Review: Dir en grey - Hageshisa to, Kono Mune no Naka de Karamitsuita Shakunetsu no Yami

After the release of an album, whether it be good or bad, Dir en grey's singles usually go off in a different direction. The main appeal that I have with this band is that they somehow always manage to re-invent themselves with every release. As time goes on though I have to wonder how many more times they can surprise me before it becomes old news and they're playing something they've already done before.

Contrary to the usual bullshit I put forth I actually didn't think that this single was going to suck. Somehow I knew it was going to stomp on my scrotum at the speed of awesome with whatever new ideas that they managed to come up with. Normally I don't follow singles obsessively but for this one I did because, well, face it Dir en grey is one of my favorite bands of all time.

Having that said, I don't really see how Hageshisa to, Kono Mune no Naka de Karamitsuita Shakunetsu no Yami is one of their best singles of all time. The inclusion of the chorus at the beginning does not fit and doesn't sound right. Kaoru and Die have really improved from the UROBOROS period and they wham on their axes like I've never heard them before. Some portions of this song have me wondering what the hell they're doing to their instruments because they sound like the roaring of some Norse god. Due to the good production, I can't even hear the bass so I'm not going to rate Toshiya. Shinya on the other hand was very good - nothing special since I've heard better drum lines from him before - but his rapid execution never fails to inspire me. Some songs like Red Soil have him pounding on that kit like a madman but this song sees him take more of a backseat. One of the hampering aspects of this track are Kyo's vocals - in no way did they suck but we didn't hear him when we needed to and heard him when we didn't need to hear him. The "deathcore" growls he has going on sounded low and messy, like something I'd hear off of a lynch. CD and I really wasn't feeling that too much. The transition into the catchy chorus is awkward but over subsequent listens was done very well and fits with the mood. Chorus is the best part of this song and the ending chant keeps the song from sinking off into mediocrity but somehow I think this song could have been a lot longer. It's obviously missing a solo and even though they're moving towards a style that focuses more on atmosphere than axe jamming Hageshisa to... really needed one (looking back on it we haven't really had many solos since the VULGAR/ sixUGLY era.

It's not perfect but I'll take it. They've fed us worse shit.

Zan Reconstructed packs new lyrics and enough fury to kill. While the old recording on Gauze went with the type of insanity of someone who's going to pick up a gun and mow down a bunch of people, this one feels like Kyo's going to rip you apart piece by piece. Shinya's drumming is a pretty good highlight of this track since he's the one that adds the most energy to the fray. Kyo's growls are brutal (and balanced correctly) and the guitar work is just sexy. Zan's riffs are unmistakable and although Toshiya once again is inaudible under the guitar work you won't really find yourself caring too much. I find this better than the single but some fans of the older version of Zan may miss the psychotic intro and the black metallish vocals that gave the song it's atmosphere.

It's really hit or miss.

Shokubeni just isn't as good this time around due to the way that they're recording it. I knew this coming in so I'm not going to hold the production value against it. As a matter of fact, it's damn impressive that they got the song to sound this good in one take. What Diru has done here is taken some of the UROBOROS vibe and infused it into this track. This is clearly evident with the massive amount of growling and Shinya's tribal drumming. Personally I would have preferred another re-recording of this song in the studio or a new track altogether. Shokubeni sounds OK for what it is but if this was in the studio there is no doubt that it would have been a lot better. At the end of the day I don't see myself listening to this track too much but it's a fine inclusion and it might get addictive over the long run.

When taken as a whole package, we haven't gotten something this good since Kasumi which is great news since Diru's single tracks usually are bearable but the single as a whole blows donkey nuts. With this one, people are bound not to like something here and others as a whole are turned off by the entire screeching and harsh vocal aspect they've been working since Clever Sleazoid. Old fans of Diru who lust for their VK don't want to try this single out and those that hated Uroboros (and you call yourselves fans?) will hate this more, but all others may want to try this out if you come prepared with some diapers and a -very- open mind about your music. If you do, this single will suck your dick dry.

Discography: La:Sadie's

「架空ト現実」 (First Press)

I am positive that this is the correct cover for this demo tape. This is their first single, released 1996-01-14 and merely contains the song Kakuu to Genjitsu on it. This isn't my download link and I didn't feel the need to re-upload this song so just use the download link given, enjoy the artwork and rock on.
http://www.mediafire.com/?23zmmgl3zuh

「還ラザル記憶」 (First Press)

Released on 1996-04-00, this is the first edition of KAErazaru Kioku and their second single overall. There were two editions released on the same day but they vary very slightly in artwork so I just provided the artwork for the regular edition. Once again, I didn't feel the need to upload this on my own so I took someone else's link. They also do not have the artwork so just go ahead and enjoy it.
http://www.megaupload.com/?d=YWJJK45N

「生命ノ罪」 (First Press)

This is their first demo-maxi release and features the songs Seimei no Tsumi, Kuroi Namida and the previously released single Kakuu to Genjitsu. I am 95% sure that that's the first press cover for this demo tape even though it doesn't look like the release cover art for a demo tape. This demo tape was released on 1996-04-16 AND THE LINK BELOW IS MINE. Just putting that out there.
http://www.4shared.com/file/140250529/8 ... shoku.html

「腐乱ユエニ」 (First and Nagoyan Press)

Pay close attention to the covers. The first was the cover used for the demo tape that was released to those in Nagoya. Why Nagoya? I don't know. The second cover is the one used for the regular disbursal of the tape and both we're released on 1996-05-00. This is their third single. The link below isn't mine.
http://www.mediafire.com/?4enoskemtn1

・・・生命ノ罪・・・.「・・・残サレタ記憶ノ物語・・・」

I guess you could call this their fourth single?

This demo tape completely threw everyone for a loop, and for good reason too. Anyone who's trudged through La:Sadie's releases probably came across a mysterious demo tape called "Nokosareta Kioku no Monogatari" without a release date or any sort of other accompanying information. They thus proceeded to track down said elusive song, 100% of the time coming up with nothing. Some wondered if it even existed. Some believed, others shot down and it went on like this for god knows how long.

BUT....I went scourging through the internet finally ready to get an answer out of this demo tape and at three in the morning after extensive research I am glad to say that I have a definitive answer on the track "Nokosareta Kioku no Monogatari". Quite simply, there is no track called "Nokosareta Kioku no Monogatari". Where the miscommunication stems from is the title of this demo tape, which is called Seimei no Tsumi ~ Nokosareta Kioku no Monogatari~ or more commonly just Nokosareta Kioku no Monogatari. Basically it's a re-release of Seimei no Tsumi with a new case and a longer, more fancy title. There is no B-side to this release and it was released twice at the Sun AM festival on 1996-29-08 and 1996-30-08.

As such, there is no download link but I think it important that I emphasize that thoroughly (AND YES I AM SURE OF IT THIS TIME!).

「DEAD ONE 2周年記念～オムニバス･デモ～」
It was released 1996-08-02.

Back to clear up some more information on La:Sadie's! La:Sadie's one and only omnibus featuring, this thing is so obscure that finding any sort of information on the internet about it is very hard. There's not even an album cover for this, although I wasn't expecting to find one. I don't know of any of the other artists that were on this besides La:Sadie's, and the rip that I got here came with the information saying that it was from Seimei to Tsumi...

...which it isn't.

I don't know what track number it is so I took a little liberty and picked my favorite one digit number three. It's nothing more than a shortened version of Setsudan anyway (it doesn't have the Kyo babble). This is my link below.
http://www.4shared.com/file/140238201/f ... shoku.html

「十字架ニ捧ゲル夢。。。」

赤 Version Cover

青 Version Cover

緑 Version Cover

Their fifth single.

I'm confident in telling you that as of this release this is probably the only file here with all the correct tracks labeled and so on and so forth and all that jizz. My hypothesis yesterday about Butou Yume being Maimu was correct and some of the more in-depth sources don't even list Maimu as Maimu - they list it as Butou Yume on both releases. Therefore, I have accordingly renamed both files Butou Yume and will refer to them as such. This was released in three editions - red, blue and green - and were all released on the 1996-08-10. All tracks are included with album artwork just in case these go bye bye sometime down the road.
http://www.4shared.com/file/140258563/c ... shoku.html

「呪ﾜﾚﾀ楽園ﾉ影…」

Their last demo tape release, second maxi-demo release and a compilation of sorts. Twas released 1996-10-27. It contains the intro track Norowareta Rakuen no Kage as well as Setsudan, a re-recorded Butou Yume, Furan Yueni and Kaerazaru Kioku. It also comes with a live version of Kakuu to Genjitsu so this is like the ultimate demo-tape release by them lol. The link below is mine.
http://www.4shared.com/file/140260717/7 ... _Kage.html

「objexxx」

Their first CD release and their sixth single overall, this was released 1996-12-20. The only song here was objexxx and there is no B-side. The link for this song is coupled with the Lu:Ciel link below.

「Lu:Ciel」
Their second CD release, seventh single overall. I consider La:Sadie's to be Diru before the name change so they never disbanded in my opinion so that's why I don't say "last single by this band". Kisaki just left, Toshiya came in the picture and they decided to change their name. Bands do that often (and it does explain why Dir en grey got off to such a big start now doesn't it?). Back to Lu:Ciel, it comes with Shoukei Hatan Sekai and Lu:Ciel as the two tracks. The link below is mine and also contains the song objexxx.
http://www.4shared.com/file/139979217/b ... jexxx.html

And we're done....I will take my prize as ungodly worship, a nice pillow and some milk and cookies.

Review: Dir en grey - Agitated Screams of Maggots

I'm compelled to review this only because the mix on the single was redone for the album that this was placed on and it's the middle of the damn night. In both situations, I'd suggest against picking it up under most circumstances. The main difference between this and The Marrow of a Bone is that the latter has a few redeeming qualities while this one should send you running to the high hills with enough rations to last until Christ comes again.

That means you know this isn't going to be a nyappy, smiley review with sugary marshmallows and my custom made feather duster to gloss over the not so great parts.

01. Agitated Screams of Maggots
02. Kodoku ni Shisu, Yueni Kodoku.
03. Spilled Milk
04. Obscure

I'll start with the last three tracks since I can put them all under one lump sum: suck. Although they don't scrape the bottom of the barrel of throwaway B-sides that Clever Sleazoid managed to sink to, Kyo's voice isn't as vibrant as some of the other live tracks they've included. As a matter of fact, Kyo's voice sucks. I don't care what excuse someone comes up with - I would rather have another studio track than three live tracks of this quality. Kodoku ni Shisu carries the distinction for Kyo being silent for roughly half the track, unquestioningly mutilating himself live. All three of the tracks lack the theatrical element that makes watching Dir en grey live and leaves these feeling empty.

Just grab the album and skip these.

So that leaves Agitated Screams of Maggots and that has only one redeeming factor - the lyrics. The entire song is in English which means Kyo sings and it all comes out sounding like gibberish. He screams his head off like a little demon and while it's a song full of energy and anger, it's also the only thing going on in the track. Die and Kaoru's lines are pretty basic, boring, and lacking depth. You could honestly play this track with one guitar, and if you're a fan of Dir en grey you know that it means they really took the easy way out with this track.

I can't give these tracks high scores if I can't detect when the music begins and the rape stops.

If you're in the mood to scream about vile acts such as raping daughters on graves or if you feel evil enough to take a silver bullet in the chest, then I guess moshing around to this punk-metal hybrid is for you. Otherwise I would take a pass, since this single really isn't all it wants to be.

So, a quick breakdown of the single

Agitated = me
Screams = Kyo
Maggots = this CD

Get it?

Score: 40%

Review: Dir en grey - Dozing Green

I need to get back on track with the reviewing and the thinking of music after Grave of the Sacrifice. I need to return back to something that I can be comfortable in. Much like how I crawled back to Grieving the Dead Soul after the atrocity that was Kagerou. Damn, is every new release this month going to be disappointing as hell?

01. Dozing Green
02. HYDRA -666-
03. Agitated Screams of Maggots [Live]

Dozing Green	A definite different sound from Dir en grey as a band that shows that they can still explore new sounds this late in. It’s a slower moving piece with solid vocals that explodes with 40 seconds to go. It shows traces of older, more musical Dir en grey with the more metallic, rougher edge and combines it in a package so beautiful and brutally melodic no one could resist listening to it once. On first listen it may sound generic but it will grow on you with time.	9/10
HYDRA -666-	A br00tal reimagining of the classic off of Macabre that manages to slow down enough in the right places to make it listenable. The points where Kyo sounds deranged and insane are balanced by musical death and eardrum splitting noise and it all comes together. Somewhat. This could have easily fit in on The Marrow of a Bone with its dark, violent atmosphere but this has more direction than half the tracks on that album. It isn’t as good as the original but it’s still a solid try.	8/10
Agitated Screams of Maggots [Live]	A live version of the single no one likes. The beginning screams and a cappella substitutes for the fact that the lyrics are unintelligible even more so than when it was released and the guitars tend to speed up and slow down. Intentional or not, I don’t know. Don’t care either. B-side lives never really work out.	5/10

The live B-side really drags the score of the single down but the first two tracks are good enough. Dozing Green averages out to about an 8 out of 10 and the version with the English lyrics that appears on Uroboros actually flows just as well as this one. It's almost two years old, so there's nothing else I can really say at this point....

