zombieparadise

Imagine if they accidentally reformed DELUHI by swapping the remaining members

Started 20th Century Boys yesterday since my library has like 20 volumes of it, and I've been reading Kakegurui online.

my sleep paralysis demon

???????????????

Ah—I kinda figured—Let's just hope that movie isn't 'Plastic Tree' :B

Just learned I'll be getting the Ltd as a gift, so no worries on that front, I reckon.

Honestly though, I worry that VIctor Entertainment will do like they did with Ink's special ltd. version (hideously expensive...and then they went and released the live DVD that came with it separately later on and added bonus content to try to entice people into basically double-dipping). It's not my money being spent, but it'd suck to splurge on the limited version of this only for there to be a cheaper option shortly after. I've warned them and all, but I'd still feel guilty if it happened.
 
They said around the time of dooAdore's release that it was a turning point to their final phase and Taro implied early in his solo career he wasn't sure how long he was going to be able keep on singing. Unless something significant changed in the past two years, it's pretty possible it will be.

Really sad news coming from a great veteran band. I hope this doesn't set the trend for other long-time acts :0

Still, 18-19 years with one band?! Such dedication. I admire it, especially in this scene.

It seems like here's Cali Gari fans are still alive.
 
I have for sale limited / concert editions of following albums:
- 0
- 3
- 4 (that jazz arrange's album)
- オヤスミナサイ (the latest album with this title released, very rare, by the moment I can pass the MP3 live disc).
- オヤスミナサイ -22年前の僕へ...篇- (this is a bonus disc given to some buyers of the previous disc, includes new versions of "Maguro", "Shitasaki San Pun Size", "Seishun Kyousoukyoku" & "Oyasuminasai").
- And... many others collection things, like event albums/singles of artists like Kenshi Yonezu, Hatano Hirofumi (People In The Box's singer), Araiyakashiko (Nashimoto Ui's band), etc...
 
I tried to sell this on VK, but no one show interest, so... I'll answer all doubts you have.
 
Note: I only sell rare albums that are difficult to obtain, and one copy for only one person
 
And about this mini album, it's sounds interesting for me.
I'll try to obtain the complete version, and I'm considering to buy "Ame Ni Utarete (Yuudachi-Ban)" too.

New live DVD (3.25) and 2nd full album (5.6) announcement.
 

THIS IS FUCKING GREAT
 
Samples sound good too!

I'm very relieved the whole thing is not as low budget as everyone feared. This sound definitely fits them, but I don't think the whole "dropping VK" thing will do them any favours - I really wonder which audience they are targeting with this?

i'd  much, MUCH rather take this noodly math rock stuff over deathcore any day of the week for sure, so from that POV i'm definitely not as disappointed with the samples as I could've been (plus I'm somewhat glad we didnt get any xXx_sadboigoth_xXx shit thrown at us, as unintentionally hilarious as that would've been).. At the same time, anyone who's ever listened to even a bit of non-vk j-indie probably knows this particular brand of pop math rock sound has already been done to death in that scene  to about the same extent the nu-VK scene's dredged the swamp of mediocre xxxcore-influenced sounds, so I can't really see this ending up being anything other than yet another album to add to the ''vaguely sounds like cinema staff/sokoninaru/the cabs/tricot'' pile based on the samples.

I like it.
It's more like vanitas or Rijin.
The chorus is powerful as usual.
 

"We've changed.now it's your turn next"
"Funny world"
"What's up ?"

... Uh oh.

"We've changed.now it's your turn next"
"Funny world"
"What's up ?"

... Uh oh.

We also have a youtube preview - or whatever you want to call this
 
 

I am honestly surprised WTD rates so low on this list. It was my first DEG album and figured it would be a favorite for more, as I figured a lot of western people got into them during that time (and the year's proceeding it's release). Maybe it hasn't aged all that well ?
 
Anyway, it's difficult to pick a favorite as I tend to see them in eras:

'Baby' DEG = GAUZE -> KISOU
'Angsty Teenager DEG' = VULGAR -> MARROW OF A BONE
'Adult DEG' = UROBOROS -> ARCHE
'2nd Childhood DEG' = The Insulated World

My picks in these personal eras would be: KISOU, WTD, ARCHE, and I guess TIW by default lol

Interesting to see such a split of opinions from all across the spectrum though. This is truly a band everyone can enjoy in one form or another.

