Limerick punk/alt rock duo Japanese Jesus drop their blistering debut EP Depression Breakfast EP .

Artist: Japanese Jesus

EP: Depression Breakfast

Release: June 23

Depression Breakfast is the debut EP from Limerick's Japanese Jesus and saw a digital and 12" vinyl release on June 23 2023.

We love this band and the EP, and asked one of our resident reviewers to appraise it. Here's the thoughts of Jonah Hoy. Listen for yourselves right here or even better buy the vinyl via the link at the bottom of the review.

Imagine a melting pot, a witches brew, of 70s nonchalant snotty attitude mixed with heavy distortion, sprinkling in some 90s hollow grunge vocals. Creating something gritty, tough to chew, but so easy to take down. Japanese Jesus are serving up their new EP Depression Breakfast to fill you up and hold you over.

Imagine if the Killers lost some of the pop, were more angry and added (alot) more distortion to their repertoire. Japanese Jesus can get you to headbang with the most mellow hardcore sound. Their singer sounds like he is standing a mile away from the band making the vocals more haunting. The crashing of distortion and cymbals of the drums piece together while the guitar sloppily screeches and licks like a cat getting run over.

They have a wail and ache to their sound that's passionate and hard-hitting and will make you want to get up and dance but with a strung-out attitude. Their grime and grit put you in a place that's dingy and dark, where maybe one lamp is hanging down and barely lights the place up. The drums come pouring in and build-up while beer sticks to your shoe and shards of glass crunch when you walk from one side to the other. The sweat's dripping down and cut-off tops, with fonts you can't make out the words to, move vigorously into each other.

Bands that try to mix hard distortion and sneery vocals today seem a bit of a cliche - it can be a cheesy approach. If you check out emo or pop punk today, where it is overproduced and has squeaky clean, whiny vocals, typical tropes tend to apply. Japanese Jesus has some elements of emo/pop punk with their catchy hooks and lyrics. But their sound is raw, pure and seems as if, even without the lyrics, all their heart and soul is poured into the music. It's angry and fed up but it also sounds like it is feeding exactly what they know into your heart. This will get you to dance and headbang on its own but the vocals and lyrics, with a story to tell, are the icing on the cake.

For example, the track Insignificant comes out of the gate swinging with that low background intro of the buildup of the guitar. The sloppiness and nonchalant attitude presents itself in this song. Where the vocals are going on about things that don't matter to him, he can barely feel it as the guitar and drums plough at lightning speed through the chorus. The juxtaposition of the intense attitude of their instruments with the indifference-laced vocals fit nicely.

Japanese Jesus' new EP Depression Breakfast is a fast-paced and gritty extension of the hard rock and punk movement. It hits, it clicks and will have you wanting more.

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