KAKIHARA
Genre: Metallic Hardcore / Mathcore / Big Stupit Beatdoons
For fans of: The Chariot, Converge, Dillinger Escape Plan
Location: Edinburgh, Scotland
@kakihara.life
@kakiharaband
BIO
Formed in 2018 out of Edinburgh’s underground, Kakihara deliver metallic hardcore with the subtlety of the One O’Clock Gun. Vocalist Keith Muddiman, drummer Gary Hollingsworth, bassist Biff Paris, and guitarists Fraser McNeill and Kris Kournavos grew up in Scotland’s 2000s hardcore scene, took a few quiet years away, and came back—average age a mid-life crisis of 36.5—convinced the world lacked Big Stupit Beatdoons.
Excited to be touring again, COVID had other plans, but once stages (and the floors) reopened Kakihara hit the road hard—touring the UK from Inverness to Bournemouth, tearing up festivals in Manchester, Nottingham, Edinburgh, Dundee, Leeds and London, and sharing bills with The Callous Daoboys, Portrayal of Guilt, Kaonashi, Meth, and ’68. The band freely admits they simply love playing shows and are grateful for every chance to step on a stage (and floor) and share the chaos.
Their new EP Love Songs Part II captures that live ferocity while staying true to their DIY ethic. Tracked over several days in a single living room—live drums one day, roaring amps the next, vocals the day after—the band chased the raw electricity of a gig while guitarist Kris Kournavos handled recording and mixing, with mastering by Fader Mastering.
Drawing inspiration from Coalesce, Converge, The Dillinger Escape Plan, Heaven In Her Arms, Envy, and Botch, Kakihara fuse mathcore chaos, 90s screamo textures, and punishing hardcore beatdoons into a sound that’s urgent, unpolished, and unmistakably their own.
PRESS
"I couldn't say enough good things about Kakihara, and Love Songs 2 is another great collection in a catalogue of perfection"
Echoes and Dust
"Fast, complex riffing, relentless and diverse drumming, throbbing bass, and fierce vocals. It is like a refreshing slap in your face and gets your attention at once."
Veil of Sound
"There's brutal music, and then there is KAKIHARA."
Metal Temple
"The guitar work is reminiscent of Botch and Converge, while the aggressive vocals and intricate rhythm expand the sonic landscape with growing enthusiasm. Dirty guitar squeals in the middle, a brief groove section, and then complete escalation leave you breathless."
Demonic Nights
"Kakihara are an injection of pure charisma into the metallic hardcore scene and they are due some recognition. Let these Scottish hunks charm you as they deliver a love sermon you must experience across the UK in 2026."
"Loud, nasty, fast, filled with dissonance, and over almost as quickly as it begins. A great new discovery."
Away From Life