Recommended:
Dozing Green
HYDRA -666-

Score: 74%

Review: Dir en grey - Glass Skin

I just realized that I haven't listened to a lot of Dir en grey lately, and I haven't reviewed anything in almost a month. With them being my favorite band and the main reason why I fell into Japanese Rock in the first place, I need to review something by them. Now. Something recent as well, since everyone that knows that Kisou exists has their own thoughts on it and those that are oblivious to it's existence won't go download it because it doesn't sound like Withering to death.. I have to review those two albums back to back one day, but for now I'm going to review Glass Skin because that's what happens to be playing at the moment.

01. Glass Skin
02. undecided
03. AGITATED SCREAMS OF MAGGOTS -Unplugged-
04. Ryoujoku no Ame (LIVE take at YOKOHAMA BLITZ on May 23.2008)

My life will be so much easier when I get around to reviewing Uroboros....

GLASS SKIN	It’s a ballad. The mere saying might make you giggle but they haven’t released a ballad single since Kasumi. What makes this even better is that it’s actually good. It incorporates an unusual instrument in Dir en grey recordings – a piano – and that is the defining element in this song. Toshiya’s loud bass lines return in triumphant glory and mix well with the guitarists to create an audible yet intangible atmosphere. Kyo’s vocals aren’t what they used to be but they are no less brilliant. He can calm down the track with quiet vocals one second and louder ones the next. He’s even got a portion where he mutters words in English! A definite listen, although I find the music video bland and boring.	8/10
Undecided	I much prefer the re-recording B-sides to the lives, even though HYDRA -666- was br00tal to the point of deafness. When I first saw the tracklist, I was looking forward to seeing how this would come out. When I heard it I realized I didn’t remember what the original sounded like. Needless to say that upon comparison this version is better. It features a better balance of acoustics with bass and even carries a bit of Hispanic influence. Die also keeps his solo in this version so Die fans unite! In the way of lyrics, there happen to be a few new additions here and there but if you haven’t heard the original from Kisou you won’t know where they are. Just beautiful, and I happen to like this song more than Glass Skin.	10/10
AGITATED SCREAMS OF MAGGOTS –Unplugged-	What did you expect, Joyful Shouts of Butterflies? This track is in no way accessible and is the epitome of what most people think when they hear the words “rock music”. Fear it. Fear it hard. Its unintelligible, digitally altered screaming is backed by a piano and it sounds like it came straight out of a B-movie. It’s only Kyo and Tadasuke here; none of the other members were insane enough to try to touch an acoustic guitar or a percussion set. If you like avant-garde music or tracks that just don’t sound like “mainstream music” because you’re too “hardcore” for some Hannah Montana I dare you to try this track. Otherwise, stay far, far away or risk your eardrums. Underneath all of this chaos, there’s something to it but it’s so obscure and muddy it’s not worth fishing out unless you’re a hardcore Diru fan. If you’ve never heard of Dir en grey before don’t even think of turning this on.	4/10
凌辱の雨 (LIVE take at YOKOHAMA BLITZ on May 23.2008)	Unlike its counterpart B-side live AGITATED SCREAMS OF MAGGOTS on the Dozing Green single, it doesn’t carry any extra frills to differentiate it from the studio version. This leads me to wonder why this song is even included to begin with. It’s not an overlooked album “filler” that could be given a second chance, it’s the exact same version as the album, and it’s a crappier version of a single some of us own twice. It’s a nice addition and the recording is superb considering it’s a live recording and Dir en grey has put out worse, but it simply isn’t needed.	6/10

Ryoujoku no Ame's only on the limited edition version, so logic may tell you to get the regular edition. Then again, logic would have told you that the limited edition is "limited" and you might not be able to get your hands on it either way. I'm going to tell you that the first three tracks are included on the limited edition of Uroboros so it's either go limited or go home. Is it worth it? Debateable. Numerically, the single gets 70% but I believe the first two tracks are so good if you can't find that specific edition of Uroboros the single is worth buying. It all depends on what's available to you.

Review: Dir en grey - [KR] cube

I really want to know what that title means. The lyrics, even when they're in Kyogrish, don't mention anything relating to KR, or a cube, or anything whatsoever. I'd like to stick with the theory that it stems from the element Krypton and it's Kryptonian Cube or whatnot since that seems to make the most sense.

[KR] Cube


01. [KR] Cube 4:12
02. Jealous -Reverse- 4:56
03. [KR] Cube (K.K. Vomit MIX) 2:30

The times are placed here because the two tracks that reappear on other releases have different times and the single in particular has a specific run-time because of the way it was mastered and the way it ends.

[KR]cube is one very weird song, one that even seven years later many people still don't get. Distorted chanting about a candy bar in Japanese starts off the song before Totchi’s bass kicks in. He has a good few seconds of playing before it sounds something like Kyo coughing before the song picks up. Like I mentioned before, Kyo's lyrics have nothing to do with a cube, or the letters KR. It's something about a geisha and him in Gion.

And yes, the song just ends right there like someone cut it off. The version on Macabre was kind enough to finish out the last verse before cutting away. It's jarring and I don't like it.

Jealous -Reverse- picks up with where Cube left off, and it’s a piano led version (which is what the reverse signifies). Quite slow and soothing, if you need to rock out, this isn’t the song for you.Then again, the original Jealous wasn't fast-paced at all so this song drags an already mid-tempo song to a crawl. It's good when you're in the mood for something slower, but otherwise it's agonizingly slow and pales in comparison to the original.

As an aside, the lyrics for this song are depressing and about his past, which every fan should know (and if you don't know it's too depressing to repeat right now).

Weird, eerie, alien-like sounds play along in the background with a melody similar to that of the title track describes the remix. Most of the song is the same until the first verse ends and Kyo jumps off into somewhere else, slowly speeding up and becoming more erratic until the song ends and he vomits. One of the weirdest songs indeed, but it's better than the Myaku remix by far.As for the lyrics I'm not too sure if this reveals anything about the title, but when the title is the most interesting thing about this single then expectations fall short.

I suppose this is the part where the minority of the Gauze fanboys gave up on this band, but [KR] cube is just a weak single. Worth listening to the title track but the other two are completely skippable.

Rating: 3/5

Review: Dir en grey - Myaku

I’m only reviewing the single because it features a different mix of the song than the one later featured on Macabre.

01. 脈
02. Ash
03. 脈 [8½ Convert]

Myaku was the first single released after Gauze, and this is where the band parted ways with Yoshiki. And that is evident throughout the entire single. Diru relinquishes the polished feeling of Gauze for a grittier, dirtier image with this single. And that is audible once the track begins. What sounds like no instrument ever conceived by man starts off the song before the guitars jump in and smattered vocals followed by acoustic work and singing on Kyo’s part fluctuate back and forth. Somewhere in the middle of the song, Shinya lets loose with a kick-ass drum solo that alone is worth giving this song a listen. It also has a fond place in my collection for having the most kick-ass ending ever devised.

Ash was a rerecording of an earlier version of ash which debuted on Kaede~…if trans~ music video compliation. This version is more direct and to the point, even if it almost spans six minutes in length. Compared to Myaku, Ash seems almost simplistic in design having been composed by both guitarists. A similar sound that started off Myaku starts off Ash, but it quickly changes with the mention of the word into a more guitar-driven track. Kyo’s singing in this song is different from any song that has ever come before, and could cause the average listener to turn away. IMHO, Ash is the EPITOME of what post-Yoshiki Diru is all about. Give it a listen if you can find it. It’s well worth it (and the ending kicks-ass as well).

The Myaku remix has the coolest name, but the beat is almost nonexistent. It doesn’t even SOUND like a remix. More like a smattering of sound and guitar chords in between spastic conversations in Japanese. Kaoru must have been on LSD when he composed this because I can barely call it a song. Listen to the song and you will see what I mean. It makes the remixes of the Gauze singles seem highly thought out.

Rating: 3.5/5

Review: Dir en grey - Missa

The EP Missa is the first thing that Dir en grey ever released as a group. Missa is one of the hardest, if not THE hardest album to find due to the fact that it is a collector’s item and that not many copies were printed. Good luck hunting this gem down.

As it is an EP, there are only six songs and my review will be shorter than normal. If you click on the names of the songs, it will (in most cases) lead you to a link of either a music video, the file itself, or a live performance.

Missa (1997)

霧と繭 (Kiri to Mayu) [Fog and Cocoon] 5:08
「S」 3:31
Erode 6:30
蒼い月 (Aoi Tsuki) [Blue Moon] 5:01
Garden 5:28
秒『』 深 (Byou『』 Shin) [Second『』 Truth] 5:39

Overall Length: 31.3 minutes

Honestly, even a hardcore Diru fan like me will warn you now that this is a hard piece of music to get into. In fact, Dir en grey did not recieve widespread attention for this EP simply because it sounds…generic. Honestly, this sounds like little more than your average VK indie band. At first. After multiple playthroughs, you begin to see the Diruness behind the whole EP. That really doesn’t help at all. I warn you now: if you want to get into this band now, start with Gauze, and work your way back once you feel comfortable.

The first song on the album is Kiri to Mayu. Not exactly my favorite, but it sits up there in this album. A blowing wind followed by an opening door and Kyo muttering weirdly starts off the song excellently. Kyo’s alternate singing in each ear also make this song a pleasure to listen to. Shinya’s steady drumming throughout the song is just 0_0.
The guitars kick in with that nostalgic VK tuning of theirs and it carries the song along for the next 5:08. The solo in this song is quite brilliant, if a little too overdone at parts, and Kyo delves back into the singing. The way Kyo layers his voice in the song helps to cover the bland parts, but that scream/yell/self-choke at the end ruins it until the guitar fade out at the end of the song actually pays off for it.

Drums immediately start off the next song, 「S」, before stereo guitars courtesy of Die and Kaoru kick in and Kyo starts singing very distinctly. Kyo, being the producer of this song, makes it quite evident due to the slightly disorienting nature of the guitars and the prevalent bass. The disorienting factors work once you understand that he discusses the nature of sex and how we all treat it. Yes, he talks about sex. 「S」 is the shortest song on the entire EP, but it is a good listen, although it takes a good while to get into. The guitars are tuned to an even higher pitch than Kiri to Mayu, but you can actually HEAR the bass correctly in this song. The end of this song also leads to some more excellent drumming thanks to Shinya and then the guitarists jump back into what sounds like the five-piece beat to this song before it ends and Erode starts up almost immediately after.

Erode clocks in at a lengthy six and a half minutes. Just for your information, this was the first song I had heard and needless to say I suffered. Yes, suffered. If you aren’t prepared for this kind of style, then it will lose you. Upon subsequent listens (and consulting Gauze, the best VK album ever), I came to appreciate this song more. However, it just goes to show you that you shouldn’t jump into this style unprepared. Now that that is all out of the way, Erode was composed by Totchi, so it is naturally a bass-heavy track. Kyo’s voice is more laid-back yet he stretches it to hit notes that you haven’t heard so far. The bass also supports the track well, but at parts it feels like the guitars are an afterthought. A nice addition to this track is that the bass actually has times to shine through. Still, the “togetherness” of it all seems a bit off. The solos initially feel off as if the members wanted to show off their prowess and do their own thing. You can argue though that the guitarists share it equally, and you don’t sense it too much if you don’t nitpick like I do. Oh, shouldn’t have said that. Time to say something positive. This track, once you prepare for it, is quite simply the second-best track on the EP. Yes, it is. Remember when I told you that I suffered at first? It was because I wasn’t ready for this kind of laid-back music. Acoustic parts come in and out and the guitars are played slightly differently from their music today. Other than that, the song is just AMAZING. Give it a listen AFTER YOU CONSULT GAUZE and you will be amazed! The message also hits home quite close for some people, as Kyo wails on about unrequited love, cheating spouses, and meaningless relationships. In fact, this track is so good, it doesn’t even feel like 6 and a half-minutes. I would recommend putting it on repeat if it wasn’t so damn long.

