Review Summary: MACABRE is a divers album by Dir en Grey. Though not as diverse as Kisou, it is more along the lines of Gauze, and a great album in general.
MACABRE is Dir en Grey's second full length album, released after the highly successful and popular GAUZE. So how do you follow up that album? Well, let's check the review:
Deity is the opening track, and it is a great opener, in my view. It's monk chants are rather spooky, which then blends into a heavy guitar riff, closed by Kyo singing with a rather creepy woman singing in the background. Creepy, but a good opener.
Myaku is the next track, which is also a single. Definitely a heavier track, and well deserving of praise. Kyo's vocals excel in this track, and Kaoru and Die's guitars are definitely catchy. A standout track in MACABRE.
Riyuu is the third track, and in my view, a very fun track to listen to. While doing nothing new musically, the guitar riffs tend to flow well together, and Toshiya's bass shines in this song. A solid track.
Egnirys Cimredorph -an injection- is the fourth track, and a track where Toshiya shows his skill with the bass. It's definitely catchy, adding a more diverse track to the already diverse MACABRE.
Hydra is the fifth track, and is an extremely heavy track. Kyo's screams in the chorus are mesmerizing to say the least. The verses tend to have an electronic tune to them, leading more diversity. Shinya's heavy drum beat in the chorus help lead Hydra as a very powerful song on this album.
Hotarubi, which is one of my favorites, is the sixth track. The first thing I noticed in this song is the beautiful violin, and the female singer. This is a very emotional track, and a fairly long track too. The chorus also is very good, and Kyo's emotional voice definitely makes this track one of the better songs on MACABRE.
KR Cube is the seventh track, as well as a single. Toshiya has a nice bass line to start the song, but all in all, I don't care much for this song. The song is nothing overly special, but still, a decent song.
Berry is the eighth track, and Kyo's lyrical ability come to play in this song. The song is about a little girl killing her parents. Yet, the song still has an oddly cheery vibe to it, which obviously leads to the diversity of MACABRE. Definitely a good track.
MACABRE is the ninth track, and is the longest track on the album, going over ten minutes. The guitars in this song are amazing, and Shinya's opening drums are quite pleasant to hear. Kyo's whispering voice in the verses make this song very unique, and will enthrall you for the ten plus minutes it plays.
Audrey is the tenth track, and probably the worst track on MACABRE. It consists of practically the same guitar riff, and Kyo's vocals are kind of, well, boring on this track. There's not too much else I can say, just listen for yourself.
Rasetsukoku is the eleventh track, and in the heavier category. Kaoru and Die lend out some punishing riffs, which will leave you headbanging like Hydra made me. Kyo's succulent screams in this song make this a song you can listen to again and again.
Zakuro is the twelth track on MACABRE. Ok...here I go. Zakuro is my FAVORITE Dir en Grey song. Kaoru and Die's guitars have an eerie flow to them, yet still catchy. Shinya's drumming is unique and to the point, and Toshiya's bass stays fluent. The guitar solo in the middle of the song is just beautiful, adding to the diverse lyrics. To the best part...Kyo's voice is just amazing in this track. Staying quiet and innocent until the last couple of minutes of the track, where he begins emotionally singing. Yet, the conclusion of the track has Kyo "bloodcurdlingly" screaming, which sends shivers down my spine every time. In my view, the best track on MACABRE, and one of the best overall.
Taiyou no Uta ends this album, and has a closing, triumphant vibe. You can just listen to it and tell it's the last song. All five members work well in this song, and for some reason, I always feel better after this track.
All in all, that is MACABRE. You can keep reading this or listen to it for yourself.
