Saturday, April 24, 2010

Zi÷Kill - Last This Time 7" flexi (1989)


ZI÷KILL
Last This Time (1989)


Tracklisting

Side A
Last This Time

TUSK (vocals)
KEN (guitar)
SEIICHI (bass)
YUKIHIRO (drums)

Released: 1989
Label: Extasy Records/Ghost Disk
Catalogue number: E-8456
Format: Single-sided 7" flexi

Lenght: 4:52
Bitrate: 320 kbps

What? Just a fucking single-sided flexi? After two (!!) months wait? Well ...it's a start at least. Let's see if we can't get this blog somewhat back on the road again.

Being not only one of the greatest of the early visual kei-bands, but also one of the more influential, Zi:Kill shouldn't need much in the way of an introduction here since I assume most of my dear readers already are aquainted with this phenomenal band.

What might be a bit more obscure, however, is this release - an alternative version of the classic track "Last This Time" which later appeared on the equally classic "Close Dance"-album. This, and three other flexis, were given away for free on a 1989 gig during the iterrim between Zi:Kills debut and second album. The other three discs were "Karei" (the same version as on the reissue och "Shinsekai ~Real of the World~"), "TERO" and "Real of the World".

Now, regarding"Last This Time" - most of you have probably heard it and I'd venture to claim that most of you agree with me that it is a stone cold classic of early visual kei. Compositionally, the take featured here is more or less identical to the album version. The execution is however of a much rawer and more intense nature - in particular the guitar stands out with it's harsher texture. Compared to the gentle drizzle of delay-processed guitar found on the album version, KEN produces some heavy acid rain on this take - harsh shards of sound bursting forth like boiling mercury with each stroke of the plectrum.

Unfortunately, my copy of this flexi isn't in the greatest of conditions. Although most of it plays through fine, a couple of dents do produce some nasty clicks and pops. I've tried to edit them out manually at the best of my abilities, but some noises were just impossible to remove without it affecting the music. I hope you'll enjoy anyway!