"DAHLIA": The final offering

What else can be said? "DAHLIA" is the last studio album of the infamous X Japan, the essential founders of J-Rock and visual kei, released only a year before their dissolution in late '97. Exactly three years in the making, it reflects well their growth as a musical unit, and also as individuals. Any comparison made to earlier albums will find "DAHLIA" fills in the minute cracks trembling through the resonance of X Japan's awesome reign--"Vanishing Vision", their first (and overtly offensive) release, is heavy with morbid verse and violent ambition. "DAHLIA", while still retaining a bit of that Blood & Roses ideology, transforms it into something much more palatable: a despair at the human condition within the desperate individual. Yet while there are a handful of Yoshiki's signature metal-esque epics to be found, this disc is not overweight with such perfection, having balanced itself effortlessly through the artistic placement of dynamic and unforgettale ballads--the caliber of which only X Japan could craft. Yoshiki's obsessive, infallible direction is found throughout the entirety of this final presentation, with



***The Metal: DAHLIA, SCARS, Rusty Nail

"DAHLIA" opens with its namesake, a vaguely industrial-influenced epic that pushes the clock at eight minutes. This is the frenetic perfection that fans have come to expect: heavy, lengthly, and overflowing with classic presentation and transcendent ability, "Dahlia" lets the consumer know instantly that this album means business, and it is more than worth their money spent. However, an interesting bridge in the middle prior to Yoshiki's spiritual voice-over gives both hide and Pata time to experiment and produce some funky, electric tones rather graduated from X Japan's familiar, sweeping style.



"SCARS" immediately follows "Dahlia" in the lineup and shatters all previous conceptions of just what X Japan's speed metal is: this is sharp, angsty, and angry music. Toshi's vocals are perfect for this piece; and while most fans will immediately listen for hide's skillful guitars, I believe that Pata's exceptional rhythm as Second Guitar (not as much "Twin" here) is what makes this song as driving as it is.



The last of the great metal giants, "Rusty Nail", is an 80's-ish powerhouse more than capable of figuratively standing toe-to-toe with such legendary epics as "Kurenai" and "Silent Jealousy". The fans were not disappointed with this final offering, and after more than 200,000 votes were tallied online, it ranked #4 as X Japan's "Best" song ever. Catchy, memorable, and with solos by hide and Pata that will leave your head spinning--and your heart aching for more--"Rusty Nail" is one rock song NOT to be overlooked.



***The Ballads: Longing~togireta melody~, Tears, Forever Love

Admittedly, it took some time for me to fully appreciate this version of "Longing"--but "~togireta melody~" grew on me over repeat listens, and now I find myself humming to it playing in my mind at the oddest times. It's your standard ballad by X Japan: moving and perfectly orchaestrated. Yet compared to the opulence of "Tears", a masterpiece that only truly should be heard with Yoshiki's poetic voice-over at the end (the radio-edit lacking it I find to be surprisingly incomplete, and almost mundane), "Longing~togireta melody~" means nothing. The agonizing sadness of "Tears"--a very personal song written in memory of Yoshiki's father, who committed suicide years ago--translates as a stunning saga of emotion and unbelievable musical passion. While "Forever Love" as the single release is nearly as moving, albeit not as spiritually overwhelming, as "Tears"; the "Acoustic Version" (orchaestral version) that concludes this disc is a quiet, dignified piece that would almost be better without Toshi's vocals: against a backdrop of classic rock elements as presented on the "Forever Love" single, Toshi's lyrics are appropriately pleading, but standing alone with cello and violin, they're almost whiny and too nasal.



***The Experimentation: White Poem I, CRUCIFY MY LOVE, WRIGGLE, DRAIN

Perhaps some fans of X Japan may disagree with me, but upon repeat listens of "DAHLIA", I have to say that "White Poem I" continues to impress me with its elegant simplicity as one of Yoshiki's later compositions, and I think it's one of his best. Not because it's one of his most energetically passionate--because it's not. And not because it's one of his most painstakingly-crafted--because it's not. "White Poem I" was essentially written, programmed, and performed entirely by Yoshiki himself; and but for Toshi's strange, ethereal vocals of love and longing, he could take singular credit for its very existence. Yoshiki's "White Poem I" gives his fans a glimpse at the musician not often seen: the Yoshiki past his drumset, past his piano. I love to think of Yoshiki picking up a guitar again (reminiscent of the Extasy Summits back in the early nineties) and moulding that talent for this piece, and his sultry English voice-over for this song--too sexy for words. "White Poem I" is vague, light, and disorientingly quiet, a piece so underrated and emotionally moving that a listen of it would most likely conclude in the bedroom.



Yet, the melancholy of "CRUCIFY MY LOVE" turns the stage around again by placing Toshi nearly in command; perfecting lyrically a composition that is not quite a ballad, but very much a love song. Yoshiki on piano is amazing, however he somehow never outshines his vocalist, who manages the English lyrics surprisingly well and with very little accent.



"WRIGGLE" is an unusual piece for X Japan, very electronica and much more industrial than "Dahlia", with guitars by Pata and programmed by bassist Heath. Too short, if you ask me. Edgy, dark, and mysterious, I would have liked it if they had toyed with its conception some more--and the same could be said for the last dark song on the album: "DRAIN". I would not consider "DRAIN" to be the metal that some others have labeled it, although it is an amazing song of raw guitars and harsh lyrics. All in English, and sans Yoshiki's incomparable drumming (and Pata's presence at all), "DRAIN" brings forth memories of an X Japan younger, less restrained, and much more aggressive, with sharp lyrics reflecting spiritual quandry as well as personal despair.



To complete this massive review, I will maintain that Yoshiki, hide, Toshi, Pata, and Heath remain unparalleled in musical structure and performance until the very end: as an album, "DAHLIA" rounds out the joint career of five legendary musicians flawlessly, and gives their fans a glimpse into their personal growth and maturation in the process. It goes without saying that it is a staple to any fan of J-Rock, and anyone of distinctive musical appreciation.

as Japanese, I want to hand down the legend band to world.

X Japan, off course in Japan even now it is legend band. Since one of the band, that is, Hide(guitar) was death shockingly, all the Japanese have known about the wonderful band again.

The most wonderful thing of XJAPAN will be the combination of hard rock and classical music. In the world, there are a lot of bands that can play wonderful rock, but there is not the bands that can play with beautiful classical style sounds except XJAPAN. Why could XJAPAN play such beautiful combination music? The answer is YOSHIKI(drums and piano). Since boy, he have studied many music instrument professionally(classical piano, violin, trumpet etc)thefore he knew about the beauty of classical music and the composition skill.

About the beautiful sounds you must know in music[endless rain][say anything].
The album is the latter term for XJAPAN. Terefore the composition ways changed to diffrent way as compared to former style, that is, a lot of ballade songs and in composition YOSHIKI used computer when make song.

As Japanese, I recommend XJAPAN. I think that the band is NO1 now.

Thank you for reading my poor writing.

Great

Great album and one of Japan's best rock bands ever. The album itself sounds something like your classic 80s rock bands and even though Japan is probably still behind in the rock genre, this band is above any beyond any normal Jrock band.