(TheBRHM.com) Let’s head to Japan for our first in a trifecta of album dives. This one looks at the debut release from Saitama’s Hellhound called Tokyo Flying V Massacre. I discovered this album roughly a year after its 2006 release. My initial thought were that it was some good Japanese thrash—I enjoyed it.
This was also during a period when I was heavy into speed and thrash metal—never left that period, really—and digging into metal outside of the U.S, Europe, and Canada. In Japan’s case, it first brought me to Loudness, X Japan, and Sabbat before getting into Sigh and eventually more recent bands. Yes, Fastkill, Metalucifer, and Hellhound.
Let’s get into Tokyo Flying V Massacre and see if it’s as good as I remember! A * next to a song means it’s worth the listen. Highly recommended, even. If you see **, that means favorite that track. It’s that good!\
A-Side of Tokyo Flying V Massacre
Alright after listening to the A-side, it’s not a strong as I remember but it’s still a very strong A-side. It really rocks and ride from track to track without letting off of the gas significantly. The first three tracks: “Metal Attack”, “Hellhound”, and “Samurai Warrior” all set the pace for what this album is.
I will say that “Rock Like Hell” pulls the pace down a bit as it’s more of an old-school rocker song. It’s not at all a bad song and is also the kind of slower song you’d get with old-school speed metal-influenced acts. Things pick right back up with “Metal Zone” which slams and works as a side-closer. Honestly, it would’ve made for a strong album-closing track.
Strongest Tracks: Metal Attack, Samurai Warrior*, Metal Zone**
B-Side
This is where things really got dicey for this album because the A-side was so good. “Metal Assassin 666” reminds me a lot of an Anvil song. That’s not necessarily bad at all but it just sounds like Anvil with a Japanese lead singer.
This song made me re-listen to the A-side and there’s a definite Anvil influence there. Not a bad track on its own but it struggles to match most of the A-side line-up. “Take You Like a Hurricane” continues to pull the pace down being a song similar to A-side’s “Rock Like Hell”.
Just like “Metal Zone”, “Heavy Metal Patrol” comes in and salvages the momentum this album had. It’s a faster-paced ripper that brings the B-side back to A-side’s approach. “Metal Warrior” keeps it going and is one of my album favorites. We have some Iron Maiden influence here as well as speed metal acts like Running Wild!
“Metal Warrior” truly rides but the album closer “Heavy Metal Generation” returns to “Rock Like Hell” territory. It’s meant to be the album’s anthem and it hits the mark but the speed metal offerings were hands down the strongest. I would’ve definitely preferred more of that.
Strongest Tracks: Heavy Metal Patrol**, Metal Warrior**
Track of the Album: Metal Zone
This was a hard pick because the album overall is good but had a couple of must-favorite tunes. “Metal Warrior” probably stood out more because the strength of—or lack of—on the B-side. That side had more of a mix of tunes and paces while still keeping with the blatant metal worship.
The strongest track on the album was “Metal Zone”. It came at the right time in the album and brought thing back to the Hellhound that was slamming earlier in the album. Powerful song and I wish this debut was more of this throughout the entire thing.
I still maintain it could’ve been a strong closing track. This album should’ve gone out on a higher, faster-paced note.
Strength of the Opener: Metal Attack
Tokyo Flying V Massacre opened on a very high note thanks to “Metal Attack”. While it wasn’t one of my absolute favorites on the album, it definitely did its job as the opener. The thing is, the speedier songs are all good enough to be the opener or the closer. It’s the slower tunes that make it difficult to really move songs around or suggest a better opener.
If there were one or two that’s manageable but moving one or two songs on this album could throw off the current flow of the album—which is fine. As it is, the album is good, not the banger I remembered but that A-side alone really did it for me. Even the slower song in the mix didn’t throw off my enjoyment.
If I had to pick a definite replacement opener, I’d have to go with “Samurai Warrior” and “Metal Warrior”.
Staff Writer; M. Swift
This talented writer is also a podcast host, and comic book fan who loves all things old school. One may also find him on Twitter at; metalswift.