DIR EN GREY released their 10th album "The Insulated World" on September 26, 2018

[nekkichi 6043]

nnnnnnnnnnnnn that entire comment, where's your god now basement dwellers

 

can't wait till oricon starts serving chart positions for this release, it can't sell well, and I'm already hyped for a bunch of unreleased arche rejects to be unsealed, thegazetted up, and released as a single/EP following this mess

[EzraEroguro 174]

5 minutes ago, nekkichi said:

nnnnnnnnnnnnn that entire comment, where's your god now basement dwellers

 

can't wait till oricon starts serving chart positions for this release, it can't sell well, and I'm already hyped for a bunch of unreleased arche rejects to be unsealed, thegazetted up, and released as a single/EP following this mess

 

What do you mean "Can't sell well"?

 

Also yeah, here's hoping for a bunch of other stuff they were sitting on in the studio. Just please, no more Dan Lancaster. This album is so unnecessarily loud in some spots, due to the poor use of the compressor/limiter.

[Saishu 1589]

Looks like it debuted at #3 and now it’s down to #5? 

[dannemannen 69]

Will people hate me for saying that this is the worst DeG album to date?

[blacktooth 227]

4 minutes ago, dannemannen said:

Will people hate me for saying that this is the worst DeG album to date?

You certainly wouldn’t be alone in that opinion. 

[Nowhere Girl 189]

10 minutes ago, Saishu said:

Looks like it debuted at #3 and now it’s down to #5? 

Albums usually chart high on their first few days due to day 1 buyers (usually pre-existing fanbase).

 

5 minutes ago, dannemannen said:

Will people hate me for saying that this is the worst DeG album to date?

No, I don't think that's particularly controversial. I'd give it a 10/10. The tenth of ten albums. 

 

My second listen was a bit more positive. Used a different audio setup and boosted the treble. Sounds way better, but still appallingly overcompressed. I can probably get into this in time. It'll be fun live for sure.

[LEY 7]

11 minutes ago, dannemannen said:

Will people hate me for saying that this is the worst DeG album to date?

I doubt that you're the only one that feels that way. Even with changing listening devices and listening on different occasions, the longevity of this album is concerning. 

[EzraEroguro 174]

1 minute ago, LEY said:

I doubt that you're the only one that feels that way. Even with changing listening devices and listening on different occasions, the longevity of this album is concerning. 

I dunno man, despite the mixing, this album really shines where their strong points are. I HATED MOAB, and i think people likening it to that are just basing it off of the harsh vocals. This album is pretty great.

 

Still think Ranunculus doesn't fit on the album.

[Saishu 1589]

16 minutes ago, EzraEroguro said:

I dunno man, despite the mixing, this album really shines where their strong points are. I HATED MOAB, and i think people likening it to that are just basing it off of the harsh vocals. This album is pretty great.

 

Still think Ranunculus doesn't fit on the album.

It doesn’t fit. I mean the end of Zetsuentai rolls nicely into the beginning of Ranunculus, but the song itself is so tonally different from everything else. Which I guess was the intention, but for the previous 12 tracks to all basically be “I WANT TO FUCKING DIE” and then suddenly here’s this Luna Sea shanty with Kyo exclaiming “I AM ALIVE”....  it sticks out more than Vanitas did on DSS. 

[blacktooth 227]

DSS's theme came across very clearly. "While I breathe, I hope" and how it was a concept album based on the aftermath of the earthquake.

I'm not sure what The Insulated World is supposed to mean yet.

[libertine 125]

1 hour ago, Nowhere Girl said:

Albums usually chart high on their first few days due to day 1 buyers (usually pre-existing fanbase).

 

No, I don't think that's particularly controversial. I'd give it a 10/10. The tenth of ten albums.  

 

My second listen was a bit more positive. Used a different audio setup and boosted the treble. Sounds way better, but still appallingly overcompressed. I can probably get into this in time. It'll be fun live for sure. 

I think they probably count all the pre-orders and "few days before launch from Tower Records" sales as day 1 too.

[Saishu 1589]

58 minutes ago, blacktooth said:

DSS's theme came across very clearly. "While I breathe, I hope" and how it was a concept album based on the aftermath of the earthquake.

I'm not sure what The Insulated World is supposed to mean yet.

Kyo hates himself. Wants to die. The translated lyrics use very plain language. Very little of it comes across as obscure poetry. He did an interview where he said he didn’t want to reveal the name of the song directed towards his parents, but one look at the lyrics makes it super obvious. 

 

He also said he struggles between wanting to either continue as a performer or just disappear entirely. If anything this album seems more personal. Maybe he’s been insulating himself and he’s finally letting everyone in?

[LEY 7]

2 hours ago, EzraEroguro said:

I dunno man, despite the mixing, this album really shines where their strong points are. I HATED MOAB, and i think people likening it to that are just basing it off of the harsh vocals. This album is pretty great.

 

Still think Ranunculus doesn't fit on the album.

Well I'm going to have to figure out how I'm going to get the same effect that I get in the car lol. It just sounds infinitely better on those speakers in comparison to every other device. I dont know how many people would be willing to go through this much trial and error especially new fans

[Saishu 1589]

Perfect example of how the sound of this album differs depending on how and what you’re using to listen to it is in Celebrate Empty Howls. On my earbuds, that tambourine/bell sound is hard to hear unless I lower the volume. In my car they’re prominent no matter where the volume is set. 

 

I think treble is the key here. Without it you end up getting a weird muddled mid-range mess. 

[chocobuzz 752]

I actually really like this album. I'm not a very big fan of dir en grey overall (out of their previous albums I've only listened to uroboros, arche and withering to death I think, they were ok but not really that outstanding to me) but this one's pretty good.

[Rosner 35]

Been listening the shit out of the album for the last couples of days, and it just gets better and better. I have no problem with the placement of songs now, and I accept 'Ningen...' and 'Utafumi' now. My only problem would be 'Values of Madness': I still don't like how it is placed after 'Aka'. The rest of it has finally clicked with me.

 

Also got past the production after finding the right EQ and listening device, as Saishu said. I just hope someone rips CD 1 and 2 in good quality, because I can't get enough of 'The Deeper Vileness' remake and it's only on YouTube. Seriously: I'm really happy with what they did to the song. I would love a complete re-recording of 'The Marrow of a Bone'.

 

Going back to 'The Insulated Wolrld'', I honestly think it's a good album with some standout moments (especially the second half), but they could have done better. It still feels rushed and 'simple', though this was something the band was after. Hope we don't have to wait four more years for another album!

[geist 227]

I’m loving the 3rd disc performance of Different Sense. Is it just me or has Toshiya’s screams in that song improved greatly? Also sounds like he’s doing more screaming and less shouting/growling. 

 

I have only one complaint for this album besides Values of Madness: I wish Papa Kaoru was louder. Fuck, just give me his isolated guitar track and I’ll go celibate. 

 

I think the album length is great because it’s easy to actively listen in one sitting without feeling tired. The idea of having a bunch of songs being no longer than 3 and a half minutes worried me at first; but a lot of these songs greatly benefit from it. I can’t imagine an extra minute of songs like Keibetsu to Hajimari or Devote My Life. 

[Saishu 1589]

I really wish the album sounded like the bonus tracks. Like, Jens Bogren’s mixes aren’t perfect, but I can pick out every single detail with no problem. I like how he went for a more natural sounding snare, but it does get a little lost in heavier parts. 

[Seelentau 884]

Some more info on the album's tracks etc.:

 

[Tanishi 598]

I do think this is their worst album to date but the thing I like about it is that in no way does it sounds like they're simply going through the motions. There's still a lot of inspiration there and some interesting ideas thrown in. It's similar to moab in that regard in that moab sounds like they put 100% effort into it despite simply 'writing a generic metal album'. I think they can still write good music in the future. Production is unredeemable though but the cd sounds better then the iTunes rip (though maybe that's just me).

[ZudokatoKuroO 13]

1 hour ago, Seelentau said:

Some more info on the album's tracks etc.:

.

 

 

Very Interesting this article...

[LIDL 692]

I like reading that article. Understand better what the band want to show/convey and its meaning even to littlest thing such as song listing. 

 

Make me less worried about Kyo being suicidal. Or the band would parted ways.

Edited September 30, 2018 by LIDL

[Ozileras10 371]

11 hours ago, Saishu said:

it sticks out more than Vanitas did on DSS. 

Comparing vanitas with Ranunculus is a sin

[Rosner 35]

3 hours ago, Saishu said:

I really wish the album sounded like the bonus tracks. Like, Jens Bogren’s mixes aren’t perfect, but I can pick out every single detail with no problem. I like how he went for a more natural sounding snare, but it does get a little lost in heavier parts. 

That's Jens Bogren's trademark snare sample! Would be my only grip with most of his works. Even my favourite of his albums (Paradise Lost's 'Faith Divides Us - Death Unites Us') has a perfect drum sound... Sans the snare! But well, works for him in the context of the mix I guess. But I'm definitely with you: the bonus tracks sound so much better than the album...

 

Also, thank you Seelentaus!!! Really interesting read.

[Saishu 1589]

They considered Devote My Life for a single? Are they on fucking crack?!