Zeus

- mawaru, mawaru

- eins, zwei, drei, vier

Sup

59 minutes ago, Licio123 said:

I think MACABRE is their best album (Zeus, can't forgive you for choosing Zakuro as one of the worst and omitting the legendary Hotaru), but my favorite is... DUM SPIRO SPERO. Yes, kill me.

But who actually considers "Hotarubi" legendary? I haven't heard a fan say "damn, I was spinning some 'Hotarubi' the other day and those firefly buzzes spoke to me spiritually". It's just...okay to me. On an album from an era with no shortage of ballads to pick, "Hotarubi" doesn't come to mind first. And "Zakuro" is so boring OMG.

22 hours ago, Saishu said:

Honestly, there’s no reason for it to be over eight minutes long. It’s a very VK thing to take a four minute song and stretch the drama out to six or more minutes, though, so DEG aren’t the only one guilty. 

There is no reason for it to be over eight minutes long. I would say the song is a solid six minute banger. But what does it mean when I place it second on the list?

A huge difficulty I encountered when making this list was coming up with the order. Like a lot of others in this topic, I don't truthfully have a Dir en grey album I hate, so instead I organized it from "least favorite" to "most favorite". I did the same thing for the tracks on each album, and then I looked towards the singles and other releases for each period so I could analyze each era as a whole. I ended up with three different lists and this is the output after I merged them all together. That's why I stress the difference between a good Dir en grey album and a good Dir en grey period so hard; it actually does matter.

I'll go through my thought process with GAUZE below.

GAUZE is my third favorite Dir en grey album and the one that introduced me into this world, so I have fond memories of it. When I rate each track individually based on my enjoyment, I get the following score:

 

1."Gauze -Mode of Adam-" 2/5

2."Schweinの椅子" 3/5

3."ゆらめき"  3.5/5

4."Raison Detre" 3.5/5

5."304号室、白死の桜" 4/5

6."Cage" 4/5

7."蜜と唾" 2/5

8."Mazohyst of Decadence" 2/5

9."予感" 4/5

10."Mask" 2/5

11."残-ZAN-" 3/5

12."アクロの丘" 4/5

13."Gauze -Mode of Eve-" 1/5

Ranked on how important I think the song is to the album experience the list changes to this:

 

1."Gauze -Mode of Adam-" 0/5

2."Schweinの椅子" 3/5

3."ゆらめき"  5/5

4."Raison Detre" 3.5/5

5."304号室、白死の桜" 4/5

6."Cage" 5/5

7."蜜と唾" 3/5

8."Mazohyst of Decadence" 5/5

9."予感" 4/5

10."Mask" 1/5

11."残-ZAN-" 2/5

12."アクロの丘" 4/5

13."Gauze -Mode of Eve-" 0/5

When I zoomed out and took a look at the whole GAUZE-era, there are some other tracks that get into the mix such as "-I'll-" and "Unknown...despair...a lost". Tracks we consider classics that fall out of the analysis if we only recommend the album. The fact that these two tracks weren't on the album brings down the score because that is the difference we have been trying to isolate! This is also why MACABRE ranks lower than intended on my list; I love the period to bits but the album has a lot of filler that members can make arguments for cutting and replacing with various other songs. Put all of these factors together and out pops the recommendations I wrote in the first post. Not perfect, but I tried to look at the whole picture and the small details at the same time, so the end result is always fighting against itself in principle.

VULGAR ends up at the top of my list because it's the album that requires the fewest amount of modifications to enjoy the period to the max. Listen to VULGAR + "腐海" and that's everything you need. UROBOROS falls to second because of the sheer quantity of tracks provided in this era and how many unnecessary retakes there are (and the "remastered" edition left an aftertaste of piss in my mouth that has yet to dissipate). 

@BrenGun is correct. She floated this idea a while ago, and we gave her the same reason then as we did now: it's a lot of work to maintain. Splitting the forum into visual kei and "other" a few years ago took a concerted effort from all of us, and it took hours, and it wasn't perfect. To maintain a "new bands" section would require us to put forth that kind of effort regularly. That work would fall on the staff...and we are not doing it.

On top of that, I think that this idea would not work because of user browsing habits. I have observed that users are less likely to frequent a particular sub forum here the more deeply nested that sub forum is, and that's because it is not immediately obvious that the forum is there. It's true for every forum category here, and even for groups, a criminally underrated feature which allows members to construct their own "forums" here. Only a fraction of users here will ever frequent a forum nested more than three levels deep, and barely anyone uses the groups functionality.

Even topic tags would be messy because someone would have to tag all of the new band threads, and someone else would have to go through and untag those threads after X amount of time. Nobody is doing that. We could hire an entire team of moderators, give em a color (let's say green), and make that their only task and they still wouldn't do it...because it's a soul crushing task with no reward other than "Thanks!" from some stranger halfway across the planet posting on MH using two coconuts and a McDonald's Wi-Fi connection.

