The Birth Of Dir En Grey

[@jameshampton4772]

Dir En Grey is an example of a band that they were never afraid to try anything new with each record and even too this day they are still bringing nothing but hits which is rare for alot of bands to do and even still now.

[@graymads]

Even the albums of theirs I am not the biggest fan of still have a few songs that draw me in. I love how many different elements of other genres they bring in with each release.

[@kamenanew9867]

@@graymads just saw that you have an obscure mv breakdown and a msi vid, I'll definitely be checking those out after this. Awesome.

[@SakugaAsu]

L'arc En Ciel is also a good example of this

[@kurrupoppo6937]

AFI is another good example of this.

[@bebop_557]

Another rarity about them is Japanese bands almost never tour the US, unless they are super mainstream. Not just for the language barrier, but also because Japan music industry is big enough that they can tour the country for a fraction of the price of the US and still be incredibly successful. Dir En Grey is touring the US in spite of the language barrier and not being mainstream. I saw them live and they said exactly 5 words in English. They needed a translator with them nonstop to even navigate the US. It's really a testament to how music can transcend boundaries to reach different cultures and countries.

[@SkittleWolf]

My first rat was named Toshiya. This was all the way back in 2005. Diru will always be an absolutely staple of modern and past VK. Like, they were THE BAND that absolutely helped the genre explode across the world. They were also one of my first concerts. Just absolutely fucking iconic.

[@SkittleWolf]

It's also fucking insane that they come outta the gates with a fucking album like Gauze. Like, christ. As much as I disagree with their politics, I can go on and on and on about how Mazohyst of Decadence is the perfect culmination and keystone piece of VK in the 00s, setting the stage for the future of direction of the genre.

[@KnaveMurdok]

Visual Kei from that early era feels like a skillful mashup of Dead or Alive and Sisters of Mercy and no one seems to ever talk about this.

[@graymads]

I didnt think about that until you said it. But you got a point lol

[@NikolasMitsugui]

The fact that early visual kei sounds like a blend of metal, gothic rock, sometimes new wave, with some very unique vocals (inside the genre that is), is what made me get into it in the first place, not to count how it all sounds strangely nostalgic.

[@akkirevival3481]

I was soo obsessed with Gauze in 2016. I got a lot of nostalgia watching this video 😭 Pd: Cage is a perfect song. It should even be studied. The crafmanshift behind Cage is more than remarkable.

[@helio1055]

You should listen to the punk band Gauze from Tokyo, fucking legends

[@strangevessels]

I remember the first time I saw Saku on MTV2. It was a real "what even is this" moment. Even having been into metal and nu metal at the time they stood out. Took me a bit back then to come around to their unique rhythm and style, but then I really got into them in the Uroboros and Dum Spiro Spero eras. Now they are my favorite band. I also find it remarkable how they maintain those original elements all the way back from Missa and Gauze while still pulling from Western bands. They've always had such fearless writing and music that just pierces you from the core on out. Plus having a vocalist I'd put up there with Diamanda Galas or Mike Patton in terms of uniqueness and innate ability to deliver you into the emotions and atmosphere of the songs. I could gush on and out about Dir en grey lol.

[@TBZK]

When they finally made it on MTV I was such a proooooud fan at the time.

[@diseasedfoe]

Yo same. I remember watching this on Headbanger's Ball on a Saturday night

[@ThatMagicPie]

Bass solo in Cage, is just **chef's kiss** Dir en grey is what started me down my spiral of madness that is musical taste, since 2005/2006 I'm close to 100ish different J-Bands that I now listen to.

[@annavis2896]

I WISH I had gotten into Dir En Grey when I discovered Obscure in 2018/19 but I was so traumatised by the music video that I didn't become obsessed till late 2020. I'm so obsessed with them now ahhhhh

[@graymads]

No shame in being late to the party.

[@annavis2896]

@@graymads of course 😄

[@kimackerman2183]

We started obsessing over them at the same time then. I also remember watching Obscure when I was early in middle school and had no idea who it was about until I discovered the band again.

[@reisnow80]

I maybe the opposite, i'm into DeG after obscure lol

[@nicksbrown1994]

Dir En Grey is GOATED and I can't wait for the 19990120 album and the three remake songs. It's crazy that ZAN is getting a second remake.

