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.
MACABRE
DIR EN GREY Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
hebi kawa niai sou da ne ~ haku yume
garagara no ame ni utare ~ miugoki ga
dekinakuta ne
esa ni naru no wo matsu dake sa ~ guchi ga aku
sanagi kara hane wo hiroge ~ ima ni mo tobitachi sou de
kawaisa amatta kimi wa mou ~ otona ne
hana ni koi wo shita kimi wa ~ mitsu wo susuri
boku ni kizukazu sono mama de ~ kiba muku
ai sakimidare ~ esukarugo to foa gura no kimi wa
itoshii sanagi no kimi ga ~ usuyogoreta hane misete
boku wo furifuri futta ne ~ i no naka
barari gurari bara bara no kimi ~ hane wa mogete
hebi no kawa ga niau you na?
mawari. mawaru. mawatta
kotae kurikaeshite ~ kurikaesarete yuku inochi wo
magari. magaru. magatta
kimi wa toke tadarete hitotsu ni nari ~ mazari aou ka
kitto ningyo no you ni ~ ieki no puuru oyogu ~ kitto ageha no you ni
sanagi wa hane wa yasu
anata nara yuruseru wa ne ~ zankokuna ikimono
demo ashi wo jimen ni wasureta wa ~ nokosanai de ne
The lyrics of DIR EN GREY's song MACABRE describe the story of a person who wants to fly away and escape from their current reality. The first verse talks about someone who wants to spread their wings and fly away like a butterfly, but feels trapped like a snake shedding its skin. They feel helpless against the rain that beats down on them, unable to move. The person waits for something to give them hope.
In the chorus, the focus switches to someone who has fallen in love but hides their true feelings. This person loves someone, but the person they love doesn't know it. The second verse talks about that love being one-sided and how the person who loves feels like they are being stabbed in the heart with a knife. They can't move because of the pain.
The bridge then talks about someone who is lost and confused, constantly going in circles in their life. They search for answers but keep repeating the same mistakes. They want to blend in with others and not stand out, but they also want to be special.
Line by Line Meaning
hane wo hirogete tobitai kimi wa ~ ageha no yume miru
You spread your wings and want to fly away, like a butterfly dreaming
hebi kawa niai sou da ne ~ haku yume
Seems like the snake skin fits, but it's just a pale dream
garagara no ame ni utare ~ miugoki ga dekinakuta ne
Beaten by the pouring rain, unable to move around
esa ni naru no wo matsu dake sa ~ guchi ga aku
Just waiting to become food, with an open mouth
sanagi kara hane wo hiroge ~ ima ni mo tobitachi sou de
Spreading wings from a chrysalis, ready to take flight now as well
kawaisa amatta kimi wa mou ~ otona ne
You who used to be so pitiful are now an adult, indeed
hana ni koi wo shita kimi wa ~ mitsu wo susuri susutte wa
You who fell in love with a flower, licked and sucked the nectar away
boku ni kizukazu sono mama de ~ kiba muku
Unaware of me and biting down hard
ai sakimidare ~ esukarugo to foa gura no kimi wa
Love in full bloom, you are a mixture of sugar and flour
itoshii sanagi no kimi ga ~ usuyogoreta hane misete
You, my beloved chrysalis, show me your slightly dirty wings
boku wo furifuri futta ne ~ i no naka
You shook me off with a shudder, inside the stomach
barari gurari bara bara no kimi ~ hane wa mogete
A loose and unsteady you, flapping your wings all over the place
hebi no kawa ga niau you na?
Do you match the snake skin?
mawari. mawaru. mawatta kotae kurikaeshite ~ kurikaesarete yuku inochi wo
Spinning, turning, the repeated answers, life that is repeated and continues
magari. magaru. magatta kimi wa toke tadarete hitotsu ni nari ~ mazari aou ka
Turning, winding, twisting, you melt and become one, shall we mix together?
kitto ningyo no you ni ~ ieki no puuru oyogu ~ kitto ageha no you ni
Surely, like a swimming pool for dolls, surely like a butterfly
sanagi wa hane wa yasu anata nara yuruseru wa ne ~ zankokuna ikimono
The chrysalis and wings are easy, if it's you who can forgive them, cruel beast
demo ashi wo jimen ni wasureta wa ~ nokosanai de ne
But I forgot to put my feet on the ground, don't leave me behind
Contributed by Sadie T. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@ikiso8600
MACABRE (THE UNRAVELING Ver.)
作曲︰Dir en grey
作詞︰京
羽を広げて飛びたい君は揚羽の夢見る
蛇革似合いそうだね
ガラガラの雨に打たれ 身動きが出来なくてね
餌に成り春を待つだけ 口が開く
蛹から羽を広げ 今にも飛び立ちそうで
可愛さ余った君はもう 大人ね
花に恋をした君は蜜を啜り啜っては
僕に気付かず そのままで
牙を剥く
愛咲き乱れ エスカルゴとフォアグラの君に
愛おしい蛹の君が 薄汚れた羽を見せて
僕をフリフリ振ったね 胃の中
バラリグラリ薔薇バラの君
羽はもげて 蛇の皮が似合う様な?
廻り廻る廻った答え繰り返して
繰り返されて行く命を
曲がり曲がる曲がった君は溶け爛れて
一つに成り 混ざり合おうか
「きっと人魚の様に胃液のプール泳ぐ。」
「きっと揚羽の様に蛹は羽生やす。」
夢にまで見たコノ背に
貴方似の真ん丸い
お気に入りの長い羽を
物陰に隠れている
貴方も出ておいで
大切なのは気持ちだけ
そうでしょ？
廻り廻る廻った答え繰り返して
繰り返されて行く命を
曲がり曲がる曲がった君は
解け爛れて一つに成り 混ざり合おうか
Cold Rain
蜘蛛の上に乗る貴方は
涙を這わせて
目紛るしく空と土と螺旋城で命を宿す
「犠牲心、貴方は正しい?」
Masochism ＋ Sadism
慣れない貴方の腕にしがみ付き眠る
怖くて眠れない夜 貴方が恋しい
側には情もない 朽ち果ての未来と欲
運命の蜘蛛の糸分かち合おうか、ただ…
さよならは一度だけ、何故此処に堕ちた…
銀の眼が輝く巨大な貴方、嗚呼…
貴方なら許せるわね 残酷な生き物でも
脚を地面に忘れたわ 残さないでね
ゆらりゆらりゆらゆら揺れ
偽りの無い一途な眼に瞬きすらも忘れ、思う
一心不乱
貴方の中、噛み砕かれて行く季節ね
@Eam_arche9363
The best remake in the history of music .
@user-zv9gz8ci1r
Dir en grey is the best thing that has ever happened to music
@jayh3024
Стас Чаплин fuck yeah ! indeed that’s a fact and not just an opinion either (-)
@CanalKizaru
Facts!
@amysunshine7008
I can't agree more!!! 🖤
@myrandarichards6455
Agreed
@Yoshifumoshi
Jesus Christ Love💕
@Lagarto666
This band is even getting better. They never stop surprising me.
@lolli_is_a_punk
Node of Scherzo this song is old. Off their 3rd album with its namesake. I like the update to it. It's mostly stayed true to the original surprisingly since they've greatly changed their other remakes.
@ornellabarca1868
Yes, they do, they never stop for me too. They will remake 3 old songs , for their recopilatory(re recording) album for their 20th anniversary , "Vestige of Scratches". I am very excited about that. I'm not asking the band to outdo this, or to repeat this masterpiece, but oh geez do something close. haha . The remakes will be "Beautiful Dirt", "Fukai" (I'm very excited about this one personally) and "The IIID empire".