What happened back in 1996? Hashimoto Ryutaro became Prime Minister of Japan. He has been dead for more than a decade now. The Siege of Sarajevo came to an end in the aftermath of the Bosnian War. The Nintendo 64 home video game console was released and became a huge success. Back in those days, I was still going to kindergarten, my grandfathers were both still alive and I hadn't discovered metal music yet. 

Why am I talking about all these things? It's because X Japan's last studio record Dahlia was also released that year and I wanted to put things into perspective. Twenty-one years have passed since this release. A new album has been announced and teased several times. In the beginning, it was supposed to come out shortly after the group's reunion ten years ago. Then, it was supposed to follow the release of two singles that came out six years ago. Two years ago, the band posted a picture of a disc with twelve new titles written on it on its Facebook page. The group released a new single in support of the upcoming album. Last year, a special show in London was supposed to take place which seemed to indicate the release of a new album but the date was pushed back an entire year because the guitar player got sick. Several sources indicated that new material could still be released later that year. When the band finally played its rescheduled concert this year, a documentary of the band as well as its soundtrack were celebrated. But once again the band didn't release its new album without any explanations.

And after such a long time, that's truly infuriating. Many people made fun of Guns 'N Roses' Chinese Democracy release but the band actually ended up releasing said album. Metal fans make fun of Wintersun and definitely have point but even this group has at least released the first part of its Time cycle. I don't even know any case that is comparable to what X Japan is doing to its fans.

To say it as it is: The band hasn't achieved anything noteworthy in the past twenty-one years and counting. Imagine a person who retires and stops working in its early forties and lets other naive people pay for its laziness for more than two decades while laughing at them. Would you like to support such a sucker? I guess nobody would to but that's ironically what anyone who buys this record actually does.

X Japan hasn't done anything but breaking promises, failing to give updates about the new release and trying to make a maximum of profit with a minimum of effort. X Japan has released eleven compilations since its last regular studio album and I didn't even count the boxed sets and live releases with more material of the old days. Most greatest hits compilations came with no new material at all or with only one new song which was often a live or acoustic version that sounded unfinished. X Japan have become the equivalent of capitalist loan sharks that try to fool the high number of fans that blindly follow the band and buy, comment and worship anything they do. Even calculated plastic pop bands with exchangeable band members of the shallowest kind have more to offer than this legend that destroys its own status with every single new release that isn't the promised new studio record.

We Are X is another release of this despicable kind. The band throws in an acoustic version of a new song called ''La Venus'' that hasn't even been published in its original form yet and that song turns out to be another shallow piano ballad like ''Without You'' that was exclusively included on the band's last greatest hits release just to be published again on this compilation here. The band's few promising new singles like ''Jade'' or ''Born to Be Free'' are however once again not physically available yet.

Aside of adding a vapid new song, this compilation manages to fail at all other levels as well. It opens and closes with two boring piano ballads instead of kicking things off with a bang. The compilation randomly mixes live tracks, acoustic songs, instrumental tunes, edited versions and regular tracks on this release that doesn't have any coherence whatsoever. The songs and versions chosen for this compilation are almost exclusively tracks that have already been chosen numerous times for similar releases. Overlooked fan's favorites or rare material from the group's early years are obviously not included here. The band even destroyed its own songs by offering only an excerpt of its career highlight ''Art of Life'' which was at least included in its entirey on the last greatest hits record. This song should be released in its entirey or not at all. It's as if Led Zeppelin put an excerpt of about ninety second of ''Stairway to Heaven'' on a shiny new coaster.

That isn't enough though because the band needs to fool its Japanese fans even more. The limited edition of this album comes with a different cover artwork and a bonus disc including including two live songs that had already been published before. The regular version of one of those songs is even already included on the first disc, so you get the same song twice instead of listening to something different for a change. How much are the fans supposed to pay for this special edition in Japan? While the regular release is available as an import version for about fifteen dollars, the vapid limited release costs about twenty-seven bucks. Yes, you have to pay almost twice the price for two extra songs that have already been published before.

