Somewhere between the metal aggression of Black Sabbath and the guitar grind of the Swans, Zeni Geva was the rock equivalent of opera, a full-throttle exploration of the emotional spectrum's dark side. Long hair flying and vocals growling, guitarist and vocalist Kazuyuki Ishino, a k a K.K. Null, channeled the group's heavy energy into performances that were dynamic and brutally physical. For many people, though they were also intimidating.
"It wasn't my intention," says Null of the performances. "I have to be intense and aggressive when I'm playing, but afterward, I'm smiling."
Zeni Geva, one of Japan's more successful independent rock exports -- with former Hanatarashi drummer, Taketani and ex-Boredoms member Mitsuru Tabata on guitar -- toured the world, put out loads of records, and played with many of the most important musicians on the avant-rock scene. Despite critical acclaim and cult status both at home and abroad, the rock life began to wear thin.