[@velvi8359]

I love Dir en Grey so much, its rare to see a band of their age still putting out amazing albums. What blows my mind the most is the fact that Kyo is putting out more music than ever with DeG and his other bands Sukekiyo and Petit Branbancon. Like the dude cannot stop making bangers.

[@arlesfrog6780]

This band and kyo will be forever one of my reason to live

[@itsfine5818]

Huh, a lot of cool facts here that I knew nothing about and I've been on board since the release of Vulgar! What a trip it must've been to have Yoshiki involved with your debut, one of the biggest rockstars ever in Japan.

[@RX7Sherry]

Kyo more like GOAT

[@graymads]

agreed

[@ComaBlack666]

GOATED band, thank you for making a video on them! Kyo in particular is a huge influence for me.

Their early stuff isn't my favorite, but I always love hearing other people talking about their fondness for it. I was introduced to diru from Uroboros and so it makes listening backwards hard when you start so high. I'm so glad you decided to cover them, and I hope you do more! Kisou is my favorite and would love to hear what you have to say about it!!!

[@graymads]

I definitely plan on delving into their middle years, Vulgar is one of the best albums I've ever heard.

[@kamenanew9867]

@@graymads I love this video. Thank you. Been a fan since obscure when I saw the edited version on mtv2 headbangers ball. I was just like impressed and a bit disturbed and now I worship every member heh. Look forward to more and will definitely look into whatever you've done.

[@manara1312]

Their music saved my life so many times in different ways and no matter how many years pass I never outgrow them. Kyo is arts embodiement - every single member is so insanely talented. Im so endlessly thankful for their existence ❤

[@kylauren13]

The fact that this band is older than i am, yet still releasing absolute bangers is insane.

[@helio1055]

for 1995 La Sadies wasn’t really ahead of its time, that’s what most of the underground vkei bands sounded like at the time. Mazohysteria, Baiser, Rouage

[@sabermcfunk2613]

They're my favorite band too. It was awesome to see someone go through them as deeply as you have. I first heard them when I was like, 14 and I've been a huge fan ever since. Mask is also one of my faves because it was one of my first. I think Myaku was the one that really got me tho.

[@graymads]

Mask got me interested, but when I heard Saku I was obsessed.

[@2ndbleak]

Sweet. I was really hoping for you to cover them, been a fan all the way since downloading their old live videos through P2P back in 2004 or so. Amazing band and a huge inspiration.

[@metempsykhosis240]

I still find myself rewatching your videos and you're so underrated dude. Dir En Grey will forever be my favorite band

[@nicholasnicoletti8253]

I really dig your style! I never thought I'd see a good Dir en grey video essay in 2022 lol. I found them back in like 05 or so and there's nothing like them. How every album is so different, but so good is kind of insane. They're slowly settling into a more extreme, almost tech death sound now, and I really dig it. But there's something for everyone and that's not easy to do. I actually named my cat Kyo cause I love this band so much and I STILL have my concert ticket from when I saw them in 07. I wanted to mention with the Zan rerecording that, while I enjoyed it a lot, I get where you're coming from. I believe it was rerecorded (along with the other tracks they've done) for 2 reasons. 1) To update it to their modern sound so they can play some of their older stuff to their newer crowd who is expecting something heavier and more "traditional" (though I don't think Zan could ever sound that), and 2) so they could get the rights back to play it live. Since they've switched labels a handful of times it's very possible they didn't own the rights to the original recording/arrangement and needed to rerecord it to get it back. This is the same reason that when bands switch labels they'll do a "remaster" of an older album. I would love more videos from you digging into their style changes and stuff! You present the information really well and your love for the band definitely comes through. It's not often that someone mentions their first releases when talking about them.

[@mekongbaby]

Listening since they started and grew older just as they did. Your video made me travel back in time, remembering things and people I didnt think of in twenty years. Thank you alot for this and all the hard work you spend on your videos. Damn, the Osaka Hall Concert was amazing. Watched it all the time. Peace.

