same song, among smooth melodies or choruses, which you’ll be singing along before you know it: “Hate” and “I Wanna Rock” are like that.

Recorded at Mr. Som Studio in São Paulo during February of 2009, and produced by thrash mas-ters Marcelo Pompeu and Heros Trench from Korzus, “Sakura Fubuki” has Napalm’s signature on the artwork and all that’s necessary to win over lovers of a heavy and well-executed sound.

The two closing tracks are virtually a tribute to another trio, Motörhead. “My Motorhead” goes all out on speed and owes nothing to Lemmy Kilmister and his associates, while “Orgasmabomb” borrows its cadency from the nearly-homonymous song from the Brits, and with the help of Mayra, vocalist and guitarist from Biggs (Sorocaba/SP), (re)creates a classic!

It doesn’t matter if it’s in São Paulo or Tokyo, Hellsakura shows that their energy and dazzling power are universal… “Sakura Fubuki” and its vigor storm are here to prove it!

How to order “Sakura Fubuki” CD – English & Japanese:
http://www.karasukiller.com/orderkkr.htm

HELLSAKURA 地獄桜“桜吹雪”CD ¥1.000 (KARASU-023) (new release)
HELLSAKURA CD 、全6曲Motörhead ,Ramones ,AC/DC,L7, スタイルのエンジン音が響き 渡り、腹にずしっと来る 世界に向けるデイストーションANDシャウトのシンプル でストレートなROCK’N'ROLL