Japan's
Dir en Grey have taken much of the indie metal world by storm over the last 11 years. Beginning as a wildly experimental pop band that first incorporated hard rock and heavy metal into their sound about three or four albums in, they've become an absolutely ferocious unit both on record and on stages worldwide. While their records have only recently seen release in the United States, it hardly matters in the digital age. Sony even reissued their
Marrow of a Bone outing in 2007.
Uroboros, on the venerable The End imprint, is
Dir en Grey's seventh studio album. It is both an expansion of their metallic sound, as well as a return to their more experimental pop origins. Still comprised of its original lineup with
Kyo on vocals, guitarists Kaoru and
Die, bassist
Toshiya, and drummer
Shinya, this set may upset some of the harder core purists who yearn exclusively for the thrashing assault days. For the rest of us, this may be the band's most magical and thought-provoking set yet. Other than in the willfully misanthropic underground of black metal, heavy metal itself has been undergoing a metamorphosis of sorts, incorporating all manner of art rock, prog metal, and classic post-rock structures as well.
Uroboros has all of the above in a seamless meld of lush textures, expansive dynamics, impeccably recorded sound, and above all brilliant musicianship.
Kyo still writes his lyrics and sings almost exclusively in Japanese -- almost all of the band's titles are in Japanese, as well. That said, the translated lyrics are in gray on black in the booklet in two-point type, readable only with a magnifying glass. No matter.
Kyo's voice is more like another instrument, whether he is singing melodically, growling, or shrieking.