Originally a visual kei band, the band dropped that style around 2005 with the release of their fifth full-length album, Withering to death., however as of recently they have reacquired their visual kei aesthetic. Their musical style is difficult to determine; throughout their releases, they have played styles ranging from pop rock to extreme metal. Today, their style can be considered generally a version of alternative metal and avant-garde metal.
The band has been signed to FIREWALL DIV., a subdivision of Free-Will under Sony Music, for their entire career so far. However, their fifth full-length album, Withering to death., was the band's first to see distribution outside of Japan. It was released in Europe by GAN-SHIN and the United States by Warcon Enterprises. They're currently signed to Okami Records for European distribution and The End for United States distribution.
DIR EN GREY, in its earliest form, began as the band of vocalist 京 and drummer Shinya - 廃人黒薔薇族 (Haijin Kurobarazoku, "Invalid Black Rose Family"). Members and associates of this band formed La:Sadie's, which eventually included four of the band's five current members. La:Sadie's disbanded in January 1997. All but the bassist came back together to form Dir en grey. They recruited Toshiya, a bassist from Nagano and previously in the band D†L, and officially formed Dir en grey in February 1997.
In 1998, the band gained major attention by becoming the first indies band to have a single place in the top ten on Japan's Oricon music charts. After making their major debut in early 1999, they played a sold-out performance at Osakajo Hall on December 18, 1999. This remains one of the band's most memorable solo performances to date.
In 2002, the band's THE JAPANESE FXXKER FAMILY tour brought the band their first international performances. The tour took them to several countries in Asia, including China and South Korea. In Shanghai, fans became so excited that authorities attempted to cancel a planned second concert. The band and their management resisted, and the concert was played as scheduled.
The year 2005 was a very significant year in the band's history. Dir en grey played their first non-Asian shows in the spring and summer of that year. TOUR05 It withers and withers was the one that brought the band from Japan to Europe. The band played shows in three European countries - Belgium, France, and Germany. Two of these performances were MTV's Rock im Park and Rock am Ring festivals. Dir en grey also played a solo live concert in Germany on May 28 which sold 3,500 standing-room tickets to Berlin's Columbia Hall in approximately 6 weeks (also rumored as 3 days). The band's album Withering to death. reached #31 on the Official Finnish Album Chart, and the single "CLEVER SLEAZOID" reached #15 on its Singles Chart. These were the first times Dir en grey had placed on a non-Asian music chart.
Throughout 2009 and 2011, the band released a total of three singles that would later be added onto their 8th album (DUM SPIRO SPERO). These singles included 激しさと、この胸の中で絡み付いた灼熱の闇 (December 2nd, 2009), LOTUS (January 26, 2011), and DIFFERENT SENSE (June 22nd, 2011). On August 1st, the band had made an open letter on their Facebook page accusing the Japanese government of lying about the levels of radiation caused from the 2011 Tohoku earthquake and tsunami. This led to the creation of the band's "Scream for the Truth" movement, which hoped to result in the correct numbers and truth from the government.
On August 3rd, 2011 the band released their 8th studio album DUM SPIRO SPERO (Latin; "While I breathe, I hope"). The material of this album was showcased on the tour of Age Quod Agis throughout Japan, and the Americas. In February of 2012, 京 (Kyo) was diagnosed with vocal nodule dysphonia. This lead to the withdrawal of the band's participation in the Still Reckless tour, and Kyo was required to have surgery performed on his throat.
The band celebrated their first album's (GAUZE) 15th anniversary of August 2014 with the Tour14 Psychonnect: Mode of "Gauze"? Japanese tour. The tour included their live performances of the songs featured on Gauze. On August 5th, Dir En Grey announced their 9th studio album, ARCHE, to be released December 10th, 2014. After its release, the band performed two tours: By the Grace of God and The Unstoppable life, which brought the band back to North America; the first time since 2011.
On 6 February 2016, it is officially announced that the band will release their new single, 詩踏み, on July 27, 2016. They performed tours called Tour16-17 From Depression To ________ mode of Vulgar, Tour16-17 From Depression To ________ mode of Dum Spiro Spero, and Tour16-17 From Depression To ________ mode of 鬼葬 from June to November 2016.
In 2017, the band did further tours themed around previous albums. They also covered Easy Make,Easy Mark by D'erlanger for the D'ERLANGER TRIBUTE ALBUM ～Stairway to Heaven～.
Another compilation album, VESTIGE OF SCRATCHES, was released on January 2, 2018. DIR EN GREY's twenty-ninth single 人間を被る was released on April 25, 2018. One of its B-sides is a remake of Ash, a song with origins as far back as 1997.
On June 29, 2018, DIR EN GREY announced that their tenth studio album The Insulated World was to be released on September 26, 2018. After its release, the band went on a European tour in October 2018, under the title "Wearing Human Skin".
DIR EN GREY's eleventh studio album, "Phalaris", was released on June 15th 2022. The band embarked on a Japanese tour in promotion called "TOUR22 PHALARIS -Vol.I.-".
Visit www.direngrey.co.jp for more information, and news.
DIFFERENT SENSE
DIR EN GREY Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Koufuku to jiyuu ni oritatsu made houfuku to Paradox
Chishi ryou mimoto fumei sonzai riyuu
Right Now
Kami goroshi no karisuma fu tekiou na sennou kara tsukiyo ni honrou ka
Our Blackened Sun
Haki mitasa re ta yoku najiri ai
Anraku shi ni ue
Bad Taste
Soshite furimawasu dake no nani ga junboku na no ka?
