When Hebi Katana’s selftitled debut album came out in 2020 I enjoyed their unique sound and wondered if they would ever release a follow-up. In February 2022 we were treated with Impermanence (a word that describes the state of not lasting forever or not lasting for a long time), an album with muffled production but incredible musicianship. Their third album, III, takes the unique sound and style to new levels with professional-sounding production that makes it easy to enjoy the music.
The band resides in Tokyo, Japan, and occasionally tours throughout Japan and Europe. I listen to so much American doom metal that it’s refreshing to hear some doom from the perspective of a different culture. In similar fashion to Spanish stoner rock, the songs showcase the region and culture from which they came from.
If you like doom metal, you should definitely check out Hebi Katana’s second album, as it’s a regular in my rotation and one that I own on vinyl. The songs really shine on this one despite the quiet volume and closet-sounding, lo-fi production. My favorite tracks from Impermanence are Pain Should I Take, Dirty Moon Child and Agua De Vida.
Hebi Katana’s third album, III, starts off strong with the catchy tune Hallelujah Anyway and blasts straight into the second track, The Debtor, in seamless fashion. The production and pacing on this album are second to none, with each song serving its purpose among the collection of 9 well-written tracks. Other standout selections include Depressed Blues, Pennsylvania Blood and Darkest Priest.
The band’s Bandcamp merch page contains many gems including shirts, tote bags, stickers, patches, cassettes, CDs and vinyl records. They have a wide selection of goods and are quick to ship and give thanks. The band’s lead guitarist and singer, Nobu, engages with fans directly to show his appreciation. He even sent me a personal email thanking me for buying his record and telling me that he listened to my music! What a guy.
In addition to their three main releases the band has lots of live recordings available as well as a 2023 EP titled Orange and a 2023 single called 840 Jam. All of this can be found on their Bandcamp page or any streaming service.
Hebi Katana – III (December 2023)
Number of tracks: 9
Runtime: 37 minutes 19 seconds
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