TRACKLIST |
1. Prologue (World Anthem) (2:35) 2. Blue Blood (5:03) 3. Week End (6:03) 4. Easy Fight Rambling (4:43) 5. X (6:01) 6. Endless Rain (6:36) 7. Kurenai (6:19) 8. Xclamation (3:58) 9. Orgasm (2:47) 10. Celebration (4:52) 11. Rose Of Pain (11:50) 12. Unfinished (4:29)
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Review: by Alexey EremenkoThe Japanese didn't invent '80s rock, but they sure took it to heart, and Blue Blood is definite proof of that if there ever was one. On this record, X-Japan move through the hard rock variations of their time with the ease of Ritchie Blackmore whipping out the "Smoke on the Water" riff for the umpteenth time. There's even a glam rock detour ("Easy Fight Rambling") and a power ballad, although for the most part the band is content to rock their hearts out, staying on the coordinate grid set by Iron Maiden, Guns N' Roses, Queensrÿche and perhaps updated Thin Lizzy, with the results being not too far from what Helloween were doing at the time. Whether or not the Germans influenced X-Japan is up for debate, but the similarities are obvious, as the Japanese exhibit the same aptness for combining menacing guitar work with anthemic -- or rather, in this case, cinematic -- hook-laden melodies and performing it at a tempo able to get them a speeding ticket on a highway. Blue Blood is rounded out by the raspy but strong voice of Toshi, progressive tendencies (the 11-plus minute "Rose of Pain" has more ambition than a young politicians seminar), and a handful of good, if not entirely original, riffs. Although parts of the record may be seen as pompous or goofy, the album generally packs enough skill and enthusiasm to deliver the goods on par with its best genre associates, even if clearly following in their footsteps. 辉煌与美丽只是瞬间,听X-Japan的歌让人不由生出这样的感叹。近十年来日本除了安全地带外再未出现过像他们那样有影响力的摇滚乐队。速度、力量、凄美、激情,这就是X-Japan。如同西方的Nirvana,他们有着太多疯狂的追随者,如同Kurt, Hide本身就像一个谜。
这张专辑事实上是X第一张正式的CD专辑,也是首次和强大的SONY RECORDS合作而发售的首张MAJOR大碟,震撼日本乐界的X至此冲出地下,以雄壮的「Prologue」为开端开始了他们的神话。作品的作曲开始以 YOSHIKI为主,另有2首HIDE的作品。X在这个时期就有了很多今后传为经典的代表歌曲,确立了X在日本音乐界难以动摇的地位。
整章专辑风格偏向Metal,也能找到如「ROSE OF PAIN」这首与X风格迥异作品。虽然在作曲不如专辑「Jealousy」丰富,但此专辑自有着其它专辑无法望其背向的成就。
1989 年、Xのメジャー第一弾アルバムとして発売された、谁もが知っている日本ロック史に於いて最も重要な名盘「BLUE BLOOD」が、最新技术を駆使したリマスターを施され今、ダイナミックに苏る! リマスター盘と、インストゥルメンタル・トラックを収録した盘をコンパイルした期间限定の2枚组スペシャルエディション!! [メーカー限定出荷期间: 2007年2月14日~2007年5月末日]
It really surprises me how this band's popularity has somehow not gotten into any other country besides their homeland. Before I get to the review I would like to point out that X Japan has been playing like this since 1982 and during the time that Helloween started out, and yet has not gotten any credit for being the fathers of power metal or the first to use orchestral arrangements in the genre, as well as having a very modern sound which was not typical at all. They arose out of a Japanese music wave named "Visual Kei". Tons of groups with very a extravagant image, played everything from pop to metal. It is very clear why X Japan came out on top.
This is a very rare example of a melodic metal band playing with a lot of variety in an album. The title track, songs like "X"(which happens to be the bands theme song), and "Orgasm" are filling servings of speed metal with some sides of thrash. This band does not make over the top or cheesy songs like modern day power metal bands, each songs is fully enjoyed without any guilt. There are some rockers like "Weekend" and "Easy Fight Rambling" that carry a lot of GnR style swagger and groove. The token emotional ballads are found such as "Endless Rain" which are pretty tear jerking only by the arrangements of the song and vocals, seeing as how most of the lyrics are in Japanese. Then on to the magnificent epic "Rose of Pain" with it's classical arrangements and melodic guitar shredding throughout bits of the song show the signs of a later effort "Art of Life".
Not much more I can add to this review. All I can say is that this band does not get credit for a lot of the things they came up with, which by today standards is still original and fresh. This is probably the best heavy/progressive/power album out there, no filler, nothing generic and/or bland to be found, and does not seem formulated or void of any creative thinking or human participation. I can only highly suggest this album to anyone who has not had the pleasure of hearing X Japan for themselves and is a fan of melodic metal, or just happens to be curious of the genre and does not want not want an ear full of over the top cheese. The Verdict: %100 enjoyable.
SPOILER (EAC LOG) |
EAC extraction logfile from 10. September 2006, 14:50 for CD X JAPAN / BLUE BLOOD
Used drive : HL-DT-STDVDRAM GSA-4163B Adapter: 1 ID: 1 Read mode : Secure with NO C2, accurate stream, disable cache Read offset correction : 667 Overread into Lead-In and Lead-Out : No
Used output format : C:\Archivos de programa\Exact Audio Copy\wavpack.exe (User Defined Encoder) 32 kBit/s Additional command line options : -h -m %s %d
Other options : Fill up missing offset samples with silence : Yes Delete leading and trailing silent blocks : No Installed external ASPI interface
Range status and errors Selected range Filename C:\X JAPAN - BLUE BLOOD.wav
Peak level 100.0 % Range quality 100.0 % CRC FB60F19C Copy OK
No errors occured
End of status report |