Art of Life
Encyclopedia
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
)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 number-one 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
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. 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".
in nature.
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.
X Japan
is a Japanese heavy metal band founded in 1982 by Yoshiki and Toshi. Originally named X , the group achieved their breakthrough success in 1989 with the release of their second album Blue Blood...
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
Royal Philharmonic Orchestra
The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra is a British orchestra based in London. It tours widely, and is sometimes referred to as "Britain's national orchestra"...
)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 number-one 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
Nippon Budokan
The , often shortened to simply Budokan, is an indoor arena in central Tokyo, Japan.This is the location where many "Live at the Budokan" albums were recorded...
and two more on December 30 and 31, 1993, at the Tokyo Dome
Tokyo Dome
Tokyo Dome is a 55,000-seat baseball stadium located in Bunkyo Ward of Tokyo, Japan.The stadium opened for business on March 17, 1988. It was built on the site of the Velodrome which was next door to the site of the predecessor ballpark, Kōrakuen Stadium...
. The last two were later released on the 1998 Art of Life Live
Art of Life Live
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...
album and the 2003 Art of Life 1993.12.31 Tokyo Dome
Art of Life 1993.12.31 Tokyo Dome
Art of Life 1993.12.31 Tokyo Dome is a live VHS/DVD released by X Japan on September 24, 2003. It claims to contain the band's "Art of Life" performance on December 31, 1993 at the Tokyo Dome as part of the two-day concert series X Japan Returns...
VHS
VHS
The Video Home System is a consumer-level analog recording videocassette standard developed by Victor Company of Japan ....
/DVD
DVD
A DVD is an optical disc storage media format, invented and developed by Philips, Sony, Toshiba, and Panasonic in 1995. DVDs offer higher storage capacity than Compact Discs while having the same dimensions....
, and in 2008 both concerts were released in their entirety on the X Japan Returns 1993.12.30
X Japan Returns 1993.12.30
X Japan Returns 1993.12.30 is an X Japan live DVD, released on February 29, 2008. It contains the band's performance at the Tokyo Dome on December 30, 1993...
and X Japan Returns 1993.12.31
X Japan Returns 1993.12.31
X Japan Returns 1993.12.31 is an X Japan live DVD, released on February 29, 2008. It contains the band's performance at the Tokyo Dome on December 31, 1993...
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. 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
AsiaWorld-Expo
The AsiaWorld-Expo is one of the two major convention and exhibition facilities in Hong Kong along with Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre. It was opened on 21 December 2005 by Donald Tsang, Chief Executive of Hong Kong, and it is operated by AsiaWorld-Expo Management Limited...
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".
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.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.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.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.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 staccatoStaccato
Staccato is a form of musical articulation. In modern notation it signifies a note of shortened duration and separated from the note that may follow by silence...
in nature.
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.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.