H,K, Now is the Time to Change the Earth (1989–2024 Best of H,K,) CD
H,K, from Shizuoka, Japan formed in 1989, and this is a collection of tracks drawn from various tapes, compilations, and splits recorded between 1991 and 2005. Unlike some of their contemporaries, H,K,’s brand of hardcore doesn’t rely so heavily on speed or thrash elements; instead, they weave a melodic thread through many of their songs that softens their sound. Kili’s wavering vocals frequently evoke the spirit of Jello Biafra, and I enjoyed their use of gang/backing vocals. Many of the tracks tend to run longer than typical hardcore offerings, with ten out of twenty-four songs exceeding three minutes. While the sound quality starts off a bit rough in the earliest recordings, it notably improves in the later tracks. The entire collection grew on me over time, but I think my favorite songs come from the Shuzuoka Hardcore comp. Check out: “Discrimination Violence.”