I really didn't know where to put this band. At first I thought I'd put them in the "Metal" section, but I decided against it because of their focus on large, orchestrated, classical ballads, but at the same time the metal side kept them out of the classical section.
In the late 80's X Japan was born. Captained by frontman Toshi and drummer/pianist/songwriter Yoshiki (in addition to guitarists hide and Pata and bassist Taji, who would later be replaced by Heath) they incorporated explosive metal with sweeping classically based ballads to great success.
Originally known as just "X" they changed their name to "X Japan" to avoid confusion with the LA punk band of the same name after they started to gain success following the release of their second album "Blue Blood".
Their live shows gained wide attention for their KISS inspired lights and pyrotechnics, their outrageous outfits (which pioneered the "visual kei" movement in Japan, which in layman terms is an even more glammy glam rock look), complex performances which included many pre-recorded sections (the orchestrated parts), a drum set that floated over the crowd during Yoshiki's solos, and Yoshiki having to run between the drum set and piano multiple times throughout the concert, sometimes during the same song.
Later in their career they focused more on ballads (though did maintain some of the heaviest songs of their career) and gradually traded in their visual kei looks for a much more casual look, with the exception of hide.
In 1997 it was announced that Toshi would be leaving the band because he found the life he was living to be unsatisfying and wanted to live a simpler life (though a popular rumor is that he quit to join a cult).
On New Years Eve, 1997 they played what would their last show together at the Tokyo Dome. This show was documented and released as "The Last Live".
Less than a year later lead guitarist (and arguably the most beloved member of the band, only rivaled by Yoshiki) was found dead. His death was officially ruled as suicide but it is very commonly believe that his death was an accident due to his inebriated state at the time of death.
Over the course of their career X Japan has sold over 20 million albums in Japan alone and risen to legendary status in the country.
In 2007 they announced plans to reunite, and in 2008 they began touring for the first time in over 10 years with a new lead guitarist, as well as video footage of hide that would play his parts in several songs.
"Forever Love", one of the most emotional live performances I've ever seen
"Kurenai", a phenomenal example of how they can blow the ****ing roof off the arena
"Tears", a video someone put together that chronicles their entire career and how close they were as band
"I.V.", the theme song for Saw IV, and thus far the only song to be officially released since their reunion (it uses previously unreleased guitar tracks of hide's)
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Last edited by Cosmic Harmony; 12-11-2009 at 12:30 AM.
Reason: embed the videos
I have been listening to more of their stuff on grooveshark, and to be honest, they are just symphonic/progressive rock, IMO. Excellent stuff, though. I am obtaining "Blue Blood" and "Dahlia" right now
Awesome. Those, in my opinion, are their best albums....not counting "Art Of Life" since I think of it more of a song than an album...though it's both. I suppose it's kind of like Australia being both a continent and a country.
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Last edited by Cosmic Harmony; 12-11-2009 at 01:07 AM.
The only problem I have when Listening to this group is the vocals. Not that they are bad, quite the opposite, actually. Since I am no expert on the band, and they are a new introduction to me, maybe you can enlighten me.
When I listen to them, I get the feeling the vocals are not english, but yet I hear clearly spoken english at times. Am I just not hearing correctly or are the vocals in another language?
Never heard of them before reading your thread Cosmic, I'll see if I can find those albums laying around myself.
They're awfully hard to find their work since very few of their albums sold outside of Japan.
Originally Posted by Magic
The only problem I have when Listening to this group is the vocals. Not that they are bad, quite the opposite, actually. Since I am no expert on the band, and they are a new introduction to me, maybe you can enlighten me.
When I listen to them, I get the feeling the vocals are not english, but yet I hear clearly spoken english at times. Am I just not hearing correctly or are the vocals in another language?
The lyrics to X Japan's songs are written in a mix of both English and Japanese. Generally their lyrics are written primary in their native tongue but every X Japan song (that has lyrics) also has at least some degree English in it (most often in the chorus or the bridge of the song) whether because the lyrics flow in a more melodic manner in one language over the other at that point in the song, because not all words translate from English to Japanese (or vis versa) so they are the same word, or for any other reason.
In some instances (most often with ballads) entire songs by X Japan are written entirely in English such as "Alive", "I.V.", "Crucify My Love", or the 29 minute epic "Art Of Life".
I am glad you cleared that up for me, Cosmic. I was beginning to think I was crazy. so they do mix the lyrics in Japanese and English. Honestly, this is brilliant. The harmonizing vocals with the mixed languages is musical in itself.
I would believe, as they become more internationally recognized, the musical mixing of languages will become more extinct in the songs. Which would be too bad too, because that to me is part of the beauty of their music. Can you imagine Sigur Ros taking the Icelandic chanting out of his music, it would not be the same.
Ok so I found something special today...Back in early '08 X Japan announced they would get back together and would kick these off with three concert at the Tokyo Dome (which housed all of their biggest shows, including New Years Eve '93, '94, '95, '96, and '97 the last being what was at the time thought to be their final show and was released as "The Last Live") March 28- The Night of Destruction, March 29- The Night of Madness
and March 30- The Night of Creation.
Anyway on the first day the band opted to play their half hour long, magnum opus "Art Of Life" live for only the third time since it's release. Roughly 16 minutes into it Yoshiki collapsed right before the piano solo (they played the remainder of the song the following night) and the band had to continue with an impromptu unplugged session in their pianist/drummer's absence, which I must say was very well especially considering how it hastily was put together. BUT THAT IS NEITHER HERE NOR THERE AS I AM JUST HAVING ONE OF MY USUALLY MUSICALLY FACT SPASMS.
Aaaaaanywho, today I stumbled across someone on Youtube who, by some sort of witchcraft I can assume, has footage of these shows and not like "filmed with a camera phone from the crowd" footage, but like the actually footage. Now it was my understanding that it was not something that was commercially released nor ever broadcast so it is truly touched me. After a decade away from each other they all still performed great.
The thing that I wanted to highlight is THE most touching thing I've ever seen in a live performance. As you can read from the introduction X Japan's lead guitarist and perhaps most beloved member (rivaled only by Yoshiki) hide (and for the record his name is typeset with a lower case "h" and is pronounce like "he-day" as apposed to going with the most English pronunciation like "hide and seek"((sorry...fact spasm)).) passed some years ago, but during their performance of "Art Of Life" they actually had a hologram on stage playing with them! Not a projection, but an actually hologram. Like all scifi-y. I mean, I'd seen a US news team using this to talk to Will.I.Am (for some reason) just last year and that was big news but Japan as (as expected) a whole year ahead of us and because of that hide was joining the band and the fans from beyond death in an almost angelic entity. Here, see for yourself. This is the end of "Art Of Life" and there is footage of hide mixed in there but it's around the 4 minute mark that you really see him on stage with the rest of the band....
How amazing is that?
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Last edited by Cosmic Harmony; 02-10-2010 at 01:42 AM.
"Say Anything" is the closing track on their third album "Jealousy" and is one of their most popular songs, as well as one of my favorites. Once released it was the closing song at their concerts until "Tears" replaced it during their (at the time) final tour. ^^
X Japan (Official Thread) 
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