rekzer

in my head I just see Reggie (Nintendo) trying to cover Daizy Stripper songs 

Is he TRYING to be Yoshiki?

| Dir en grey's tenth album is something special indeed.
 
Few artists can bring the scene together and elicit responses from everyone the way that Dir en grey can. They can make you pause your habitual listening routines to check out their newest single or album, even if you don't like them. This is because Dir en grey is one of the few bands where we can sense the progression and self-improvement from release to release. I don't think that Dir en grey aspires to impress anyone but themselves from three years ago, and now more than ever I see and feel a band that has graduated from copying trends to setting them. As a concept, and after listening to the album several times, I believe The Insulated World refers directly to them, their view on the world, and the inspiration for where the music they wish to create comes from.
 
The Insulated World feels like a journey into oneself, and the album feels separated into two parts. The first half of the album feels like a turbulent descent into madness, while the second half feels like the madness has yielded to tranquility as the listener floats towards personal understanding. I prefer the second half to the first half. This is a far cry from literally every other album of theirs, where tracks were arranged haphazardly and the experience suffers for it. I can hear various influences from each of their previous eras and albums - some more than others - but one of the most redeeming points about The Insulated World is that it doesn't sound like anything in particular.
 
In the past, I've felt that Dir en grey bit off more than they could chew, and failed to deliver on their own expectations. I felt this most when listening to DUM SPIRO SPERO, where the band used progressive elements for the sake of being progressive. The Insulated World has the progressive elements applied more sensibly, similar to ARCHE. Songs morph and change direction on a whim, but there are hooks and motifs that the band returns to that gives each song coherency. Vocalist Kyo reminds us once again that he's the king of vocal manipulation - just in case you had doubts - but he's embraced his mid range more. Focusing on the extremes of his vocal techniques leaves an immediate and lasting impression at the expense of it sounding very binary. I prefer the vocal extremes for specific emotional climaxes and using other vocal techniques for specific feelings at the appropriate times. "Values of Madness" is the best example of what I am describing, where we get screeching, rapping, singing, and more in a compact four minutes. The re-recording of "The Deeper Vileness" is another great example, and also highlights how well some of the ideas they explored in The Marrow of a Bone translate into their new style ten years later.
 
Complaints about the terrible production job for the singles "Utafumi" and "Ningen wo kaburu" were founded and make more sense in hindsight, with the new versions sounding less congested. Die and Kaoru no longer compete with Toshiya for total control of the low end frequency, Shinya's drum kit sounds less robotic, Kyo doesn't feel tacked on top of the mix, and there's plenty of room left for the guitar distortion techniques and electronic samples to breathe. For the most part, I like the tone chosen for the guitar and the way everything comes together in each song, and I would rank this among both their best and least obnoxiously mixed albums to date. I wish they could get their singles to this quality.
 
The Insulated World is not a perfect release. "Devote My Life" is not listenable due to the piercing, unrelenting tone of the guitar. Sticking it in the second slot does a lot to turn away people who only have once chance to give Dir en grey. They should have gone with a guitar tone closer to "Downfall". "Ranunculus", while a great song and a good note to end the album on, has an atmosphere which doesn't fit with the album. I get the impression this track was conceived either very early or very late in the production cycle, because it stands well on its own. I also am unable to find the hook in the album opus, "絶縁体" (Zetsusentai), which I find difficult to wrap my head around. They've done this style of track more effectively with "Vinushka" and even "Diabolos", and it doesn't hold a candle to the pure atmosphere of "MACABRE". Speaking of Macabre, I also find the new version of "理由" (Riyuu) slightly inferior to the original version. The cover of the song does justice to the original by not straying too much from the melody, but they reined in the emotion of the song and the guitar solo with only a cleaner sound to compensate,  and the original version of the song sold itself on its emotion. They didn't ruin it, but they didn't improve it much. The new version of "鬼眼" (Kigan) falls into the same camp, but the much better production values edges it out ahead in the end. For the record, I much rather these safe reinterpretations than ones that butcher the song beyond recognition.
 
These interpretations are subject to change as I spend more time with The Insulated World, and perhaps catch them live one day to experience these songs in person. Even a month later, I still think I wrote this review prematurely, as there are songs still growing on me and others that I am unsure if I like or not. I am pleased overall with how this album turned out, and I can see myself listening to this album in a few years without the songs wearing thin. Dir en grey did well, and this is an album I can recommend to both long time fans and the curious, but if ARCHE did nothing for you then this won't either.
 