Aoi Tsuki begins as soon as Erode ends, and the song is very distinct. This should be the first song you listen to, as it was for me and was the primary motivator for me to actually find this album. This track is the first track that features all of Diru’s elements cohesively. The bass is there, but it doesn’t overpower the guitars. You can sense the drums fade in and out, but they are constantly there to support the track. I can’t really say what Kyo sings about here, but it does have a deep meaning. About Kyo’s singing: it is so DIFFERENT. He goes from mumbling to singing to shouting in different ears before jumping back to singing and then moaning while HOLDING THAT NOTE! His singing is just fantastic. I would recommend you listen to it just to hear him sing. The instruments aren’t secondary however. They complement the song perfectly. Shades of blue almost run down your eyes as you listen. My only problem with this song is that you have to wait so long to hear it and that the lyrics get repetitive around the four minute mark. That shouldn’t matter, as this song is 5:01, so you can bear with it for a while longer. And just when you think that this track can’t get any better, it does when the women voices and Kyo’s synchronizes at the end and just melts away, sending shivers down your spine. Epic indeed.

Garden is the best song on the EP, hands down. There is no comparison. A second pause at the beginning lets you know that the epicness ensues. With a feeling different than that of Aoi Tsuki, it actually sounds happy and upbeat. As long as you forget what he is saying, this song can actually cheer you up and bring tears to your eyes. Yes, that’s how good the guitars are. Die and Kaoru play the guitars slightly different but Totchi’s bass lines hold them all together perfectly. If you take out one headphone, the song sounds drastically different. Don’t though, the song sounds FRICKIN awesome. I think you can get into this song without consulting Gauze. It’s just that good. Kyo keeps the same style and pitch that he used in 「S」, and it actually works better here. This is also a good example of a song that works best when the guitarists also blend in with the chanting. And then, you wait for the epic solo and…..it slows down to guitar plucking and humming before the bass comes back in. Definitely different, and it suits the song well. A solo of a different kind and it begs your attention each time before Kyo and the epicness comes back. This song is just beautiful. Thly are no other words to describe it. Kyo sounds like the only man capable of having sex with his voice and these five and a half-minutes feel more like two in my book, especially when Kyo holds that last note of his. LISTEN.

Byou 『』 Shin is the hardest track on this album, and is a favorite by many. It starts out with rapid drumming and guitar chords before a slight variation comes in and Kyo starts his singing. It’s more shouty than the previous, and it helps to dispel that “pop” sensation that some idiots would get otherwise. He sings about deception and perceived intentions, and he yells, grunts and screams like a maniac at some parts. If you like furious and fast music, this is the song for you on this EP. The chords are simple, yet you WILL find yourself coming back to this song again and again. It really is good and ranks up there with Garden and Erode and Aoi Tsuki. This song was later remade for sixUgly, but this version was better. Better by a long shot. Let’s all just say Kaoru is a genius and he knows how to keep you listening when he isn’t busy doing drugs. This song also has a kick-ass solo unparalleled by anything else with the exception of the two in Erode. Pity it’s shorter, but Kyo makes up for it. He always does. Then, that stereo part with Kaoru’s guitar kicks in followed by silence and then the refrain. You can tell they didn’t recycle anything for this album. The only bad part: the location. After Garden, it can’t compare. But then again, it doesn’t. It’s different, and it isn’t afraid to be, just like Diru isn’t. It shows through this song as well. The only thing that would have make this song better is if the solos didn’t sound so detached. Kyo’s random screaming at the end also seems a bit out of place, but only a bit. The fade and then the epic door close at the end end the song (and the EP) nicely, also adding to the weirdness you’ve been feeling throughout this review (or is that just my fandom scaring you there?).

And that brings an end to the six songs. Scared now? You should be. Wait until you see Gauze, and I promise you you will have a NOVEL. But this EP is well worth a listen. Just go for Gauze first. If you disobeyed and listened to this first, and you found that you actually liked it, Gauze is even better. Better by miles. Now, for my final thoughts.

Rating: 4/5 (Detracted for the disjointedness in the entire EP, but marvelous nonetheless)
Best song: Garden
Worst Song: 「S」 (it just can’t compare)
Recommended (in the following order):

Garden
Erode
Aoi Tsuki

Kiri to Mayu

otoroe kuchite yuku kono karada sae nakereba ii
anata to itsu made mo aishi aeta no ni
kono mama watashi wo itsumo aishite hoshii tame ni
anata no yorokobu kao ga mitakute itsu made mo
tsukue no naka ni itsu made mo shimatteta kapuseru wo…
kore wo nomihoseba futari zutto kuchizuke wo
are kara dore kurai tatta no darou ne
anata wa kono yo ni mou inakute hi ga shizunda
mawari no hito wa tsugitsugi to wakare wo tsugeta kedo
shizuka ni nemuru anata ni sotto kuchizuke wo
kono mama modorenai toki wo anata nashi de iki tsuzuketa
kioku ga watashi wo kurushime soko kara maku ga akimashita
futari de sodateta hanatachi mo ano koro wa
anata no soba de kirei ni sakimidarete ita ne
hitotoki no yorokobi sae kurushiku nagai yoru no naka
eien ni mezamenai tsumetai naifu de watashi wo

Translated

I don’t need this body which will only grow weaker and rot
Even though we could have loved each other forever
So that you’ll love me this way always
I want to see your happy smiling face forever
When I swallow the capsule… that I always kept locked in my desk
We can kiss forever. How long has it been since then?
Without you in my world, the sun has set.
I’ve said goodbye to those around me one after another but,
I gave you a kiss as you slept quietly.
I’ve lived out the time without you, that can’t be turned back
The memory tortures me, since then something new began.
The flowers we grew together back then
Now bloom in profusion beautifully by your side
Even a moment of joy pains me through this long night
With a cold knife to close my eyes eternally….

S

puragu wo neji komi biteki . hatsujou . ka
atari wa ichimen kuroku somatte ita

suiteki ni utsutta nageki no kyanbasu
hitomi ni yakitsuku kuroi nosutarujia

karada wo mushibame
kiseichuu no you ni
kokoro wa mienai
manekin no you ni

shiroku hikatta suhada ni kuchizuke
buzama ni korogaru anata no nikukata ga…

Translated

Screw on the plug beautiful*lustful*scent
Everything around me is dyed black

The grieving canvas reflected in a drop of water
The black nostalgia burned onto my eyes.

Spoil my body
Like a parasitic worm
I can’t see the heart
Like a mannequin

Kiss the naked flesh glowing white
Tripping in an ugly way, your hunk of meat…

Erode

kanji aeta ano yoru wa tsumetaku ite tsuki
okubukaku nemuru kaihou no soko e

kimochi wa touku hanareta kimyouna kankaku
kirei ni mieta hibi doku no hanazono

kyokudo no iradachi oboeta hi kara mou
hoka no dare ka wo sagashite ita

mou kuzushite shimatta yoru wa modorazu
kimi ni au tabi uso wo tsuite ita
boku ga soko ni ima wa touku hanareteta

ima wa aisenai jijitsu ga
omosugite kurushiku kanashii
yoru ga nagasugita setsunai

kimi ni okotta hitotsu no jiko ga boku wo nayamase
kimi wo sukuu kotoba no hitotsu mo iezu sameta
boku ga soko ni ita

ima wa uso de mo ii nara dakishimeyou ka
kimi no tame ni naru nara nando demo mitsumeta

hoka no dare ka ni idakare…

dakara sukoshi demo chikaku ni irareru you ni
uso demo ima wa kokoro wo koroshiteta

saisho de saigo no yoru wa sugisatta
anata wa saigo made mo kizukanai furi wo shite ita

Translated

That night we were able feel each other, turned freezing cold
Deeply slumbering, to the depths of release

The feeling, is a strange sensation far removed from me
Days that seemed so beautiful, in the poison flower garden

From that day I felt such extreme aggravation onward,
I’ve been looking for someone else.

That night it all fell apart will never be again
Everytime I meet you, I’ve lied.
Because now I’m so far removed from there.

The fact that I can’t love you anymore
Weighs heavilly on me, tortures and saddens me
The night was too long, it pains me

The accident which happened to you, causes me concern
Unable to say any words of comfort, I cooled to you
I was there.

If you don’t care that it’s not for real, I’ll hold you
For you, I looked as much as you wanted

While getting fucked by someone else…

So that I can be even just a little closer to you,
Even if its not real, I stifled my heart for now

That first and final night has passed
You pretended not to know until the very end

Aoi Tsuki

Akai sora aoi tsuki kugi tsuke ni sareta boku
muriyari umekomareta gizou no yume ga kobiri tsuki
ochiru mawaru ochiru daraku no soko e buzama ni
akai sora aoi tsuki kugi tsuke ni sareta boku

Kimi no aoi tsuki ni boku ga utsukushiku ukibori ni sareta
tainai ga nozomu

Blue & Die

Ne anata to itsu made mo
iraretara shiawase na no
sotto anata no te wo otori
ano sora wo itsu made mo mite ita

Ne itsu made mo hohoende
iraretara shiawase darou
kondo futari de ao iro no
ano sora wo itsu made mo mite iyou

Translated

I am captivated by the crimson sky, by the blue moon
mired in the conterfeit dream that was buried against my will
falling, turning, falling, to the depths of degredation, clumsily
I am captivated by the crimson sky, by the blue moon

in your blue moon I am brought into relief beautifully
my insides on display

Blue & Die

well, if I can be with you forever
I’m happy
gently I grip your hand
forever staring into that sky

well, if you keep smiling forever
maybe I’ll be happy
next time, together
let’s watch that blue-coloured sky forever

Garden

aishi hajimeta ano hi kara boku wa kawari hajimeta
anata dake wo mitsumeraretara ii to
anata wa itsumo ano niwa de sabishisou ni tatazumi
chitte yuku hana dake wo mitsumete ita

todokanai negai wa setsunaku kokoro ni kizu wo tsuketa
me no mae ni fusagatta genjitsu dake ga boku wo ima mo zutto
nayamaseta muse kaeru kuuki dake ga ima no boku wo
wasurenai you ni

GARDEN itsu no hi ka wa deaeru to negatta itsumo
GARDEN sugi yuku kono kisetsu no nake de itsu made mo… anata wo

karete yuku kanashii hana wa ikusen no yoru wo mita
sepia iro ni utsushita anata no sugata

wasuretai wasuretakunai mujunna kimochi sae mo
nejifuseta boku ga soko ni tada hitori tachi tsukushita
sabishige ni yuki dake ga keshiki wo iro zuketa keredo
ima mo zutto wasurenai you ni

wasuretai wasuretakunai mujunna kimochi sae monejifuseta boku ga soko ni tada hitori tachi tsukushita
toki ga sugiru no wa hayaku genjitsu kara kiete yuku omoide wo
wasurenai you ni

Translated

from the day my love began, I began to change
when I was just staring at you
you were always standing in that garden, looking lonely
as you stared at nothing but the scattering flowers

my unfullfilled wish made another wound in my aching heart
this reality bound up before my eyes still haunts me all the while
so that only the stifling atmosphere will
not forget me now

GARDEN wishing that someday I’ll be able to meet you always
GARDEN in the midst of this passing season, forever… you will…

the sorrowfully withering flowers that have seen a thousand nights
in sepia your figure pictured

I want to forget, I don’t want to forget, these contradictory feelings
subdued, I stand here all by myself
lonely, with only the snow to colour the scenery, but
still, always, so that I will not forget

I want to forget, I don’t want to forget, these contradictory feelings
subdued, I stand here all by myself
time passes quickly, vanishing from reality, so that I will not forget
these memories

Byou Shin

Hako ni tsumerareta koritsushita mono sanpuru no katamari
Eizou no ura ni kakusareta bijon towa ni utsukushiku

Koe ni himerareta hisokana negai kasuka ni utsutta
Me ni yakitsuketa sanpuru no naka de gi. to. gi. to no maria

Toge no aru kotoba tekubi ni himerareta
Sukoshi zutsu raku ni towa ni kaihou sareta

To SLAY

Mirai e no yorokobi kawarihateta maria
Risoukyou no moto de ochiru ochi yuku yume

Shi ni mukau yorokobi mirai e no yorokobi
Kawarihateta maria ochiru ochi yuku yume

Review: Dir en grey - Macabre

Depending on who you talk to, Macabre is either one of the best albums Dir en grey has ever put out, or one of the worst ones that should be avoided. I’m with the former. I’m completely in love with this album. Maybe it’s because this was the first album I ever completed and bought on my own, and I guess the effort mixed with the nostalgia makes me prefer this album over others. That’s not to say that this album is better than say, Gauze, but it’s not a Kisou or a VULGAR. I guess that what I’m getting at is that this album is one that you need to listen to to formulate your own opinion. It’s right up there with Kisou in that you need to listen and judge for yourself. I can’t pick out the good and the bad songs because this album is so DAMN DIVERSE that different people with different musical tastes will like different songs and despise others.

Well that, and the fact that the entire Aztec-mysterious-macabre theme is continued throughout most of the album.

