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This is the review for the album "Jealousy" by the band X Japan. This being their third overall release. Written at he request of 
Psyence64
Here is the link to a video for the album's opening track for anyone interested and not already familiar with their work:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WzHbHxSEtVQ
Below is the review for anyone not wishing to download as a document:
Retro Review: X Japan - “Jealousy” (1991)
X Japan has never been well-known outside of their homeland, but in 1991 their success reached it's peak with “Jealousy”, an album that combined their previous speed metal inclinations with a focus on broader songwriting. Featuring a bolder production, symphonic elements, and increased focus on ballads, “Jealousy” was a transitional record that started to lean away from the original power/speed metal sound they enjoyed, showcasing the band's desire to instead create something grander and more emotional than their previous work. “Jealousy” would also put on display their most ostentatious wardrobe yet, as the band always had a penchant for costumes and makeup that surpassed anything Western bands were doing at the time, and would even appear on stage sporting prismatic hair that nearly defied gravity.
Ever since 1988's “Vanishing Visions”, the band had been a hard one to peg musically, because they were always just a bit too pop-oriented to dwell within the speed-mongering underground, yet too fast and complex to be full-tilt glam. Their compositions sported serious musical chops, yet their “Visual Kei” image was even more outlandish than the makeup worn by Western propagators of “Hair Metal”, making it difficult for anyone outside of Japan to take them seriously. Although, it was this very marriage of musical earnestness and overblown image that struck a chord with Japanese youth, and drew in enough of a crowd to sell out the Tokyo Dome no less than 18 times during their initial run as a band. By the time of the band's original in1997, the band was pulling off progressive pop-metal epics that bore little resemblance to their original sound, and was just starting to garner mainstream attention outside of Japan. Unfortunately, lead guitarist Hideto Matsumoto would pass away in 1998, and a decade would pass before X Japan decided to reform with another lead player.
Album openers "Es Dur no Piano Sen" and “Silent Jealousy” immediately set the stage for the grandeur the band was trying to convey on the rest of the disc, while the latter of the two and mid-album track "Stab Me in the Back" kept the band's speed metal credibility intact. Songs like “Miscast” and “Joker” showcased a more rock-oriented sound, while the ballad “Voiceless Screaming” and album closer “Say Anything” were beautiful enough to crack into the international mainstream if the band had been pushed into the global spotlight. At the end of it all, the album was perhaps too diverse for it's own good, since it's eclectic range of songs didn't quite fit into the niche-oriented world of heavy metal at the time, and was just a bit too epic for editing into radio-friendly tidbits conducive of success in the active rock format. For perspective, even though the band has become recognized as one of the top 100 pop artist in Japan, they had not played a show in North America until 2010, three years after their reunion.
As a document of the state of Japanese rock during this period, “Jealousy” is outstanding. From an objective point of view, the album was a cornucopia of rock platitudes carried aloft by superb musicianship and impressive production values. To enjoy this thoroughly, one must have interest in the rock and metal of this period, plus be open to the open and indiscriminate mixing of various musical values throughout the course of a single record. This will most likely appeal to fans of progressive rock and metal, providing an interesting alternative to progressive metal bands emerging elsewhere at the time, such as Dream Theater and Fates Warning. Perhaps what is most impressive about this album is that it breaks so many musical conventions held elsewhere in world at the time, yet became the focal point for a musical and cultural movement that would gain awareness and popularity outside of Japan many years later. (7/10)
Psyence64 Here is the link to a video for the album's opening track for anyone interested and not already familiar with their work:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WzHbHxSEtVQ
Below is the review for anyone not wishing to download as a document:
Retro Review: X Japan - “Jealousy” (1991)
X Japan has never been well-known outside of their homeland, but in 1991 their success reached it's peak with “Jealousy”, an album that combined their previous speed metal inclinations with a focus on broader songwriting. Featuring a bolder production, symphonic elements, and increased focus on ballads, “Jealousy” was a transitional record that started to lean away from the original power/speed metal sound they enjoyed, showcasing the band's desire to instead create something grander and more emotional than their previous work. “Jealousy” would also put on display their most ostentatious wardrobe yet, as the band always had a penchant for costumes and makeup that surpassed anything Western bands were doing at the time, and would even appear on stage sporting prismatic hair that nearly defied gravity.
