Art of Life
| Art of Life | ||||
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| Studio album by X Japan | ||||
| Released | August 25, 1993 | |||
| Genre | Symphonic metal, progressive metal, power metal | |||
| Length | 29:00 | |||
| Language | English | |||
| Label | Atlantic | |||
| Producer | Yoshiki | |||
| X Japan chronology | ||||
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| Professional ratings | |
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| Review scores | |
| Source | Rating |
| Sputnikmusic |  [1] |
Art of Life is a mini album released by X Japan on August 25, 1993. It consists solely of the 29 minute long title track, which was written and composed by Yoshiki, entirely in English. The album is also the first where the band is called "X Japan", after they changed their name from "X". The heavily orchestrated piece (recorded with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra)[2] comprises several passages of varying speed and instrumentation, including numerous verses, with no set chorus, several harmonized guitar solos, and eight minutes performed solely on piano. Upon the album's release, it debuted at #1 on the Oricon chart[3] and became the 28th best-selling album of 1993 with over 513,000 units sold.
It was rarely played live, an early performance taking place on July 30, 1992 at the Nippon Budokan[4] and two more on December 30 and 31, 1993, at the Tokyo Dome. The last two were later released on the 1998 Art of Life Live album and the 2003 Art of Life 1993.12.31 Tokyo Dome VHS/DVD, and in 2008 both concerts were released in their entirety on the X Japan Returns 1993.12.30 and X Japan Returns 1993.12.31 DVDs. It was also performed at the band's reunion concert on March 28, 2008 at the Tokyo Dome, but was cut short when Yoshiki collapsed midway through the song, just before the piano solo.[5] The rest of the song was played at the same venue two days later. It was once again played at the Tokyo Dome on May 3, 2009, starting from the second movement, and at the AsiaWorld-Expo in Hong Kong on January 16 (first movement) and 17 (second movement), 2009. The second movement was played as the last song at every night of their "North American Tour 2010".
Contents |
[edit] Track listing
- "Art of Life" – 29:00
[edit] Song Structure and Analysis
[edit] 0:00 - 2:58
The song opens with very gentle guitar fading in, with piano following soon after. The strings of the orchestra enter at 25 seconds, softly at first but gradually building in volume until Toshi's first vocals.
[edit] 2:59 - 4:10
With one drum beat Yoshiki's piano is now traded for drums (as he would do live during this song and others). Two guitars enter immediately following that hit, playing the same solo only with one playing it several steps higher to create harmony. At 3:34 the tempo is sped up with a third guitar coming in to play the heavier riff that drives this, and similar, sections of the song.
[edit] 4:11 - 8:14
Vocals and the orchestra re-enter as the band continues, and at certain moment, there are some spoken words. Following this is another harmonized guitar solo.
[edit] 8:15 - 8:43
With the conclusion of the second spoken word, there is an interlude where all guitar, drums, and most of the orchestra, with the exception of a harpsichord and several cellos, drop out.
[edit] 8:44 - 12:43
A single chord effectively ends the interlude, and a flurry of drums brings the song back into a powerful state. This is followed by another harmonized guitar solo; however, this one differs from the others thus far as it is significantly longer and very staccato in nature.
[edit] 12:44 - 13:38
The tone of the band and orchestra has shifted as well into a section layered beneath Toshi's vocals. Upon completion of this verse, there is a slow guitar solo that flows into a violin solo.
[edit] 13:39 - 15:06
The tone of the violin shifts and there is another spoken word verse.
There is another explosive note and flurry of drums, identical to earlier, during the closing lines of the verse that brings the song back around to another powerful tone. Toshi's voice then fades out with his last note along with the band and entire orchestra.
[edit] Piano Duet (15:07 - 24:18)
The next nine minutes are performed solely on piano. It starts out as a soft, simple riff that builds up and dies back down several times. A second piano is added, and there is a clash of notes as the first continues to play the same riff and the second has bursts of madness. Eventually, the string section joins, and the chaos dwindles away to the soft riff, and that too fades out as the strings replace the piano completely.
[edit] Finale (24:19 - 29:00)
A guitar dive dismisses the strings and brings the faster tempo, Toshi's vocals and band back in, and the band drives the song on to the finish.
[edit] Personnel
[edit] References
- ^ Sputnik Music review
- ^ Mentioned in Yoshiki's biography "YOSHIKI / 佳樹", written by Komatsu Narumi
- ^ "X JAPANのアルバム売り上げランキング" (in Japanese). oricon.co.jp. http://www.oricon.co.jp/prof/artist/26180/ranking/cd_album. Retrieved 2011-12-10.
- ^ "Hideto Matsumoto, 1992 biography". hide-city.com. http://www.hide-city.com/biography/#1992.
- ^ "Article concerning collapse". jame-world.com. http://www.jame-world.com/uk/theme.php?id=259.
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