MACABRE

Deity 4:17
脈 4:05
理由 5:10
egniryS cimredopyH +) an Injection 5:14
Hydra 5:41
蛍火
[KR]Cube 4:09
Berry 4:20
Macabre -揚羽ノ羽ノ夢ハ蛹- 10:47
Audrey 4:33
羅刹国 3:35
ザクロ 8:33
太陽の碧 6:22
Children 4:18

In 1999, Japanese rock band Dir en grey made it big on the success of 5 hit singles from the GAUZE album. However, the album’s sound was largely due to producer Yoshiki’s influence, and the band wasn’t quite satisfied. So for their follow-up, 2000’s MACABRE, they decided to produce it themselves. What resulted is the most musically diverse CD I’ve ever listened to. The album is pretty long (13 tracks in 73 minutes), but it goes by in what feels like only 30 minutes. This album begins with the moodsetter known as Deity. Most people find this track to be little more than a creepy instrumental. I beg to differ. Without Deity, you wouldn’t find the atmosphere that you do with this album. If you listen closely, you can hear yells and speeches in the background. Musically, however, this track is not the best. It’s actually the worst on the album, because it wasn’t meant to be a song. SFX tracks aren’t meant to be four minutes long, and somewhere along the line they decide to throw in riffs, which get annoying after a while and there is only one minute of singing (in Russian) in the entire song. Indifferent on this one but I don’t particularly abhor it.

Myaku jumps right into it with the guitars, unlike the single version which had some weird circus-y music going on. Then it goes into the song, which is a mix of pop and hard rock sounds, with electric verses where Kyo screams, and an acoustic chorus where Kyo sings it. Musically, both Kaoru and Die take turns in the spotlight (as I already implied), and vocally Kyo is diverse. It’s not one of my favorites, but I rarely skip it. Riyuu calls for some Toshiya love. His bass is very prominent throughout this song, which is about a guy who’s about ready to jump out a high-rise building. Despite this fact, “Riyuu” is a song which sounds radio-friendly, but really isn’t. Even with the loud bass, Kaoru still puts on a nice solo in the middle, which is always good. So early on, Wake is DEFINITELY on of the best songs on this album. And guess what? Die composed this song, and his compositions are usually rare, so all the Die fans in us can rejoice over a great song.

I hate the fact that I can type egnirys cimredopyh +) an Injection without any problems. And yes, that’s the actual title. It results from the fact that “hypodermic syringe” is a banned word in Japanese media, so Kyo reversed it to get past the censors. This is another bass-heavy song (Toshiya wrote the music), and Shinya is prominent as well; his 95-pound body smacking his drumset like there’s no tomorrow. However, the guitars have so many fuzz effects it makes it hard to hear the song, and Kaoru’s solo can just be regarded as 16 bars of noise. For some reason, I think of “One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest” when this song plays. Regarding the song title, despite the fact that it’s “hypodermic syringe” spelled backwards, it actaually has nothing to do with a needle. It’s actually about doing cocaine and masturbating on a wall. Uh oh, I think I might have just ruined this song for others. Oh well, it’s still damn fun to listen to.

Hydra was made for headbanging and live concerts and it showcases the elements of Macabre well. The beginning is rough and the lyrics are repetitive, but the middle is one of the most unique things I have ever heard in a song and..well, you just need to listen to it once or twice to understand what I mean. However, this song is not for everyone, and this is not a good gateway song for you new Diru fans. I WANNA BE AN ANARCHIST DEADBORN SID VICIOUS SUSPICOUS is as lyrically diverse as you’re going to get in this song. Some people liken this to Marilyn Manson and I have one word for you: shut the fuck up and headbang. OK, that was several, and it’s the same amount of words as the lyrics in the song more or less but whatever. Love it or skip it.

The first true ballad of the album, Hotarubi’s a major departure from the previous songs. It sounds like a J-pop song, and even has a STRING SECTION to accompany it. Vocally, Kyo is at his best here while trying not to get emotional (he never writes a happy song) and musically, Toshiya once again has the spotlight with some warm sounding bass throughout. There’s even a part where you can hear fireflies in the background. It’s a song about Japan after America bombed the crap out of it’s two cities, and the lyrics are as depressing as all hell. If I can try not to think about those lyrics when the song plays, it is actually rather soothing. Yes, Dir en grey is one band where you don’t want to know what Kyo’s singing about. Remarkably, and the best part about this song to me, is that it manages to seperate itself from the chaos that was the first four tracks and keep the entire feel of the album going. Awesome indee. I would recommend you give this a listen despite the long run time. It’s not the longest on here.

[KR]cube….Please don’t ask me where Kyo gets his song titles from, because I’d like to know myself. Anyway, I have no idea what this song is about (the first verse mentions acting in plays in Gion, but that’s really it), but I love it. Toshiya pulls off a nice intro, and Kaoru, Die and Shinya do the rest. The video for the song is really cool as well. It takes place in a club, with Kyo… being Kyo, and Die playing some kind of hitman. I won’t spoil it for anyone, so find it on YouTube if possible. It’s to die for (pun intended). Berry is a bit creepy. It starts off with a British girl apologizing to her parents for something and then vowing to “blow your head off like raspberry jam”. That sets the mood for a quick speed metal-meets punk song about what else? Abusive parents getting their reward in the most gruesome way possible. The middle of the song has a dialogue involving said parents yelling at said girl, and for that it’s hard to listen to sometimes. Otherwise, it’s a fun song, even if it doesn’t really fit into the soundscape of Macabre. Well, hell, some songs do worse on this album with the fitting in but.

After listening to MACABRE – Sanagi wa Ageha no Hane no Yume I’d have to say that Dir en grey is talented when it comes to prog rock. What we have here is an 11-minute epic of a song, complete with layered vocals (Kyo seemingly duets with himself), interacting electric and acoustic guitars, some cool bass, and loud drumming. There’s also a two-minute instrumental break in the song (like all prog songs do), which sounds better than many songs most bands have ever put together. It is a clear example of Kaoru’s finesse at composing music, although I’m hard-pressed to believe he did it on his own. If it weren’t so long, I’d even recommend listening to it on repeat. It’s that damn good.

What the name “Audrey” has to do with this song, I don’t know. What I do know is that Dir en grey attempt a country-rock song with a touch of 60’s here, and they once again succeed. It’s just a bit repetitive, but it’s got a nice bass line (that seems to be common in this CD) and the guitars provide a nice intro and outro. However, this song is a jolt after the masterpiece of MACABRE. It doesn’t fit in on this CD. It doesn’t even TRY.

Rasetsukoku means “land of demons”… or literally, “Hell”. After more research, I found that “Rasetsukoku” is the old name that China used for Russia. It’s got some thrash elements in it, so if you like that sort of thing, give this a listen. It’s miles better live and on the CD it’s repetitive and also doesn’t fit in well. It does it better than Audrey does however. If I want repetitive speed metal, I’ll listen to Hydra thank you very much. Grab the Child Prey single and listen to that version. Skip it here unless you’re into speed metal. I do like the lyrics however, which is why I recommend it live.

Zakuro is another speed bump. Or rather, speed mountain. This one’s slow and quite boring to listen to, except for the very end, when the music stops and Kyo goes a capella and completely lets loose. If I have to wait 8 minutes for an 8 minute track to get good, I’m not listening. It’s another drippy, overemotional ballad about someone leaving someone and someone crying over it. Shut the fuck up and skip this song.

We’ve now come to the final single, which in my opinion is a clever move after the last two duds. This one Kyo wrote based on an experience he had. He was going to get married one time, but the woman left him for another musician, who just happened to be Kyo’s best friend at the time. This one’s got more loud bass, nice acoustic guitar playing, and Shinya’s prominent again. Knowing the backstory, it makes me just the slightest bit sad listening to it. (Poor Kyo, why can’t anything go right for you for once??). This also fits in better than the last three songs have, even though the whole reggae-pop feel is alien for even a band as experimental as Diru.

Macabre’s Children brings to mind strange visions of Antiterrorism from Perfect Dark. Those sentences have nothing to do with each other, and I suspects that it’s mostly hormones and my damned neighbors, but yes, this song, if it makes me think of Perfect Dark is awesome. And it’s a great song. It was originally on the Taiyou no Ao single and then it was included as a bonus track on Macabre. I personally think that they should have stuck this before Zakuro because it feels out of place after Taiyou no Ao. It still has a great feel that only belongs on the Macabre album and I also see shades of green when I listen to this song. That just might be the album cover influencing my decision. I am also a fan of the solo halfway through the song, as I prefer this one to the solo on sixUgly, even though I do love Totchi’s skills. It also just happens to be a bad case of fate that I’m talking to a friend about pregnancy at this moment. Erm, Children, yes. Terurizumu I guess? I’m being random, but I’m in love with the acoustic effects all over this song and on the album in general. This was the perfect sound of Diru’s early style and I just love it. I come back to it every once in a while. Only problem I have is with the abrupt ending, but I don’t know if that’s my particular music file or not.

Rating: 4.2/5
Best Song: Riyuu/MACABRE
Worst Song: Zakuro (too friggin long)
Recommended:

Riyuu
egniryS cimredopyH +) an Injection
Taiyou no Ao
MACABRE
Audrey
Hotarubi

Deity

golovokrudzenie
yeva adam
muchenie
dzertva
apostol
bog bol
roditsya
probovat
krov
noll

Translated

giddiness
Eve Adam
torture
victim
apostle
God pain
to be born
to taste
blood
nothing

Myaku

got for gimmick… devise

saa, nemurimashou yume wo miyou blood . earth . lie . sky
tainai ni hakidashite body . god . box . beast
otsukisama kirei deshou smell . neck . trap . black
Ano hito wa kabe no naka…

akaku amaku rasen wo ega ita kioku wo tsuchi ni kaeshite
motto fukaku ezuku gurai ni warau wa tadareta yoru ni…

sen kyuhyaku kyujuu kyu nen juuichigatsu itsuka gozen rokuji sanjuu pun nijuunana byou
B-gata de keppekishou no watashi wa A-gata de fuminshou no anata kara
sukoshi dake uso wo oshiete morai
ureshisa no amari heishokyoufushou no watashi wa anata ni
teisou obi wo purezento shimashita (tottemo niau wa)
kanpeki shugi no watashi wa tadareta yoru ni
doumyaku wo pikupiku sase nagara
anata no joumyaku ni halcyon wo chuunyuushi
arittake no ketsueki wo toridashite
shinpuruna kono heya ni
hitotsu dake tsuru shite kazarimashita
sore wo mi nagara watashi wa kando bousou no bechobechona are wo gankyuu mukidashi no anata ni
mise nagara sanbun tengoku ii kanji
sakuran joutai TYPE-A

akaku amaku rasen wo ega ita kioku wo tsuchi ni kaeshite
motto fukaku ezuku gurai ni warau wa tadareta yoru…
tsukihi ga tateba izure wa
kono ko ga umarete anata ni nari
motto fukaku ezuku gurai ni chikara wo komete misete
akaku amaku

egureta kikei
got for gimmick… devise

Translated

got for gimmick… devise

well, let’s sleep let’s see the dream blood . earth . lie . sky
vomit inside the body body . god . box . beast
glorious moon isn’t it pretty smell . neck . trap . black
That person is inside a wall…

scarlet sweet a memory sketched as a spiral returns to the earth
deeper still laughing like you’re tame in this inflamed evening

1999, November 5th 6:30pm and 27 seconds
B-type, I, a perfectionist from A-type, you, an insomniac
you teach only a little of the lie
I, claustrophobic, am so happy that
I gave you a present of a chastity belt (it suits you very well)
I with flawless principles, in this inflamed evening
while my arteries pulse
into your veins inject the halcyon
take out all the blood that there is
in this simple room
only one I decorated it by hanging
while looking at that my feelings run wild, at my moistness you’re staring in shock
while showing 3 minutes of paradise a good feeling
hysteria TYPE-A

scarlet sweet a memory sketched as a spiral returns to the earth
deeper still laughing like you’re tame in this inflamed evening

if time passes anyhow
this child will be born and will become you
deeper still show me your best, as this child is tamed

scarlet sweet
gouged freak

got for gimmick… devise

Wake/Riyuu

hachigatsu itsuka doyoubi sora ni kumo wa naku
biru no saijou kai kara kizukeba wakare wo tsugete
hachigatsu mikka mokuyoubi boku no kokoro ni kizu ga
roku do me no kizu zutazuta ni nari subete kowarete shimae subete

deatte hajimete kizuita jibun no orokasa wo
hito wo shinjirarenai mama hito wo kizukete iru to
naze mata boku wa kimi no koto wo korizu ni ai suru no
koushite boku wa ai suru koto wo wasurerarenai you da
demo
shinjiru koto wa shiawaku kizukarenai you ni
hitori de naite ita kimi ni wakaranu you

kore ijou kore ijou wa kizutsukitakunai
demo ima dake wa kimi dake wo ai shite itakatta

wasureyou to shita toki mo aru kedo ima wa dakishimetai

shinjiru koto ga shiawaku kimi no kako wo shitta
wasurerarenai no wa kimi no kata na no ni

kore ijou kore ijou wa kizutsukitakunai
demo kimi dake wo chikara tsuyoku dakishimerarenai

hachigatsu itsuka hareta kumo no nai sora no naka de
mou saigo da ne jimen ni hirogaru jibun wo mitsume

