Dir en grey

[juuichi 27]

6 hours ago, FOSCOR70 said:

um...is it only me or does Kyo's harsh vocals sounds muffled or cushioned in TIW? Like they are badly mixed or something....

possibly his terrible rapping?  vocals definitely sound slurred.  I've also noticed that Kyo has a slight lisp, don't know if its a recent development or if he's always had it

[FOSCOR70 56]

8 minutes ago, juuichi said:

possibly his terrible rapping?  vocals definitely sound slurred.  I've also noticed that Kyo has a slight lisp, don't know if its a recent development or if he's always had it

i just checked out diru's latest live show videos and his harsh vocals sound fine in them so it's probably the mixing and they definately did this on purpose to either create newness or to save this album from getting brutally compared to TMOAB which was accused of being badly mixed and being too raw by a lot of people.

[kuyashii 124]

His harsh vocals are definitely clipping (you know, when they are recorded so loud they distort).

 

2 hours ago, FOSCOR70 said:

they definately did this on purpose to either create newness or to save this album from getting brutally compared to TMOAB which was accused of being badly mixed and being too raw by a lot of people.

Except TIW is as badly mixed and raw as TMOAB? If there was any intention there I'd argue it was to make a throwback to that Marrow sound.

[Jigsaw9 6783]

TMOAB is almost like a finely polished diamond compared to TIW in my opinion...  They really botched the whole production on the latter one.

[Saishu 1589]

Uroboros remaster is poop

[Karma’s Hat 3107]

32 minutes ago, Saishu said:

Uroboros remaster is poop

This one is so bad it’s beyond me how anyone likes it, and the people that do usually like awful shite anyways so it makes sense

 

. I enjoy everything that they ever put out sans a handful of tracks because I am extremely biased, except for this one.

[Tokage 5930]

imagine a world where dir en grey is invited to play the superbowl half time show \m/ \m/ \m/

[Saishu 1589]

5 hours ago, Disposable said:

This one is so bad it’s beyond me how anyone likes it, and the people that do usually like awful shite anyways so it makes sense

 

. I enjoy everything that they ever put out sans a handful of tracks because I am extremely biased, except for this one.

I mean, I can give Bugaboo Respira a pass since it is included on the original vinyl release, but Hydra 666 is clearly tacked on and adds nothing to the album. And, fuck you, the extended Sa Bir is pointless. A four minute SE? That’s fine for building anticipation at a live, boring on an album. 

 

Then there’s just the overall sterile sound of the whole thing. They ripped all the life out of the songs. It’s like Kyo is singing to MIDI backing tracks. 

[Karma’s Hat 3107]

7 hours ago, Saishu said:

I mean, I can give Bugaboo Respira a pass since it is included on the original vinyl release, but Hydra 666 is clearly tacked on and adds nothing to the album. And, fuck you, the extended Sa Bir is pointless. A four minute SE? That’s fine for building anticipation at a live, boring on an album. 

 

Then there’s just the overall sterile sound of the whole thing. They ripped all the life out of the songs. It’s like Kyo is singing to MIDI backing tracks. 

I remember how dissappointed I was that Hydra 666 was not re-recorded since it sounds like it came from the Moab sessions in every respect from the production to the vocals. 

[kuyashii 124]

20 hours ago, Jigsaw9 said:

TMOAB is almost like a finely polished diamond compared to TIW in my opinion...  They really botched the whole production on the latter one.

I'd rather listen to MOAB because it sucks less than TIW but the bassless production is as bad sounding as the overly-clipped mass of sounds of TIW imo.

 

I don't know, I never really had a problem with Uroboros' original mix and I think the strange-sounding production actually aids to create the unique atmosphere the album has, but I don't really any issue with the remaster either (except with "Stuck Man" that sounds really weak without the bass as prominment as on the original). I think the best thing the remaster did was enhance the vocals (when the subject matter is vocals alone, I usually recommend people to listen to the remaster because comparatively, the growls are much clearer, the harmonies are crispier) but I see how someone would feel like it lessens the power of the original experience as a whole.

 

I wonder if we'll ever have another good sounding album by them lol. Even they are mostly sticking to the same production crew for a while, their sound has been getting increasingly worse overall. A band with their importance and influence having only 3 great produced albums out of 10? WTF

 

That's sincerely why I want them to tour as less as possible to really have the most time to work on studio possible. You can really feel how rushed the whole process for TIW was (not only when it came to production overall, but the writing really felt dumbed down and lacking too). Kinda curious how much they toured in 2007 (the most they ever toured in an year) and 2008 (not as much as they did in 2007) and still came out with something with the scope and complexity of Uroboros in less than two years after Marrow. Maybe they're just old and rich and lazy now?

