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Rating: Here I am to review the best album by X-Japan (together with "Art Of Life") ''Blue Blood''.
The work begins with a ''world anthem'' named ''Prologue (World Anthem)'', an anthem lasting about 2 and a half minutes where the guitars of hide and Pata are the true protagonists and create an atmosphere of ''victory''. The next track ''Blue Blood'', the title-track, features Pata and hide’s guitars which again dominate in a true Speed-metal song. The next song ''Weekend'', starts with a fairly slow riff but mixes smoothly with the very hypnotic bass and Toshi's unmistakable voice, the singer. Yoshiki's drumming begins a real rock version of a disco ballad '''Easy Fight Rambling'' if you want to treat it as an ''Interlude'' that prepares the group for the launch pad for the next 3 songs, those that represent X the most.
The first is ''X'' where they praise themselves and thank their fans, a sort of biography in a song, if you will. A moment of silence, a moment where you still have to regain consciousness after the orgasm of ''X'', and here are the sweet and melancholic notes of ''Endless Rain'' that completely dispel that feeling of ''alienation'' that ''X'' made you feel and can even make you cry; it is incredible how the group's drummer and pianist, Yoshiki, can make you feel such emotions, everything is perfectly matched: the piano, the drums, the guitar solo... if I could, I would have this piece played at my wedding. As the notes of ''Endless Rain'' slowly fade and the volume decreases, there it is, the SONG of X. The magical arpeggios of hide accompany Toshi’s voice full of sadness and vanish as if it were a dream interrupted at its best, but no, it's not over. Some cymbal hits on the drums and the sodomizing riff of ''Kurenai'' starts. Everything is perfect, EVERYTHING. The solos by hide and Pata, Toshi's voice full of grit, the drum solo, the very confused bass... there are even strings, which accompany us to the end to make way for ''Xclamation'', an instrumental of about 3 minutes: just what is needed after such a compact trio of songs. ''Xclamation'' is the most experimental track on the album and here, finally, the true protagonist is the electric bass, more jazz than metal in this case the song. The next song ''Orgasm'' starts with the sounds of a woman gasping who, as the title suggests, very likely has just had an orgasm, something I myself almost had from the previous albums. The track ends with the roar of a jet engine and allows hide time to plug his guitar into the amplifier and prepare it for the next song ''Celebration'', a guitar that at least to me resembles that of Brian May. Here's another genius Yoshiki move, the organ, introducing the next track ''Rose of Pain'' with Bach's ''Fugue'' which dissolves into silence and gives way to a guitar riff that, by this millennium, we might say ''vaguely resembles Dimmu Borgir''. A complicated and very ''Dream Theater-esque'' piece that ends this ''Album within an album'' in the best way possible. The last track ''Unfinished'' is a sweet rock ballad performed by a majestic Yoshiki on piano accompanying Toshi's sweet and warm voice until the end of the album.
In summary, it is an album that fully satisfied me, and I appreciated the quality and skill of all 5 members.
PS: Rest in peace Hideto Matsumoto.
Tracklist Lyrics and Videos
02 BLUE BLOOD (05:03)
MY FACE IS COVERED WITH BLOOD
THERE'S NOTHING BUT PAIN
oitsumerareta keraku ni
I CAN'T TELL WHERE I'M GOING TO
I'M RUNNING, ALL CONFUSED
shinimono-gurui de
THEN I SEE YOU STANDING THERE
CAN DO NOTHING BUT RUN AWAY
oikakete kuru genkaku ni
LOOK OUT! I'M RAVING MAD
YOU CAN'T STOP MY MADNESS
kirikizanda yume wa kyouki ni nagareru
(I'LL SLICE MY FACE COVERED WITH BLUE BLOOD)
(GIVE ME SOME MORE PAIN)
(GIVE ME THE THROES OF DEATH)
namida ni tokeru aoi chi o yokubou ni kaete
umarekawatta sugata o yosoutte mite mo
kodoku ni obieru kokoro wa ima mo
sugisatta yume o motome-samayou
higeki ni odoru kanashimi o maboroshi ni kaete
sameta sugata no butai o enjite mite mo
hitomi ni afureru kyozou wa ima mo
nugisuteta ai o azayaka ni utsusu
(GIVE ME SOME MORE PAIN)
(GIVE ME THE THROES OF DEATH)
wasurerarenai kanashimi o maboroshi ni kaete
umarekawatta sugata o yosotte mite mo
aoi namida wa higeki ni odoru kodoku no
kokoro o ima demo nurashi-tsuzukeru
(English version)
------------------------------------
My face is covered with blood.