 
Support the artist!
iTunes | CDJapan

my dude you have an entire wiki dedicated to the band, numerous entries at vk.gy that detailed describe members history since the early 90's, occasionally seem to tweet past band members of the members to get info about the dudes, claim to be the 6th member of the band. did i miss anything? 

Man, tumblr-DEG is in uproar about the non-venue "stalker" photos and taking photos at the band's concerts...
Why do people get so radically invested in this band (or bands in general)? They're just some dudes who play music.

This is nICE FUCK

It's been comfirmed that one of the greatest modern day J-metal legends are releasing a new 12th album called "Iron Soul" in November 28th.
Further info soon to be revealed.
http://sexmachineguns.smg-fire.com/?p=782

Ricko doesn't write the lyrics, Sena does. Jiluka's music is 100% written by Sena.
 
As for my opinion about the album, it's pretty meh imo. I'm of a similar opinion as 123Sandman321. Everything sounds like copy/paste to me. Sena is a really talented guy but I'm disappointed by the lack of diversity, yet at the same time I'm not too surprised that I didn't like the album since I haven't really liked anything they've put out for a while. I've also stopped going to their lives cause they never change their set lists. Everything about them is so futsuu these days imo.

We can always make our own samples next week.

The arrangement was interesting at least and the screams were actually cool, but then that chorus kicked in...

Kyouki is back at it
 
 

12 days and still nothing. Gan-Shin told me that "it's up to the band", not sure how to understand that.
To me it sounds like they don't know more about possible teasers either.
But a band like DEG, their 10th album and NO teasers? Unimaginable.

I moved back to Tokyo on December 31, 2018 and started offering shopping service for everyone, rather than just my friends, for small fees.
I've been to 37 lives in Tokyo in 2019, so I know how things work.
 
‼️I'm focused on getting merch from lives, cd/dvd releases (from stores) and tickets.
I won't accept small orders from online stores anymore. I've done it a few times and the tiny service fee I'd have to ask for it wouldn't cover the time/materials I'd have to put into it‼️
 
General service fee is 20% of the item.
+ shipping fee and packaging (if a box is needed).
 
⚠️I'm not active enough to reply fast here, so PM's on Facebook preferred⚠️
Follow my Facebook group for updates: Paradox VK Shopping Service✨
I'm the only person posting in this group, so it's easy to find me ⬆️
 
Upcoming lives:
 
✅= confirmed ❓= not sure yet
 
2/21 → SARIGIA: Asuka birthday oneman🎉✅✅✅
 
3/7 → SARIGIA／MAMIRETA／Hueye／RAKUGAKI／自我-ジガ-(Jiga)／エンヴィル(ENVYL)／CRISIS✅✅✅
 
3/7 → DEZERT／アルルカン(arlequin)／キズ(kizu)✅✅✅

3/12 → MUCC／Nothing's Carved In Stone✅✅✅
 
3/15 → gulu gulu／ザアザア(xaa xaa)／極東ロマンス(kyokutou romance)／Chanty／-真天地開闢集団-ジグザグ(zigzag)／マザー(mother)／O.Aモンストロ(monstllow)✅✅✅
 
3/19 → 仮病(kebyo)／蟻(ari)／アンドゥー(undeux)／マチルダ(mathilda)❓❓❓
 
3/20 → SARIGIA／鴉-カラス-(karasu) ex.DAMY's vocalist's solo project／ヴィルシーナ(verxina)／XANVALA／ヴァージュ(virge)／Scarlet Valse／nurié✅✅✅
 
3/28 → DEVILOOF: women only oneman✅✅✅
 
4/2 → SARIGIA／仮病(kebyo)／XANVALA／モンストロ(monstllow)／Awake／CHIC BOY／DAMILA／AMONOVA／MOB／CRISIS／GoodbyeMyFriends／Chain×maiL／Avilis／アクメ(acme /guest)／(O.A)VOLPE❓❓❓
 
4/26 → SARIGIA／鴉-カラス-(karasu)／CHOKE／ヒッチコック(hitchcock)／UNDER FALL JUSTICE／DAMILA／BRAY KiD BRAKE iT❓❓❓
 
5/9 → DIMLIM: oneman❓❓❓
 
5/10 → マザー(MOTHER): first oneman❓❓❓
 
5/18 → SARIGIA／鴉-カラス-(karasu)／XANVALA／UNDER FALL JUSTICE／BRAY KiD BRAKE iT／DAMILA❓❓❓
 
