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, released in June 1985 by Dada Records. The song was later re-recorded for the band's first album, Vanishing Vision (1988).

Overview

"I'll Kill You" is the first song that drummer and bandleader Yoshiki wrote for X after forming the band in 1982 with vocalist Toshi in order to play heavier music with two lead guitarists.[1] He first wrote the lyrics in Japanese before translating them into English, asking the smartest students in his high school to help with any difficult parts.[1] After reading them over, Yoshiki realized they were directed at himself.[1]

However, in 1988, Yoshiki claimed 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.[2] All 1,000 copies of the record sold out.[3] 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.[4] A re-recording of the title track was later featured on the band's first album, Vanishing Vision (1988). "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.[5][6] It was covered by Volcano for their 2018 cover album Irregular.[7]

Track listing

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

X
  • Toshimitsu "Toshi" Deyama – vocals
  • Yoshiki Hayashi – drums
  • Atsushi Tokuo – bass guitar
  • Yuji "Terry" Izumisawa – guitar
  • Tomoyuki "Tomo" Ogata – guitar
Production staff
  • Photo – Kazuyoshi Mori
  • Design – Atsushi Tokuo
  • Engineer – Mr. Ohzeki
  • Sleeve Design – Nobukatsu Hayashi[8]

References

  1. ^ a b c Komatsu, Narumi (2009). Yoshiki/Yoshiki YOSHIKI/佳樹 (in Japanese). Kadokawa Shoten. pp. 116–118. ISBN 978-4-04-883687-6.
  2. ^ Kawamoto, Hirotake (June 1988). "Track by track analysis of Vanishing Vision by X". Rockin'f.
  3. ^ "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.
  4. ^ "HEAVY METAL FORCE III". Amazon.co.jp. Retrieved 2013-05-22.
  5. ^ "リデンプション・プロセス". Amazon.co.jp. Retrieved 2011-11-13.
  6. ^ "September E.P." Amazon.co.jp. Retrieved 2013-03-17.
  7. ^ "「速弾くためなら鬼となる…」ボルケーノ初のカヴァー・アルバム『IRREGULAR』を屍忌蛇がユルく解説". Young Guitar Magazine. Retrieved 2025-08-17.
  8. ^ "I'll Kill You" liner notes, 1985-06. Retrieved 2011-11-14.
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