DIR EN GREY - ARCHE

[morbiusss 10]

This. I think Immortalis is a pretty solid album. Just solid. It has some key tracks that I love but nothing really "omg" worthy. Honestly, the first half of the album is nice but the second half, is meh besides In all weathers and kugui (鵠) To say that one album" surpasses everything DIR EN GREY has done", Imo is a stretch. A really bad one at that.

 

I wanted to say that I find IMMORTALIS is better as a whole than any Dir en grey Album as a whole. IMMOARTALIS is progressive, it is catchy, it owns some superior songwriting, it has an amazing atmosphere, it is diversified, kyo's vocals and all the instruments stay really out, it is accessible (!), and when degs hard tracks turn into moshfests quite too often, sukekiyo's hard songs still have something outstanding and crazy going on (斑人間, vandal). Of course it doesnt surpass EVERYTHING deg ever did. One can create some really superior (imaginary album) tracklists with Degs material.

 

anyway, ARCHE is a good album. I'm glad Deg turns to more accessible tunes with this record. Kyo is such a talented singer that he simply has to sing more. Maybe thats why I prefer sukekiyo.

[Ro plz 1290]

I wanted to say that I find IMMORTALIS is better as a whole than any Dir en grey Album as a whole. IMMOARTALIS is progressive, it is catchy, it owns some superior songwriting, it has an amazing atmosphere, it is diversified, kyo's vocals and all the instruments stay really out, it is accessible (!), and when degs hard tracks turn into moshfests quite too often, sukekiyo's hard songs still have something outstanding and crazy going on (斑人間, vandal). Of course it doesnt surpass EVERYTHING deg ever did. One can create some really superior (imaginary album) tracklists with Degs material.

 

anyway, ARCHE is a good album. I'm glad Deg turns to more accessible tunes with this record. Kyo is such a talented singer that he simply has to sing more. Maybe thats why I prefer sukekiyo.

 

I respect this.

[nullmoon 784]

progressive, it is catchy, it owns some superior songwriting, it has an amazing atmosphere, it is diversified, kyo's vocals and all the instruments stay really out, it is accessible (!)...outstanding and crazy going on

Arche has all of this...?

[DogManX 179]

I would like to point out that they finally learned to embrace pop sensibilities from pre-MOAB era works - some numbers even managed to pave the way for certain comebacks, such as quirkier (approx.) 3-minute bangers in the vein of 'Machiavellism' or the majority of 'VULGAR' ('Cause of Fickleness', 'Chain Repulsion'). Nonetheless, mistakes that haunt DEG ever since DSS have been present in ARCHE too: most songs either lack any logical development (e.g. 'Revelation' is pretty much "Ruten"'s 'not-so-well-behaving little brother') or just end their 'clever ideas' way too fast (e.g. 'Phenomenon' would've been a nice NIN-like experiment w/o early climax). It's not only "the shades of nostalgia" that haunt Dir, but a few problems involving new, "organic" (if I were to quote Kaoru) soundscape and track positioning as well. What are these problems then? Let's spotlight these issues in a spoiler:

 

- 'Un deux' is an okay rocker (forced chorus, eh), but not really preparing listeners for 'a bang' like decent openers normally do.

- What is a midtempo number like 'Phenomenon' doing in the middle of 'Uroko' and 'Cause of Fickleness'?

- The general, "minimalist" concept behind 'Midwife' is quite clear (at least after hearing out what Toshers had to say on it), but easily forgettable - what a shame!

- I was not only bothered by the lack of trademark *SLAP! THWACK!* in new STU, but by its position likewise (see: 'Phenomenon' problem).

- 'Kuukoku' is the most 'fatless' DEG ballad ever - even Kaoru's droning in the BG won't save the listener from deep slumber...

- 'Kuukoku' clearly signed the finish - why add two more tunes?

 

 

Did we witness any improvement after DSS? Yes. Was the improvement big enough to make it worthier than 'the holy quadrinity' (Gauze-Vulgar) or even Uroboros? No. Kudos to them for realizing that 'catchier direction' is not going to be a massive turn-off though - sob harder, DSS aficionados (jk).

 

Personal favs: Kaishun, Chain Repulsion, Rinkaku, Cause of Fickleness

Other highlights: Uroko, Tousei, Magayasou, Behind a Vacant Image

 

I love this kind of pseudo fact-establishing about what Dir en grey does wrong and right, and what they supposeldy "learned" and what "we" witness and perceive as "improvement" or whatever. I've never heard of this "holy quadrinity" either. But other than that, good review

[Pretsy 1343]

I love this kind of pseudo fact-establishing about what Dir en grey does wrong and right, and what they supposeldy "learned" and what "we" witness and perceive as "improvement" or whatever. I've never heard of this "holy quadrinity" either. But other than that, good review

I directed my review mainly at those DEG fans who have been listening to their work since pre-"Americanized market"-era (~'05-06) + I elaborated what exactly I meant with my "holy quadrinity"-idea ("Gauze-Vulgar" - most long-time listeners favor their 3-4 first albums FYI).