Finally, I don't think this would work because of user posting habits (which is related to their browsing habits but is not the same). The News section is so popular because that's where breaking news goes, and then tons of members post their feelings and responses to updates and conversation there. The Artist forum should be the place of 90% of the conversation that happens in the news thread, and we've tried to redirect conversation there in the past, but members just like posting in the News section. 🤷‍♂️

tl;dr: The news section is always going to be packed and clogged with threads. It's a good problem to have. Any attempt at wrangling order out of chaos is futile. 

Thank you for posting this topic but the answer is no.

4 hours ago, heresytrash said:

I'm going to be blunt and say that my oldest brother, the oldest out of us seven, is not a good human being and an abuser. 

 

Because of this, certain members of my family find it hard to get along with them, though it wasn't the lack of trying. The crimes he did were so heinous and had such a negative impact, with no real acknowledgment from him or apology that it was too hard to keep civil anymore even for my mom's sake.

 

My mom states that she's the only one who has faith in him when he's never really done anything to redeem himself and gets mad when I dont acknowledgme anything he does.

 

As of late he wasn't invited to my sisters wedding and he's not invited to my brothers wedding either at his fiance's request to protect her child.

 

If I get married he won't be invited either, I barely consider him family anymore. 

 

However the way she talks about our trauma with him is odd, that if any regular Joe schmoe did this to us she'd want his head.

 

She expects the victim to just realize he's "trying his best" despite he keeps playing victim. Like he hasn't caused any psychological damage to his victims at all and his wife says they're being over dramatic about it.

 

How can I relay to my mom that even though he's her son, and our brother, his actions are just way too severe and we dont owe him any sympathy or forgiveness?

 

If this topic is too heavy feel free to delete it, I just had to get it off my chest.

There's always a reason for people to do what they do. And in this instance, I am referring to both your mother and your oldest brother, but for different reasons.

I have no idea what your brother did and I'm not going to ask you to share it, so you can pretend that I "covered" it.

I don't understand the whole situation concerning you and your mother, but I can relate. I understand what it feels like to know a family member is horrible person but apparently nothing you do can convince someone otherwise. If the math isn't adding up, odds are there is something you don't know. Maybe a lot of things. Some piece of the picture that you are missing. Parents are pretty good at hiding their past from their children. The only two people in this world that would be able to tell you are your mother and your brother, and we can nix the last one.

To get her to understand where you are coming from, you first have to understand where she is coming from. You need to understand where her mind is so you can break down that mental fortress she's put up between her and her pain, so the points that you are making can come across. Right now she hears you but she doesn't. Doing this may require you to learn some painful things about your family that you may not be ready for. Prepare yourself to the best of your ability, and begin by thinking about the types of questions that you should be asking. There's obviously some reason why she wants to keep extending the metaphorical olive branch, and that's at the heart of your issue here. Until you figure out what that reason is, the situation probably will not change.

10 minutes ago, nekkichi said:

I refuse to participate in the ongoing kisou slander this forum has developed a taste for over the past few years.

Kisou and Macabre are in a similar boat for me in one regard. Their periods were excellent and full of a lot of fan favorites. The albums are quite jank, especially Kisou.

5 hours ago, EvilHippy said:

I've counted 7 favourite tracks which Zeus mentioned as the worst ones. I need to question my tastes 😅

And I still love TIW for what it is trying to be - not overcomplicated album suited for concerts (Arche also tried to be like this, but it catered for ballad/soft song fans). And because it gives fun&heavy songs (DSS was heavy, Arche was somewhat fun, and TIW is both for me).

And I dislike poppy part of Gauze. Again, tastes (although I'm into Schwein no Isu and Tsumi to Batsu, they're fun).

Edit.
Also, @Zeus You don't like that TMoaB starts with Conceived Sorrow and continues with 4 bangers, but your TIW recommendation tracklist is:

1)Aka
2)All heavy stuff 🙂

LOL seems funny doesn't it? I don't hate that MARROW starts with a slow track. "CONCEIVED SORROW" is just not a great opener for what is essentially a metal core album. They set you up with a depressing power ballad before slapping you with three of the most generic and interchangeable tracks in their discography. It's an odd juxtaposition because MARROW  is so straightforward with how it presents itself, where as I find The Insulated World is a lot more cagey and difficult to approach with just a few listens. That's why it makes sense to me to put Aka first.

 

 

1 hour ago, Ro plz said:

The band (or maybe just Kaoru) did want to make a more badass version of Uroboros because of how well received Uroboros was. They were really confident and very open when it came to promo for DSS. Remember how Shinya did a QnA on FB? And how they had giveaways every other day like a month or so before DSS dropped and the twitter account was hella active? Once the album dropped and they seen how many units it sold, it definitely hurt their ego and overall morale. 

 

To paint a picture here's what i was able 2 pull from Wiki:

Uroboros JP sales: 43,316 

US Sales/Shipments: 6054

 

VS.

