Today is the day!! X JAPAN’s new single “JADE” is available in North America, Latin America, and Europe!!!
MTV Iggy calls it an “epic return”, writing “Jade is X Japan at its global-dominating best…”
Available on iTunes and on other digital outlets: http://bit.ly/kevjEl
WE ARE X!!
By Kenny Herzog
June 21, 2011
Yoshiki and his reunited bandmates in X Japan may have waited 15 years to release new material, but “Jade” is about as epic a return to form as their devotees could hope for. To settle most fans’ curiosity, the single is indeed unmercifully heavy, or at least begins and ends that way. Metal mixer extraordinaire Andy Wallace (Slayer, Sepultura, System of a Down, et al) knows exactly when to thrust “Jade” forward with a monster, Megadeth-worthy riff from Pata and half-time drum assault courtesy of Yoshiki that’s lit ablaze by Sugizo’s caterwauling lead guitar. But the mix is absolutely effortless at marrying X Japan’s bursts of chaos — their musical id — with their undeniable ego: arena-size melodies, classical arrangements, and soaring messages of hope and empowerment (“Stop holding your fear/Let memory live and die alone/No need to be there/Let your desire scream ‘til you feel alive/‘Cause you are beautiful/Your scars are beautiful/Like the Jade”).
“Jade” is X Japan at its global-dominating best, a six-minute thesis in hard rock and the band’s own history. Toshi in particular triumphs in an English-language performance of Yoshiki’s touching, inspiring lyrics that sacrifices little in transitional fluency or grandeur. And if anything, the song may have trouble finally crossing X over to a wider mainstream appeal because of how genuinely heavy it is when called for. For all its orchestral heights and operatic arcs, “Jade” brings to mind the infectious brutality of Heartwork-era Carcass during its more punishing moments, even if the swooning chorus will remind newer audiences of epicMuse power-ballads like “Invincible.”
X Japan will once again appear at Japan Expo the day before performing live in Paris! The press conference will be held on June 30th from 4:45pm – 5:30pm at the Main Stage.
For more information, click here.
“Jade,” the long-awaited, epic, glorious and culture-crossing new single from X Japan, one of the most influential rock bands in Japanese history, will be released in North America, Europe and Latin America on Tuesday, June 28th in all digital formats.
“Jade” is the first track from the band’s English debut album, currently in the final stages of recording. Go here to enjoy a sample of “Jade.” We love the come-hell-or-high-water percussion that emboldens itself in this snippet. It’s nothing short of stunning.
A “Jade” full-length ringtone will be made available exclusively in Japan on June 28th, and the single will be released there and in Southeast Asia two weeks later on July 13th.
“This is a years-long dream of X Japan’s, to release a record in the Americas and in Europe,” said Yoshiki, X Japan’s leader/producer/songwriter/drummer/pianist. We actually would just call him a visionary, since that’s what he is! Yoshiki continued, “Music is very powerful, and we believe it can help us bridge the gap between east and west. We hope that ‘Jade’ will be the first step.”
Written and produced by Yoshiki and mixed by Andy Wallace, “Jade” was recorded in both Japan and at Yoshiki’s Los Angeles studio, the same studio where Metallica recorded its classic Black album before Yoshiki bought it and turned it into a private facility of awesomeness.
Written by Dan Savoie
At the end of this month, metal/rock fans will finally get the chance to own Jade, the first English-speaking single from Japan’s greatest musical export X Japan, when the track gets a world-wide digital release on June 28. The masterful single, which RockStar Weekly had the chance to preview this week, is a colourful combination of metal, fusion and voice. The song, which has been around since the band’s 2009 Tokyo Dome shows, was performed when the band visited North America for the first time in October 2010 and accepted with open arms at the sold-out show RockStar Weekly was at in Vancouver. It’s also the first new release since 2008′s IV.
With most lyrics sung in English, Jade is a hauntingly romantic tale of embracing the beautiful sadness of death, and showcases X Japan’s eclectic mix of rock, goth and classical music. By far a better and more intelligent song than most metal/rock bands are cranking out these days, Jade packs the best of X Japan’s amazing history into one powerful track. It’s also hard not to comment on Toshi’s vocals, which ring loud and clear throughout. Meanwhile, Yoshiki’s drums are comparable to Lars Ulrich and Tommy Lee, while Heath’s bass and the dual guitars of Pata and Sugizo (who also jams on the violin) round things out. The breakdown about half way through showcases the music, with powerful guitars, drums and then branches into a slick acoustic guitar ballad for a minute – eventually returning to blistering metal.
By Liz Ohanesian, Tue., Jun. 14 2011 at 10:41 AM
X Japan’s U.S. fans are a patient bunch. You’ve waited almost two decades since the band initially formed for this moment. You may have heard about the influential Japanese rock group’s L.A. video shoots back in January of 2010, caught the acoustic benefit show in July of that year, the Lollapalooza gig or saw their first North American tour last fall. You may have even read about X Japan founder Yoshiki in LA Weekly‘s “Best of L.A. People” issue. Now, the big moment has finally arrived. X Japan’s single, “Jade,” will be released throughout the Americas and in Europe on June 28.
The single, written and produced by Yoshiki, was initially planned for a March, 2010 release. This was postponed in the wake of the Tohoku earthquake and tsunami.
By Josh Hart
X Japan, one of the most influential rock bands in Japanese history, will be releasing a new single later this month titled “Jade.” It will be released digitally on Tuesday, June 28.
“Jade” is the first single from the X Japan’s sixth studio album, which the band are finishing for a late 2011 release. A sample of the track can be heard here.
“This is a years-long dream of X Japan’s, to release a record in the Americas and in Europe,” said band leader Yoshiki. “Music is very powerful, and we believe it can help us bridge the gap between east and west. We hope that ‘Jade’ will be the first step.”
X-JAPAN leader YOSHIKI will make his official debut as a photographer for the rock band’s upcoming digital single, “JADE“!
The jacket cover for “JADE” was taken by YOSHIKI himself. Sources say that YOSHIKI had an interest in this from the very beginning, so a close friend allowed him to shoot the photo for the cover.
“Music possesses an unfathomable strength. By communicating through music, we believe that we can bridge the gap between the East and West,” said YOSHIKI about X-JAPAN’s newest song. “We hope ‘JADE’ can be that first step.” He also added, “Releasing a song in America and Europe has been a longtime dream of X-JAPAN’s!”
“Jade,” the long-awaited new single from X Japan, one of the most influential rock bands in Japanese history, will be released in North America, Europe, and Latin America on Tuesday, June 28th in all digital formats. “Jade” is the first track from the band’s English debut album, currently in the final stages of recording.
A “Jade” full-length ringtone will be made available exclusively in Japan on June 28, and the single will be released there and in Southeast Asia two weeks later on July 13.
“This is a years-long dream of X Japan’s, to release a record in the Americas and in Europe,” said Yoshiki, X Japan’s leader/producer/songwriter/drummer/pianist. “Music is very powerful, and we believe it can help us bridge the gap between east and west. We hope that ‘Jade’ will be the first step.”
Written and produced by Yoshiki and mixed by Andy Wallace, “Jade” was recorded in both Japan and at Yoshiki’s Los Angeles studio, the same studio where Metallica recorded its classic Black album before Yoshiki bought it and turned it into a private facility.
The song features the thunderous drums and bass of Yoshiki and Heath, respectively, the searing twin guitar work of Pata and Sugizo, and Toshi’s dynamic vocals. With most lyrics sung in English, “Jade” is a hauntingly romantic tale of embracing the beautiful sadness of death, and showcases X Japan’s eclectic mix of rock, goth and classical music.
