Nitro-Mega-Prayer
Nitro Mega Prayer is a Screamo band from Japan. They started in January of 1999 with Nakano (vocals), and Amano (guitar). They became a quintet with the introduction of Shimeda (guitar), Atsushi (bass), and Rinta (drum) in December 2000. Their intense and energetic live performances are characteristic of the Japanese screamo sound. In 2005 they finished a CD titled “Songs of Hypocrisy” in which the sound quality is much improved over their previous albums.
2005 brought a split CD with the Philadelphia screamo / chaotic hardcore band Balboa, which was released on Theory and Practice Records of Japan. Later both bands toured Japan together, including dates with Killie, Dipleg, 1001 Travels of Jawaharlal, Enslave, and Endzweck. This split CD showcased Nitro Mega Prayer’s expansion of the Japanese screamo sound by incorporating electronic sounds and samples into the intricate mix of caustic screamo.
In March of 2006 Nitro Mega Prayer completed on an East Coast tour of the United States with Balboa, and received critical acclaim for their “off the hook” performances. The Japanese only split saw official state-side release by Chicago indie label Forge Again Records.
Like many screamo bands worldwide, the subject matter of Nitro Mega Prayer’s songs ranges from personal lyrics to commentary on such political matters as war and mass transportation. Given their early genesis, Nitro Mega Prayer can be considered one of the earliest generation of screamo bands, suggesting an early movement of screamo to Japan.