 

DSS JP Sales: 37,586

US Sales/Shipments: 3,900 

Do you have any sales figures from digital distributors? A lot changed in the musical distribution arena in those three years, least of all services like Spotify really coming into their own.   

 

Love them or hate them, almost everyone's got an opinion about Dir en grey. The scene stops to listen whenever Dir en grey announce a new single or album. As a long time fan of the band, I think it's the perfect time to express how I feel about all of their albums. My feelings will differ from album to album. Some albums have had the benefit of twenty years and others only a few months, so that's always going to be a factor in how I rank things. I will cover this from my least favorite album to my most favorite album, but by no means take this as a definitive list for Dir en grey. Everyone will have their own rankings and their own suggestions for where to start. I happen to think that this also a great order to introduce someone to this band.

 

This is a perfect topic for those that don't listen to Dir en grey or don't know where to start, current fans looking for spicy opinions and a pot to stir, or even old fans looking for a reintroduction into their new era. Not only have I included a PV for each album as a sampler, but I also put together suggested playlists for each album. The playlists are the order that I would have arranged the band if I were them. The songs are the songs that I believe are the best from each period. Some will require more effort than others to construct. To make it simpler, I have included my favorite three tracks and one music video from each album.

I will not consider the mini albums MISSA and six Ugly in this analysis, but some of those tracks will appear in the playlists I create.

 

DUM SPIRO SPERO

 

Album No: 8

Released: August 2, 2011

Length: 67:31

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Many Dir en grey albums needed some more refinement, but that does not apply to DUM SPIRO SPERO. DUM SPIRO SPERO was too polished, a result created by a group of musicians who kept tweaking their compositions until it was perfect. I get this feeling because it took them three years to conceive this album at a time when fans were accustomed to waiting half that time. This album is obnoxious in its approach to both extreme metal and progressive metal. The band avoids repetition, choruses, and conventional song structures whenever possible. Songs dirge into one another and there are very few melodic hooks to bite into. If the goal was to make a bigger, badder version of UROBOROS, then they succeeded. If the goal was to make an enjoyable experience, then they missed the mark. A lot of the more experimental choices don't pan out as expected and the mastering and production is just plain weird (and yes, I'm talking about the bass). There are good points to the album, but the sum of the whole is less than the parts. DUM SPIRO SPERO is exhausting and any fan telling you otherwise is lying. There are others which could contest for the worst Dir en grey album to date, but DUM SPIRO SPERO is the most difficult and taxing album of them all. Now, after dragging the album through the mud I want to note that I appreciate what this album has done for Dir en grey. They grew as musicians. This era began their gradual return to visuals in their promos and performances too. There are other albums in their discography that try their hand at this sound and are more accessible. There are some songs I like here. This is the last album of theirs that I recommend anyone try.

The Top 3 Tracks from DUM SPIRO SPERO:

1. "流転の塔" (Ruten no Tou)
2. "「欲巣にDREAMBOX」あるいは成熟の理念と冷たい雨" ('Yokusou ni Dreambox' Aruiwa Seijuku no Rinen to Tsumetai Ame)
3. "滴る朦朧" (Shitataru Mourou)

The Worst 3 Tracks from DUM SPIRO SPERO:

1. "DECAYED CROW"
2. "獣慾" (Juuyoku)
3. "Amon"

The Optimal Tracklist for DUM SPIRO SPERO [as curated by Zeus]:

1. "THE BLOSSOMING BEELZEBUB"

2. "DIFFERENT SENSE"

3. "「欲巣にDREAMBOX」あるいは成熟の理念と冷たい雨" ('Yokusou ni Dreambox' Aruiwa Seijuku no Rinen to Tsumetai Ame)

4. "滴る朦朧" (Shitataru Mourou)

5. "LOTUS"

6. "Unraveling"

7. "暁"

8. "激しさと、この胸の中で絡み付いた灼熱の闇" (single version) (Hageshisa, Kono Mune no Naka de Karamitsuita Shakunetsu no Yami)

9. "VANITAS"

10. "流転の塔" (Ruten no Tou)
     

     

 

 

鬼葬 (kisou)

 

Album No: 3

Released: January 30, 2002

Length: 69:57

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鬼葬 (kisou) is a strange, unsettling, and consistently vulgar album which is ironic because their next album, VULGAR, is nowhere near as vulgar. 鬼葬 is brimming with songs about sexual deviancy, murder, pedophilia, masturbation, incest, and rape. The lyrics to "embryo" are so extreme that their record label, FREE-WILL, persuaded Kyo to alter the lyrics for the single release (the album version has the original lyrics), and that's just scratching the surface. 鬼葬 catapulted them to the top of the visual kei scene, is still their highest charting album, was their most highly regarded album at one point, and was the album that kicked off their infamous "Capsize the Islands" Asian tour. Unfortunately, 鬼葬 did not stand the test of time. It's not as compelling once the shock factor wears off. It's the most inconsistent album in their catalog; when it's good, it's really good and when it's bad, it's really bad. 鬼葬 is their most poorly organized album in my humble opinion. It sounds like they had songs lying around and threw them together for the album, and most of the good songs were also used as B-sides from the singles. Almost every track after  "JESSICA" can go;  "鴉 -karasu-" is a three minute song stretched to almost six, all three "Shinsou" instrumentals (深葬, 芯葬, and 神葬) are filler, and "The Domestic Fucker Family", and "Pink Killer" are the most embarrassing tracks they've ever released. The production is also sketchy, paper thin, and anemic in the mid range. A lot of surgery is required to bring out the best of this era. There are a few cuts I'd recommend such as "鬼眼 -kigan-", "蟲 -mushi-", "FILTH", "逆上堪能ケロイドミルク", "24個シリンダー", and "Bottom of the death valley". What I really suggest you do is take six Ugly (a boss EP) and sprinkle those tracks here to pad out what is essentially a mini album. Beyond that, there's nothing to hear.

