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!

9 comments:

Tatsuya said...

This is great stuff.
The cover art is from Cranes "self non self", fantastic music too.

Anonymous said...

Thank you so much for this. I already had a rip of this but it was very poor quality, so needless to say this is a vast improvement. Plus, the scans (if only 2) are appreciated as well. This is one of my favorite ZI:KILL tracks (CLOSE DANCE being my favorite album by them as well), so this great to hear.

nattliga_toner said...

Tatsuya:

Thanks for the info! Never knew about Cranes. Totally lame but somehow a bit endearing that their sleeve art were so blatantly ripped-off by Zi:Kill and/or Extasy.

private-enemy:

Hey, thanks! Glad to hear you liked it! I included all there was to scan in the package - it's only a flexi in a sleeve; no booklets or pamphlets or anything. I've got a small promotional flyer for "Shinsekai ~Real of the World~" that came with my copy of the "Karei"-flexi though. I could up a scan of that if anybody is interested.

Anonymous said...

Hey, long time no see...
could you post something of Screaming Mad George & Psychosis (their Transmutation album). or other discs from late Extasy ?? (like DEEP, Hypermania, Youthquake).

I'm still intentioned to listen for the very first time, Syoko's album (G-Schmitt singer) expecially Turbulence.

If you want I've a bunch of flyer/interviews of G-Schmitt, I've won a couple of biddings and I found inside the LPs some stuffs...

zytroop said...

Very nice, welcome back. I like the new (old) texture on the guitars. And I always assumed that was TUSK on the cover, haha.

Can we look forward to TERO in the future as well? :P

carddass said...

Awesome, you have to love Close Dance era Zi:Kill. I only had these flexi discs from youtube rips and this is immensely better in quality.

moroschiele, amazing collection btw.

nattliga_toner said...

>moroschiele

Sorry - haven't got any Screaming Mad George. Not that keen on later Extasy stuff.

Unfortunately, no Turbulence either. I've been meaning to pick up G-Schmitt stuff for ages; I've been distracted by more obscure stuff though.

It'd be very cool if you'd like to scan the flyers and stuff. Which records did you win, by the way?

>zytroop

Sorry - haven't got TERO yet ...I'll be keeping a lookout for it though.

>carddass

Thanks! And yes indeed; "Close Dance" definitely kicks major ass!

HC BEAVER said...

oh my fucking god... ZI:KILL!!!! i love this blog. love it! still love this band too!!!! how nostalgic! seen them live twice in 1988 when they were still called G-KILL...

nattliga_toner said...

> HC BEAVER

Hi J! Didn't catch your comment 'til now (yeah, only three months late). All of their early stuff kicks ass - seeing G-KILL in '88 must've been something alright!