“kimi wo daite” “kimi wo mitsume” “kimi wo aishi” “kimi wo omou”

Translated

August 5th, Saturday not a cloud in the sky
from the top floor of this building if I notice, I’ll inform of our parting
August 3rd, Thursday in my heart, a wound
the 6th wound it becomes torn, everything is broken everything

the first time we met, I noticed my own foolishness
always unbelieving of people wounding people
why didn’t I learn of my love for you
having done this I cannot seem to forget this love
but
I believe in happiness I don’t seem to notice
alone I was crying I didn’t seem to understand you

more than this more than this I don’t want to be hurt
but only now, it’s only you that I wanted to love

there’s a time I made sure to forget, but now I want to hold you close

I believe in happiness I knew your past
I cannot forget in spite of you

more than this more than this I don’t want to be hurt
but it’s only you I cannot hold closely, reassuringly

August 5th in a sunny sky with no clouds
already this is the end spread across the ground, staring at myself

“I embrace you” “I stare at you” “I love you” “I will remember you”

egnirys Cimredopyh +) an Injection

aru tsuki no kuroi hi tsuki wo zutto mite ita doukou hiraki nagara
kinou tsurusareta kuroi neko hitomi dake hikatteru gira gira

aru tsuki no akai hi neko wa boku wo mite iru doukou hiraki nagara
niku to furan no katamari “nou no neji ga vier tarinakunatte iru n da”
romantic da ne

kamisama dou ka tasukete ima sugu ni nukedashitakute
ima sugu ni inochi wo tatte awarena kono mi wo tsurushite

shi . ro . i . ko . na . onaka dashitai hane ga haete yuku Psycho no yoru
shi . ro . i . ko . na . onaka dashitai psycho no tsukiyo to romanticist

aru tsuki ga nai yoru kabe ni shaberi kaketa yo boku no kahanshin ga
juuhachi wo sugite mo musei wa ima da ni tomarazu
souieba kimi wa biniiru no hon da ne

kitto boku to issho da ne shi . ro . i . ko . na .o . supuun ni nosete
hi de aburi gitsugitsu tokashi awarena kono mi ni tokekonde fuwa gura guru core
kamisama dou ka tasukete ima sugu ni nukedashitakute
ima sugu ni inochi wo tatte awarena kono mi wo tsurushite

shi . ro . i . ko . na . onaka dashitai kimi ga haete yuku Psycho no yoru
shi . ro . i . ko . na . onaka dashitai psycho no tsukiyo to romanticist

kireina migite wa kimi no te de
dan dan minikunatte iku
hengenjizai no unou ga kataru
“are” wo shitteru “are” wo matteru “are wo” utteru BAD

boku wo matsu shiroi betto to chuushaki to
teisoutai tsutsumareta “are mono” no boku to
karameau karameau migite dake no kimi wa
tottemo kirei de hosokute
dan dan dan dan mukatsuite kita yo
dakara tsurushita n da

Translated

On the day of the black moon, as my pupils dilate.
The black cat hung yesterday, only the eyes still glint sharply

On the day of the red moon, the cat watches me,
its pupils dilate.
The meat and the rotten mass,
“I’ve got 4 screws loose in my head”
Isn’t that romantic ?

Please god save me, I wanna put an end to it
put an end to my life right away, and hang my pitiful body.

white powder, expose my naked belly,
the psycho night when wings develop.
white powder, expose my naked belly,
the psycho moonlit night and the romanticist.

On the moonless night,
I started to speak to the wall with my lower half…
even past eighteen I still have wet dreams
speaking of which you’re a porno mag.

You’re surely with me, putting the white powder on the spoon,
cook it over the fire, it bubbles up and melts,
then melts into this pitiful body.
My head spins, the room spins, here it comes.
Please god save me, I wanna put an end to it,
put an end to my life right way, and hang my pitiful body.

white powder, expose my naked belly,
the psycho night when wings develop.
white powder, expose my naked belly,
the psycho moonlit night and the romanticist.

a clean right hand is your hand, gradually getting uglier.
From the marrow of your bones GOD
the phantasmagoric right brain tells
natural genius, developed genius, grave sin
“That” I know, “That” I have, “That” I shoot up. BAD.

The white bed I wait in, an injection,
you, who is only my right hand,
entwining fingers, interlocking fingers with “that kind of me”
bound in the chastity belt, so very pretty and thin,
little by little by little I got sick of you.
So I hung you.

Hydra
I wanna be an anarchist
DEAD BORN
Sid Vicious
Suspicious

Hotarubi / Keika

furu boketa shashin dake ga
hi wo kasane yuku
hi wo tomoshi kazaguruma de
ayashi namida ga

kago ni yurayura yureteta
akago waratte

ra ra sayonara
ra ra yoru ga fuke

anata aishita kono ko ni
anata kasanete
anata ima soba ni yuku wa
kono ko to futari

ra ra sayonara
ra ra yoru ga ake

minamo ni ukabu anata dake senjou no naka utsushidasu

kaze ni naru kamikaze wa
yami no naka e kiete
saikai no yoru ni saku
hotaru no hikari

kaze ni naru kamikaze wa
yami no naka e kiete
saikai no yoru ni saku
yuritachi no sugata

kaze ni naru kamikaze wa
saikai no yoru ni saku
hotarubi to yuri no hana

Translation

only old faded photographs
the days piling up on one another
fire lights up with a pinwheel
calmed the tears

in a basket, shivered, swayed
the baby laughs

la la goodbye
la la the evening grows late

this child you loved
you build up
now, by your side, go
with this child, the two of you

la la goodbye
la la the evening opens

on the water’s surface, only you float, reflecting the middle of a battlefield

become the wind, the divine wind
and into the darkness disappear
bloom in the evening of our reunion
the glow of the firefly

become the wind, the divine wind
and into the darkness disappear
bloom in the evening of our reunion
the shape of the lilies

become the wind, the divine wind
bloom in the evening of our reunion
firefly’s light and the flower of the lily

[KR] Cube

onisan kochira te no naru hou e
Gion de asonda osanai hi wo
mainichi maiban komoriuta to
mikazuki se ni yurayura

nihon ningyou no youna kimi wa
hyoujou hitotsu kaenai mama de
sotto me wo toji
soine wo shite
nennenokororiyo…

ima wa naki haha wo omou
kono ko ni kasanete wa
kyou mo mata koto no ne wo kanadeyou

“Mother and you and my new relation”
Without thinking I put my hand on your neck.
You say nothing and you do nothing.
I’m gonna sing the last lullaby for you while you smile at me.
I wonder why I fell in love with you.
Impossible love.

te no hira wo kasaneteru
chiisana kimi no te
tsuriawanu yume
nakigara to ai

kururi, furari, fuwari, kurari
kururi, furari, fuwari, kurakurari
kururi, furari, fuwari, kurari
kururi, furari, sawagu

Translation

devil come this way, towards the clapping hands
In my youthful days I played at Gion
every day, every night with a lullaby
swaying with a sickle moon seen behind

you’re like a japanese doll
an expression that never changes
softly, eyes close
I sleep beside you
sleep well…

now I’m thinking of my own dead mother
and my child on top of those memories
today again, I play the harp’s sound

“Mother and you and my new relation”
Without thinking I put my hand on your neck.
You say nothing and you do nothing.
I’m gonna sing the last lullaby for you while you smile at me.
I wonder why I fell in love with you.
Impossible love.

put your hands together
your tiny hands
an unsuitable dream
corpse and love

turning, aimlessly, drifting, collapsing
turning, aimlessly, collapsing
turning, aimlessly, drifting, collapsing
turning, aimlessly, frollicking

Berry

papa mama sad daisukina ice wa strawBerry
papa mama mad sukina koneko no na wa strawBerry

papa mama sad boku kara nagareta strawBerry
papa mama mad papa kara nagareta strawBerry
papa mama bad mama kara nagareta strawBerry
papa mama gyakutai karada ni aza, kizu fuyasu

umaretetatta kyuunen no boku maiban bed no naka
neko to futari neyou
asa wa kimatte daisukina pan jam wo tappuri tsukete
nani mo kawaranai kedo

raspBerry jam
makkana ice buchimakero

papa no hikidashi sotto nozoita oku no hou ni aru mono
sotto machidashite mita
papa to mama ga ne nemuri ni tsuku to sotto shinobiyori
omae kara uchinekou ka

onaka ga suite daisukina pan jam wo tsukete tabeyou
pistol shou ni ate

raspBerry jam

Translation

Daddy mommy sad my favorite ice cream is strawberry
Daddy mommy mad the name of the kitten I love is strawberry
Daddy mommy sad strawberry flows from me
Daddy mommy mad strawberry flows from daddy
Daddy mommy bad strawberry flows from mommy
Daddy mommy abuse a bruise on my body, adding another injury
I was born nine years ago and every night, in bed
Together with the cat I go to sleep
In the morning without fail I put plenty of jam on my favorite bread
Nothing changes, but
Raspberry jam
Deep red ice cream, I’ll let it all out
I quietly peeped in daddy’s drawer, there was something inside
Carefully I got it out to see
When daddy and mommy settle settle down to sleep I’ll softly creep up
Shall I shoot straight through you?
I’m hungry I’ll put jam on my favorite bread and eat it
Pistol right at the forehead
Raspberry jam

Macabre

hane wo hirogete tobitai kimi wa ageha no yume miru
hebi kawa niai sou da ne haku yume
garagara no ame ni utare miugoki ga dekinakuta ne
esa ni naru no wo matsu dake sa guchi ga aku

sanagi kara hane wo hiroge ima ni mo tobitachi sou de
kawaisa amatta kimi wa mou otona ne
hana ni koi wo shita kimi wa mitsu wo susuri susutte wa
boku ni kizukazu sono mama de kiba muku

ai sakimidare esukarugo to foa gura no kimi wa
itoshii sanagi no kimi ga usuyogoreta hane misete
boku wo furifuri futta ne i no naka

barari gurari bara bara no kimi hane wa mogete
hebi no kawa ga niau you na?

mawari mawaru mawatta
kotae kurikaeshite kurikaesarete yuku inochi wo

magari magaru magatta
kimi wa toke tadarete hitotsu ni nari mazari aou ka

kitto ningyo no you ni ieki no puuru oyogu kitto ageha no you ni sanagi wa hane wa yasu

anata nara yuruseru wa ne zankokuna ikimono demo
ashi wo jimen ni wasureta wa nokosanai de ne

Translation

spread your wings, you who wishes to fly dream of the swallowtail
it seems the snake skin suits you well white dream
the chattering rain strikes down you cannot even stir
only waiting, you’ve become the bait mouth open

from the chrysalis open your wings soon it seems you will fly away
you whose loveliness remains is now an adult
you loved in the flower honey you sipped, and drank
I always unnoticing fang peels

together bloom in profusion with escargot and foie gras, you are
you of the beautiful chrysalis show your soiled wings
shake me inside the stomach

you of the roses your wings come off
the skin of the snake suits you, doesn’t it?

rotation rotating rotated
multiple answers life repeating

turn turning turned
you are dissolving, inflamed, becoming one will the joining suit you?

surely like a mermaid swimming in a pool of gastric juices surely like a swallowtail the chrysalis has wings

if you can forgive even a cruel animal
legs that have forgotten the ground will not leave

Audrey

ai to iu mono wa katachi ni sureba kieru
haigo de sasayaku kimi no kotae
shitto fukaku wa nai kimi no senaka
tada boku wa amaete minai furi o

kotoba nakusu no mo ii yoru o motomeaereba
ai o nakusu no mo ii ashiba nakushi yami e to *ochiru*

mezameta yoko ni wa miakita kimi no kao
yatsureta kimi ni wa omosugiru ne

hieta yoru wa tsumetaku tsuki mo kooritsuiteta
tsuki wa umi ni shizunde hieta umi o terashite *kieru*

hana ni nare chou ni nare doku no toge o sashite
sunadokei kowasenai tsumi fukaki toki
genshoku no yume wa chiri BARANSU nakushi
sunadokei kowasenai tsumi fukaki kanjou

kizu wa fukasugite me no mae mienakute
sonna sugata tada mitsumeta

kotoba nakusu no mo ii yoru o motomeaereba
ai o nakusu no mo ii ashiba nakushi yami e to *kieru*

ai senai ai senai ai no toge o sashite
buzama dane midara dane modaeteru kimi
moto ni modoranai kedo amai daeki sosoide

hana ni nare chou ni nare doku no toge o sashite
sunadokei kowasenai tsumi fukaki toki
genshoku no yume wa chiri BARANSU nakushi
sunadokei kowasenai tsumi fukaki kanjou

Translation

The thing called love disappears when it becomes solid.
the answer you whispered from behind me.
your back not overly jealous.
I fawn over you, pretending not to see it.