The Top 3 Tracks from 鬼葬 (kisou):

1. "蟲 -mushi-"
2. "24個シリンダー"
3. "Bottom of the death valley"

The Worst 3 Tracks from 鬼葬 (kisou):

1. "The Domestic Fucker Family"
2. "ピンクキラー" (Pink Killer)
3. 「深葬」/「芯葬」/「神葬」(all 3 Shinsou tracks)

The Optimal Tracklist For 鬼葬 (kisou) [as curated by Zeus]:

1. "鬼眼 -kigan-"
2. "umbrella"
3. "24個シリンダー" (Twenty-four Cylinders)
4. "FILTH"
5. "Hades"
6. "Bottom of the death valley"
7. "undecided"
8. "逆上堪能ケロイドミルク" (Gyakujou Tannou Keloid Milk)

9. "MR.NEWSMAN"

10. "蟲 -mushi-"
11. "JESSICA"
12. "children" (six Ugly version)
13. "秒｢｣深" (Byou "" Shin) (six Ugly version)

 

 

 

THE MARROW OF A BONE

Album No: 6

Released: February 7, 2007

Length: 50:05

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"THE MARROW OF A BONE is from Dir en grey's rebellious phase when they cut their ties to the visual kei scene and went head first into more metal sounds. The band members noted that touring in the United States heavily influenced their creative process, producing songs such as "LIE BURIED WITH A VENGEANCE", "AGITATED SCREAMS OF MAGGOTS", and "THE PLEDGE". MARROW was both the natural evolution from and a departure from 2005's Withering to death., which featured more of a death metal sound and more experimentation in contrast to MARROW's focused, almost linear metalcore sound. This is both the metaphorical and literal black sheep of Dir en grey's discography. It was not immediately well received upon release by a large amount of fans, who frowned at the similarities to western metal and the abandonment of visuals, but the Western press loved it. Kyo's harsh vocals at this period are very immature, especially considering what he's capable of now, and they have not aged very well. A very curious note I have made thus far in my journey with this band is that retakes of songs from this era often end up better than the original (see: undecided and THE DEEPER VILENESS). I also happen to think the track list is very awkward, starting with a power ballad in "CONCEIVED SORROW" before jumping into four straight bangers, and then ending the whole shebang with a mangled rendition of "CLEVER SLEAZOID" (that the band members pretend doesn't exist if Vestige of Sorrows is a clue). Opinions on this album thawed out over time, but similar themes were explored on 2008's UROBOROS, which blows MARROW out of the water on technical and emotional levels. There are some goodies here, but this ain't it, chief!

 

The Top 3 Tracks from THE MARROW OF A BONE :

1. "艶かしき安息、躊躇いに微笑" (Namekashiki Ansoku, Tamerai ni Hohoemi)
2. "凌辱の雨" (Ryoujoku no Ame)
3. "THE PLEDGE"

The Worst 3 Tracks from THE MARROW OF A BONE :

1. "CLEVER SLEAZOID" (album vers.)
2. "LIE BURIED WITH A VENGEANCE"
3. "DISABLED COMPLEXES"

The Optimal Tracklist for THE MARROW OF A BONE [as curated by Zeus]

1. "THE PLEDGE"
2. "AGITATED SCREAMS OF MAGGOTS"
3. "GRIEF"
4. "凌辱の雨" (Ryoujoku no Ame) (single version)
5. "CLEVER SLEAZOID" (single version)
6. "ROTTING ROOT"
7. "艶かしき安息、躊躇いに微笑" (Namekashiki Ansoku, Tamerai ni Hohoemi)
8. "CONCEIVED SORROW"
    

 

ARCHE

 

 

Album No: 9

Released: December 10, 2014

Length: 68:01

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Dir en grey's ninth studio album falls somewhere in the middle of the pack. Blending progressive metal elements on top of some influences drawn from sukekiyo gave a very strong first impression, but lost its luster after a few months of listening. Now I rarely revisit more than a track or two at a time. ARCHE is not a bad album but requires a particular mindset to max enjoyment, so in my opinion, it does not present the strongest possible image of Dir en grey's essence. The album lacks a killer track and some songs could have been cut or used as coupling tracks for the album's singles. One of the best tracks is only on the second disc of the deluxe limited edition (てふてふ), and for its experimentation the result feels muted. To describe it as "another Dir en grey album" is not off the mark, but it sells the highlights of ARCHE short.  There's a sense of flow here only achievable by seasoned musicians and the single "輪郭" (Rinkaku) is one of their top five songs post-VULGAR. I still believe that it could have been a legendary release with more time and care.