Ever since 1988's “Vanishing Visions”, the band had been a hard one to peg musically, because they were always just a bit too pop-oriented to dwell within the speed-mongering underground, yet too fast and complex to be full-tilt glam. Their compositions sported serious musical chops, yet their “Visual Kei” image was even more outlandish than the makeup worn by Western propagators of “Hair Metal”, making it difficult for anyone outside of Japan to take them seriously. Although, it was this very marriage of musical earnestness and overblown image that struck a chord with Japanese youth, and drew in enough of a crowd to sell out the Tokyo Dome no less than 18 times during their initial run as a band. By the time of the band's original in1997, the band was pulling off progressive pop-metal epics that bore little resemblance to their original sound, and was just starting to garner mainstream attention outside of Japan. Unfortunately, lead guitarist Hideto Matsumoto would pass away in 1998, and a decade would pass before X Japan decided to reform with another lead player.
Album openers "Es Dur no Piano Sen" and “Silent Jealousy” immediately set the stage for the grandeur the band was trying to convey on the rest of the disc, while the latter of the two and mid-album track "Stab Me in the Back" kept the band's speed metal credibility intact. Songs like “Miscast” and “Joker” showcased a more rock-oriented sound, while the ballad “Voiceless Screaming” and album closer “Say Anything” were beautiful enough to crack into the international mainstream if the band had been pushed into the global spotlight. At the end of it all, the album was perhaps too diverse for it's own good, since it's eclectic range of songs didn't quite fit into the niche-oriented world of heavy metal at the time, and was just a bit too epic for editing into radio-friendly tidbits conducive of success in the active rock format. For perspective, even though the band has become recognized as one of the top 100 pop artist in Japan, they had not played a show in North America until 2010, three years after their reunion.
As a document of the state of Japanese rock during this period, “Jealousy” is outstanding. From an objective point of view, the album was a cornucopia of rock platitudes carried aloft by superb musicianship and impressive production values. To enjoy this thoroughly, one must have interest in the rock and metal of this period, plus be open to the open and indiscriminate mixing of various musical values throughout the course of a single record. This will most likely appeal to fans of progressive rock and metal, providing an interesting alternative to progressive metal bands emerging elsewhere at the time, such as Dream Theater and Fates Warning. Perhaps what is most impressive about this album is that it breaks so many musical conventions held elsewhere in world at the time, yet became the focal point for a musical and cultural movement that would gain awareness and popularity outside of Japan many years later. (7/10)
Category Story / Rock
Species Unspecified / Any
Size 120 x 119px
File Size 6.4 kB
Great job Var (mind if I call you that? :p ), love your way with words. " Sporting prismatic hair that nearly defied gravity" so true.
One could argue the fact that some songs don't fit in with the rest of the album, but it's also something I like about them, I think it's Marty Friedman who said in the Global Metal movie that X Japan have the guts to put songs on albums that sound like fighting fire with fire.
Even though they won't be everyone's cup of tea, I'd still suggest giving them a chance.
Anyway, keep up the good work Var, looking forward to read what's to come.
One could argue the fact that some songs don't fit in with the rest of the album, but it's also something I like about them, I think it's Marty Friedman who said in the Global Metal movie that X Japan have the guts to put songs on albums that sound like fighting fire with fire.
Even though they won't be everyone's cup of tea, I'd still suggest giving them a chance.
Anyway, keep up the good work Var, looking forward to read what's to come.
Thank you. I actually contribute quite a bit of reviews to Encyclopaedia Metallum as Zealot Crusader, but mostly on things not yet reviewed by anyone else. If you like Marty Friedman, I suggest checking out Cacophony, as it was his pre-Megadeth band (outside of the group Hawaii) and focused on guitar gymnastics. My game and movie reviews are decent, but I've always been better with music, because that's the area where I'm most passionate and knowledgeable. As for X Japan, my favorite will always be the album "Blue Blood" (1989), but I chose "Jealousy" because it was more significant.
I read some of your reviews on the site you linked me, though I have to admit I know none of those bands I'm afraid, will have to check them out sometime, but your love for music is clear as day. I also looked into Cacophony, haven't really gone into them yet, but I like what little I've heard so far.
I can't say which album was more significant myself, but I feel kinda sad that they don't play alot of their old songs such as Xclamation, Rose of Pain, Phantom of Guilt, Alive, Sadistic Desire, Voiceless Screaming (granted it was a Taiji/Toshi song, but still) and others anymore.
I can't say which album was more significant myself, but I feel kinda sad that they don't play alot of their old songs such as Xclamation, Rose of Pain, Phantom of Guilt, Alive, Sadistic Desire, Voiceless Screaming (granted it was a Taiji/Toshi song, but still) and others anymore.
Yeah, my taste in music gets quite strange where metal is concerned. I don't remember if any of those reviews were negative, but I know when I give a negative review, I become something like Ben "Yahtzee" Croshaw, tearing apart what doesn't work with satire. I hate making that comparison, but since most people "around here" are gamers, the reference works. In some cases, i didn't give full reviews, just one-paragraph blurbs.
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