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| Special Box | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
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| Compilation album by | ||||
| Released | December 25, 1997 | |||
| Genre | Heavy metal, progressive metal, rock | |||
| Label | Atlantic | |||
| X Japan compilation chronology | ||||
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Special Box is a compilation album released by X Japan on December 25, 1997. It contains two CDs, Art of Life and Dahlia . [1] [2] The album reached number 96 on the Oricon chart. [3]
Disc 1
Disc 2
X Japan is a Japanese rock band from Chiba, formed in 1982 by drummer Yoshiki and lead vocalist Toshi. Starting as a predominantly power/speed metal band with heavy symphonic elements, they later gravitated towards a progressive sound with an emphasis on ballads. Besides being one of the first Japanese acts to achieve mainstream success while on an independent label, the group is widely credited as one of the pioneers of visual kei, a movement among Japanese musicians comparable to Western glam.
Hideto Matsumoto, better known by his stage name hide, was a Japanese musician, singer-songwriter and record producer. He was the lead guitarist of the rock band X Japan from 1987 onward, and a solo artist from 1993 onward. He also formed the United States-based rock supergroup Zilch in 1996.
Tomoaki Ishizuka, known exclusively by his stage name Pata, is a Japanese musician. He is the rhythm guitarist for the visual kei rock band X Japan. He joined the band in 1987, stayed with them until their dissolution in 1997 and rejoined when the band started a comeback in 2007.
Art of Life is the fourth studio album by Japanese heavy metal band X Japan, released on August 25, 1993 by Atlantic Records. The album consists solely of the 29-minute-long orchestrated title track, which was written and composed by Yoshiki entirely in English and recorded with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. It topped the Oricon chart and has sold over 600,000 copies. The album is the band's first after changing their name from simply "X" and the first to feature bassist Heath.
Blue Blood is the second studio album by Japanese rock band X Japan, then known as simply X. It was released on April 21, 1989, by CBS/Sony as the band's major label debut. Blue Blood sold more than 700,000 copies, reached number 6 on the Oricon chart and stayed on the chart for more than 100 weeks. The album's singles would also reach the top five on the chart. In 2007, Rolling Stone Japan ranked Blue Blood number 15 on their list of the "100 Greatest Japanese Rock Albums of All Time".
"Tears" is the ninth single by the Japanese heavy metal band X Japan, released on November 10, 1993.
Dahlia is the fifth studio album by Japanese heavy metal band X Japan, released on November 4, 1996 by Atlantic Records. It is the band's last album before breaking up the following year, and the last to feature new work by guitarist hide, due to his death two years later. The album is composed largely of ballads, with only a few tracks retaining the band's heavier musical traits seen on previous releases. It topped the Oricon chart and stayed on the chart for only 15 weeks, but managed to sell over half a million copies. Seven, nearly all, of the album's songs were released as singles, most of which also topped the singles chart and sold well.
Jealousy is the third studio album by Japanese heavy metal band X Japan, then known as simply X. The album was released on July 1, 1991 by Sony, as the band's second major label release. Jealousy is the band's best-selling album, having sold more than one million copies, it topped the Oricon chart and stayed on the chart for 50 weeks. The album's singles would also reach the top three on the chart. It is their last album under the name "X", before changing to "X Japan", and the last to feature Taiji on bass, who would be replaced by Heath.
Trance X is an X Japan remix album released on December 4, 2002. The remixes were done by several DJs. It reached number 27 on the Oricon chart.
The discography of the Japanese heavy metal band X Japan consists of 5 studio albums, 6 live albums, 1 remix album, 11 compilations, 1 soundtrack album, 23 singles, and around 22 live video recordings.
"Rusty Nail" is the tenth single by Japanese heavy metal band X Japan, released on June 10, 1994.
"Longing" is a ballad by Japanese heavy metal band X Japan and written by Yoshiki. The song has been released in several versions, most notably in two different single variations. The first, "Longing ~Togireta Melody~", was released as their eleventh single on August 1, 1995 and reached the number 1 spot on the Oricon chart. The second, "Longing ~Setsubou no Yoru~", is their twelfth released on December 11, 1995 and reached number 5.
B.O.X ~Best of X~ is a compilation box set released by X Japan on March 21, 1996. It contains two CDs, a VHS tape and a T-shirt from the "Violence and Jealousy Tour". The album reached number 5 on the Oricon chart. It was re-released on December 1, 1996 in a different case without any extras and without the last three tracks on disc one.
"Dahlia" is the thirteenth single by Japanese heavy metal band X Japan, released on February 26, 1996.
Art of Life Live is an X Japan live album released on March 18, 1998. It is composed solely of one song, "Art of Life". Mostly recorded on December 31, 1993 at the Tokyo Dome. The album reached number 20 on the Oricon chart. This same performance was released on DVD and VHS, as Art of Life 1993.12.31 Tokyo Dome, five years later.
X Japan Singles ~Atlantic Years~ is a compilation album released by X Japan on December 25, 1997. It serves as a follow-up to 1993's X Singles and contains most, but not all, A and B-sides released by the band after changing its name from "X" to "X Japan". The album reached number 14 on the Oricon chart.
Complete II is a box set released October 1, 2005. On ten CDs and nine DVDs it collects all studio and live albums, and all DVDs that X Japan released after changing their name from X, along with two DVDs containing previously unreleased and rare material from the band's earlier career. It reached number 92 on the Oricon chart.
Perfect Best is a compilation album by Japanese heavy metal band X Japan, released on February 24, 1999. It includes songs that go from their debut album Vanishing Vision to Dahlia, and also an interview with Yoshiki. Some tracks are taken from Live Live Live Tokyo Dome 1993-1996. The album reached number 4 on the Oricon chart. It was certified gold by RIAJ.
Live Live Live Tokyo Dome 1993-1996 is a live album released by X Japan on October 15, 1997. As the title implies, it contains songs recorded at the Tokyo Dome between 1993 and 1996, all of them at the band's annual New Year's Eve concerts at that stadium. The album reached number 3 on the Oricon chart. A supplemental disc, titled Live Live Live Extra was released the following month.
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