Blurbs
User

Reviews 1
Approval 100%

Soundoffs 14
Album Ratings 813
Objectivity 72%

Last Active 01-17-20 7:31 pm
Joined 12-19-18

Review Comments 41

 Lists
03.12.19 Dir En Grey Albums - Worst to Best

Dir En Grey Albums - Worst to Best

Over two decades, Japan's leading metal band has consistently evolved and released some great albums. No single album is 'bad', but due to the sheer number of stylistic changes, it's hard to enjoy every one equally. This is how I would rank the albums.
10Dir En Grey
Kisou

Kisou features some of the best songs from Dir En Grey's early era, but the problem with the album is that when put together, it's a slog. There's too many ballads, so when a shorter, punchier song comes around it just feels out of place. There are some excellent songs here though, like "Bottom of the Death Valley" and "undecided", but the pacing and frankly awful production holds it back. Seriously, people that are complaining about The Insulated World's production should go back to Kisou - it's really bad. That said, this was the band's first experience with the nu metal style that would dominate them throughout the mid-00s, so it is important for that alone. Definitely rough around the edges, but still worth a listen. Some hold this album on a pedestal but it's never done it for me.
9Dir En Grey
The Marrow of a Bone

The Marrow of a Bone sees Dir En Grey at their most generic, at least for the first half of the album. Featuring some rather unoriginal metalcore/nu metal riffs and less than stellar, angsty Anders Friden style harsh vocals from Kyo (which he would finally perfect in Uroboros), and it pales compared to the album that came before it. These early tracks are still pretty catchy, but it's in the second half where this album starts to redeem itself. Some of the slower, calmer tracks like "Namamekashiki Ansoku, Tamerai ni Hohoemi" are the real hidden gems of the album. It's a shame that some of the tracks on the second half start strong and then burst into more generic sounding nu metal, but get past that and you have a very flawed yet enjoyable album. It just isn't as involved or interesting as something like Macabre.
8Dir En Grey
Vulgar

Vulgar is a great album, but I can never get into it. Whenever I put it on, I'm impressed and really enjoy it, but I never have an urge to revisit it. At this point in the band's career, pulling off such a divisive change in style was a bold move, and the band suffered from some detractors. Vulgar isn't just a nu metal album though, nor just an alt rock album; there are a lot of influences here. Audience Killer Loop has the first use of what I like to call the 'Katatonia riff' that shows up a lot in their later albums, particularly Arche. The closing track, Amber, is a straight up goth rock song, and R to the Core is a very short punkish track... basically there is a lot of variety. You do have tracks like Child Prey and Shokubeni that are close to what Korn was making in the 90s though, but they are simple and addictive and help breathe life into the album. The production is a step up from Kisou but still lacking in some places - it's more than listenable though.
7Dir En Grey
The Insulated World

The most recent and most controversial album from the band. My thoughts? Well it's definitely a step down from the last three albums but I enjoy it a lot. The production is raw and I would argue that it's purposefully like this to compliment the loud, intense earlier tracks, but when you get to the final 4 or so songs and some big moments are undermined by the lack of dynamic range, it becomes a big problem. The pacing is similar to that of The Marrow of a Bone, what with the first half being in your face and the second being more relaxed and progressive. It goes back to a more riff based approach with some conventional verse chorus verse song structures that you would expect from Withering to death. especially with Values of Madness. I don't know if that song is a parody of nu metal or if the band genuinely wanted it to sound like that, but it's not great. Tracks 10-13 are the best in the album, elevating it to the next level for me.
6Dir En Grey
GAUZE

The debut from the band is also one of the most beloved by hardcore fans. It is considered a classic in the VK scene, and I can mostly see why. It is very rough and you can tell that it's the band's first full length, but the ideas presented are more than worthwhile. Rough elements of metal can be heard in some riffs, but Gauze is mostly just really fun alt/pop rock music, but with a very dark lyrical twist. The lyrics are some of the most depraved that I have heard, even putting some death metal bands to shame. Tsumi to Batsu would leave some CC fans shocked. The massive issue with Gauze is in the form of one song, and that's Mazohyst of Decadence. Let's forget the idiotic lyrics for a second, and look at it musically... it's just boring. It builds up for far too long and the payoff is less than satisfying. If it was removed altogether then the album would be a solid 4.5 for me, but it just bogs it down. I always skip it, and without it, the album is pretty great.
5Dir En Grey
MACABRE

