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DIR EN GREY

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(L to R) Dir en grey: Kaoru, Shinya, Toshiya, Die and Kyo.
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(L to R) Dir en grey: Kaoru, Shinya, Toshiya, Die and Kyo.

Overview

Dir en grey is a Japanese metal/rock band, formed in 1997 and went major in 1999. Yoshiki of X Japan produced their early singles which were later compiled in the album GAUZE) and since then they have been composing and managing their works on their own.

Members

As with numerous other Japanese bands, the members of Dir en grey are usually credited with their first or stage name, the names of Kyo (京) and Kaoru (薫) usually being written in kanji. While there has been speculation among fans, the artists' full names are not a matter of public knowledge.

Clothing Style

Originally their style was Visual-Kei, but later on, they settle down for a vaguely visual style. They drastically change their look with the release of each album. Most of the outfits from their Visual Kei-era are extremely elaborate, and as Kaoru claims in an English interview for Newgrave gothic magazine, he made his outfits elaborate on purpose to make it more challenging for cosplayers, or a costume player, to imitate the look.

History

Dir en grey was formed by former members of an indie band, La:Sadies, formed in the late 1995/early 1996. After parting ways with La:Sadies' bassist, KISAKI, the remaining of the band recruitted Toshiya (previously in D+L) and together they form Dir en grey. Kisaki has since gone and be involved in several indies projects, including KISAKI Project, Syndrome, Mirage, and now Phantasmagoria.

They released their first mini-album MISSA in 1997, followed by the release of GAUZE in 1999, MACABRE in 2000, and Kisou in 2002. These albums had a strong visual theme to them, and although it is easy to see the progression of the band's psyche across the tracks, they were still a settled style.

A shock came in 2002, with Dir en grey releasing six Ugly, six 'ugly' tracks of American styled music, but still with the faint undertones of Dir en grey's typical vocal lines in the choruses and bridges. Dir en grey's next album, VULGAR, was released in September 2003, with the lead track, OBSCURE, heading back towards the original style. They released a single album titled THE FINAL, in 2004 which included four songs- THE FINAL, INCREASE BLUE, RED...[em], and The IIID Empire -in which the last three songs are live covers from their Osaka Kouseinenkin Kaikan concert on October 26, 2003.

Despite no longer being visual, Dir en grey still surprises people with each album - moving from hard tracks such as Pink Killer and Filth, to rock ballads such as Mushi or 24ko Cylinder, and then onto tracks such as Mr.NEWSMAN with profound lyrics, but a heart wrenching vocal bridge, or umbrella with its catchy chorus.

On March 9, 2005 Dir en grey released their seventh album, Withering to Death. This album consisted of fourteen tracks, two of which were previousily released singles, -Saku- and THE FINAL. The sound of this album was different than anything Dir en grey had released consisting of the vocalist, Kyo, mostly screaming and the music harder than Dir en grey's usual style. This album left many fans wondering what new things Dir en grey was to attempt next and many began to believe that Dir en grey was heading for a more western heavy metal sound, moving away from their original style on GAUZE and earlier released music.

The later months of 2005 began with Dir en grey setting out to conquer the European music world. On May 28 Dir en grey did their first European live in Berlin, Germany. The title was TOUR05 It withers and withers. They planned a number of lives throughout Europe consisting of Germany, France, and Belgium. Still touring, now to move onto TOUR05 It withers and withers in Paris, France on July 24th and OCTOPUS ROCK FESTIVAL in Nivells, Belgium on July 29th; Dir en grey has made a name for themselves throughout Europe. We can only hope now that they will conquer the United States of America and other countries as well.

Dir en grey's fifth album Withering to Death was released on the 11th November 2005 in Europe, and on the 26th May 2006. The album was a special modified version, featuring a DVD with the PVs for either THE FINAL, 朔-saku- or Kodou, depending on the country, as well as footage from previous tours that promoted Vulgar. The CD also contained a booklet with full lyric translations into German, English or French. This version of the record was mainly targeted at new fans rather than at existing fans.

During March 2006 the band went on tour in America with the rock band KORN. In May they returned to Europe (Berlin, Koln, German Festivals).

History

1997 - 1999: Early career

Dir en grey was preceded by the independent band La:Sadie's which included four of Dir en grey's later members before it disbanded. After parting ways with La:Sadie's bassist Kisaki, Kyo, Kaoru, Die and Shinya along with newly recruited bassist Toshiya founded Dir en grey in early 1997. A few months later, the first EP, Missa was released.

In 1998, they became the first Japanese independent band to enter the singles top ten on the Oricon music charts following the release of singles "Jealous" and "-I'll-"[1]. Five subsequent singles, arranged and produced by X Japan co-founder Yoshiki Hayashi, were published during the first half of 1999, the band's first full-length record, Gauze, followed. One of the shows in support for the album (filmed at the Osaka-jo Hall) would later become the first of several live concerts to be released on VHS and DVD.

