History
bloodthirsty butchers were a Japanese rock band formed in 1986, consisting of vocalist/guitarist Yoshimura Hideki (吉村秀樹), bassist Imoriya Takeshi (射守矢雄), drummer Komatsu Masahiro (小松正宏), and later, guitarist/backing vocalist Tabuchi Hisako (田渕ひさ子). Formed by high school classmates Yoshimura and Imoriya, Komatsu joined the group when their original drummer left shortly after the band's formation. After finding acclaim in the Sapporo punk scene, the band left for Tokyo along with many others in search of greater success. bloodthirsty butchers' first three albums were characterized by Yoshimura's haphazard guitar playing, aggressive shouting and expansive, wandering song structures.
Their 1996 release 『kocorono』 showed the band evolving into a more nuanced style of alternative rock, and the album attracted widespread critical acclaim. With the release of 『未完成』 (Mikansei) in 1999, bloodthirsty butchers became established as one of the Japanese indie scene's most important acts along with artists such as eastern youth and NUMBER GIRL, despite a lack of commercial success. On the 2001 album 『yamane』, the Butchers explored more melancholic sounds and extended songs showcasing the group's improvisational abilities.