5/25 → SARIGIA／仮病(kebyo)❓❓❓
 
6/5 → SARIGIA／ジグソウ(jigsaw)❓❓❓
 
6/20 → DEVILOOF／JILUKA／NAZARE／DEXCORE／Cazqui’s Brutal Orchestra／Victim of Deception❓❓❓
 
7/7 → SARIGIA／マチルダ(mathilda)❓❓❓
 
7/12 → DEVILOOF／JILUKA／NAZARE／DEXCORE／Cazqui’s Brutal Orchestra／Victim of Deception❓❓❓
 
7/26 → SARIGIA: oneman❓❓❓
 
 

Petrichor is foreshadowing Ricko getting the sack and new career as a solo artist.

pucha hace tiempo lo puso
vivo en los Estado Unidos soy Original de Puerto Rico

I think the cover is very beautiful and intriguing.
 
I will admit though that it is rather unusual for DEG, not only because of their choice of colors but also (and especially) because the more I think about the motif, colors and different design elements, the more I get the feeling that this cover art expresses something radically contrary to what the album title suggests (and contrary to DEG's usual vibe): peace, enlightenment and spirituality.
 
At first I tried to read it from the usual angle: dark, depressive, gloomy, aggressive etc. and the fractal design of the cover came to mind and I thought, well, maybe it signifies something along the lines of a fragmented personality/world (lat. fractus = broken) or that everything repeats itself endlessly. That would mean that nothing can truly change because real change without repetition is not possible resulting in immobility and apathy. That's where the "insulation" from the album title comes in. Plus the funnel-like objects surrounding the pupils have those dark swirls in them which might be a metaphor for all the pain and suffering or generally bad things this person has absorbed etc...
 
BUT then there’s the general expression of that person on the cover which I'm deducing mainly from the mouth and they look quite content, graceful, even dignified. The eyes are certainly wide open, so they seem to be quite perceptive and open to experience. The bindi-like dot on the forehead (the location of the third eye) is associated with spirituality and deeper perception and the color purple is usually associated with wisdom, peace, nobility, power, a higher self and so on. There's also the white fractal surrounding almost the entire head like a halo. Obviously, spiritual elements play a huge role in that image. But there's also the interplay between heaven (the golden area around the head looks like a sunlit sky) and earth (the green-brown area beginning on the neck and stretching further down to the chest) - so there's the heart that grounds you (soma) and the mind that wanders and aspires to that which is located on a higher experiential plane (psyche).
 
And that’s just off the top of my head… I think it’s a really cool cover and certainly lends itself to many interpretations. The spirituality aspect cannot be denied though I think and it makes me wonder if this is to represent a DEG that has shaken off its earthly shackles (like depression and pain) and has ascended to a higher realm of consciousness? 🙉And will that also show in lyrics? Or is it just artistic hybris: "Hey we have a new record, it'll blow your fucking mind". Whatever it is, I'm looking forward to it!
 
PS: You guys are unimaginative and boring as shit with your snarky comments - why u sound so butthurt all the time?

I'm guessing they censored a bunch of stuff to try and make the band seem more risque than they really are. I mean, one of the words they censored was "AV" (meaning adult video). They also censored him jacking off the microphone. So my guess is they're just trying to make themselves way edgier.

It's extremely annoying and kind of ruins the experience. I know there's probably kids in the audience, but as an adult I'm not gonna be horrified at masturbation gestures or swearing. 

Sugizo is a bit of a one trick pony on the violin, isn’t he?
 
I think it was lame because it was just Sugizo playing over the album track. I think an acoustic version would have been better. 

Just me or is Yoshiatsu not that great live? Listening to their live dvd and for more than half of it he can't keep up his singing. That goes for screaming, soft singing and spoken word   When he manages a full song, it's pretty good though.

MAS FUERTE
 

As I said before, I don't really have ears for music, but you can't tell me that some of you consider the mode of performances to be on the same level as the NoK live disc. Even I can hear the differences, the NoK live songs are beyond bad. I've only listened to mode of Wtd., but that one was nice. Not super-super spectacular, but it had its moments (like dead tree and kodou). Imma watch those shows tomorrow and maybe drop my mp3 rips if anyone cares about those.
 
By the way, is it true that VANITAS is about Daisuke? Allegedly, Kyo used similar lyrics to a Kagerou song or something like that...?
From what I found, the band received the message of his passing during the break before their encoure on 2010/07/15, and the next song was -mushi-, but Kyo wasn't able to sing because he cried so much... hm