 

The Top 3 Tracks from ARCHE :

1. "輪郭" (Rinkaku)
2. "てふてふ" (Tefutefu)
3. "Revelation of mankind"

The Worst 3 Tracks from ARCHE :

1. "The inferno"
2. "Cause of fickleness"
3. "Midwife"

The Optimal Tracklist For ARCHE [as curated by Zeus]:

1. "un deux"
2. "てふてふ" (Tefutefu)
3. "Phenomenon"
4. "濤声" (Tousei)
5. "輪郭" (Rinkaku)
6. "禍夜想" (Magayasou)
7. "懐春" (Kaishun)
8. "Behind a vacant image"
9. "Revelation of mankind"
    

 

🎖️The Insulated World🎖️

 

Album No: 10

Released: September 26, 2018

Length: 50:27

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As of the time that I penned this, The Insulated World is the latest full-length release by Dir en grey. This has several implications for its middling placement on my list. I have spent the least amount of time with this album - even less than ARCHE - and while my initial impressions were mixed to positive, I have had little desire to return to the album. This is the same reaction that I had to ARCHE, and even now those feelings for that album hasn't dissipated. I have a hunch that The Insulated World will follow a similar fate. I am willing to put more time and patience into the listening experience, since my first impressions also left me feeling that there was more to discover. I'm unsure if it's a concept album, but it feels like one. I also think this has the strongest arrangement of tracks to date. I put it ahead of ARCHE because The Insulated World still maintains some character. I must disclose that I'm listening to a modified version that (in my opinion) colors the tracks much more favorably. It still sounds like they're chasing the same sound since DUM SPIRO SPERO, and although this is the most convincing iteration thus far, I'm ready to move on. I'd love a mini-album of tracks styled like the unplugged version of "undecided" or "赫" (Aka), because I think Dir en grey has always been at their strongest with their ballads and mid-tempo rock tracks.

 

The Top 3 Tracks from The Insulated World :

1. "赫" (Aka)
2. "Downfall"
3. "谿壑の欲" (Keigaku no Yoku)

The Worst 3 Tracks from The Insulated World :

1. "Devote my Life"
2. "Rubbish Heap"
3. "絶縁体" (Zetsuentai)

 

The Optimal Tracklist For The Insulated World [as curated by Zeus]:

1. "赫" (Aka)
2. "軽蔑と始まり" (Keibutsu no Hajimari)
3. "人間を被る" (Ningen wo Kaburu)
4. "Celebrate Empty Howls"
5. "詩踏み" (Utafumi)
6. "Values of Madness"
7. "Downfall"
8. "Followers"
9. "谿壑の欲" (Keigaku no Yoku)
10. "Raununclus"
     

🏅Withering to death.🏅

 

Album No: 5

Released: March 9, 2005

Length: 51:14

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As the album that eased me into the more Western style that Dir en grey were adopting around 2005, Withering to death. holds a special spot in my musical rotation. It's a more than worthy follow up to VULGAR, and this is what started the embers of their overseas presence. Promotional materials for this release were very misleading; singles like "朔-saku-" prepped fans for THE MARROW OF A BONE a few years earlier while "THE FINAL" hinted at some vestiges of VULGAR resurfacing, reformed, and ready to rock. I had no idea what to expect. What we got is an album that starts strong and ends strong, but has an inconsistent middle section. What I like most about this album is that it blends a lot of the visual kei sensibilities of their earlier period with their new influences (they wouldn't renounce their visual kei ties until their next album) and this can be seen and heard in their promotional pictures and their music videos. There's the perfect blend of singing and screaming, hard driving tracks and proper ballads, to keep my attention the whole way. There's a good reason why this is considered one of their great albums, and if you're well acquainted with Western metal this is an easy one to recommend.