We won’t need words if we can seek the night together.
We won’t need love, to go to a darkness with no place to step.

When I awoke, by my side was your face I’ve grown tired of
seeing.
It’s too much for you, all worn out.

The cold night froze even the cold moon
The moon sank and lit up the cold sea.

Be a flower, be a butterfly, prick me with the poison thorn
The sinful time can’t destroy the hourglass,
the dream of primary colors spread out, the balance lost
the sinful feelings can’t destroy the hourglass.

the wounds are too deep, i lose sight of what’s before me,
just watching that figure

We won’t need words if we can seek the night together.
We won’t need love, to go to a darkness with no place to step.

prick me with the thorn of a love, not loved and unable to love.
writhing in agony, aren’t you ashamed to be so indecent?
you’ll never be the same again but, pour the sweet saliva.

Be a flower, be a butterfly, prick me with the poison thorn
The sinful time can’t destroy the hourglass,
the dream of primary colors spread out, the balance lost
the sinful feelings can’t destroy the hourglass.

Rasetsukoku

shakou ohanatsu henbou wa
oboro zukiyou ni utsushi
midare . karakuri . furachiyue
senriganmitoosenu jaki

onore okaeta shura no michi
hyakki yakou wa ja no me
onore no sugata tooshite wa
anchuu mosaku ja no gotoshi

dantoudai ni kakerareshi
kesera kera kera warau
kubinamazukami tami wa iu
rasa koku kitaru

raikai no tami inochihate
yotei chou wakuzurenu
onore no inochi ozomashiku
kono yo wa shura no kuni

rei . sei . kairi . jaki

onore wo wasure shura tonari
kokoro motsu mono subete mu to nari
kore sude ni toki osoku
subete kuzuretari

Translation

the transformation triggered by the musk
reflecting on the night of the hazy moon
displaced * tricky * wicked
the cleric’s eye can’t see, this demon.

the road of carnage which changed my self
lawlessness running rampant is a bull’s-eye
searching the dark through this form, like a snake.

I’ve been put on the executioner’s stage.
they jeer and laugh wickedly.
holding upon high my severed head, the peasants say,
“the kingdom of demons is upon us”

manners * nature * estrangement * demons

many peasants died.
the hope for peace was destroyed.
this life is revolting
this is a world of carnage.

manners * nature * estrangement * demons

I throw away myself, and become the carnage.
All the people with hearts, become nothing.
now its too late, everything is destroyed.

Zakuro

koe o dashite sakenda anata no namae
kitto todokanai wane watashi no koe sae mo
demo ne ima wa soredemo watashi wa ii no
itsuka kokoro no naka de anata o —

yume o kon’ya mo miru wa anata no yume o
makura no shita ni oita anata no tegami no sei
yume wa zankoku sugite iki ga togire
itsumo gozen yojihan kurushiku me ga sameru wa

toki wa nagasugite
toki wa tsurasugite
yume wa tomaranai
ai wa kogoete yuku no
hieta yoru
konna ni nagai yoru ni wa

ishiki ga chigirete
konagona ni natte
omoide o chirashi
anata no yubiwa nigiri shimeru hodo ni
namida ga makura o nurasu

kikoenai you ni mimi o fusaideta
anata no koe o
tekubi no kizuato
mata hitotsu fuete
kizu ni tokekonde iku anata

watashi wa kowareru tegami moyashi hai ni naru
watashi wa kowareru kokoro kowashi hai ni naru
watashi wa kowareru anata o nakushi ai shiteru

Translated

I screamed out your name
even my voice will probably never reach you
but you know, now I’m ok with that.
some day in my heart you’ll be…

I’ll dream tonight, dreams of you.
because of that letter I put under my pillow
my dreams are too cruel, my breath is cut off
i always painfully awaken at four in the morning

time is too long
time is too painful
the dreams don’t stop
love freezes to death
on a cold night
on this long night

my consciousness splintered and powdered
memories scattered about
holding your ring so tightly that my tears wet the pillow

so i couldn’t hear it, i blocked my ears to your voice
one more scar added to my wrist
melting into the wound… you

i am breaking burning the letter its reduced to ash
i am breaking destroy my heart its reduced to ash
i am breaking losing you i love you.

Taiyou no Ao

yakizuku youna kokoro ga suzu no ne wo kanjiteru
naranai denwa wo mitsumete itakatta

machikado wo magaru to sugu futari de yoku mita eigo wo
manatsu no iro to tomo ni omoidasu yo ano koro wo

manatsu no taiyou omoi wo kasaneta kisetsu
kaze ni nagasareta kimi ni wa nido to todokazu

nakidashita kimi wo mite atarimae no koto no you ni
tada kimi wo mitsume nani mo dekinakute

shiranai kaori ga suru sore wa yatsu no tame na no kai?
boku ni wa kizukarenai you ni shiteta kimi wa mou

gonen no tsukihi ga sugi yatsu to kimi wa shiawase kai?
teramachi de guuzen ai naze ka kokoro ga itakute

manatsu no taiyou omoi wo kasaneta kisetsu
kaze ni nagasareta kimi ni wa nido to todokazu

tsumetai taiyou atarashii iro ni kaete
kizuato wo kakusazu atarashii kisetsu ni some

kizutsukerarete kizutsuke atte hito wa kizu wo kakusu kedo
jibunjishin wo koete miseru yo kizu wa kireina hana ni naru
rai ei
taisetsuna mono wa ” ” omoide wa

Translation

my scorched heart is feeling a buzzing sound
a telephone that wasn’t ringing I wanted to stare at it

soon I turn the street corner where the two of us often saw films
together with the midsummer colours I recall that time

the midsummer sun my feelings piled up on the seasons
the wind that flowed past I can never reach you

I looked at you who had burst into tears it seemed so usual
only staring at you I could do nothing

A fragrance I don’t know is it about that guy?
I didn’t even notice the way you were already

after five years time are you happy with him?
at Teramachi, a chance meeting for some reason my heart aches

the midsummer sun my feelings piled up on the seasons
the wind that flowed past I can never reach you

a cold sun changes to a new colour
I cannot hide my scars colouring a new season

I can be wounded I am wounded people hide their scars, but
I myself will cross over, and show scars that become beautiful flowers
next eternity
An important thing ” ” A memory

Children

shikou kairo o KAMISORI de setsudan
rikai funou na omaetachi no sei
yume wa BOROBORO ai wa GITAGITA
atama no naka wa No outlet

shikou kairo ga ARE o motome tsuzuke
muishiki no boku No outlet

Neo (?)

I can’t control my mind
Can’t control

kotoba ni dekizu kotoba ni narazu
kotoba wa kokoro o kowashite
otona no kamen o kabutta boku wa
nanimo nokora NAIFU to boku

nakayoshi koyoshi nante fuzaketa
kotoba wa imasugu kowashite
hannya no kamen o kabutta boku wa
nanimo kikoenai mono nedari

Translation

Sever the logic circuits with a razor
it’s your fault for not understanding anything
dreams are worn, love is trite
in my head no outlet.

I can’t control my mind
Can’t control

Neo

My logic circuits continue to hope for that
Unbeknownst to me No outlet.

It can’t come out in words, it won’t become words
those words destroy my heart.
I, who wore the mask of an adult,
just me and the knife which leaves nothing behind.

I can’t control my mind
can’t control

It can’t come out in words, it won’t become words
those words destroy the heart.
I, who wore the mask of an adult,
just me and the knife which leaves nothing behind.

I’ll destroy now the foolish words, “play nice with the other kids”
I, who wear the mask of the devil,
I don’t want to hear about something I can never have.

Review: Dir en grey - Gauze

I decided to stop numbering them because somewhere along the way I'll lose track. Also, sometime along the way I'll do something other than a review.

Gauze

Regular Edition

Special Edition

NOTE: Just some cool information for you all, but it is assumed that the woman on the front of the cover is assumed to be one of the characters from the anime Gilgamesh. That is made evident by her tuning fork, as well as several other characteristics. I don’t know what that has to do with this album, but it’s damn cool and she’s hot, so…

And yes, this album DOES have a music video for every song. Enjoy! (especially Raison d’Etre)

GAUZE – Mode of Adam 2:07
Schweinの椅子 (Schwein no Isu) [Chair of the Pigs] 3:31
ゆらめき (Yurameki) [Waver] 5:04
Raison D’être [Reason for Being] 4:48
304号室、白死の桜 (304 Goushitsu, Hakushi no Sakura) [Room 304, White Cherry Blossoms of Death] 5:18
Cage 5:35
蜜と唾 (Tsumi to Batsu) [Crime and Punishment] 5:08*
Mazohyst of Decadence 9:17
予感 (Yokan) [Premonition]4:41
Mask 4:25
残 (Zan) [Remains] 5:03
アクロの丘 (Akuro no Oka) [The Hill of Acropolis]8:33**
GAUZE – Mode of Eve 1:14**
I’ll 4:31 ***
Jealous ***

* The kanji of the seventh track are printed in reverse on the packaging, transliterating as “Mitsu to Tsuba” (honey and saliva). “Tsumi to Batsu” (crime and punishment) is considered the official title though and this peculiarity can be considered an example for lyricist Kyo’s penchant for wordplay.

** These are the “correct” times for these songs. If you burn them directly from CD’s printed recently however, you will find that Akuro no Oka was lengthened to 9:42 and Mode of Eve was shortened to four seconds. The above times are correct. Do not argue against me using Wikipedia or I will Falcon Punch you.

*** I’ll, the second single ever released by Dir en grey, and Jealous, the first single ever, was only included with Taiwanese versions of the disc as a bonus track.

Quite simple, Gauze is one of the best albums ever recorded. OK, so maybe my fandom makes me a little biased. You should interpret my sentence as such: It’s a great CD and makes a good addition to any CD collection. And, if you don’t collect CD’s, this is a good place to start. Those 60 bucks are worth every penny; trust me. This album is so good, it has a promotional video for EVERY song. Not many albums can bost that.

Diru can thank their Japanese asses that Yoshiki Hayashi of X-Japan took interest in them and offered to produce for them. Yurameki, Cage, Yokan, Akuro no Oka and Zan were all singles produced by Yoshiki and it is no surprise that each of these placed within the top 10 on the Oricon charts. All of the singles mentioned above are on the album Gauze, and the additional songs (bar Mode of Eve) only serve to add the icing on this cake. Now, enough with me reminiscing about their VK days. I should jump right into it. Geez, I can wax philosophical about Diru and Visual Kei for hours. It’s not my fandom so much as nostalgia; I find that their best work ever is contained within their Visual Kei days. These were the days were they dressed up in funny costumes and they sang more than they screamed. Their music was more experimental and varied and you knew that when you bought anything Diru related you were in for something good and it was worth it. Their new metal image isn’t all that bad either but I feel that THE MARROW OF A BONE may have overdone it in the scream department a bit. Don’t get me wrong; I love fast metal music as much as I like slower songs but I just miss these days of fabulous instrument playing layered with Kyo’s voice. If you find that you too prefer this over their newer stuff, do not despair! I have hope for their newest single, Glass Skin. Their latest single, Dozing Green, sounded more like their VK days than normal, although it was a mix of old and new. If Glass Skin shapes up like Dozing Green, we could be in for a treat by the end of this year. Now, not saying that they are going back to VK (I find that highly improbable) but they could at least go back to the singing for a while. I wouldn’t mind that.

But this review isn’t for me to grow nostalgic of their Visual days. This topic is to review THE definitive Visual Kei album. Yes, I mean it, THE ALBUM. Very few albums are up here with production and quality. You are blessed to be introduced to such a wonderful album to this. So, when I know that you rush out to eBay and buy this gem and pop it into your CD player, you will be treated to the chopper sounds and countdown of the first track, GAUZE -Mode of Adam-. This track serves more as instrumental than anything else. The first minute or so is rather quiet, with audible banging mixed in with Kyo counting down into English. When he skips to one and the creepy carnival music starts up, you may find yourself wondering where the rest of the numbers went. That will be answered in about 70 minutes music time. The crazy guitars kick in and you are treated to fabulous riffs and squeals courtesy of the three of them. As usual for this album, the drums are constant and never let up but they always seem to fit right in where they need to be. Before you know it, the song is over with “kaneru” and the album moves on to the next track. I love this track only because of the guitars; the rest of it is lacking. Good thing it’s all set-up though.

