relentless

Well...there is a big difference between Crossfaiths and ROACH's sound, compared to Dir en grey's. Compare Hageshisa to, or the new ZAN, compared to ROACH's "For You, I Will" or Crossfaiths "Stars Faded in Slow Motion" and you will see a vast difference. They're vastly different bands within the VAST "metal" genre that do their own thing. Not all metal is the same, and even in core genres, you will rarely find identical bands. The thing is with Dir en grey, is that there's been this VERY SMALL (in contrast to their current fanbase) backlash that they don't make music like they used to -- and then there's the loyalist fans that love them even now despite their darker, metal approach. Most of these people HATE metalcore, deathcore, etc. but like Dir en grey solely on the fact that they are their FAV BAND!

After such an incredible album, I can see why it's taken them a while to come up with a new sound and a new feel. And they're not restricted by release dates and contracts, so they can really just do what they want whenever they want I guess.

I was never a fan of Gyakujou, but the slightly tweaked version they've been playing lately is awesome! and Rasetsukoku sounds better than ever !

The first thing I thought: My Sharona I really enjoyed Gemini (only release I thoroughly enjoyed by them), this doesn't really do anything for me right now. I'll have to DL it and see how I feel

Nirvana -- Inspired me to play guitar and join a band Dir en grey -- helped me appreciate heavier music and delve into metal Rentrer en soi -- their song Amongst Foolish Enemies inspired me to start writing and playing "metal" riffs August Burns Red -- helped me tolerate BR00TAL METALCORE RAWR The Pillows -- opened me up to Japanese music. Hearing Ride On Shooting Star really changed things for me (this was before FLCL)

People are calling his penis BIG?! well compared to most Japanese men...sure...buttt.... >_>

Well the problem with Zan, i feel like, is that it was really...eh (the original that is). It tried really hard to be this brutal track, but the band had not reached their full potential song writing-wise, and they were playing that generic VK pseudo-metal that soo many bands do. With the new zan, it finally packed a punch. It finally had that punch that the original didnt have but tried sooo hard TO have. I've seen both live and the remake truly is superior (in my opinion) in every way. It's surprising because I even HATE HATE HATE "deathcore" (which is what people have been calling the zan track), but I enjoy this song. All screaming is TERRIBLE, but it just works with zan i guess.

The bands recent set lists have surprised me (the ones in Japan), but they usually do stuff like this. From what I remember, they mostly played old tracks (karma etc.) at a knot only lives. So to have a good idea of what they're going to be re-recording, we have to find tracks that have been consistent in their setlists outside of A Knot only lives. I would love to see a re-recorded version of Rasetsukoku...oh goodness it would be AMAZING! and @RED99: WOW GREAT FIND! I didn't know you could get info like this from setlist.fm! That is truly remarkable!

Guess it's because they're not really all that popular amongst the VK / Jrock fandom anymore. and this board is primarily those, so it's only natural people hate on them. I don't mind either way, a lot of the stuff people say is kinda funny so I don't mind. At least there's no Dir en grey fanboys here...dear god if only.

I'm giving this album secind thoughts. Though the sound is cool...its just soooooo poorly mixed that it doesn't deserve the 9.5 I gave it. More like 7.5/10

Dir en grey seems to be all about presenting "FUTURE!" representations of themselves, so my bet is on a dressed up, heavier, remake of Rasetsukoku. They've been playing it a lot lately (especially overseas). And I actually like how they remake tracks for their b-sides, because I hate their original b-sides. Everyone loves fukai but i think it's boring, along with soo many others.

defining them as "alternative metal" i'd say is broad enough to give their music justice. It's a very good title.

^amen

I never understood everyone on here's obsession with Kaya...he isn't really that great.

@bakteeri: ad populum -- just because people tend to say one thing, doesn't mean it's any form of truth. METALHEADS!!! don't like them because 1. they don't fit the general mold of what metal is (thus why they are billed as an "alternative-metal" band and 2. Their sound is just too weird and non-traditional to be embraced by your very basic metal community that thrives off of anything that features big men with beards. Metal fans are mostly one-dimensional, so anything that's different is going to be readily rejected by them. And besides, most METAL fans only introduction to Dir en grey is Yokan, Saku, and the Final. So i can see why most would call them poser metal -- because Dir en grey was once a POSER metal band.

Is that a Sheraton hotel?

You mean bands rooted in the visual-kei scene, right? Yes. There are tons of non-vk rooted bands that have a phenomenal sound. I strictly meant VK, thanks for the correction.

I feel like Dir en grey is one of the few Japanese bands that can successfully pull of sounding "metal" without it sounding completely fake (i.e. the GazettE)

2011 so far: Great and getting better! =D!

^ I remember reading Die saying that the song was going to sound different. This is probably because they're getting someone else entirely to mix the album, so each instrument will hold its own presence. And my reasoning with the breakdowns was: Lately they have been going with engineers that fit the sound that they're trying to achieve for maximum results. That and it seems like the band has been focusing on breakdowns more (hageshisa to, new ZAN) and Shinya said his double bass was going to have more of a presence (and the new track has been described has a "hardcore sound"). So that's why I was leaning that way. BUT! Dir en grey is unconventional, so it's anything goes really.

I found the track "sousou" to be the highlight. Though Kyo's vocals were lacking INCREDBILY (he sounded bored), his growls / screams were top notch. I also thoroughly enjoyed Kyo's vocals mixed in with Daisuke's. My how their voices complimented each other soooo well. If only they had done more work together...

I could definitely picture that.

@nekkichi: The band has stated that the album will be out in Summer. And UROBOROS was released 1-2 months after Glass Skin, so that would place the album in July - August. Around the time they start touring again... Surprisingly enough (with all this talk about LOTUS), I didn't really enjoy it that much D: there was no climax, the song sort of drifted in and out. Granted, the musicianship was amazing, just the composition was lacking incredibly! Oh and: The guy mixing this single is Tue Madsen, who has worked with August Burns Red, and The Black Dahlia Murder. So for those expecting something like Hageshisa to, expect that (as am I) but with a stronger break down presence.

^ yes! I read that too! I think Toshiya or Die also said something about how the new album is going to sound nothing like LOTUS. So I'm guessing how DIFFERENT SENSE sounds, is essentially what the new album is going to sound like. I'm soo excited!

When Dir en grey released GLASS SKIN, it came out 2 months before UROBOROS. They may be following the same format this time as well. I think CD Japan (or some other site) said that there are "ferocious screams". Interesting... Oh also: I'm expecting it to be a metalcore / deathcore - inspired track for two reasons: 1. Shinya stated he was going to be using a lot more double-bass 2. they're being billed as a metalcore act now >_> Who knows!