 

The Top 3 Tracks from Withering to death.:

1. "悲劇は目蓋を下ろした優しき鬱" (Higeki wa Mabuta o Oroshita Yasashiki Utsu)
2. "鼓動" (Kodou)
3. "THE FINAL"

The Worst 3 Tracks from Withering to death.:

1. "Jesus Christ R' n R"
2. "GARBAGE"
3. "朔-saku-"

The Optimal Tracklist for Withering to death. [as curated by Zeus]:

1. "Merciless Cult"
2. "C"
3. "孤独に死す、故に孤独。" (Kodoku ni Shisu, Yue ni Kodoku)
4. "愛しさは腐敗につき" (Itoshisa wa Fuhai ni Tsuki)
5. "Machiavellism"
6. "dead tree"
7. "THE FINAL"
8. "Spilled Milk"
9. "悲劇は目蓋を下ろした優しき鬱" (Higeki wa Mabuta o Oroshita Yasashiki Utsu)
10. "鼓動" (Kodou)

 

 

🥉MACABRE🥉

 

Album No: 2

Released: September 20, 2000

Length: 72:57

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I'm going to be controversial and state that MACABRE is not as legendary as I once thought. It's a great album, and one of my favorites for sure, but I only listen to half of it. I've come to the conclusion that this period is amazing and full of some of my favorite songs, but it's spread out over several releases. Dir en grey's sophomoric effort is a mysterious and diverse progressive visual kei record with subtle religious and oriental vibes, which was a huge sonic departure from their previous album GAUZE. It set a bar that many of their other albums are measured against and which only a select few beat. This is where I suggest a new person starts. There's some absolutely killer tracks here such as "理由", "羅刹国", and of course the titular "MACABRE ー揚羽ノ羽ノ夢ハ蛹ー". On the other hand, the track list once again feels like an afterthought (although not as bad as 鬼葬) and the end of the album loses steam. I personally skip the last two tracks each time, and I still don't know why they omitted "ain't afraid to die", which is one of their best ballads ever. Since I had to modify so much, it implies that MACABRE as-is requires a lot of tweaking and thus ranks lower than other, more conceptually complete albums. You'll have to do some work from singles to source the more exotic tracks, but I believe this track list exemplifies the reasons why so many other fans praise this album.
 

The Top 3 Tracks from MACABRE :

1. "MACABRE ー揚羽ノ羽ノ夢ハ蛹ー" (MACABRE - Sanagi no Yume wa Ageha no Hane)
2. "【KR】cube"
3. "egnirys cimredopyh +) an injection"

The Worst 3 Tracks from MACABRE :

1. "太陽の碧" (Taiyou no Ao)
2. "Hydra"
3. "ザクロ" (Zakuro)

The Optimal Tracklist for MACABRE [as curated by Zeus]:

1. "Deity"
2. "脈" (Myaku) (single version)
3. "Ash" (single version)
4. "理由" (Wake)
5. "egnirys cimredopyh +) an injection"
6. "【KR】cube"
7. "children"
8. "audrey"
9. "羅刹国" (Rasetsukoku)
10. "MACABRE ー揚羽ノ羽ノ夢ハ蛹ー" (MACABRE - Sanagi no Yume wa Ageha no Hane)
11. "ain't afraid to die"
     

🥈GAUZE🥈

 

Album No: 1

Released: July 28, 1999

Length: 64:47

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@Disposable once said "Aliene Maφriage perfected the essence of kote kei with Les Soirée 夜の舞踏会/断罪の章～神罰篇 and five months later Dir en grey sealed it with GAUZE". I agree wholeheartedly. GAUZE is a legendary album and is the release where Dir en grey transformed from emulating their idols to standing neck and neck with them. A lot of this has to do with YOSHIKI's knowledge and involvement; he not only produced one of the only two Dir en grey albums that don't sound like bollocks, but he positioned and polished them to be the premier band of 1999. From delicate pop tunes to rock to acoustic ballads, no cornerstone of kote kei was left unturned and as a result this is one of the few albums that feels like a comprehensive view of the times. Many amazing songs such as but not limited to  "予感", "Cage", "ゆらめき", "raison detre", and "アクロの丘" find their home on GAUZE. It's one of the only Japanese albums I can think of that received a PV for every single song. It's so real, kote kei died after GAUZE was released because no one could top it, not even Dir en grey themselves! Despite its legendary status, influence, and special place in my heart - it was the album that got me into visual kei after all - there are still some decisions that boggle my mind. "GAUZE -mode of eve-" is completely useless, "MASK" is an (enjoyable) mess, and the plodding and depressing "mazohyst of decadence" feels out of place. Their first two singles aren't even featured here! But then again, what is a kote kei debut album without its charming imperfections?

Also, stay away from the remixes for this period. They are not very good.

The Top 3 Tracks from GAUZE:

1. "予感" (Yokan)
2. "アクロの丘" (Akuro no Oka)
3. "mazohyst of decadence"

The Worst 3 Tracks from GAUZE:

1. "GAUZE -Mode of Eve-"
2. "GAUZE -Mode of Adam-"
3. "MASK"

The Optimal Tracklist for GAUZE [as curated by Zeus]:

1. "-I'll-"
2. "Unknown... Despair... a Lost"
3. "Schweinの椅子" (Schwein no Isu)
4. "ゆらめき" (Yurameki)
5. "raison detre"
6. "304号室、白死の桜" (San-maru-yon Goushitsu, Hakushi no Sakura)
7. "Cage"
8. "GARDEN"
9. "予感" (Yokan)
10. "蜜と唾" (Tsumi to Batsu)
11. "残 -ZAN-"
12. "アクロの丘" (Akuro no Oka)
     

 