[@graymads]

It's a lot of fun to make these so, I got more coming 😜

[@prettymuchnobody]

The first time I discovered Dir En Grey was their music video for Saku on Handbangers ball on Mtv, probably around 2007 or so. It was my first introduction to Japanese metal

[@meowtherainbowx4163]

“Erode” reminds me of early L’Arc~en~Ciel. I can’t help but wonder if that was an influence given how they started as a visual kei band and remained connected to it in some ways.

[@bagofrazors2934]

Every time you make a video about music I listen to every album you mention. Example being the BMTH video. I admittedly haven’t listened to a lot of Dir En Grey. But the examples given here have me genuinely invested. This is the second time you have really gotten me into a band.

[@graymads]

Glad to be your tour guide 😜

[@bagofrazors2934]

@@dollyofvenus I cannot thank you enough for this.

[@dollyofvenus]

@@bagofrazors2934 your welcome !!

[@bagofrazors2934]

@@dollyofvenus I listened to different live shows of the song you sent me and I absolutely adore the way they somehow reinvent the song each time. My first experience with Dir En Grey was “Vulgar” and I wanted to really get into this band but for some reason didn’t listen to them as frequently. (I was working Usually around this time so after work I would go home and instantly sleep). Between this video and your album recommendation I think I’m gonna invest in this band much more.

[@dollyofvenus]

@@bagofrazors2934 I'm so glad to hear!! they've always got smth new to offer so you'll have a good time diving into their discography tbh

[@ForLorNVuLgaR]

You and I sir are on the same terms about Diru... Thank you!

[@Dailo_Ma]

Ohh my god,first your Mizer vid and now this, covering my favourite band of all time. Never thought I'd see such a content in english on youtube, the fact that someone does this and at such a high quality is astonishing

[@graymads]

Glad I could help ;)

[@goatinthefog3093]

just found your channel through dir en grey, i hope one day people will find our fav band through your channel

[@VaporMemory]

Dude you’re making videos about all my favorite bands. Nice 👍

[@graymads]

You have good taste. Again its a little surreal to see the channel that introduced me to a few of my all time favorite artists watching my videos.

[@TBZK]

Gosh, I just see my entire life as you go through this video. I found them when I was 10 (I was on the internet way too much as a child). And my love for them never stopped and their music runs in my damn veins.

[@graymads]

Dir En Grey never dies.

[@landenx]

Dir En Grey is among my favorite bands for sure

[@masterryoaska]

Ahhhh! Yet another video of my all time fave band! 😁Thank you for talking about Dir en grey! I'd rewatched the Malice Mizer every now and then

[@badwolfXIII]

Loved this, so much nostalgia. Looking forward to diving in to all of your videos.

[@ungenbunyon5548]

Akira no oka, ain't afraid to die, Amber. The 3 A's the 3 songs are about the same subject if I remember correctly a love that could never be

[@ergifem]

I'm a simple guy. I see a video about dir en grey I click like and watch.

[@CountryPup1]

Best damn band ever. Discovering child prey on music choice when I was in 5th grade at 10:11 am had changed my life forever still to this second. I’m so happy to have ever found them. They are a big part of my life and personality.

[@kimackerman2183]

I always get happy when I see a new Dir en Grey video being spoken about. I recently got their new album and was able to purchase Vestige of Scratches at an affordable price. They continue to be my favorite Japanese band and I've been loving their newer songs even more. Please continue to make more Dir en Grey content🙏🏻

[@RedTiger98PT]

yeeees, another dir en grey video!!! Lets Gooo!

[@ZincDrinker]

I'm glad I accidentally misspelled gradation as graydation in a search and found this instead

[@graymads]

Serendipity has smiled upon you.

[@Omar_Andres21]

DIR EN GREY is my favorite band ever and I pretty much own every release (including the lives) but I gotta say this video was great. Found you through your BMTH and I loved that video. If you’re going to do this style of video for the rest of DEG’s discography I’m pretty excited!

[@graymads]

Thanks, glad you like the content!

[@lexiklusmann6142]

i saw this video on my friend’s recommended and had to check it out. i love dir en grey :)

[@graymads]

Awesome! Thank you!

[@bewarethewater.]