Through lots of reading and investigation, I discovered that Schwein no Isu was written at the last minute and was possibly the last song recorded for the Gauze album. It strikes a delicate middle, and I say that it leans over to the successful side. Totchi plays a simple bass line flexible enough to carry the song yet it never really changes unless Kyo switches languages (more on that later). Die and Kaoru both play different chords of the guitar in different ears. Place one of them in at a time and you would be fooled into thinking that it’s a different song. However, put that together, along with Shinya’s drumming and Totchi’s bass, and you have…this. The song rivals Zan and Mask with being the premiere headbanger song on the entire album (well, as much as you can headbang to VK anyway) and the fact that Kyo uses three different languages makes it stand out. Schwein no Isu can be likened to Dozing Green in that it is a mix of the two styles of rock music. HOWEVER, this song has a few glaring flaws. The most obvious is that the song repeats after Kyo says “Eins, Zwei, Drei, Vier” and that it just ends rather abruptly. I shudder to think about what would have happened if it continued, but I don’t have to worry about that, do I? As I said, the song ends abruptly and opens up to Yurameki.

Composed by Shinya, Yurameki (together with Yokan) is the poppiest portion of the album as well as the BEST. Yes, I said it. Yurameki and Yokan are the two best songs on the album, not because they are poppy, not because Yoshiki produced them, not because they both begin with a “Y”. It just overflows with Diruness and you can feel the passion in Kyo’s singing. As for Yurameki, the song rapidly changes place, turning from pop rock to blues in an instant all while remaining fluid as water. I see no flaws with Yurameki at all really, except that the drum lines were a BIT too loud for my tastes. But then again, the drums make it different. Try Yurameki and see if you like it; it’s a fine example of their VK style.

The next track features something special that will never be replicated ever again in Diru’s long history of music making. Shinya, the drummer, and Toshiya, the bassist, co-composed this gem. The rumbling bass and the drums ahould be the first thing that you notice once the music starts. the two of them are accompanied by some nice guitar riffs and synth work. Kyo’s singing in this song is also a bit different from what we will hear in other tracks, most notably from their newer stuff. It sounds like he’s half singing until the bass revs up before the end of the refrain and he just lets it loose. You would never believe that he could sing like that had you listened to something newer first. Suffice to say that this track isn’t easy to get into at first, especially because it is a bit on the slow side (Yurameki) but doesn’t feature the same style of singing that drew you in with Yurameki. On it’s own, this song can stand. The solo in this song is great as well, but when you play it along with the bass, it doesn’t really mesh like it should. At some parts of the song, it also feels like they overdid it with the guitars a bit, but other than that, the song is a gem. It took me a while to appreciate this song, and I listen for instruments in a song. I hope it won’t take you that long to appreciate it. Watch the vid; it’s the best one on gauze.

Die comes back for revenge on 304 Goushitsu, Hakushi no Sakura. His acoustic playing along with Kaoru’s strumming of the guitar opens up the song quite nicely. This one has a different beat than many of the other songs on the album and just feels slightly darker (like Mazohyst). It feels quite off because one would usually associate acoustics with happier songs, but whatever. You can sense that Kyo holds back on this track, and it is done for good reason. Kyo proves that he can sing, and that he knows when to sing and when to hold back. In order to compensate, he layered his voice in places which makes it sound fuller IMO. His tone suits the song well and the bass and the acoustics just go along well. This is also one of the few Diru songs where it features an acoustic solo, so enjoy it while it lasts. The bass is also a bit clearer, but that is most likely due to the absence of two guitars . Suffice to say, this track is even harder to get into than the previous one due to the difference in instruments. Come to it on your own terms, but don’t always skip over it. Listen to it for a bit and don’t have any judgments and you will have a great song playing in your ears. If you don’t like their dark stuff, shy away.

The sound of a cradle opens Cage. If that doesn’t draw you in, nothing will. It’s just so different and many bands don’t take those kinds of risks. That’s Diru for you. Then, the distorted guitar revs jump in before the song starts up. It feels a bit overwhelming at first, but after a minute everything falls into place. Cage was a single produced by Yoshiki and you can tell. It is arranged differently from the last two and you can also feel that some parts of the song are just there because it’s standard. However, this album needs some standard, so it’s all good in the end. Speaking of Kyo, his singing in this song sounds a lot like Raison d’etre, so expect it. However, the random acoustic twangs along with the bass and teh soaring guitar strings in the back should bring you in. If you wonder, he is singing about an abusive mother and then how he later abuses his girlfriends. More acoustics come into play around the refrain, but it isn’t as obvious as 304 Goushitsu. Speaking of solos, Totchi has one and it actually sounds decent, although it leaves the track feeling a little bare. The return to the singing also sounds a little off but it corrects itself with a change in singing before Kyo finds his ground again and the song slows down to violins…WTF violins and a piano? Yup, this rock band pulls all the stops. This song was excellent on the single although the remix was less desirable. This one is miles better. It just end a bit abrupt for my tastes, but that’s a minor complaint.

“Kagaisha no boku kara, higaisha no kimi e”

Mitsu to Tsuba, or rather Tsumi to Batsu, starts out with those words above. The guitar work in this song is impeccable and the bass plays along, leaving gaps in the song where you just feel lost before it pulls you back in for a while. Kyo’s voice is rougher in this song, even shouting a bit a la Schwein no Isu. He mutters like a demented freak, sings like an angel, and screams his head off like a maniac in just the span of 10 seconds. You really just have to hear it to believe. The lyrics are about drug addiction and a girl who will let herself get raped for a fix. Yeah, he’s that deep. You don’t need English to understand him. Oh, did I mention the guitar work? It’s so radically different in this song. It’s even tuned differently and I can sense the difference in the amount of times they hold their notes. If you liked the lighter stuff, this song isn’t for you. He screams in stereo and his voice becomes warped and reverberates throughout the song. The longer this song goes on, the more insane he becomes. If you want something different, this is the song for you. I was hooked on this song for a while, actually the first time I got this album, and it’s because it’s so different. I tell you, they never do something the same way twice. Every track is a gem, especially this one. As usual, the drums and the bass are just crazy and they blend in so well you don’t even notice them at first. The song ends with a demented scream and the guitars wind down to the next song.

Mazohyst of Decadence has to be the creepiest and saddest song in existence. If you watched the video, you already know what this song is about. But if you haven’t, it’s about child abortion. Kyo plays the fetus and all the lyrics come from his point of view as he is about to be aborted. Yeah, some really deep shit here. And you can tell once the laughing baby begins to cry and the sitars just go in and out before the distorted guitar and the bass come in and just scream depression and oddness. Oh, before you go on, there is a part of the song where it sounds like a baby is being tortured before it jumps into a chorus of screaming babies and a demented Kyo laughing was if he lost his mind. At some parts, I think he has. There are certain days where I cannot listen to this song or even think it’s name. There are parts of the song where everything just falls relatively silent save the drums and some bass while Kyo just…I don’t know how to describe it. The way he uses his voice is really odd and it sounds like he wants to vomit (and I agree. Abortion is wrong). I have said this a lot, but I can tell you you will NEVER HEAR THIS AGAIN. Kyo sounds demented and possessed. This 9:15 opus is not where you should start you Gauze experience, or they will scare the living shit out of you. This is just one of those songs where it is. That is the best I put it. The bells, the wind, the sitar, the bass, the voice, Kyo asphyxiating on his own vomit, the random conversations in the song, it’s all so disturbing. I can best describe it as four minutes ’singing’ and five minutes oddness. I can barely classify this as a song more than a collection of creepy sounds and crying babies. But somehow, somehow, it is beautiful. In some sick, twisted, demented way, this song is beautiful. The video for this song is also censored because it depicts a baby getting aborted graphically. I guess Japan doesn’t like to be reminded that their fetuses get thrown into the dumpster right next to their ramen. For once, I wouldn’t blame the average listener for skipping this song over, although the end is very well done. It is too much for the inexperienced listener but it is something that you should listen to at least once. Come back to this song last. I warned you.

They definitely put Yokan here to cheer the listener up after listening to that. Yokan was yet another single by them and the first song that I ever heard by them. I could not appreciate it’s beauty at first, but I’m glad I did. This song is about Kyo mistreating his girlfriend because he doesn’t love her anymore. You would never guess that, huh? The song is so upbeat and Kyo actually starts to sing, and sing beautifully at that. The music video is also confusing, but if you want me to break it down for you send me a PM. The solo is also great, as it sounds like two instruments are sharing it before Dir comes out and just shreds his guitar to bit and the synth work comes in. As a true Yoshiki track, the acoustics come in to soften you up and bring you back. This time, Shinya’s drumming provides the bridge and it does a damn good job. This, and Yurameki, are the two best on the album IMO. One thing I find funny with this track is that it was released as a single a week before Gauze was released. Guess they wanted everyone to know there was hope after Mazohyst then.

Mask is a song about corrupt government. Trust me, you don’t need to know Japanese to know that much. Mask is an OK song in my opinion, but it could have used some more time in refining. The song doesn’t flow at all. It feels jagged, and not in the “we made it intentional” way. It feels rushed (like Schwein) and it seems that when Kyo doesn’t know what else to say he either yells or says “taiyou”. And when you think the song is over…it starts up again differently. I personally like the end riffs better than what goes throughout the entire song. This is a very short paragraph because I really don’t like Mask. It sounds bland and recycled.

After multiple times listening through this song, I still can’t get over it. Zan is just…off. And not in the bad way. For the first 43 seconds, demented breathing and laughing is all you hear and you just KNOW this isn’t going to be a soft song. This song is like my VK anthem here. The guitars here could have been better (D.P.Y. FTW), but it was Yoshiki, so I know there is something in here that he wants us to hear. But this song isn’t for dissecting instruments. It’s for listening to when you are mad and wanting to kill someone (which just happens to be what the lyrics are about). Kyo screams and laughs his head off at parts of the song and it just fits the whole ‘demented’ theme of the song well. The acoustics are actually used this time to creep you out instead of soften you up. This is a definite change and you really should listen to this song. Just, not first. Now, about the remix: I actually prefer it. Not that this song is bad, but that one is more preferable (and easier to get into). Good luck hunting it down though. What really sells me on Zan is the way it ends, as if something exploded and someone died while watching TV, not expecting it at all.

Akuro no Oka wins my vote for the “longest song for no purpose”. At almost nine minutes, this one is not as disturbing as Mazohyst, but it really fails to keep you listening if you go for little else than the instruments. The lyrics repeat at around the five minute mark yet the instruments are enough to keep any avid listener going. A bit on the depressing side, but you can get over that easy once you put the lyrics to the side. This is the last of the Yoshiki-produced tracks, and I can definitely see his influence all throughout this track. It is polished and well-done and any listener would do good to appreciate this near-opus of a track. My only gripe is that it is long and may become boring at times (acoustic twangs throughout). However, this type of track fits well at the end of any CD. Give it a listen and see if you like.

Mode of Eve is barely a track and only finishes the countdown. Skip it.

Guitars tuned like clocks and badly pronounced English is the trademark for I’ll. At the end of the CD, it feels out of place, but it’s a bonus so I shouldn’t complain. The message in this song isn’t as depressing as some other songs *coughcoughmazohystcoughcough* but it isn’t my favorite single from them. Instead of bashing it, I’m going to let you, the reader, decide for yourself.

On the special edition, Jealous is a bonus track along with I’ll. I won’t spoil it for you. Go look at it yourself.

