Blue Blood (X Japan album)
| Blue Blood | ||||
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Cover of the CD version.
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| Studio album by X | ||||
| Released | April 21, 1989 | |||
| Recorded | January 6–March 12, 1989 at CBS Sony Roppongi Studio, CBS Sony Shinanomachi Studio, Sound City Studio |
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| Length | 65:18 | |||
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| X chronology | ||||
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| Singles from Blue Blood | ||||
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| Professional ratings | |
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| Review scores | |
| Source | Rating |
| Allmusic |    |
| RockGarage | 8.5/10 |
Blue Blood is the second studio album by Japanese heavy metal band X Japan, then named 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".
On December 26, 1987, X participated in an audition held by CBS/Sony, which led to a recording contract in August of the following year. In the meantime, the band released their first album, Vanishing Vision through Extasy Records owned by Yoshiki, on April 14, 1988 and toured extensively in support of the record.
Recording for their major label debut album, Blue Blood, began in January 1989. It was released on April 21, 1989, but its tour of the same name began on March 13. Two of the concerts sold out in advance, including the March 16 show at Shibuya Public Hall, which was later released on home video as Blue Blood Tour Bakuhatsu Sunzen Gig. X went on the Rose and Blood tour in September, which was temporarily suspended with cancellations when Yoshiki collapsed after a November 22 concert, but it continued into May 1990. Their success earned the band the "Grand Prix New Artist of the Year" award at the 4th annual Japan Gold Disc Awards in 1990.
A special edition of Blue Blood, that included a second disc of instrumental versions of some songs, was released on February 14, 2007 and reached number 23 on the charts. A remastered version that reached number 165 was released on March 19, 2008.
Blue Blood contains re-recordings of songs from their second single "Orgasm", the title track and "X", as well as their debut album Vanishing Vision, "Kurenai" and "Unfinished", all with alternate/expanded lyrics. "Easy Fight Rambling" is a glam metal song, while "Kurenai" exemplifies the band's trademark mix of speed metal, ballad and symphonic elements. The intro track "Prologue (~ World Anthem)" is a re-working of the 1977 Mahogany Rush song "The World Anthem" originally written by Frank Marino, hence its title and Marino being credited as composer.
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