What is the context of this release anyway? It's called the soundtrack of an original motion picture which is actually a melodramatic documentary about the band's career that tells us nothing that X Japan fans haven't already known before. Instead of getting a proper soundtrack, the occasion of this documentary's release was used to produce another cheap compilation.

I can't even eat as much as I feel the need to puke when I'm just thinking about that release. If you have any kind of self-respect, don't buy this piece of crap and actively try to convince other people not to waste their money on this hollow plastic record. If you support the band by buying this album, they will think that they actually have a point in releasing this. Instead, these so-called legends should be brought down to earth again and criticized for the way they treat their fans. They should deliver the goods or just retire instead of exploiting their misled supporters. I was a fan myself not so long ago and have chosen to ignore anything about this band until an actual new studio record will be released. As it is now, I doubt that this will actually happen one day but hope dies last.

We are not X!

Final rating: 0%

As a horror movie connoisseur, I couldn't get around this movie that has become a surprising box office success, has got positive reviews from critics and fans and has developed a hype that might classify it as future cult movie. Behold! The same was said about It Follows not so long ago, a movie I thought was tedious and overrated. As it turns out, Get Out is another genre movie that doesn't deserve all the praise it gets. Don't get me wrong, it's better than another Paranormal Activity sequel and is overall a slightly above average film but it surely isn't the stunning masterpiece most people make of it. 

Just to be clear, this film barely classifies as horror movie. I would call it a psychological thriller with some misplaced supernatural scientific elements. The movie had an overall vaguely mysterious atmosphere but it didn't get scary aside of two minor jump scares involving a deer and a servant.

Let's start with the positives. First of all, the movie has a continuously intriguing mysterious atmosphere. This atmosphere isn't only supported by the gloomy plot but also by calm and precise camera work that offers a more than welcome alternative to cheap shaky camera stylistics in contemporary horror cinema. The movie features a moody soundtrack that blends in without being as eccentric as the Insidious scores. 

A movie is carried by its main character and British newcomer Daniel Kaluuya is a gifted actor. The character's emotions are portrayed accurately. You can see how the main character starts as calm, grounded and smart person and becomes nervous, hectic and confused. Daniel Kaluuya is a name you should keep on your mind because we might see more stunning movies with him. I could even see him becoming the next incarnation of James Bond.

Let's talk about the negative parts. First of all, the trailer is basically the entire movie, so don't watch it. I didn't even watch it and it still took me less than five minutes after the main character arrived at the mansion to figure out what was going on and what would happen next. The fact that the movie is so predictable has a negative impact on its otherwise intense atmosphere. The movie fails to offer any surprises to people who are familiar with horror movies. 

Despite a short running time, the movie feels stretched. When I'm watching a horror movie, I'm not expecting any action and I'm ready to wait until the movie quickens up the pace but some elements in the film are either irrelevant or repetitive. Instead of showing us one scene where specific characters act weirdly, the makers offer three similar scenes until the most feeble-minded viewer has realized what's wrong with these specific characters. A subtle horror movie should take its audience more seriously and offer less redundant clues.

This leads us to the acting performances. Daniel Kaluuya delivers a stunning performance. Allison Williams offers a solid performance but the two main characters have no chemistry and fail to represent a realistic couple. I could still accept this because that hint might have been intentional. What I can't accept is that every single other actor acts over-the-top, no matter if it suits their roles or not. It starts with the main character's hyperactive friend, goes on with repulsively rude police officers and ends with an entire family and its friends who behave as if they came from a different planet. This acting strategy is repeated to death until the characters have become parodies of specific stereotypes. That doesn't fit to a movie that relies on its gloomy atmosphere and intends to spread a message against stereotypes.