Easily the band's least accessible release excluding DSS, MACABRE is a journey. Compared to GAUZE, it's way more progressive and experimental, with several songs eclipsing the 8 minute mark. Unconventional song structures and odd fusions of styles make this album hard to get into, yet deeply rewarding. You've got full prog rock songs here like the title track, which unlike Mazohyst has interesting dynamics and tonal shifts. This album also has more of a metal presence than GAUZE, with Myaku, Hydra and Ratetsukoku leaning heavily towards thrash metal. In amongst all of this though though are more competently written alt/pop rock songs. All of this variety might feel like too much to hold, but I don't think that it ever becomes tiresome despite the 73 minute length of the album. It's an album where no tracks are skipped.
4Dir En Grey
Arche

Arche isn't so much a step down from the previous two albums, rather it's just less surprising, all things considered. There are a monumental 16 tracks on this thing, but they are all great. Kyo's vocals are at their best here too - his new tool here is a very high register, clean falsetto, and it's quite beautiful. In fact, that's how I'd describe the entire album - beautiful. The production gives it an otherworldly atmosphere, complimented by the album cover itself, and the echo and tremolo picked riffs are awe inspiring. It's another huge stylistic change from Dum Spiro Spero, but one that feels natural. There is no death metal at all here, except for the growled vocals, in fact I would describe some of it as bordering on post-black metal due to the aforementioned tremolo picking and shrieked vocals. It's avant-garde for sure, but only due to Kyo's vocal experimentation. Definitely one of the best albums from the band and a sign of maturity, proving that the band has still got it.
3Dir En Grey
Dum Spiro Spero

At release, many criticised Dum Spiro Spero for being boring deathcore. This is wrong. I mean, sure, some tracks lean towards deathcore due to the breakdowns (hageshita to...) but there is so much going on here stylistically that it's impossible to categorise. From death, doom, prog and a bit of grind, Dir En Grey effortlessly explores multiple styles in the extreme metal sub category, and whilst it doesn't always work perfectly, it's always engaging. I don't find it boring at all - some tracks can be a bit dissonant and spacey (Amon, Yokusou ni Dreambox etc.) but the experimentation makes up for it. This is also the first time where Kyo's vocals are at that god tier level. He proved himself as a competent vocalist beforehand, don't get me wrong, but DSS showcased another dimension to his ability. The way that he effortlessly switches between growls, screeches and cleans is unbelievable at times. DSS is excellent, but a lot to take in. Multiple listens are necessary.
2Dir En Grey
Withering to Death

I would describe Wtd. as a rock album. Sure it's heavy, and has some of the first uses of Kyo's guttural vocals, but in terms of song structure it couldn't be any more an alt rock album (with a bit of nu/alt metal thrown in there too). There is still variety, but some tracks do sound quite similar. This makes it feel more cohesive to me though. Verse chorus verse repeat. It's not particularly remarkable in that sense, but it is remarkable due to the feeling that it gives me. I can't describe it, but this album has me on the edge of tears each time I listen to it. There is just so much emotion in it, but it's also just empowering. The choruses are of particular note as they are simply the best that I've ever heard. I'm serious. This album is very much about death, and doesn't hesitate to explore the many ways in which death can happen. It makes some of the lyrics feel very powerful. It's hard to describe, but this album spoke to me in a way that no other has.
1Dir En Grey
Uroboros

Cliché choice for sure, Uroboros is the album that got me into the band. It effortlessly combines multiple styles such as death metal, progressive rock, alt metal and avant-garde to generate something truly unique. Variety is in abundance yet the album progresses with a consistent flow. The intensity that it builds up brings a general sense of claustrophobia, especially in the original mix. Listen to the remaster however and you're presented with a lot more breathing space, and you can discern the outstanding instrumentation. Uroboros brings back the old experimental stlye from Macabre and combines it with the harsh riff-based metal of their Marrow of a Bone era, and Kyo's vocals evolve further by incorporating guttural growls and inhuman screeches. Uroboros is the peak of the band's career; it may not have the complex, progressive structures of Dum Spiro Spero, or the otherworldly atmosphere of Arche, but it does have emotional weight and a unique quality to it.
Show/Add Comments (19)

STAFF & CONTRIBUTORS // CONTACT US

Bands: A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
Site Copyright 2005-2023 Sputnikmusic.com
All Album Reviews Displayed With Permission of Authors | Terms of Use | Privacy Policy