DEAD END blue vices VIHX-1762
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Artist = DEAD END
Title = blue vices
Label = INVITATION
Catalog# = VIHX-1762
Barcode = 4988002168538
Release = JAPAN
Year = 1988
RPM = 45rpm
Disc Size = 7"
Number of Discs = 1
Mono/Stereo =
2trk, bw/wire dancer
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Bridging Styles: DEAD END’s Debut Single ‘Blue Vices’ (VIHX-1762)
Today’s entry highlights a pivotal 7-inch single from the legendary Japanese rock band DEAD END. This is their debut single, “Blue Vices,” released on December 16, 1988, via the Invitation label (Victor) with the catalog number VIHX-1762.
This 45 RPM vinyl captures the band at a crucial turning point in their musical evolution. Arriving after their third album “Shambara” and before their fourth album “ZERO,” “Blue Vices” represents the bridge between their earlier heavy metal sound and the darker, more alternative and “occultic” rock style they would soon embrace.
The single features two tracks:
A: Blue Vices
B: Wire Dancer
The title track, co-composed by guitarist YOU and producer Hajime Okano with lyrics by vocalist MORRIE, showcases this shift with a unique, atmospheric sound. The B-side, “Wire Dancer,” is another non-album track that further explores this new direction. Neither song was included on their original studio albums at the time, making this single an essential item for fans until they were later collected on best-of compilations.
VIHX-1762 is a significant artifact in DEAD END’s history, documenting the moment they began to shed their metal skin and transform into a unique entity in the Japanese rock scene. The release originally came in a company sleeve with a lyric insert.