Waterweed

Formed in Osaka 2003, waterweed have stood at the forefront of Japan’s post-hardcore and screamo movement since its early days, captivating audiences with their passionate live performances and emotive melodies.

After releasing several demos and compilation appearances, the band dropped their first EP Killing the earth means our suicide in 2007 via the legendary emo label Theory & Practice. That same year, they appeared on the COMEBACK KID Japan Tour and performed at the Taste of Chaos Tour at Namba Hatch alongside THE USED and RISE AGAINST.

In 2008, waterweed co-hosted the event TERMINAL at Osaka’s BIG CAT with PALM and LOST, before undergoing major lineup changes and entering a one-year hiatus. They returned in 2009 with their first dedicated frontman, resuming activity as a five-piece and supporting international acts including BETWEEN THE BURIED AND ME, SHAI HULUD, TRASH TALK, and THE CHARIOT.

2010 saw the release of their free split Seven Falls and Eight Rises with LOST, followed in 2011 by the self-released EP Who the fuck do you think you are?, which sold out 2,000 copies. In 2013, waterweed signed to maximum10 and released their first full-length album CICADA, followed by the nationwide CICADA TOUR, culminating in a joint MANPOWER with bacho, FIVE NO RISK, and PALM at BIG CAT.

In 2014, they performed at FACT’s 15th Anniversary ROCK-O-RAMA at Makuhari Messe. The following years brought the EP Ashes (2015), the 9-track EP Landscapes (2016, toured in Japan and Korea), and the second full-length Brightest (2017), which took them across Japan, Taiwan, and Indonesia.

In 2018, they signed with renowned UK punk/hardcore label Lockjaw Records, releasing the UK edition of Brightest and embarking on an 11-show UK/EU tour, earning a raucous reception at Manchester Punk Festival. Their third album Diffuse followed in 2019 with over 60 shows across Japan.

2020 marked a breakthrough moment as their track Deep Inside was chosen as the ending theme for NHK’s hit anime Kingdom, further expanding their audience. In 2021, they released Deep Inside + Unknown Best and launched the national Deep Inside Tour. During the COVID-19 pandemic, they also initiated the “Pay For The Future Now” project, prepaying live house venue fees across Japan to support the live music scene.

In 2024, waterweed’s song Cure was selected as the opening theme for the anime The Wrong Way to Use Healing Magic, coinciding with the release of their fourth full-length album Departures and its subsequent tour.

In April 2025, the band returned to the UK, performing on the main stage of Manchester Punk Festival 2025, once again winning over international crowds. That July, they contributed new songs Refuse and Frontier to the maximum10 compilation MAYDIE!!.

With more than 20 years of activity, four full-length albums, multiple EPs and splits, extensive tours across Asia and Europe, and anime theme songs that have reached millions, waterweed continue to evolve as one of Japan’s most vital and enduring melodic hardcore bands.