 

🥇UROBOROS🥇
 

Album No: 7

Released: November 11, 2008

Length: 58:54

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UROBOROS is considered by many to be one of the peaks of Dir en grey's career, and for good reason. UROBOROS was penned, recorded, and released only a year after THE MARROW OF A BONE, but it was such an unprecedented evolution in Dir en grey's sound. Kyo discovered his lower registers and began incorporating gutturals and shrieks into his vocal skills, while the composers rediscovered a lot of the tribal influence of MACABRE and mixed it with progressive metal, metalcore, and sprinkled some visual kei on the top. It's lightning in a bottle if it were ever captured in a studio, and this album set such a high bar that the band haven't yet eclipsed it's influence upon themselves. This is the album that convinced me Dir en grey could handle progressive metal, although a release like it truly hasn't come around yet. The few strikes against this album really knock it down a few pegs: the English versions of singles "GLASS SKIN" and "DOZING GREEN" were a failed ploy towards a Western market when they should have stuck with Japanese, the production is really muddy (although it hides some flaws and ends up accruing a charm of its own), and UROBOROS [Remastered & Expanded] should not be a thing, because the sterile remaster sucks the atmosphere out of the disc.

 

The Top 3 Tracks from UROBOROS:

1. "蜷局" (Toguro)
2. "INCONVENIENT IDEAL"
3. "STUCK MAN"

The Worst 3 Tracks from UROBOROS:

1. "GLASS SKIN" (English vers.)
2. "我、闇とて･･･" (Ware, Yami to te...)
3. "GLASS SKIN" (Japanese vers.)

 

The Optimal Tracklist for UROBOROS [as curated by Zeus]:

1. "VINUSHKA"
2. "RED SOIL"
3. "慟哭と去りぬ" (Doukoku to Sarinu)
4. "蜷局" (Toguro)
5. "STUCK MAN"
6. "冷血なりせば" (Reiketsu Nariseba)
7. "undecided" (unplugged version)
8. "DOZING GREEN" (Japanese version)
9. "INCONVENIENT IDEAL"
    

👑VULGAR👑

 

Album No: 4

Released: September 10, 2003

Length: 57:02

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Dir en grey delivers best when they are under pressure, and they faced the most intense criticism of their career around 2002 - 2003. They were at the top of the visual kei scene after 鬼葬 (kisou), but they felt as a band there was nowhere left to go. After completely switching styles and lighting their fans on fire with the Western hard rock styled six Ugly, Dir en grey were in crisis mode. Many liked the change, but the loud minority detested it. This sounds like small beans now but back then the band was afraid of losing too many fans; so much so that everything about VULGAR was meticulously planned for success. And it worked! Two of the three singles are ballads, while the third is a mosh song easy to get into. The meat and potatoes of the album is surprisingly more visual than anyone would have expected, which did a lot to ease reluctant fans into the new sound. "OBSCURE" is a throwback to the perverted madness of 鬼葬 and was chosen as the PV single for that reason. The nu-metal influence gives VULGAR a consistency 鬼葬 wished it had. The closest VULGAR gets to an instrumental is the two minute "Я TO THE CORE", which is a proper track in its own right! VULGAR also has one hell of a banging track list. So many other underrated gems are on this release like "audience Killer LOOP", "砂上の唄", "RED...[em]", and "AMBER", which makes it well worth your time to check this one out. GAUZE and UROBOROS are the more critically acclaimed releases, but VULGAR is the album I would alter the least, and it's the one I would use to introduce a fan whose taste I was unsure of. I just don't understand why "腐海" (Fukai) is not here.

 

The Top 3 Tracks from VULGAR:

1. "AMBER"
2. "RED...[em]"
3. "audience KILLER LOOP"

The Worst 3 Tracks from VULGAR:

1. "明日無き幸福、呼笑亡き明日" (Asunaki Koufuku, Koenaki Asu)
2. "CHILD PREY"
3. "NEW AGE CULTURE"

The Optimal Tracklist for VULGAR [as curated by Zeus]:

1. "audience KILLER LOOP"
2. "THE IIID EMPIRE" (VESTIGE OF SCRATCHES version)
3. "蝕紅" (Shokubeni)
4. "砂上の唄" (Sajou no Uta)
5. "RED…[em]"
6. "MARMALADE CHAINSAW"
7. "かすみ" (Kasumi)
8. "腐海" (Fukai) (single version)
9. "DRAIN AWAY" (single version)
10. "OBSCURE" (PV version)
11. "AMBER"
     

That's everything folks! Thanks for reading all the way to the end! Did you like it? Did you agree? Do you have your own rankings? Leave them below! I'm interested to know what everyone's opinions are, especially since Dir en grey is one of my favorite bands ever. So many people are passionate about this band like no other. If enough people liked this, I may follow up soon with one for the GazettE.
 

Until next time

I know they aren't the most popular or discussed band around here, but holy fuck thus hurts.