It is so amazing to see some commentary about Diru! I have been a fan of them for years now, fallen in love especially with their lyrics (and Kyo's emotional, cathartic screams), so it's really amazing seeing others giving them much needed praise. Would love to see Your take on the rest of their albums!

[@jackarlos1]

diru has been my fav band since i was like 13 and im 27 now LOL its great seeing your videos and this community of other weirdos (diru fans are always so weird in such great ways lol) it really makes me feel at home

[@planig24]

My friend Chris lemt me his copy of Baki the grappler, the opening being Child Prey. I was hooked after. Unfortunately Chris passed early in life from a car accident. The theme isnt quite right, but Pomegranate always makes me think of him because of its emotional drive.

[@illcuin40]

I've loved Dir en Grey since the first time I found them 3 years ago with Gauze. My personal favorite albums are Gauze, Uroboros, and The Marrow of a Bone

[@jamesbowles8844]

10:03 @graymads, a minor mistake. The version of Byo Shin you played and talked about was the remake for the Six Ugly EP. The original didn't have much screaming and the tuning was e standard. 😅

[@redthepale]

Thank you lol. I was just about to leave a comment because this was bothering the shit out of me.

[@KichirouTakahiro]

My favorite band ever! Only 1.5 year since I begging to listening Dir en grey but already Kyo promote my voice to 5th octave!! Awersome band in the avangard history!

[@goliathz9l597]

Great video. And man, I didn't hear about them until someone told me about "World of Mercy" a year ago. I definitely have to check out all their stuff.

[@amuhammad27]

One of my favorite bands as a teen, this is an awesome breakdown video! Still dying to go to Japan and catch them live

[@esteBAM979]

Man this vid was masterful done! Wish more people would create well thought out music documentaries like this. Feels like a video game style doc, but made for a metal band as the topic! Very interesting! Also I can feel the Silent Hill influences here. Nice touch.

[@graymads]

Just making the content I want to see. Glad you are enjoying it!

[@esteBAM979]

@@graymads Hell yeah dude thanks. I just checked out the second part too! gunna keep check out your other vids soon

[@haidochan]

Thank you for this, so well done, can’t wait for you to cover more of their albums. Just subscribed to your patreon :)

[@graymads]

I saw, thank you so much! Means for than you know.

[@dantexpcd]

There will be a continuation for this video, dir en grey needs more exposure tho

[@Xiumingoo]

Great videos as always, been waiting for you to cover them :)

[@graymads]

bless

[@kirablackstar6130]

After getting into your videos with your take on Malice Mizer, I hoped you might do something Dir En Grey because I love them as well. Gauze is one of the albums I don't have so hopefully I can get a copy

[@graymads]

Gauze is one of the few CDs I paid to import lol

[@brodymarko4754]

All time favorite band! Love every album but man the Atomosphere of Arche is something else. Uroboros-Arche is god tier stuff! No idea how Kyo’s voice ages like fine wine, or how he has the time with the other 2 bands. But man Kyo and everyone else are Gods; especially Shinya. Only band I have a hefty hefty collection of albums and merch

[@brodymarko4754]

Love the video btw

[@graymads]

Arche is my favorite album from with Vulgar coming in a close second.

[@talkingbredstiks]

I'm pretty sure the band's name is a mistranslation. "Dir" is german for "To you", and "en" is french for "in". so wouldn't their name translate to "To you in grey" instead of "Grey silver coin"?. personally, I think the former makes more sense for the band's earlier music

[@camille8099]

would love to see a video on buck tick! they truly are one of the best bands imo with such a range of music they’ve put out and are still putting out ❤

[@ThatOneGirlThatPlays]

Still proud to say that I was a fan of Diru since 2005, during that whole scene kids era. My brother and sister were loving My Chem and I was on another planet with this one. Don’t get me wrong, because my chem took time to grow on me, but this was my metal awakening thanks to KZbin and some random suggestion on the home page for Kodou video.

[@kitsune6701]

Dir En Grey live is sooo gooood. In the first clip they where fakin their names xD. Arche is their very best album IMO. Your video is very nice explaining the journey from DIR ion the beginning to all people. Im looking forward to more.

[@graymads]

Arche is also my favorite, you got good taste!