On the other side, the movie takes itself too seriously. The scene involving a car accident and an encounter with a local police officer is obviously included as an element of foreshadowing announcing the main character's struggle with his mother's death and with white people with debatable stereotypes. However, this scene feels so forced and pseudo-intellectual that it takes away from the movie's atmosphere instead of adding to it. A very similar thing happens at the end, when the writers offer awkward science-fiction elements appropriate for old-fashioned Frankenstein movies but not for a film with such a relevant message when police violence against black people has increased in what is supposed to be the flagship of democracy, equality and liberty. It seems that the movie makers couldn't decide whether they wanted to offer an entirely serious psychological thriller with relevant social critiques or a clever parody playing with stereotypes. In the end, they failed at both attempts. The movie feels directionless.

My guess is that it got such praise because it portrays an admittedly sympathetic black man struggling with abusive white people. It's funny how a movie that intends to mock stupid stereotypes is itself based upon stereotypes. Would this very same movie have had the same positive reviews if it had portrayed a white main character being abused by black people? I'm quite confident that wouldn't have been the case because people would have called the makers of this movie racist and the film's message debatable. This proves that the reason why this film receives such approval is because of its message that is at the pulse of time and yet simplifies a very important topic too much. If you take away the movie's intentions, what do we have left? We have an average horror movie.

If you aren't familiar with horror movies and want to get a smooth introduction with a psychological thriller, this film is a good choice. If you are rightfully infuriated by the current rise of stereotypes including racism, you will get some food for thought. If you are looking for a clever or innovating horror movie that justifies its hype, you won't get satisfaction. My final suggestion is to rent this movie instead of spending well-earned money on a cinema ticket.

Final rating: 60%

As a horror movie connoisseur, I couldn't get around this movie that has become a surprising box office success, has got positive reviews from critics and fans and has developed a hype that might classify it as future cult movie. Behold! The same was said about It Follows not so long ago, a movie I thought was tedious and overrated. As it turns out, Get Out is another genre movie that doesn't deserve all the praise it gets. Don't get me wrong, it's better than another Paranormal Activity sequel and is overall a slightly above average film but it surely isn't the stunning masterpiece most people make of it. 

Just to be clear, this film barely classifies as horror movie. I would call it a psychological thriller with some misplaced supernatural scientific elements. The movie had an overall vaguely mysterious atmosphere but it didn't get scary aside of two minor jump scares involving a deer and a servant.

Let's start with the positives. First of all, the movie has a continuously intriguing mysterious atmosphere. This atmosphere isn't only supported by the gloomy plot but also by calm and precise camera work that offers a more than welcome alternative to cheap shaky camera stylistics in contemporary horror cinema. The movie features a moody soundtrack that blends in without being as eccentric as the Insidious scores. 

A movie is carried by its main character and British newcomer Daniel Kaluuya is a gifted actor. The character's emotions are portrayed accurately. You can see how the main character starts as calm, grounded and smart person and becomes nervous, hectic and confused. Daniel Kaluuya is a name you should keep on your mind because we might see more stunning movies with him. I could even see him becoming the next incarnation of James Bond.

Let's talk about the negative parts. First of all, the trailer is basically the entire movie, so don't watch it. I didn't even watch it and it still took me less than five minutes after the main character arrived at the mansion to figure out what was going on and what would happen next. The fact that the movie is so predictable has a negative impact on its otherwise intense atmosphere. The movie fails to offer any surprises to people who are familiar with horror movies. 

Despite a short running time, the movie feels stretched. When I'm watching a horror movie, I'm not expecting any action and I'm ready to wait until the movie quickens up the pace but some elements in the film are either irrelevant or repetitive. Instead of showing us one scene where specific characters act weirdly, the makers offer three similar scenes until the most feeble-minded viewer has realized what's wrong with these specific characters. A subtle horror movie should take its audience more seriously and offer less redundant clues.

This leads us to the acting performances. Daniel Kaluuya delivers a stunning performance. Allison Williams offers a solid performance but the two main characters have no chemistry and fail to represent a realistic couple. I could still accept this because that hint might have been intentional. What I can't accept is that every single other actor acts over-the-top, no matter if it suits their roles or not. It starts with the main character's hyperactive friend, goes on with repulsively rude police officers and ends with an entire family and its friends who behave as if they came from a different planet. This acting strategy is repeated to death until the characters have become parodies of specific stereotypes. That doesn't fit to a movie that relies on its gloomy atmosphere and intends to spread a message against stereotypes.