2000 - 2004: 3 albums in 3 years

In 2000 vocalist Kyo was hospitalized with hearing trouble and several dates of the tour in support of Dir en grey's then upcoming album, Macabre, had to be postponed. "Tour 00>>01 Macabre" eventually took off later the same year and was concluded at Nippon Budokan, shortly after the release of the single "Ain't Afraid to Die" in April 2001.

In the following year, along with the release of a third full-length album, Kisou, Dir en grey gave their first performances outside of Japan, touring China, Taiwan, and South Korea. In Shanghai, fans became excited to the point that authorities attempted to cancel a planned second concert. The band and their management eventually resolved the dispute, and the concert was performed as scheduled. Back in Japan, the last dates of the lengthy Rettou Gekishin Angya tour were already in support for the band's second EP, Six Ugly. A few months later, Dir en grey performed at Akasaka Blitz for five consecutive evenings. Each show (except the first) was themed after a certain album, the last featuring songs from the then not yet released Vulgar. A Blitz 5 Days live DVD set was later released exclusively for members of the band's official fan club ｢A Knot｣.

2005 - 2006: First non-Asian touring

Live in Detroit, 2006
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Live in Detroit, 2006

In 2005, Dir en grey performed in Europe for the first time. Their concerts in Berlin and Paris (as part of the It Withers and Withers tour) sold out without promotion, save for newsletters by import record stores and internet-based word of mouth. The band also appeared at two major festivals, Rock am Ring and Rock im Park. Becoming more involved with the international music scene, they had French band Eths open up for them at the Paris concert and invited American musician Wednesday 13 and his band to play at a show in Japan. Dir en grey also performed at the Japanese leg of the Taste of Chaos tour.

2005 saw the first official European releases as well, in the form of that year's album Withering to Death. The band's music had previously been available to fans not living in Asia through means of import and illegal file-sharing only. The album also managed to achieve Dir en grey's first non-Asian chart position, reaching #31 in the Finnish album charts. The subsequent single, "Clever Sleazoid", later climbed to #15 on the singles charts in the same country.

In early 2006 touring was expanded to the United States. The band performed in Austin, Texas (South by Southwest festival), New York City (Avalon Club) and Los Angeles, California (Wiltern Theatre), followed by the North American release of Withering to Death. Again, all shows sold out within days.[2] After more concerts and festival appearances in Germany during the summer, singer Kyo was again hospitalized, due to inflamed vocal cords. While two concert dates in Japan had to be postponed, Dir en grey was still able to join Korn's Family Values Tour.[3] In October, the band was back in Japan to perform at the Loud Park festival, along with bands such as Megadeth, Slayer and Children of Bodom.[4] Their current, 22nd single, "Agitated Screams of Maggots" was released on November 15, during the Japanese leg of the Inward Scream tour. On December 30, the music video for "Saku" was voted the #1 video of the year on the MTV2 show Headbanger's Ball. Template:fact

Tour 2007 with the Deftones and the Fall of Troy

Dir en grey will be joining the Deftones and the Fall of Troy on June 6, 2007 in Providence, RI. They will continue touring with the Deftones and the Fall of Troy through July 8, 2007, where they will end the tour with a show at the WaMu in Seattle, Washington.

Style and subject matter

Originally during their formation in 1997, they were considered a regular Japanese rock band with some qualities carried from the band La:Sadie's. During the Macabre period, they used elements of progressive rock (used for their album-titled song) and thrash metal (used for Rasetsukoku) in some of the album's songs. Both releases of Macabre and Kisou would be recognized for their dark and/or disturbing experimental, almost industrial, sound effects they would use in songs like Gyakujoutannou Keloidmilk and [KR] Cube. With the release of Six Ugly, Vulgar, and Withering to Death., they evolved to a band using more raw and conventional western influences like hard rock, heavy metal, nu metal, rapcore, post hardcore, and metalcore.

All lyrics are written by vocalist Kyo and deal with subjects such as society, mass media as well as sexual obsessions and love, usually with negative implications. The vocabulary varies from subtle to explicit and several songs rely heavily on double entendres and other wordplay, often involving the multiple meanings of a kanji character.

Discography

Albums

Including mini-albums

Singles

Compilations/Other

  • 2001.08.22 - KAI (改-KAI-)

DVDs

External Links

  • ↑ oricon.co.jp - Single charts positions
  • ↑ wired.com - "Japanese Invasion" (article about first U.S. shows)
  • ↑ blabbermouth.com - Family Values Tour 2006 lineup
  • ↑ loudpark.com - Loud Park 2006 lineup
    • Retrieved from "http://www.generasia.com/w/index.php?title=DIR_EN_GREY&oldid=1366"