[@tomablott]

One of my favourite bands!!!

[@dreamkiller55]

Some of the songs they had when they started out, sounded promising and like a different take. I’m glad they wanted to branch out and not really wanted to seem like a visual kei band anymore (even though that’s what we still count them as) I think the album around 2001 is the best way to show the band and what they’re about. Before that is what came before it was a great way to show what they started off as, and transitioned into. Gauze is a good album, and mask is one of my favorite tracks. The thing that caught me off guard with that track, is the opening “ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country”

[@jennc2083]

You are incredible for this. Genuinely. So underrated

[@KatherineOfEden]

OMGG YESS FINALLY!!

[@marcowo3226]

I know this isn’t supposed to be the whole story of the band but you missed the non-album singles they released between missa and gauze, Jealous and I’ll are absolute vkei classics 😭 Great video btw!

[@metempsykhosis240]

i love your content!

[@graymads]

[@deadboi2249]

10:05 that's the 2002 version of Byo Shin from the EP "Six Ugly," not from "Missa" lol

[@graymads]

lol yea, I realized that after I uploaded the video. It was a included on the version of Missa i was given way back when so before this upload I had no idea.

[@jibblerino]

Really good video,.I feel the passion! Just a heads up though, during your Missa segment, the example you give for byo shin is the six ugly version.

[@katrijndc5718]

I loved the video! I just have a small correction to make, the version of byou shin you played is actually a remake from the six ugly EP (so it sounds like the kisou era because it was). I think the original is available on spotify

[@graymads]

Somoene just pointed that out lol It must have been a miss label from the version I have. I got it from an archive someone sent me like 10 years ago lmao

[@samvimes9510]

I've been listening to them since 2004 or so, and I even got to see them perform in Atlanta during their Marrow of a Bone era. That album was...not great, but it was a necessary step to get them to where they are now. Sure would be nice to see them again, I would _love_ to hear songs from Dum Spiro Spero live.

[@12012channel]

That was a weird time for Dir en Grey. That was when it seemed like they were trying to fit in with metalcore bands to the point where they were ashamed of their previous visual kei material. Even though I still kind of like it, Marrow of A Bone is the worst in their discography.

[@peazeralus]

I was at that show! I used to love shows at the Roxy... Mainly because 99.9% of bands that came through played at the Tabernacle or Cotton Club lol That might have been one of their worst shows I've seen but they still killed it

[@samvimes9510]

@@peazeralus it was a pretty neat place for a concert, I've always preferred smaller venues. The Ryman Auditorium in Nashville is another really nice place, I've seen Weird Al there a couple times.

[@itachi9567]

Cool video, we need more videos like this talking about visual kei bands. Just a thing i noticed, i think the featured byou shin clip is actually from their later ep six ugly, the missa version is not downtuned at all (at my ears) and it's little bit lighter

[@Negativist666]

Gauze was on rotation constantly for me back in 11th grade. That whole album changed my life

[@jemclenachan]

This band is amazing. Even not knowing Japanese doesn’t matter.

[@jeremycunningham7897]

Great stuff! I always look forward to u vids cos I no I’m gonna get a bit of the somehow strangely familiar - but a lot of learning too! I only no ‘that’ video by these guys so this was really interesting, thanks

[@graymads]

You should check them out if you like metal. Well worth your time!

[@jeremycunningham7897]

@@graymads will def do that - cheers!

[@OnSchoolyard]

This is my favorite band.

[@naimbououchma]

Super ! thank you !

[@CountryPup1]

I felt buck tick was even for older heads beyond me. I grew up at con’s in the days of girls glomping and yaoi paddling. They didn’t seem too underrated in the scene, Diru was just prettier imo

[@ThatOneGirlThatPlays]

I’ve heard Kyo sing unplugged and blew me away almost as hard as Freddy mercury did

[@OtakuIsMyName]

Please make a video on The Gazette!!