There's nothing but pain,
passing closest to pleasure.
I can't tell where I'm going to.
I'm running all confused.
Death himself is coming.
Then I see you standing there,
can do nothing but run away.
Following you in my dream.
Look out! I'm raving mad.
You can't stop my sadness.
The first dream is beginning to flow.
(I'll slice my face, covered with blue blood.)
(Give me some more pain.)
(Give me throws of death.)
Tears melt in blue blood.
A blurry, reincarnated form of desire.
Now a frightened lonely heart
seeks to wander with the passing of dreams.
Dance to the sad tragedy as a phantom.
On the awakening form of the stage.
My eyes overflow again
To disappear, throw away love's gleaming replica.
(Give me some more pain.)
(Give me throws of death.)
Tears melt in blue blood.
A blurry, reincarnated form of desire.
Blue tears dance to the tragedy of solitude.
As my heart continues to be soaked.
03 WEEK END (06:03)
I HEAR A KNOCK ON THE DOOR
hageshiku semaru
ushinai-kaketa ishiki no naka de
omae ga sasayaku
oitsumerareta kokoro tokasu
nibi iro no shouzou
kirikizamareta kioku wo utsushidasu
sakimidareta HATEFUL BLACK HEART
kokoro ni semaru
togisumasareta TRANSIENT FEELING
hitonami no naka
HISTERIC ni zawameku kaze ni
tomaranai namida wo
mune ni dakishime kodoku wo irodoru
* I'VE NOTHING TO LOSE
(LOVE ME TILL THE END)
EXCEPT YOUR HEART [x2]
tekubi wo nagareru chi wo omae no karada ni
karamitsukeru to isshun no uchi ni yomigaeru
kioku ni shikai wo
tozasare warainagara nigeteyuku omae no sugata wo
mitsumeru kizutsuita ore ga tatteru
WEEK END
# WEEK END, WEEK END
WEEK END, I'M AT MY WIT'S END
WEEK END
[* repeat]
NO WAY OUT
I HEAR A KNOCK ON THE DOOR
hageshiku semaru
ushinaikaketa ishiki no naka de
omae ga sasayaku
tsumetai yubisaki nobashi
kizuguchi ni kuchizuke
Akaku somatta kyouki wo dakishimeru
kagami wo mitsumenagara furueru karada ni
nagarehajimeta sukitooru chi wo aojiroi omae
no kokoroni
karamase genkaku ni kieteyuku saigo no namida wo
hiroi atsumete chi no umi ni madoromu
WEEK END WEEK END
WEEK END, I STILL LOVE YOU
WEEK END, BUT I CANNOT CARRY ON
tekubi wo nagareru chi wo omae no karada ni
karamitsukeru to isshun no uchi ni yomigaeru
kioku ni shikai wo
tozasare warainagara nigeteyuku omae no sugata wo
mitsumeru kizutsuita ore ga tatteru
WEEK END
# repeat [x6]
WEEK END
06 ENDLESS RAIN (06:36)
I’m walking in the rain
行くあてもなく 膜い刻邋Δ椁
jみつく 訾辘韦钉铯幛
肪Aけて 彷徨う いつまでも
Until I can forget your love
眠りは麻a
途方にくれた 心を静かに溶かす
舞い上がる 郅蛴护椁护
ふるえる身体を のN薇につつむ
I keep my love for you to myself
Endless rain，fall on my heart 心の
Let me forget all of the hate，all of the sadness
Day of joy，days of sadness slowly pass me by
As I try to hold you，you are vanishing before me
You’re just an illusion
When I’m awaken，my tears have dried
in the sand of sleep
I’m a rose blooming in the desert
It’s a dream，I’m in love with you
まどろみ抱きしめて
I awake from my dream
I can’t find my way without you
The dream is over
声にならない 言~をRり返しても
高すぎる灰色の壁は
^ぎ去った日の思いを簸诵搐
Until I can forget your love
Endless rain，let me stay evermore in your heart
Let my heart take in your tears, take in your memories
Endless rain
10 CELEBRATION (04:52)
(SO TIRED)
norari kurari no CHEAP TIME
I'M NEVER SATISFIED
gozen sanji no TV SHOW
sagesumu kuchibiru kara wa SEX APPEAL
(BITCH)
mikakedaoshi no HYPER LADY
I'M NEVER SATISFIED
tatta gofun no CELEBRATION
kinyou no asa made nya kieusero!
