Yoshiki composes music for the films xXx 4 and Spycies, as X Japan finish up first album in more than 22 years

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X Japan last released a full-length studio album in 1996.

X Japan leader Yoshiki has been tapped to compose the theme song and additional music for the latest installment of the xXx franchise, xXx 4, starring Vin Diesel.

Yoshiki, the drummer, pianist and creative force in the legendary Japanese metal band, has previously composed music for Saw IV, Repo! The Genetic Opera, and the anime series Attack on Titan.

The newest xXx movie is currently in pre-production, with Diesel himself hitting Instagram a few days ago to ask his fans for casting advice: “Heading into a xXx meeting this weekend… Who would you like to see added to the xXx League?”

The film is being produced by the relatively new company The H Collective, which is also currently financing its first animated feature, Spycies, an action spy comedy produced by Chinese entertainment giant iQiyi. Yoshiki is also creating the theme song and music for Spycies, which is slated to hit theaters in China on August 8th, 2019.

“Yoshiki is a great friend of ours at THC and we are incredibly proud to be working with such a talent on two movies which are both global in scope,” The H Collective CEO Nic Crawley said in a statement. “Spycies brings together talent from the US, Japan, China and France.”

Added Yoshiki, “I’m excited to be part of the new xXx film and Spycies; composing the new theme songs and collaborating on the film scores.”

In addition to the film news, it’s been revealed that X Japan are finally completing work on their first new studio album in more than 22 years. In an interview with Consequence of Sound last year, Yoshiki had said that the band was planning to release the disc in late summer or early fall of 2018, but it now looks like a 2019 date is more likely. The prolific musician also revealed at the time that Marilyn Manson contributed to one of the tracks, and he was recently a guest at Manson’s 50th birthday party.

X Japan have sold 30 million singles and albums combined to date, with their last album, Dahlia, released in 1996. Sadly, classic members Hide (guitar) and Taiji (bass) passed away in 1998 and 2011, respectively.