 

"supposedly learned" >the band + Dynamite Tommy are able to see if their stuff sells too, right? What should they do in order to stay relevant sales-wise? Correct, make their music "much more accessible" by adding a bit of pop sensibilities from the past (hence me establishing my views on what they "learned" and how they "improved")

[DogManX 179]

Cool I rarely hear of Dir en grey fans who are that long into the band already, nowadays. Interesting to compare their views to "younger" fans like me, if their views are that established. Are you that long into them, too?

 

But I wouldn't bet so much on supposed selling calculations. With that logic, TMOAB or DSS would have never been created in the first place.. it's all very theoretical, and for the sake of musicianship it doesn't say much about an album in a review. But that's just me talking...

[Pretsy 1343]

Cool I rarely hear of Dir en grey fans who are that long into the band already, nowadays. Interesting to compare their views to "younger" fans like me, if their views are that established. Are you that long into them, too?

 

But I wouldn't bet so much on supposed selling calculations. With that logic, TMOAB or DSS would have never been created in the first place.. it's all very theoretical, and for the sake of musicianship it doesn't say much about an album in a review. But that's just me talking...

TMOAB was the product of influences and ideas that stemmed from their active overseas touring in '06 - not to mention that the band was always about "making their world much more accessible" to fans abroad as well (be it even the case where elite Batsuists are eager to debunk such claims, despite the logic behind them). Therefore, TMOAB was clearly tailored with that factor (a.k.a non-Japanese audience) in mind

 

The jury is still out on the marketing point/purpose of DSS. However, the album shared a bunch of ideas from their "gravy train" a.k.a Uroboros - perhaps they wanted to repeat the success? Seeing as the latter didn't really happen (don't let the first week charting fool you), Firewall div. tried to find the fix by delving into desperate measures a.k.a shittons of DVDs, Uroboros-based "arena gigs" and other useless merch.

 

I am not trying to bash on the band, no. I wanted to state something I always keep in mind when my favorite act marks a new release. 'Musicianship is what really matters' is what you'd say - I am down with that! But knowing basic marketing principles won't do bad for analyses either (at least in the world of chart-infesting AKB girls, EXILE hunks and Johnny's twinks) 

 

I apologize for derailing the 'main topic' (Arche review, ofc), btw.

[Prophet 168]

First off, Im a big fan of Dir en grey's heavy music. Before ARCHE released, UROBOROS was my most favorite album, and DSS comes second.

So when I tried ARCHE for the first time, it kinda made me down. I mean, there aint no more surprises breakdown, less screams, and heavy-paced songs. But I kept playing the whole albums over and over again like crazy and my conclusion..

THIS ALBUM IS BADASS! Idk how or why, but this feels like the superb mix between their old-school and nowadays music. Even they dont really complicate music anymore, i just take the positive side, 'they got more catchy songs'.

My most favorite songs are: Revelation of Mankind, Uroko (both original and crossover one), Tousei, Magayasou, Behind a Vacant Image (both original and unplugged one), Phenomenon, And Zero, and The Unravelling (Mix).

Weakest songs for me are The Inferno and Cause of Fickleness.

Overall.. 9/10

Still one level below UROBOROS tho (imo).

[saishuu 3220]

DEG's albums since TMOAB simply weren't fun to listen to. I couldn't enjoy them at all and I can count in one hand the songs I truly like from their last three albums prior to ARCHE. This new one, though, actually "invites" you to listen to it instead of being like "here, take a huge load of useless, lifeless and pretentious progressive and growly music and like it or not". It offers plenty of great moments and is actually fun, which is something they've been lacking since Withering to death. From someone who deeply enjoys their early, pre-TMOAB material the most, it's a nice feeling to have another album from them which I'm actually left wanting to replay over and over. I'm quite happy with ARCHE and I like most of the songs in it; Behind a vacant image, especially, is a gem. Soshaku, Tousei, Kuukoku no kyouon, Phenomenom, and Zero, Tefutefu and, much to my surprise, Midwife are other favorites from mine. The inferno is the only one I can't stand, but their good albums always have this kind of song so it's not even an issue (ugh, Beautiful Dirt is still such a terrible song).

[morbiusss 10]

DEG's albums since TMOAB simply weren't fun to listen to, [...] being like "here, take a huge load of useless, lifeless and pretentious progressive and growly music and like it or not".

 

this!

[x_dak_x 5]

simplistically. I enjoyed this album and need to add it to my CD collection.

[morbiusss 10]

the good songs are getting better and better with each listen.

 

In detail this is Tosei, Behind a vacant image, Tefutefu, Chain repulsion, Kaishun, Phenomenon.