Church of Misery

by Greg Prato
Church of Misery holds the distinction of being one of the first doom metal bands to emerge from Japan. Formed during the late ?90s and influenced by the usual suspects (Black Sabbath, Kyuss, St. Vitus, etc.), Church of Misery was originally comprised of members Yoshiakki Negishi (vocals), Tomohiro Nishimura (guitar), Tatsu Mikami (bass), and Hideki Shimizu (drums). It was this line-up that issued a pair of independent EP's ? 1998's Taste the Pain and 1999's Murder Company ? before Negishi was replaced with Nobukazu Chow. The Chow-led line-up debuted on their very first full-length album in 2001, Master of Brutality, which was issued on the U.S. label, Southern Lord.