1. kisou
2. vulgar
3. the insulated world
4. withering to death
5. the marrow of a bone
6. arche
7. macabre
8. uroboros
biiig gap
9. gauze
10. dum spiro spero

One thing I really like is how much our lists vary, speaks tons about how good and divisive deg is. Especially I see that dum Spiro spero is either one of your favorites or one of your most hated, that's really cool don't you think? 

Yeah in that way it's a very successful album imo, especially compared to Arche that seems to find an unenthusiastic middle position in everyones list ( or TiW that's in the middle at best or bottom at worst. )

Kisou is terrible studio album but the MODE OF Live(s) show the album in a new light for me. 

Love them or hate them, almost everyone's got an opinion about Dir en grey. The scene stops to listen whenever Dir en grey announce a new single or album. As a long time fan of the band, I think it's the perfect time to express how I feel about all of their albums. My feelings will differ from album to album. Some albums have had the benefit of twenty years and others only a few months, so that's always going to be a factor in how I rank things. I will cover this from my least favorite album to my most favorite album, but by no means take this as a definitive list for Dir en grey. Everyone will have their own rankings and their own suggestions for where to start. I happen to think that this also a great order to introduce someone to this band.
 
This is a perfect topic for those that don't listen to Dir en grey or don't know where to start, current fans looking for spicy opinions and a pot to stir, or even old fans looking for a reintroduction into their new era. Not only have I included a PV for each album as a sampler, but I also put together suggested playlists for each album. The playlists are the order that I would have arranged the band if I were them. The songs are the songs that I believe are the best from each period. Some will require more effort than others to construct. To make it simpler, I have included my favorite three tracks and one music video from each album.

I will not consider the mini albums MISSA and six Ugly in this analysis, but some of those tracks will appear in the playlists I create.
 
DUM SPIRO SPERO
 
Album No: 8
Released: August 2, 2011
Length: 67:31
 
 
鬼葬 (kisou)
 
Album No: 3
Released: January 30, 2002
Length: 69:57
 
THE MARROW OF A BONE

Album No: 6
Released: February 7, 2007
Length: 50:05
 
ARCHE
 
 
Album No: 9
Released: December 10, 2014
Length: 68:01
 
🎖️The Insulated World🎖️
 
Album No: 10
Released: September 26, 2018
Length: 50:27

🏅Withering to death.🏅
 
Album No: 5
Released: March 9, 2005
Length: 51:14

🥉MACABRE🥉
 
Album No: 2
Released: September 20, 2000
Length: 72:57

🥈GAUZE🥈
 
Album No: 1
Released: July 28, 1999
Length: 64:47
 
🥇UROBOROS🥇
 
Album No: 7
Released: November 11, 2008
Length: 58:54

👑VULGAR👑
 
Album No: 4
Released: September 10, 2003
Length: 57:02

That's everything folks! Thanks for reading all the way to the end! Did you like it? Did you agree? Do you have your own rankings? Leave them below! I'm interested to know what everyone's opinions are, especially since Dir en grey is one of my favorite bands ever. So many people are passionate about this band like no other. If enough people liked this, I may follow up soon with one for the GazettE.
 

Until next time

In my experience interacting with VK fans outside this forum this isn't really getting them much sales, just horny teens collecting photos who can't discuss the band's releases when you ask them to. That works well for the bands in Japan because those horny teens go to lives and spend a shit-ton on merch. Try offering merch to 'Murican teenage fans and see how many actually want/can buy.

I'm completely fine being in the remaining minority of a dying genre. I would rather find what I like on my own, then have 'them' figure it out for me.
 
I think the whole 2006-2010 resurgence of the genre was more organic than any of the created/algorithmic/lackadaisical trends the post 2010's have given us. This was in part due to social feeds/search terms/content that we were using/sharing/discovering ourselves during this period. These days, the internet has basically been turned against its users, and through very powerful technology, we're shown a barrage of cookie cutter content that the vast majority are entertained by. It doesn't matter if it's good or not, or if some of us aren't interested in it, it's what works. Fortunately, VK is only cookie cutter enough for it's own genre, and too risky for mainstream audiences.
 
If it takes VK following mainstream trends to get popular again, count me out. I am grateful for the old bands and existing bands that keep true to their style without selling out.