Hear X Japan’s Acoustic ‘La Venus’ From Documentary Soundtrack
Reflecting on “La Venus,” a song he wrote for the end credits of X Japan doc We Are X, bandleader Yoshiki singled it out as special. “This could be X Japan’s signature song for the next era,” the drummer and pianist said of the dramatic ballad in a promo clip for the film. “That could be my favorite.”
Above, hear the alternate acoustic version of the song, which comes out March 3rd as part of the official We Are X soundtrack. Over Yoshiki’s flowing piano and swelling orchestral strings, X Japan singer Toshi belts out the song’s soaring hook: “Till we die, I’ll be loving you dear/Till we fly from here to heaven.”
Released in 2016, We Are X tells the story of the Japanese band’s wild three-decade-plus journey, during which Yoshiki has weathered the suicide of one core member, former guitarist Hide, and the brainwashing of another, Toshi himself, by a religious cult. The group’s flamboyant blend of high-energy metal and arena-friendly rock, coupled with its signature “visual kei” aesthetic, has won it a legion of fans worldwide.
The We Are X soundtrack is out March 3rd, and the following night, March 4th, X Japan will headline London’s SSE Arena at Wembley. We Are X will be released on Blu-ray and DVD on April 25th.