Since I last saw them at the Red Marquee in 2011, Brahman has matured a lot.

From their power post-hardcore-punch-you-in-the-face heavy rock, they’ve pushed their musical boundaries further and created something much more resilient. Just as heavy, but with a better melodic balance and they’ve finally begun to make use of Toshi-Low’s vocal range.

What has changed since that time is Toshi-Low’s involvement in devastated post-earthquake Tohoku. Visiting the region obviously made a huge impact on him, and naturally the music he makes as well. The first few tracks the members churned out were brutal, raw and physically oppressive. Facing them was terrifying, intoxicating and exhilarating. The rest of the set that followed was still raw, but more evolved emotionally; real tear jerkers as Tohoku images appeared on the giant screens beside the stage.

As Brahman’s performance became more melodic and involving, the reality behind the images became difficult to ignore. Digitally crafted skulls don’t have the same impact as destroyed homes and debris. These pictures were blended with profile pictures of nuclear plant workers in Fukushima coupled with quotes like “ I knew the radiation levels were high, but I’m already 55 and my kids are grown, so what does it matter?”

“What I saw there was worlds apart from what the media was showing.”

Brahman actively supports Tohoku Livehouse Daisakusen, a project aimed at rebuilding livehouses and reinvigorating the music industry in the areas hit hardest by the March 11 earthquake.

Toshi-Low has taken it upon himself as a personal crusade to inform the Japanese public about the reality of the situation in Tohoku, and to encourage people to demand more information and take a stand against the media.

In the middle of one song, he stood on top of the crowd in the middle of the mosh pit, he stopped singing and started talking. He told a story about a restaurant he usually dines at near his house, and how the old lady working there tends to talk a lot. This last time, she commented on his hair, recently styled into a wide Mohawk. She said, apparently, “Your hair looks like a bicycle seat.”

Laughs erupted, but Toshi-Low’s voice lowered as he turned serious. There were a couple of instances in his life where he really regretted his non-action, and he vowed that this was not going to be one of those occasions. “We need to change. What do we have to do to change? I have so many regrets. I don’t want to regret anymore. We need to start a war, take arms and let people know they’re being deceived.”

While some fans may not relate to, or even care about the band’s newfound political agenda, the momentous positive effect its had on their music is something everyone can agree on.