Our Blackened Sun
Dare mo ga byoudou no sora sae
Tozashi ta
Hikari totomoni
Ushinatta koto ni sae
Ki ga tsuka nai mama
Mugamuchuu musaboru yume
Egao ni kakushi te kanpai
Hide Out
Koufuku to jiyuu ni oritatsu made houfuku to Paradox
Chishi ryou mimoto fumei sonzai riyuu
Right Now
Kami goroshi no karisuma fu tekiou na sennou kara tsukiyo ni honrou ka
Our Blackened Sun
Awaremi oshimu bakenokawa
Live Through This World
Live Through This World
Live Through This World
Live Through This World
Live Through This World
Kakimushiru mune
Nokose nai kizuato
Aijou
Nise ta hito no risou
Dare mo ga byoudou no sora sae
Tozashi ta
Hikari totomoni
Ushinatta koto ni sae
Ki ga tsuka nai mama
Mugamuchuu musaboru yume
Egao ni kakushi te kanpai
Sukuwa re nai kotae
Shigamitsuki amae rare nai
Owari ni shiyou
Nagareru kuyashi sa mo
Shikashi ima ni kiduku
Tatakitsuke rare ta mirai
Sou... nani o
Imi suru "aozora"
The lyrics to DIR EN GREY's song Different Sense are quite poetic and open to interpretation. At first, the song seems to be talking about revenge and the balance of happiness and freedom. The opening lines "Until we safely descend into happiness and freedom, revenge and paradox" suggest that the singer wants to achieve a balance of these things before seeking revenge. The next few lines "Unknown existence reasons, based on the value of a thousand deaths" could mean that the singer is willing to go to great lengths for revenge.
The chorus, "Our blackened sun, poured with the most wicked love" could mean that the singer has a twisted sense of love and is willing to do whatever it takes to seek revenge. The next verse talks about society and the idea of conformity. The line "Who dares to make a virginity of differences in taste?" suggests that people are expected to conform to a certain way of thinking and those who don't are viewed as outcasts.
The song ends with the line "But now we realize, the future that we fought for." This could mean that the singer has achieved their revenge but has come to the realization that it wasn't worth it in the end.
Line by Line Meaning
Hide Out
Retreat from the world until happiness and freedom can be achieved, exacting revenge and paradox
Koufuku to jiyuu ni oritatsu made houfuku to Paradox
Revenge and paradox remain until happiness and freedom have been achieved
Chishi ryou mimoto fumei sonzai riyuu
The underlying reasons for existence are blurry and unknown
Right Now
At the current moment
Kami goroshi no karisuma fu tekiou na sennou kara tsukiyo ni honrou ka
Are we only playthings, being controlled by a cruel and charismatic god, wandering in the moonlit night?
Our Blackened Sun
Our dark, corrupted sun
Haki mitasa re ta yoku najiri ai
It's overflowing with gross love
Nareau shuuraku
A village of becoming
Anraku shi ni ue
Reaching the state of peace and satisfaction
Bad Taste
But what's only being stirred up, what is the innocent thing?
Soshite furimawasu dake no nani ga junboku na no ka?
And what is the object of this aimlessness and innocence?
Dare mo ga byoudou no sora sae Tozashi ta
Everyone closed the flat, colorless sky
Hikari totomoni Ushinatta koto ni sae Ki ga tsuka nai mama
Without even realizing it, we lost the light alongside it
Mugamuchuu musaboru yume Egao ni kakushi te kanpai
Dreams of indulgence, with hidden smiles, cheers
Awaremi oshimu bakenokawa
A fool who despises his own sensitivity
Live Through This World
Persist through this world
Kakimushiru mune Nokose nai kizuato Aijou
Love leaves scars on the heart, wounds that cannot be avoided
Nise ta hito no risou
Ideals of a fake person
Sukuwa re nai kotae Shigamitsuki amae rare nai Owari ni shiyou Nagareru kuyashi sa mo
Answers cannot be rescued, crying and leaning cannot be tolerated, let's end it, along with all the streaming regret
Shikashi ima ni kiduku Tatakitsuke rare ta mirai Sou... nani o Imi suru "aozora"
But now, we realize the future that we were forced to face... and what does the blue sky mean?
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: (M TERACHI, (MEM OF DIR EN GREY) HIRONORI NISHIMURA, (MEMBER OF DIR EN GREY KAORU NIIKURA, (MEMBER OF DIR EN GREY) DAI ANDOU
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Muhammad Yusuf Shalahuddin
His vocal is inhuman, it's so hard to find a beast screamer with amazing clean and opera vocal
Billybobthekid
Devin Townsend
Tio Hyde
Burton C. Bell
Brandon Tadday
The only person that comes close to Kyo’s vocal range is Mike Patton. Those are the only two vocalists I’ve heard that can perform practically any vocal technique/style you throw at them flawlessly.
hibuki
rib:y(uhki)
Chaz Hartwayne
Will Ramos
Avitus Xenoi
This song is THE song. It carried me through my first marathon, through my anger and sadness and joy. When I hear it I am fearless, I am not alone. A knot, for life.
Myrrhan Dicate
Bro I feel the same. Wanna say the same about whole dir en grey band.
Panda Bear
Fuck. Same. Been a fan since I was 12, and even though there are years I don't connect as much, I always come back. Catharsis in the anger, knowing I'm not alone. Dir En Grey is for life.
Khaoula Kachouane
I swear that it saved me from crazy situations when I thought my heart will expload from anger and frustration! When you can't scream let kyo do the job for you! he will externalize your deepest emotions and you will feel reborn again!