Heavier Than a Death in the Family

Heavier Than a Death in the Family is a bootleg live album by Japanese noise rock band, Les Rallizes Dénudés. Most of the songs were recorded at a performance on 12 March 1977; the fifth track is taken from a 1973 performance. The album was released in 2002.
Background.
The album, like most of the band's work, is a bootleg and has never been officially pressed. The recording is taken mostly from their performance at Shakai Kyoiku Kaikan from 12 March 1977 (as heard on a previous live album, "'77 Live"), with the exception of "People Can Choose", taken from a performance from 1973. In 2010, Phoenix Records repressed the album on vinyl and CD.
Reception.
In a review for AllMusic, Phil Freeman writes that the "sound is primitive guitar rock à la the Velvet Underground crossed with the Troggs, but their simple guitar riffs are fed through so much reverb, fuzz, and echo that it's like a dub mix of psychedelic garage rock... it retains a primal rock & roll throb...[the album] is essential listening for anyone who wants to understand [the Japanese underground rock] scene."
It reached #3 on Julian Cope's top 50 albums of Japanese rock, as found in his 2007 non-fiction book "Japrocksampler". Cope writes, "It's relentless to the point of becoming meditative, and cylindrical to the point of being useful".
Personnel.
Adapted from CD liner notes: