A Lesson in Zombie Heroicz, AKA DIR EN GREY's Worst to Best

Letʼs get an intro going... In honor of the site reaching its pentalogy of articles, discography rankings will now be an item. A.H.Mʼs ranked posts start with a special band -- a REAL special band based in Osaka.

Quick, think of a red hot J-rock outfit! An electric entourage! A unique aura! Itʼs... Girugamesh!!! ...No, ʼtis a lie. Energy levels are fading because of these deep cut references (deep cut! Hoo ha ha!). Crap jokes aside, the ensemble in question is DIR EN GREY, a quintet that's meant oodles to me and a legion of consumers. They emerged from the ashes of indie troupe La:Sadieʼs, not long for this planet (thanks, Kisaki). For those with the faintest intrigue in the Japanese scene, not paying regard to them is a cardinal sin.

With elaborate lyricism, convention-busting metal and an affected philosophy, DIR swim in the peerless drink. Ten records deep (all embody distinct traits) and they continue to have a sense of individuality. Frontman Kyo is a vital asset in the DIR EN GREY canon, esteemed for the shock behavior of his stage persona and penmanship. He possesses an inhuman vocal range and versatility that would grow more drastic in due time, qualified to deliver gutturals; shrieks; clean singing; croons; and rap as if his Adidas tracksuits depended on it. 

Absolute loser to prized champion, these are the DEG full-lengths as of 2021. A month until the bandʼs upcoming single “Oboro”, too!

#10: MACABRE [2000]

MACABRE had the gizmos to be on equal footing with its predecessor (if not an upswing). Itʼs here where DEG increased their metallic colors, and progressive elements were embraced -- brought to prominence on the albumʼs eponymous song. GAUZEʼs efficient pop magnetism vanishes. Alas, the years were unkind to this sophomore jinx.

MACABRE in hindsight is an incoherent wave that often falls prey to umpteen tired J-rock platitudes. Itʼs a dated record that spends a bulk of its time pleased with losing the plot, and the flat production choices compound plights. Ballads like Taiyou no Ao and obnoxious punk recipes about child abuse in Berry are enough to set the seal on cheese, cheese, CHEESE. Yet I hesitate to consider MACABRE bad. The t/t, Wake and no-frills headbanger Rasetsukoku do a ton to keep this messy product afloat. 

#9: The Insulated World [2018]

Expand brain, except itʼs a jumpscare.

If we lived in an age where ARCHE was touted as DEGʼs adieu... Iʼd prefer that. No, we live in THIS time, and itʼs in THIS time where we have a successor to that entry. Enter The Insulated World. Their shortest offering, the LP doesnʼt sugarcoat in terms of subject matter and sound. It simultaneously tackles the belligerence THE MARROW OF A BONE beamed, concentrates on electronic textures and ARCHEʼs candid makeup relative to UROBOROS and DUM SPIRO SPERO. Itʼs a misstep -- a hurtful relapse because it followed the “holy trinity”.

The Insulated World has a worrying penchant for regurgitating ideas that were handled with superior care before -- the hackneyed, rap-esque Values of Madness in particular is a crutch in nostalgia form. Alongside recycled concepts and a trepidation to explore alien terrain, the albumʼs worth is stymied by its abysmal mix/master: Kaoru and Dieʼs guitars are muddy and lack crunch; Shinyaʼs drumming is wet and flaccid; and dynamics are illusory. Me admiring TIW more than MACABRE stems from the membersʼ solid instrumentation, plus itʼs a whirlwind listen at least. Respect to what Kyo does here lyrically, weighing in on his life -- waxing literal even more. 

Less Ranunculus, more Aka and Keigaku no Yoku in the future. 

#8: VULGAR [2003]

DEG were at a crossroads again with VULGAR, a studio effort sporting a definite Westernized air. The 2002 EP (six Ugly) emulated a nu-metal direction plain as a pikestaff, and the band saw fit to build on this formula for the next outing. To visual kei puristsʼ chagrin, they discarded their costume-y image in order for audiences to pay closer attention to the tunes. ...Apparently artists must be apprehended for zeroing in on the actual material. How dare they! 

Moving on, VULGAR is a potent test in the DEG catalog. Supreme dishes in audience KILLER LOOP, RED...[em], KASUMI and OBSCURE (PV not for the faint-hearted) can attest to its spot on numerous peoplesʼ tier lists. As for why itʼs a notch above MACABRE and The Insulated World? Overhyped 57 minutes that needed its filler excised (*cough* NEW AGE CULTURE *cough*) and disconnected flow. Sorry, why did these gentlemen not slot FUKAI in? The prospect of ᴙ TO THE CORE making the cut is also non compos mentis.

#7: KISOU [2002]

The final chapter of DEGʼs VK phase. KISOU enlarges whatever industrial touch MACABRE bore (i.e. Hydra) and marries it with the veteran alternative spice the conjunto have stuck with since taking shape. The record is a sneak peek at the nu-metal ingredient DEG would stress on six Ugly and Vulgar; ZOMBOID and The Domestic Fucker Family are indicative of that metamorphosis. The antique iteration of the gang neither went out with a bang nor whimper.

With this in mind, KISOU remedies a few wrongs the previous offering committed. The musicianship is more galvanized  and brave risks registered better in practice. This does have kindred flaws -- chiefly the thin, irritating audio quality that doesn't help sell KISOUʼs harder moments. The pace is an awkward sit, coupled with a jarring order; -mushi-ʼs raw balladry > second SHINSOU interlude > eerie pop punk hit JESSICA hurts my head. VULGAR is more cohesive, yet KISOU houses higher highs. 

#6: THE MARROW OF A BONE [2007]

More than the past two releases, THE MARROW OF A BONE can strike those from the old guard as a 180; a U-turn; a crazy paradigm shift... You get the gist. A logical advancement from Wtd., it is fueled by spry gloom and the contagious urge to mosh (P.S. donʼt crowd kill). Several of these intense pieces are inspired by metalcore, and the songcraft is straightforward for a band of DIR's caliber. In typical fashion, the likes of CONCEIVED SORROW and flamenco-driven NAMAMEKASHIKI ANSOKU, TAMERAI NI HOHOEMI demonstrate variety, as does the warped funk DISABLED COMPLEXES dons. 

Underrated doesnʼt begin to describe TMOAB. It reeks of something generic and panders to overseas hordes. I wonʼt tire of what it has to propose, though, which is the hill Iʼm dying on. Whether it be fervid performances or a chunky mix that allows aggressive AND soothing passages to shine, TMOAB maintains its appeal.

#5: Withering to death. [2005]

In theory, DEG receiving international recognition would be absurd. Ignoring their influences, there was the bandʼs earlier VK rep to consider; of course, legends X Japan were already voguish abroad. If foreign areas can stomach glam and other collectives with provocative threads (e.g. The Residents), then these boys were a surefire supernova, yeah? Thatʼs when Withering to death. descends. The first to be up for grabs outside its native soil, it portrays the band polishing VULGARʼs jumpdafuckup characterization with the heavy factor boosted significantly -- best heard on -Saku-, GARBAGE and Beautiful Dirt. Itʼs not afraid to go down the traditional rock route on occasion; hereʼs lookinʼ at you, Jesus Christ Rʼn R. That has a rhythmic pulse coursing through its veins without necessarily being fun. ...Donʼt get used to seeing that in the DEG lexicon.

Wtd. is the reigning champ of these metallersʼ medial noughties juncture on the grounds that itʼs so coordinated. The recording is never terribly tedious and the more professional, punchy production suits the moods it encompasses. Strangers to DEG? Then Iʼd suggest making Wtd. their gateway to the actʼs vast, protean discography; this and ARCHE. 

#4: ARCHE [2014]

Bearing a name Greek for ‘origin,’ ARCHE is when DEGʼs yesteryear and current selves clash. It evokes beginning and middle, but in a sense that the songwriting stays modern as opposed to obsolete. Littered with traces of prog, alt and avant-garde, the contents are supported by thunderous production rich in reverb. Unlike its perfect precursors, ARCHE boasts more sharpened hooks and digestible structures, although to say the thing is trivalized is a stretch.

DEG accomplish the daunting task of reconciling the paths they’ve embarked on, resulting in one of their most carefully constructed works. ARCHE radiates harsh one minute, achingly wistful the next, then alarmingly infectious. Its glaring fault is that itʼs a stuffed cluster (Chain repulsion and The inferno are snoozers), and had the misfortune of stacking up against its spellbinding antecedents. Do note that TIW would earn comparisons to ARCHE -- the contrast is clear as day: the latter can stand magnificently on its own, whereas the former plummets. 

#3: GAUZE [1999]

My Top 3 picks are unalloyed tours de force -- they pretty much interchange. As early as their official debut, DEG had plenty to substantiate, from an optic and music angle. A record featuring five singles produced by X Japan brainbox Yoshiki, GAUZE focuses on a busy alt rock aesthetic with brazen pop constituents that lure in the masses. It drops obvious hints regarding the bandʼs eccentricities in its duration: raison dʼȇtre is built around a throbbing cyber groove; thrashy -ZAN- is a prototype for the bellicose metal attitude DEG would soon adopt; and the unsettling mazohyst of decadence attempts epic runtimes. Kyoʼs lyrics on this LP are poetic (and unsafe for sanity), covering themes like authoritarianism, erotic desire and Japan perverting abortion in scenarios where proper sex ed and birth control should take priority. 

Even if countless bands come and go to ape what DEG motivated, GAUZE will remain fresh. Full of sticky choruses, balanced production techniques and lucid sequencing, itʼs a rewarding episode cloaked in genius. All the tracks here are accompanied by PVs that enhance the experience, so if youʼre fixing to hear GAUZE, watching the videos is recommended. 

#2: DUM SPIRO SPERO [2011]

Three words: Great Touhoku earthquake. The most intimidating shake to scare the country, complemented by a tsunami. Over 15,000 demises; 6,000+ hurt; 2,500+ up and disappeared. Close to five months, DUM SPIRO SPERO launches. Whilst not a direct influence on its construction, this crisis did drive DEG to create a reassuring album imbued with substance AND urgency -- hence the cognomen, Latin for ‘While I breathe, I hope.’ DSS amplifies UROBOROSʼ radical tendencies and sends in draconian subgenres such as tech, deathcore and doom. Verse-chorus tropes are alleviated, leaving behind a maniacally savage trinket that twists and bends when the opportunity arises.

Chaotic; dense; mature; blue; empowering. Those adjectives summarize how awesome a ride DSS is. Patrons are firing on all cylinders, especially Toshiya with his thick bass wizardry, not to mention the fingerprints via Tue Madsen guarantee massive (if LOUD) production values. DEGʼs eighth matches the criteria necessary to land at #1 -- thereʼs a guideline DSS misses by a whisker: the magic trick referred to as personal link. ...Gee, what the author has in 1st place ought to be a hot take. No chance heʼs going to select a certain 2k8 album! ...Right?

#1: UROBOROS [2008] 

On harmony, think of a snake or dragon devouring its tail... Now imagine that symbol using a different topic: samsara. Reincarnation of the soul was DEGʼs purpose when they were working on an LP that mirrors the Eastern motifs decorating MACABRE/KISOU, only on a grander level; more adult. UROBOROS is a synthesis of the monstrous shades they explored in the aughts and serpentine arrangements. This is further backed by a number of extra instruments that strengthen its oriental elegance -- biwa, mandolin, sitar and congas donʼt go unattended. UROBOROSʼ intricacies facilitate longer tracks, poignant rollercoasters VINUSHKA and Ware, Yami Tote... to be specific; after VULGAR/Wtd./TMOABʼs generally radio-length songs, this is a welcome surprise.

Gaika, Chinmoku ga Nemuru Koro was my first exposure to DIR EN GREY and hearing it blew me away. A similar feeling holds true concerning the rest of UROBOROS. What pushes the album into classic status is the Remastered & Expanded edition, as vanilla!UROBOROS is admittedly rough in terms of mastering. UR&E features a shinier, megalithic production style emphasizing nuances not present or difficult to discern in the original release (e.g. Kyoʼs vocals are mixed higher). Replacing the... ‘Engrish’ versions of GLASS SKIN and DOZING GREEN with Japanese counterparts is a wise move. Another smart option is annexing a whopping ~1:52 to the Hindustani soundscape incubus SA BIR; the segue into VINUSHKA has more impact! DEG even went on a limb to add Hydra -666-, the very same song off MACABRE retooled. Itʼs still the bandʼs blaze of glory twelve years later, abound in atmosphere, gravitas and a knack for variation that syncs well with coherence. Not a skippable ditty to be found.