[@CountryPup1]

Amazing work

[@XxMyvxRocksx382xX]

i just searched dir en grey right now ,nice to see a new video on them ☺️

[@guugugh]

The byoshin u mentioned in the clip is from the Six Ugly EP, their original one wasn’t downtuned that way

[@guugugh]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/fInPfpRrnJeNa6c This is the original Byou Shin

[@graymads]

ah, the one i have is from an old downlaod I freind sent me like 10 years ago. Must have been miss labeled

[@illcuin40]

yeah, that's what I thought when I first heard it, personally I like the remake better

[@XRL7official]

Yes! Dir En Grey.. got a couple of live DVDs somewhere, amazing band 🔥

[@arlesfrog6780]

I have to thank you for making this video so detailed and well explained. I really like it how you give the band the merit and history they deserve. Like and subscribe ❤️

[@graymads]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@arlesfrog6780]

@@graymads please do more Deg videos

[@CountryPup1]

Zan has always had that special spot in my heart. All their songs.

[@spookymarirev]

I haven't really listened to Dir En Gray a lot but know they're a big staple for anyone who likes to listen to V Kei, definitely gonna need suggestions for things to listen to of theirs

[@graymads]

I'll shoot you some good tracks :)

[@spookymarirev]

@@graymads THANK YOU MADS

[@hedgefondsmanagermo1847]

Also my favorite band

[@graymads]

Kino taste

[@leonhardtbelgar2468]

Hope to see a Imperial Circus Dead Decadence analysis from you

[@givemorecareless7676]

Thank you for the video 💗✨

[@sokichibanba108]

Awesome video. It's my favorite band too. Can you do more videos about them?

[@graymads]

I plan on it, I actually have an older video I did talking about the Obscure video.

[@layla-8369]

Great vid as always. Their earlier stuff is good, I would love to hear what you think about later records or other bands in the era. I especially enjoy your vkei related videos because I haven't found much of this type of analysis on youtube in english for the genere, so it's always good to hear more about it!

[@afterhrsfashion]

Fantastic Video

[@freddytackos]

OK that silent hill 2 noise at the beginning had no right to violate me so hard

[@handsomeprince]

All hail Dir en Grey!! More and more people deserve to be blessed by their music and hopefully people will check them out after watching this video. It probably deserves to be noted that the mentioned Yurameki was composed by Shinya, as well as Hotarubi, he tended to go for these more melodic types back then. Recently though, his songs are on the harder side. He's doing a lot of (hilarious) youtube content but this video in particular of him reading his wikipedia page is quite nice when it comes to the origins of the band starting with La:Sadie's and how they came together and also that already in summer 96 knew they were going to disband. kzbin.info/www/bejne/oKKmZWtmjcejiLc There are more hilarious origin stories that we can't be sure if they're true but it just adds up to their appeal. I'm glad this band still continues to thrive and their last album Phalaris is simply amazing.

[@timriley4543]

Prog Punk at its finest, played with astounding virtuosity.

[@Речныезаводи]

😅first time interview so cute🥰

[@DoIReallyHaveTo]

Obscure was the first music video I downloaded from the internet. I was 12 or 13 max, back in 2004 or 2005. After that, I remember I looked for more info about the band but it was all mostly in japanese or in some hard to find music forums. Unfortunately I lost interest because of that (I blame my short attention span ahah) and only now at 30+ I'm paying more attention to them, as I (forcefully so) had to take some time off to heal some old traumas. All of these to say: I wish I had continue listening to them, but I am super glad to see that they are still "alive and kicking"! (They are actually now touring europe and I almost went to see them play live for the first time but "life" happened. So I shall continue admiring them at a distance... Until next time, hopefully).

[@larvaedadindex]

No shot, I was just about to ask God for another graymads video

[@graymads]

Bless

[@stuperbee487]

Wait, you didn’t play the actual MISSA version of Byou Shin! That was the Six Ugly version you played. Just wanted to let y’all and everyone else know that 😢

[@graymads]

A few people pointed that out. As I said, all these years I have had a copy of Missa that was given to me with the wrong version on it. I had no idea this whole time.

[@PrinceDuCiel7]

That was 110% the in thing to do at the time. ALL the VK bands looked like that. 😂

[@graymads]

Figured.

[@themasterzer0]

Right although malice mizer was really influential i dont think they should take all the credit

[@verenag.8315]

would love to see a video about buck tick themselves

[@DoIReallyHaveTo]

... Now more thn ever.