RFI: Japanese metal from the '80s (that Boris would like)

So I went to see Boris last night, and as opener Growing was setting up, the PA was pumping out this cavalcade of metal tunes that sounded like some lost Judas Priest album or something. Pretty awesome. I asked the sound guy who it was, and he said he had no clue, that Boris gave him the disc to play. Members of Boris not being available at that moment, I went and asked the merch guy, who said it was various Japanese metal bands from the '80s.

So now I'm on a mission. Anyone out there know this stuff? Got any leads/recommendations on where to start? The only Japanese metal band from the '80s I'm familiar with is Loudness, and that doesn't seem like a very promising place to start.

Um, I remember Bow Wow (later Vow Wow), Earthshaker, Tsunami.
A quick google search gets you this page though : http://ww4.et.tiki.ne.jp/~sophia/english/japanese.html
Avoid : X-Japan.

early loudness stuff is pretty good. early gastunk stuff is alright. gaseneta aren't really metal buuuut... uh. zadkiel did a pretty kick-ass motorhead-style ep in 1986.

also
http://www.metal-archives.com/browseC.php?c=108

If you haven't heard of them, G.I.S.M. are definitely worth checking out, though they are more freako-metallic hardcore than straight-up metal.

x-japan.
Japanese metal from the '80s (that Boris would like)

the Blue Blood record is nice

http://i36.tinypic.com/ekmhza.jpg

i have no idea if boris would like them and i don't know that boris liking anything would be an endorsement i would care about...

http://i33.tinypic.com/143m3wy.jpg

Listening to these Shellshock dudes, fucking weird combination of thrash metal and grind/crust, goofy little interludes. Album's called "Fiel Lärm" and it's from 1992 (yeah, sorry, but this could easily be an all-purpose Japanese metal thread minus the 80s and Boris bits and why not?).

Also: token "industrial" introduction and lots of distorted vocals.