How big is X Japan? Since its founding in 1982 the band has sold out the 55,000-seat Tokyo Dome 18 times and moved more than 30 million records and DVDs. What’s more, the band’s leader/drummer/pianist/composer Yoshiki is often referred to as “the Bono of Japan,” elevating the band’s fame-and-fortune benchmark into the stratosphere.

X Japan recently made its U.S. concert debut, playing the main stage at this year’s Lollapalooza in a performance that received highmarks from more than a few music journalists. The Chicago Sun-Times described the appearance as “… a rumbling guitar attack that would make Metallica take notice,” while Time Out Chicago referred to the band’s booking as “the coup of the festival.”

X Japan begins its seven-city tour in Los Angeles at The Wiltern Sept. 25, plays Oakland’s Fox Theater Sept. 28 and then heads northward to Seattle for a show at the Paramount Theatre Oct. 1.

The band plays Vancouver’s Queen Elizabeth Theatre Oct. 3; Chicago’s Riviera Oct. 6 and Toronto’s Massey Hall Oct. 7. Last stop is New York at Roseland Ballroom Oct. 10.

“We feel like a new band now, like we are going back to the beginning,” Yoshiki said. “And it’s very, very exciting. We are looking forward to playing smaller venues here in the U.S., something we haven’t been able to do in Japan since the early days.”

For more information on the upcoming X Japan U.S. / Canada tour, please click here for the band’s website.