I'll Kill You

"I'll Kill You"
Single by X
ReleasedJune 1985
StudioSound Market
GenreSpeed metal, power metal
Length7:34
LabelDada
Songwriter(s)Yoshiki Hayashi
Producer(s)X and Nobukatsu Hayashi
X singles chronology
"I'll Kill You"
(1985)
"Orgasm"
(1986)

"I'll Kill You" is the debut single by Japanese heavy metal band X Japan, then named X, released in June 1985.

Overview

[edit]

In 1988, Yoshiki explained that the song is not about killing people as the title would suggest, but is a love song in the vein of a disgruntled married couple.[1] All 1,000 copies of the record sold out.[2] The cover art notoriously features numerous photographs of dead bodies taken during the Vietnam War.

A different recording of the B-side, "Break the Darkness", was included on the sampler Heavy Metal Force III in November 1985.[3] While a re-recording of the title track was later featured on the band's first album, Vanishing Vision. "I'll Kill You" was covered by French symphonic black metal band Anorexia Nervosa as a bonus track for the Japanese edition of their 2004 album Redemption Process and later included on their 2005 The September E.P. as well.[4][5]

Track listing

[edit]
Side A
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."I'll Kill You"Yoshiki Hayashi3:21
Side B
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Break the Darkness"Yoshiki Hayashi4:13

Personnel

[edit]
X
Production staff
  • Photo – Kazuyoshi Mori
  • Design – Atsushi Tokuo
  • Engineer – Mr. Ohzeki
  • Sleeve Design – Nobukatsu Hayashi[6]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ Kawamoto, Hirotake (June 1988). "Track by track analysis of Vanishing Vision by X". Rockin'f.
  2. ^ "Indies eXplosion: The Early History of X JAPAN". JRock Revolution. 2007-10-29. Archived from the original on 2015-07-01. Retrieved 2013-03-17.
  3. ^ "HEAVY METAL FORCE III". Amazon.co.jp. Retrieved 2013-05-22.
  4. ^ "リデンプション・プロセス". Amazon.co.jp. Retrieved 2011-11-13.
  5. ^ "September E.P." Amazon.co.jp. Retrieved 2013-03-17.
  6. ^ "I'll Kill You" liner notes, 1985-06. Retrieved 2011-11-14.