To put it in perspective, replace the guitarist names with Toshiya and Die. Or Reita and Aoi. The impact is not the same, but similar enough to get the point across.

I wonder if they will continue on because the drummer wanted to slow down, but slow down doesn't mean stop.

Can you share the results when you are done?

35 songs for five dollars? ROFLMAO

2 hours ago, CAT5 said:

I don't think that I will ever get used to having prayers answered. It's overwhelming. Every time. I mean, I literally ain't shit. I'm less than a speck of dust in the grand scheme of things...but The Most High heard meee??? That's just too much, bruh.

 

All praises. Yah khai.

I am glad that prayer works for you CAT-san.

I have added two polls to the topic.

I had a really bad day at work .

This really isn't good news 😕

6 hours ago, Fyrnia4Maya said:

I didn't mean praying, I meant simply sharing your pain and empathize in my thoughts, just so that you are not suffering alone, I haven't suffered your loss and I'm not hurting a fraction of what you are, but you are not alone, and I'm just a fraction of the people rooting for you. Sorry if I sound condescending or naive

Don't worry, you did not offend me.

5 hours ago, Fyrnia4Maya said:

Please be Ok, please be, I will have you in my thoughts tonight and I will think of you so you are not alone

I'm not the praying type but I appreciate the sentiment. Pray for me if it gives you strength but he is already gone.

Hi friends!

An idea was brought up in the chat by @ChaoticEnding about a trade section on MH. For the purpose of this topic, trading is essentially bartering and limited to Japanese music. (informal) trades can be thought of as trading that happens via private messages. (formal) trades would be to create a topic on the forum so that members can start trades publicly (and then of course trade the links privately). Right now there is no mod oversight for informal trades. We can discuss the expected amount of mod oversight for formal trading.

 

Essentially, it's whatever you have to offer versus what you have to give away. What do you guys think about this proposal? Here are some potential questions I brainstormed to get some discussion going.
 

• Do you think publicly trading for releases on MH is a good idea?
• Do we need a new sub forum for this or will download forum be ok?
• Will trading incentive good behaviors / bad behaviors? If both, does good outweigh the bad?
• Would you engage in trading if it became more common on MH?
• Would you trade visual kei? J-indie? Pop? Other?
• Do you think this is good for the online international vk scene?
• How would trading affect MH?
• Should trading be open to all members? Special rank? Certain # of posts before you can trade?
• What releases do you think are most likely to be traded?
• What should the moderation team be expected to do if one person doesn't send the promised songs?

I don't think there's anything to be gained from hook ups or one night stands.

 

Call me old fashioned if you want, but I don't necessarily look down on promiscuity. I know it's something that's not for me because sex without passion for the person whose guts I'm inhabiting is as pleasurable as burnt toast. Let's forget about the "cold pizza" analogy altogether. But I do believe there is something to the idea that you give a bit of yourself to someone when you have sex with them, and they give a part of themselves you in return. It is harmful to send emotions out and not have them reciprocated, especially during something as vulnerable act as sex. I've yet to meet a person who was promiscuous in their young age and doesn't regret it now, and I know quite a few people who have body counts over 100, 200, even 300. (body count = number of sexual partners) They all recommend not being promiscuous and describe the experience as short term pleasure but with a long term lack of satisfaction.

On the other hand, I'm not a total prude about it. I'm not into slut shaming. Sex before marriage is generally a good idea, because sexual compatibility and being able to coexist is important for a long term relationship. How you enjoy it is equally as irrelevant to me. I just suggest not rushing it, because your first sexual experience can effect how you approach it for the rest of your life.

"If she's one in a million, there are 37 of her in California."

I don't remember where I heard this quote but it changed my perspective on life. Dating too, but life.

I've been in a relationship for almost seven years, so I've been out the dating game for some time. Even if I was single, I'd have no tangible advice to give. I wasn't exactly attracting throngs of women to me for being myself, and that may have been a blessing in disguise for me. As I grow older, I realize just how toxic and damaged so many people are, and inviting that kind of energy into your life only brings negativity. The only thing worse than feeling single and alone is feeling lonely in a shit relationship.
 

23 hours ago, Aries said:

I don't actually have a "favourite"one. Plus concidering japanese laws are much more harder than in some other countries, it's not objective for me. In America Marilyn Manson can boast with taking drugs since Sakura almost made Laruku to quit. I think some of these cases are just a way to ruin someone's life, and rumors actually proves nothing.

None of these are rumors.

On 4/13/2018 at 10:03 PM, darkindastad said:

Wait, didn’t his family have trouble contacting him? And why didn’t he just tell the other band members what was going on?! I am sure they would have given him some time. It’s not like bands play without a memeber here or there often 🤷🏻‍♂️

Family can be big. The drama he could be experiencing could be from a different side of his family. It could also be in-laws drama he's old enough to have a main squeeze.

7 hours ago, LIDL said:

So this is their old unreleased materials and not them regrouping? 

What stuff is their unreleased materials?

One of my friends committed suicide last night. The reality is still setting in.