[FOSCOR70 56]

Judy wondering but was dir en grey the first vk band to add gore in their music videos? 

 

Or what's the oldest vk music video with gore in it?

[Saishu 1589]

I’d be okay with Jens Bogren mixing a full DEG album.

 

I’ve come to like the raw sound of TIW, but my main issue is that Toshiya and Shinya are somehow up front and buried at the same time. For my money the worst sounding album is Kisou, though. 

[kuyashii 124]

Yeah Kisou sounds pretty ugly but I feel that like Uroboros, it helps to reach the atmosphere they are trying to go for. Marrow not only sounds bad but the production doesn't make the compositions much favor.

 

I liked the saturated production for the first track of TIW but after a few tracks it was too much for me.

[Ro plz 1290]

TIW is def getting a budokan show.  I don't even know why that's even up for debate. Dir's schedules are so unpredictable at this point so its almost impossible to predict whats gonna come before then, whether its more music or touring. As for the Budokan shows, the last one I legitimately enjoyed was DSS night 1. Maybe I'm wrong but that specific venue hasnt suited the live stuff they've done post Uroboros well. The instruments, mixed with the setlist selections and overall energy the guys are radiating has to do with it. 

 

I will give credit to specific performances on the ARCHE budokan lives though...

Edited February 7, 2019 by Ro plz

[LIDL 692]

There should be a tribute to DEG album at this point. They have been around for a long time now. I really enjoyed the cover songs that was done on those Crush! 90s V-Rock albums. Merry, Mejibray, and R-Shitei did something on DEG songs.

They need to do it some times, maybe in their 25th anniv or something.

 

Also, hope they would release some kind of boxset for Gauze this year, since it will be 20th anniv of the album release.

[Enki 137]

At first I was okay with TIW but now I really hate it and never listen to it anymore, cutting songs down to 3 minutes in length and simplifying them isn't really Dir en grey to me. Arche was amazing

[Nowhere Girl 189]

2 hours ago, Enki said:

At first I was okay with TIW but now I really hate it and never listen to it anymore, cutting songs down to 3 minutes in length and simplifying them isn't really Dir en grey to me. Arche was amazing

For me it's just the opposite. Hated the album on first listen. Now I enjoy it very much. 

The only song I find to be a little weaker is Celebrate Empty Howls. That one's possibly a slow-burn grower.

[nullmoon 784]

15 hours ago, Enki said:

At first I was okay with TIW but now I really hate it and never listen to it anymore, cutting songs down to 3 minutes in length and simplifying them isn't really Dir en grey to me. Arche was amazing

Agree with everything you're saying here. I was so disappointed with TIW but Arche just gets better and better with each listen. It's no Uroboros but it's got some damn good tracks. 

[Ro plz 1290]

 

16 hours ago, Nowhere Girl said:

For me it's just the opposite. Hated the album on first listen. Now I enjoy it very much. 

The only song I find to be a little weaker is Celebrate Empty Howls. That one's possibly a slow-burn grower.

 

It def is a grower...same with Keibetsu. The only track I cant fuck with is Devote my life. Its been a minute since I could call a Dir en grey song legitimately bad but this take the cake. Rest of the album just slaps. There's way too many bangers do say otherwise and the energy/song writing surpasses that of ARCHE by milestones. 

 

Also Zetsuentai deserves its spot as one of the top 5 Dir en grey songs ever. Fight me.

[FOSCOR70 56]

1 hour ago, Ro plz said:

 

Also Zetsuentai deserves its spot as one of the top 5 Dir en grey songs ever. Fight me.

That i can't agree more.

 

It's my most played song from this album.

 

Sounds so deviously majestic.

[Saishu 1589]

Zetsuentai: Still Chasing Vinushka

[ghost 2687]

I can't stand the mixing on TIW. It sounds like it's playing through a microwave. I like the songs, but it's the first time I won't listen to a Dir en grey album because I think the mix is garbage.

 

MOAB sounds like a breath of fresh air in comparison lol

[sleepy coffee 1476]

I wonder how people would rate this album among their discography if the mixing was to usual standards 

[Saishu 1589]

What’s the usual standard? More than half their records sound like hot rubbish.  It should be rated on songwriting anyway. 

Edited February 8, 2019 by Saishu

[nekkichi 6043]

I risk to say Kyo is the best male vocalist alive. Not only his vocal range is totally absurd, how he expresses his emotions is beyond passionate. And how many vocalists can improve their voices over time like him? Listen to Missa or Gauze and now. He's a monster, almost super human!