On the other side, the movie takes itself too seriously. The scene involving a car accident and an encounter with a local police officer is obviously included as an element of foreshadowing announcing the main character's struggle with his mother's death and with white people with debatable stereotypes. However, this scene feels so forced and pseudo-intellectual that it takes away from the movie's atmosphere instead of adding to it. A very similar thing happens at the end, when the writers offer awkward science-fiction elements appropriate for old-fashioned Frankenstein movies but not for a film with such a relevant message when police violence against black people has increased in what is supposed to be the flagship of democracy, equality and liberty. It seems that the movie makers couldn't decide whether they wanted to offer an entirely serious psychological thriller with relevant social critiques or a clever parody playing with stereotypes. In the end, they failed at both attempts. The movie feels directionless.

My guess is that it got such praise because it portrays an admittedly sympathetic black man struggling with abusive white people. It's funny how a movie that intends to mock stupid stereotypes is itself based upon stereotypes. Would this very same movie have had the same positive reviews if it had portrayed a white main character being abused by black people? I'm quite confident that wouldn't have been the case because people would have called the makers of this movie racist and the film's message debatable. This proves that the reason why this film receives such approval is because of its message that is at the pulse of time and yet simplifies a very important topic too much. If you take away the movie's intentions, what do we have left? We have an average horror movie.

If you aren't familiar with horror movies and want to get a smooth introduction with a psychological thriller, this film is a good choice. If you are rightfully infuriated by the current rise of stereotypes including racism, you will get some food for thought. If you are looking for a clever or innovating horror movie that justifies its hype, you won't get satisfaction. My final suggestion is to rent this movie instead of spending well-earned money on a cinema ticket.

Final rating: 60%

My favorite band is back with a live album recorded in Helsinki last summer that features nine rearranged versions of songs originally recorded over the past two decades. Amorphis invited guest musicians Pekko Käppi who plays an ancient Finnish-Karelian bowed lyre called jouhikko as well as regular collaborator Sakari Kukko on flutes and saxophone as far as I'm informed. The nine songs sound overall calmer and more natural than usual but even more diversified and progressive than the original tracks.

The mixture of folk and jazz tones in the playful opener ''Enigma'' is one of the highlights on the diversified set list and a surprising improvement on an often overlooked track. One must also point out the new version of ''Sampo'' which manages to add even more soundscapes to the original and make one of the band's most sophisticated songs even richer. An obvious highlight is the last track ''Her Alone'' which is another tune that often passes under the radar. Skilled Dutch singer Anneke van Giersbergen adds her crystal clear vocals to Tomi Joutsen's soothing performance in a song that gets more and more intense and ends on a harmonious climax to finish the set in style. While all nine songs offer a few new twists and turns, there are some tracks that remain overall very similar to the original tunes. However, even these tracks like the intense ''Silver Bride'' or the psychedelic ''Alone'' blend in very well and are actually already perfect in their original forms. That's why small changes such as a short acoustic overture in the case of ''Silver Bride'' and a shorter final section as heard in ''Alone'' are appropriate because they offer minor new elements to discover without taking away from the brilliance of the original compositions. Amorphis proves that it knows its own material very well and manages to improve great songs to excellent tracks while the excellent titles remain on the same high level. 

This album is physically available as part of the tour edition of the last studio release Under the Red Cloud but can also be purchased digitally without the studio record. On the other side, the band missed an excellent occasion to release this outstanding set with the second set played that night which consisted in a performance of the entire Under the Red Cloud record plus a short encore. This package would have been a very complete release showcasing many of Amorphis' diversified soundscapes. This would have been one of the best live records ever. Still, even this single set with more dominant acoustic, folk and jazz sounds added to Amorphis' progressive melodic metal style is a great addition to anyone who truly loves music.

Final rating: 97%