Saishu

I don't think anyone here has a problem with that photo.

I don't think anyone here has a problem with that photo.

Kyo laughing actually makes sense. Especially since we all know how much he tries NOT to display any form of happiness while performing or being photographed.
And it makes this even more funny.

Kyo laughing actually makes sense. Especially since we all know how much he tries NOT to display any form of happiness while performing or being photographed.
And it makes this even more funny.

So Toshiya is Vampire Hunter D now?

Yup, this confirms it.

That's straight from Average Psycho 2. It's really strange that they initially censored the name though.

Yup, this confirms it.

That's straight from Average Psycho 2. It's really strange that they initially censored the name though.

Patrick Lennon?
 
That's seriously a line in the lyrics? That's what was removed in the censored version?! (well, that and the "PEDOPHILIA")
 
WHO THE FUCK IS PATRICK LENNON?!

They played Akuro no Oka in NYC back in 2009, I believe. They were playing old stuff as encores for that tour, and I think they were in New York for a few nights. When I saw them that tour they played Ugly and Amber.

I more or less joined the forums just to post my thoughts on this album, which says a lot for this release, though not exactly in a positive way.
 
Honestly, I was really excited to hear DOGMA, especially after I had seen the PVs for the title tracks and "OMINOUS." I was under the impression that Gazette waiting two years instead of dropping a fourth full length in four years had worked to their advantage. The title track had an interesting structure; more about forward movement up a hill and then suddenly dropping down without looking back. It's not your typical "verse chorus verse" affair, in fact, it's hard to even say the song has verses and choruses since it's just one new section after another. Tempo and meter changes abound. It's, dare I say, rather progressive, and I like how they utilized the female background vocals in a haunting manner towards the end. 
 
Then here comes "RAGE." I admit I like this track on an instrumental level, but Ruki's goofy ass English lyrics pull me out of my enjoyment a little bit. After that I just sort of space out and the rest of the album melds into this mass of generic, heavy riffing and absence of melody until we reach the end with "OMINOUS". Hell, even DUM SPIRO SPERO, Dir en grey's heaviest record, has melody all over the place. Name a song from DSS and I can sing you the chorus (except for "DECAYED CROW" because fuck that song). As has already been mentioned here, are Uruha and Aoi both still in the band? Because I can't tell! Where's Reita? I love the heaviest of heavy music and I dig the dark theme, but it's just not executed very well here. And really, this isn't an evolution of the band in any way, shape, or form; this is the same damn thing they've been doing since TOXIC, just with down tuned guitars. I guess I'm happy they shook things up a little bit (because lord knows I still can't believe they tried to pass "SHIVER" and "Ibitsu" off as two different songs), but this is still just more undercooked music from Gazette. Seems like DIM was the creative peak.
 
But, MAN! "DOGMA" is such a great track, though! What happened? I feel like it was the first song they wrote for the album and they KNEW it was gold, so they decided to run with the idea of an album full of heavier, darker tracks. But the well had already run dry. They blew their load. It's a shame...

Well, no. Like with Fukai he straight up changed all the lyrics, they weren't improvised. When he does that it's probably because the song means something different to him at the time. It's not uncommon for bands to improvise in a live setting, but I don't know if changing lyrics entirely is a common occurrence.

BAKA!!!

I come down pretty hard on songs from the Withering/Marrow eras because it was when DEG was dabbling in heavier material but not fully committing, so a lot of songs sounded awkward and amateurish (especially since this was when Kyo insisted on singing in English and all he could do was shout "DICK MEN" and "FUCK YOU FUCKING BULLSHIT!"
I HATE that twangy, flange-y part in Decayed Crow, and the whole thing sounds like a parody of deathcore than an actual, serious song. Props for the melodic part towards the end, but when I saw it live only Kaoru played that part and he totally screwed it up hitting almost all the wrong notes.
As for best songs, off the top of my head I would say Yurameki, Macabre, Kiri to Mayu, Toguro, Kaishun, Sajou no Uta, Different Sense, Undecided, Umbrella, and Kodou (pulling from each album).

I'll admit that The Inferno has grown on me and I no longer skip it, but HOLD THE FUCK UP are you saying that Kaishun is BORING?!? L!

Die has a better smile. And prettier hair.

Just watch a live performance of Decayed Crow.

Die has a better smile. And prettier hair.

I reckon the switch to a 5 string was for more range and better sound and knowing eventually their sound would "require" it. Him and Kaoru seem to be the only ones that are enthusiastic bout the extra strings. Die has been really vocal about not liking em. Makes me wonder why he doesn't just use a regular 6 string tuned to drop A or Drop A#. Say what you want, he can still finesse that to play what the others play. Seems more like a total dictator move on Kaoru's part lol.
 
I also agree with Dogman...Toshiya's baselines and such fit with what Dir en grey is doing. And its more than just slapping the bass. That kind of thinking makes it seem like he's just doing it just to do it. We all all agree that-this isn't the case. Its called switching up the style and evolving. Yes, he had some cool basslines when using a pick but i feel like his technique now was called for...just like the duo solo's and etc. 

The Amon bass line seriously pisses me off. He laid that down, then everyone listened back to it and said "yeah, that sounds awesome!" It doesn't.
Toshiya's playing does seem less prominent lately, and it makes me wonder why he bothered to switch to a 5 string when he doesn't really make full use of it. I will say that one of my favorite moments on Arche is the bass solo in the middle of Tousei. He totally carries that section with a fantastic melody you would expect from a guitar solo. Tons of feeling in an already emotional moment.
My emotionless doll comment comes from me thinking that there's a stiffness to Shinya's playing. I don't feel like he's giving it his all because he's trying so hard to keep up an image. Listen to a live version of Kiri to Mayu (2012); all those fast fills are sloppy and lack power, almost like he's just tickling the drums and not putting any weight behind his strikes. I guess I give him props for standing behind his performance and not using triggers, but I'd prefer if he just wrote material that didn't extend beyond his capabilities.

The slapping doesn't bother me, I just didn't like his tone in Amon. Sounded like an amplified fart.

I think he'd be a better metal drummer if he stopped trying to look like an emotionless doll while playing.

No idea, just saying that Japan isn't very forgiving with censorship.
Though how they had more of a problem with one word in Mazohyst than the entire lyrical content of Tsumi to Batsu is beyond me.

I know I'm new here, but maybe your point would come across better if you were less obtuse.

No idea, just saying that Japan isn't very forgiving with censorship.
Though how they had more of a problem with one word in Mazohyst than the entire lyrical content of Tsumi to Batsu is beyond me.

Okay, I posed this question to another group and this was the answer I got.
"I think it's "kikeiji" 「奇形児」 if I'm spelling that correctly, which is a nasty word for "freak baby" that appears in lots of VK songs."