mayonakasugi no CINDERELLA yo...
GLASS no kutsu wa mou iranai
ELITE kidori no PINOCCHIO no hana wa
orete hia ni naru
tokeishikake no DNA
MANEQUIN domo no BABBLE wa 9 to 5
imaimashiku moekuruu taiyou wo
hikizuri orose
machiwabiteta toki wa semaru
mittsu kazoeru madenya keri tsukero!
(1 2 3 YOU GOT IT!!)
NEW YORK kara ore no heya made
kuroi CURTAIN de oitsukuse VELVET NIGHT
HEY! CELEBRATION!
RING A BELL!! SWING YOUR HEART! SING A SONG!
HEY! CELEBRATION!
THROW AWAY! SAIL AWAY SHOUT IT OUT! SHOW IT OUT!
COME ON! CELEBRATION!
murasaki no SMOKE AND ILLUSION
STAND UP! REVOLUTION
LIMOUSINE ni hi wo tsukero
when the clock struck at midnight
the coach turned into a pumpkin and
the dress became a rug!
and only a glass slipper was left behind
suddenly Cinderella crushed it and
she kicked her fuckin' onld stepmother out
and, she started for the real celebration
that would start very soon
SUPANKOORU no tsuki ga warau machi
FINAL no koe wa todokanai
HEY! CELEBRATION!
RING A BELL!! SWING YOUR HEART! SING A SONG!
HEY! CELEBRATION!
THROW AWAY! SAIL AWAY SHOUT IT OUT! SHOW IT OUT!
COME ON! CELEBRATION!
aoi chi no WINE wo
CHEERS! CONGRATULATIONS!
sekaijuu ni LET IT FALL
12 UNFINISHED (04:29)
Oh? I'm looking at you,
can't control myself
nothing but pain for me.
Wipe your tears, from your eyes.
Just leave and forget me.
No need to be hurt anymore.
Go away from me now,
I don't know, what is love?
No need to be hurt anymore.
You said 'I miss you so much.'
Every night,
thinking of you, and facing loneliness.
But when you feel sadness,
never can I stay with you.
I'm not the one you need.
Close your eyes and forget me.
There's nothing I can do anymore.
I've lost my way...
I've been walking in the night of tears.
There, I found someone was holding you.
As the night was all falling down.
With my love also vanished my vision of you...
My heart is cold now.
Wipe your tears, from your eyes.
Just leave, and forget me.
No need to be hurt, anymore.
You said 'I need you always'
Everyday,
thinking of you, and living in loneliness.
But when you feel sadness, never can I stay with you.
Go away from me now.
I don't know, what is love?
No need to be hurt, anymore.
Can't find my way...
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Other reviews
By Mikele
X Japan gave birth to an astonishing album: rich with numerous solos from hide, Pata, and Taiji, frantic rhythms guaranteed by a Yoshiki in great shape, and the immense voice of Toshi.
"Kurenai" is probably the best on the album—a concert highlight with majestic and piercing chorus as usual.
