DIR EN GREY - DUM SPIRO SPERO

Since their inception in 1997, DIR EN GREY has embarked on a journey of constant restructuring and rebuilding of their musical style. From what started as an experimental visual kei band, they have become a worldwide leader in the metal scene, and have earned the respect from fans of all genres.

After over a two year wait, DUM SPIRO SPERO was released, marking DIR EN GREY's eighth full-length album. Keeping with their pattern of constant change and renewal, this newest album is just as different and unique as its predecessors. With the opening title Kyōkotsu no nari, the direction of the album is made clear. While melodic and beautiful, almost trance-like, you can expect an explosion of darkness assisted by heavy chords, Kyo's growls, screams, screeches, and all the other demonic noises he can conjure to occur at any moment. Blossoming BEEZLEBUB and DIFFERENT SENSE exemplify this theme by pairing these exact melodies side by side. Just as the song title suggests, the second track teases your senses and brings to mind the birth of something evil, quite literally a demon. As the song closes, the drums and bass pick up to bring in the beginning of DIFFERENT SENSE, the much more aggressive and power packing song of the pair. Their third single from the album, DIFFERENT SENSE encompasses all that is DIR EN GREY: aggressive rifts, booming bass, Shinya's amazing drum work, and Kyo's shifts from passionate wails to the more melodic verses.

Followed by AMON and "Yokusō ni DREAMBOX" aruiwa seijuku no rinen to tsumetai ame, the album reverts back into its more trance like atmosphere, of course with the occasional outburst of Kyo's randomized screeches where we almost least expect it. This leads up to one of the most aggressive tracks on the album, Jūyoku. This song completely abandons the trance pattern seen earlier in the album and develops into a more DIR EN GREY-esque volley of ranged screams and roars. Undoubtedly the most impressive trait of this song is Kyo's immense range, capable of hitting the highest and lowest notes we've heard from him in a matter of seconds. Coupled with the rest of the band's ferocious performance, this song is most definitely a so-called "live song" intended to blow the minds of the live audiences.

Reaching the halfway mark, the album begins to take on a turn. Reversing back a bit into the trance pattern, Shitataru mōrō downs the pace just a little bit. Most notable for this song is Toshiya's vibrant bass notes, which if you weren't prepared from the last song, you will be caught in a barrage of heavy beats knocking you off your seat. LOTUS comes next, the second single to be released. While continuing to slow down a bit, Kyo relaxes his voice, and lets the rest of the band drown his voice in an intense melody. This serves as a perfect transition into the ten minute track, DIABOLIS. While starting off rather slow, and building, with steady guitar and bass, it soon breaks off, allowing for the band to have their own fun with their instruments in the forms of a guitar solo, Toshiya's thumping bass, and Shinya's steady drum work. After a minute or so, Kyo returns with a vengeance, unleashing his roars and screams in a fury. Five minutes in, the song begins to slow again, giving Kyo the room again to show off his immense vocal range, leading up to the climax of the song, a heavy boom of pure DIR EN GREY thrashing. Softly, the song moves off towards a softer atmosphere and quietly, it ends with Kyo's voice trailing off.

The aggressiveness, however, isn't lost. While Akatsuki again has a bit of a trance-like atmosphere, it comes at the listener with a very fast pace, and with Kyo's back growls accompanied with his singing, the album is thrust into an aggressive pair, DECAYED CROW and Hageshisa to, kono mune no naka de karamitsuita shakunetsu no yami. DECAYED CROW does not hold back. No trance-like atmosphere or building up is presented here; the band simply goes at it full force, capable of melting your face off. No moment in this song is there a rest or pause, no escaping the unbelievable capabilities of this band to simply rage. While gearing on more of a progressive track for Hageshisa to, kono mune no naka de karamitsuita shakunetsu no yami, this first single carries the weight of connecting UROBOROS DIR EN GREY with this new era of DUM SPIRO SPERO. As melodic as it is heavy, this song combines everything that is the essence of the band.

Again, taking a breather, VANITAS comes along to calm the listener and prepare them for the end of the album. The only ballad in the entire track list, this song definitely stands on its own, capable of moving even the most hardcore metal fan. The most amazing aspect of this song is its ability to keep the intensity of DUM SPIRO SPERO, while almost reflecting upon DIR EN GREY's past of melancholy, most notably from the Withering to death. era.

Finally, we come upon Ruten no tō. This song, while relatively mellow in comparison to the rest of the album, perfectly represents DUM SPIRO SPERO and does justice as a closing. It combines the elements of Kaoru and Die's heavy guitar, Toshiya’s booming bass, Shinya's detailed drum work, and Kyo's ever ranging vocals to create a progressive masterpiece.

DUM SPIRO SPERO contains elements of DIR EN GREY never before seen in their long career, while still maintaining the core of what the band really is, as well as crowning them the metal kings of Japan.