And that ends this album. Still with me? Good. Now, my final words on this album will be this; you will never hear another album like this from them again. Some time soon, I will do Macabre, and you will see the differences in each song. Onto the last bit of this review:

Rating: 5/5

Best Song: Yurameki
Worst Song: Mazohyst of Decadence (too damn depressing)
Recommended (in this order):

Yokan
Yurameki
304 Goushitsu, Hakushi no Sakura
Akuro no Oka
Schwein no Isu

Gauze -Mode of Adam-

10
9
8
7
6
1
kaneru

Translation

10
9
8
7
6
1
difficulty

Schwein no Isu

Geist Seele Wille Zelle
hakimidarete kabe ni kazarou wana ni kakete dokuga no naka de mogakeba
itami wo shire hakike wo shire kairaku arerugii

supiido ageteku kimi wa misemono
saisei funouna – DNA -
boku to no koubi de umareta kodomo
amari ni mo fukansen eins zwei drei vier

chi wo midarete heruderansu no doku wo motte ozomashii koe kikasete
itami wo shire hakike wo shire kairaku arerugii

supiido ageteku kimi wa misemono
saisei funouna – DNA -
hikuhiku motomeru chi ga hoshii kai
boku ga ataeyou eins zwei drei vier

Translation

Mind Soul Will Cell
covered in vomit let’s decorate the walls caught in a trap if you writhe within the poison fang
know the pain know the sickness the pleasure allergy

speed up! you’re the freakshow
nonrenewable – DNA -
a child was born from my copulation
too much of it incomplete eins zwei drei vier

covered in blood with the poison of Heldelance, let me listen to your violent voice
know the pain know the sickness the pleasure allergy

speed up! you’re the freakshow
nonrenewable – DNA -
twitching with need is it blood you want?
I’ll give it to you eins zwei drei vier

Yurameki

kaerenakute wasuretakute “yurameku” koto no nai ai wo kimi ni

ano hi kimi no hitomi kara boku wa kiete ita. mou ima sara boku ni nani ga dekiru no ka
nakikuzureru kimi wo mitsume itsumo yori tsuyoku dakishimeta ne. demo kimi wa kawaranai
kimi no ai wa mou nai no ima ni natte kizuku nante… kimi wo hontou ni baka da yo boku
kore de owari ni shiyou ka? kimi no koto wo omou to naze ka namida ga nagareteta.
kimi wo kizutsukeru nante nido to nai. dakara ima made no you itsumo kimi wo dakishimetai.
ai wo uragirisugita ne boku wa…. “mo sannen mae ni wa modorenai no ima wa…”
naze futari wa deatta no kimi ni nani wo nokoseta no?
naze futari wa deaetara sore made machitsuzukeru yo.
kaerenakute wasuretakute ima made ijou ni mou ichido
omoide sae wasuretakute aishita kokoro ga itakute
eien ni ima made ijou ni nai ai wo
eien ni futari no ai wa modoranai.

ai yori haruka ni omoi uragiri no naka de kimi wa “yurameku” koto mo naku…

Translation

I cannot return, I want to forget, my love for you that will not “waver”

on that day, I vanished from your sight. now it’s already too late, what can I do?
staring at you as you broke down crying, I embraced you even tighter than usual. but you won’t change
how I realise it now, your love is already gone… I was truly a fool for you
shall we end it here? when I think of you, for some reason my eyes fill with tears.
I will never hurt you again. because I want to hold you close like I always did before.
I’ve betrayed our love too much… “now we cannot return to how we were three years ago…”
why did the two of us meet? what did I give to you?
if there’s a chance we could meet again, I’ll keep waiting until that time.
I cannot return, I want to forget, one more time, more than ever before
even my memories I want to forget, my heart that loved you is in pain
for all eternity, love like never before
for all eternity, our love will not return.
with my serious betrayal meaning more than my love, you will never “waver”…

Raison D’etre

aishisugite ita ne ano goro no boku wa itsu demo sou
demo mou miakita yo ude ni betsu no hito ga iru ne

sugu ni aisenaku nari nikushimi ga komiageru yo
tataki kowashitaku naru boku no wagamama mo suki kai

kotoba yori mo motto motomete ita
karada dake wo motomete ita yo

kagami no mae de tada hitori enji kitta piero ga
sotto boku no mae ni yori iu no sa
kimi wo kurushimeru no wa boku ka sore tomo kanojo ka
hitori no boku ga sasayuku no sa

kizuku goro ni wa kizutsukete ita
wakariaenai boku ga iru yo

kagami no mae de tada hitori enji kitta piero ga
sotto boku no mae ni yori iu no sa
kimi wo kurushimeru no wa boku ka sore tomo kanojo ka
hitori no boku ga sasayuku no sa

saigo wa konna katachi nante ki ga tooku naru hodo ni itakute
me no mae de kimi ga warai sakebu akai kamisori mitsume nagara

Translation

I loved you too much at that time that’s all I did
but already I’m tired of looking at you someone else is in my arms

now my love becomes nothing hatred wells up inside me
I want to tear it all down my selfishness, too, do you like it?

more than words, much more I wanted
just your body was what I wanted

a lone pierrot performing before the mirror
softly comes before me to say
is it me or is it her who makes you suffer?
all alone I’m whispering

by the time I realised it, I had hurt you
we don’t understand each other, but I’m here

a lone pierrot performing before the mirror
softly comes before me to say
is it me or is it her who makes you suffer?
all alone I’m whispering

that the end should be like this so much pain, I can barely feel a thing
before my eyes you scream with laughter as you stare at the red razor

304 Goushitsu, Hakushi no Sakura

mado kara itsumo to kawarazu sakura ga kaze ni
yurari yurari yurari yurari to mau

ishiki ga kyou mo usure yuku
kimi wa dare? nani mo omoidasenai
boku no te wo tori chikaratsuyoku
nigitteru te ni namida ga kobore ochita yo

tomedonaku nagaredasu hitomi wa nani ka wo katatte ita
kimi no kaori naze ka natsukashii youna…
kono heya de kitto boku wa hitori de inochi nakusu no darou
dare mo mitsukeru koto no dekinai hana wo…

chiri isogu hana kaze ni yurarete shiroi byoushitsu kaze ni fukarete

itami ga hibi wo kasaneru tabi
yase yuku minikui karada dakishimeta ne
saigo ni natte hitotsu taisetsuna hito wo omoidashita
ashita ni wa hai ni nari suna ni kaeru yo
mado kara mieru sakura ano sakura no shita de nemuritai
atatakaku tsutsunda kimi no te no naka de….
sanmaruyon goushitsu shizuka ni hakobarete yuku naka de
nido to kimi wo wasurenu you ni

kore kara boku wa sakura to tomo ni kaze ni yurarete kimi wo omoidasu

Translation

from the window the ever unchanging cherry blossoms
flutter flutter flutter flutter and dance in the breeze

today, too, my conciousness fades away
who are you? I cannot remember anything
my tears overflowed and fell
onto your hand clutching mine reassuringly

your unending stream of tears told me something
for some reason the scent of you brings memories…
surely I will lose my life all alone, in this room
these flowers that no-one can find…

the flowers fall quickly, swaying in the breeze this white hospital room blows with the breeze

the pain building up day by day
you held my thinning, ugly body close to you

at my time of death, there’s one special person I remembered
tomorrow I’ll become ashes, return to dust
from the window I can see the cherry blossoms beneath those cherry blossoms I want to sleep
wrapped in warmth in your hand….
they carry me quietly from room 304
so that I will never forget you

from here on, I sway in the breeze, together with the cherry blossoms, remembering you

fluttering fluttering
fluttering fluttering

Cage

shibire wo kirashiteru boku wa mado no chi wo hiki sado no kimi wo matsu
dekireba doku no baiser de
hitan yue ni bitoku miezu kimi wa saigo no mama de
kioku umete kizukarenu you ni saigo no mama
tokei wa hidarimawari demo okashita tsumi wa kaereru
saisho de saigo no rikaisha yakitsukete

iyagaru boku wo mite tsuyoku soshite yasashiku muriyari no tetsudan
keshite kimi ni wa ienai
kawa no kishimu oto ga itai kizu wo fukamete yukou
shittobukai kimi wa itsudemo reiketsu na no?
osanai koro no gyakutai ga ne ima demo wasurezu ni itai
naze mama wa inai no oshiete yo

itsu ka wa yasashisa ni kizuite haha naru “yurikago” no naka de

hitsuu yue ni mae ga miezu boku no saigo no mama de
semete kimi ni kizukarenu you ni saisho no mama
tokei wa hidarimawari demo okashita tsumi wa kaereru
saisho de saigo no rikaisha kowashita

boku ni wa yasashisugita no ka naa? mukashi no torauma wo utsushi
saigo no kimi made kowashita boku wa sado?

Translation

impatient the masochist’s blood runs in my veins I wait for you, the sadist
if I can do it with a poisonous kiss

because of sorrow I cannot see virtue you are the last mother
the memory buried so that you won’t realise the first mother
even though the clock turns backwards the sin I’ve committed can’t be changed
the first and last person who understood me is burned into my memory

see me resisting strongly and then kindly forcing a decision
I can never tell you
the creaking sound of leather hurts me let’s make the wound even deeper
you, deeply jealous are you always so cold-hearted?
even now I don’t want to forget the abuse of my childhood
why don’t I have a mother? tell me…

someday I’ll realise kindness inside the mother-like “cradle”…

because of anguish I cannot see before me my last mother
at least, so that you won’t realise the first mother
even though the clock turns backwards the sin I’ve committed can’t be changed
the first and last person who understood me is destroyed

were you too kind to me? the reflection of a trauma from long ago
I destroyed you, the last one am I a sadist?

Tsumi to Batsu

kagaisha no boku kara, higaisha no kimi he

byoukizami uchikonde mimimoto wo nametanara otose

hora motto motomete hayaku sore wo kawaeta nara hayaku
hora doku wo kobosazu namete doku wo koboshita nara….

show ~ lie ~ mad ~ sexual
1 ~ sad ~ sexually ~ 2 ~ sad ~ sexually

hora motto sakende hayaku hitomi aite miro hayaku

juunigatsu nijuuyonnichi mata hitori wana ni ochita ne
Q+II no kimi wo name tsushita nara
bara bara ni shite miyou ka

tane wo ue toridashita namida gumu akai kuchi wo kase

hora motto sakende hayaku hitomi aite miro hayaku
hora mireba miru hodo afure amai amai mitsu wo nagase

kore kara mo zutto “okashi” tsuzukeyou
kissless kept no toubu ni
mad yet kool wo kyou no nomi hoshita nara mata kimi wo “okashi” hajime

kawaii kuchi kawaii mune
kawaii koe kawaii kao
kawaii are kawaii sore
numenume gitogito dorodoro no
ibitsuna are nametsukushi nasai
soshite kimi no sore ni ire nasai

Translation

From me the assailant, to you, the victim
Every second, I drive it in.
If I lick your ears, just drop it
Here, hurry up and ask for more.
Put it in your mouth, faster
Lick the poison without missing a drop.
If you miss one drop…

show – lie – mad – sexual
1 – sad – sexually – 2 – sad – sexually

Here, hurry up and scream harder.
Just hurry up and open up your eyes

On December 24, another person is trapped
If I lick her all over – a 14-year-old girl,
I’ll just try to break your body
I planted the seed and took it out.

She’s in tears with a red mouth. Fuck her

Here, hurry up and scream harder.
Just hurry up and open up your eyes
See, if I look at it more and more,
the honey keeps coming
Make your sweet honey gush

I’ll keep fucking you forever
Here’s to your drug-addicted head
in your kissless kept head
mad yet kool
If I take the drug today,
I’ll start to fuck you

You’ve got a pretty mouth,
You’ve got pretty breasts
You’ve got a pretty voice,
You’ve got a pretty face
You’ve got a pretty part here,
You’ve got a pretty part there
SIick, sticky, sloppy,
That ugly shaped part, lick it up
Then put it in down there

Mazohyst of Decadence

umiotosareru kodomo tsumi no ishiki no nai otona otosare
namae mo nai boku naze koko ni iru no ka sae wakaranai keredo
tatta suukagetsu no inochi tomo shirazu….

boku wa aisaretai boku wa umaretai kono botai no naka mitsumete
boku ga ishiki wo matta toki kara nikkagetsu me nani ka ga hayai to kanjita
mada nani mo dekinai sono uchi puragu ga….

fukanzenna boku wa kaki otosareta itami ga karada wo tsukinukeru
haha no naki sakebu koe mimi nari ga yamanai hakui no otona tachi boku wo sukui ageta
reiketsu ni michi afureta hitomi ni chimamire no migi te no nai boku ga utsuru
sono mama kuroi biniiru ni tsutsumareta
dandan ishiki ga usureru naka boku wa kangaeru shizuka ni
Cage no boku wo kono mama aiseru nara sore de ii yurusezu
aisarenai boku wa kono mama shinda hou ga ii
dakara ugoe wo agezu shizuka ni nemurimashou
ichodo dake haha no ai kono te de kanjite mitai
kore ga ai na no ka mo shirenai arigatou
nido to hirakanai tobira kataku tomerarete ita
demo ne boku wa kitto mirai no kimi dakara
ra ra ra….

karada yakitsukusare hone ga nakunaru made yakitsukusu
sayonara

Translation

Child that will be born adults with no sense of guilt fallen
I who has no name why am I here I don’t even understand, but
I don’t know that I only have a few months to live…

I want to love I want to be born inside this mother’s body, staring
since the time I waited for conciousness two months on I sensed something fast
yet I could do nothing that cord of ours will be…

I, incomplete, my body pierced through with hooked pain
mother’s screaming voice, ringing in my ears, will not cease white coated adults scooped me up
in eyes overflowing with coldheartedness bloody, without a right hand, I am reflected
just as I was, in black vinyl I am wrapped, engulfed
while my conciousness is gradually fading, I consider quietly
if I, caged, am loved as I am, that is good it cannot be forgiven

it’s better that I, unloveable, died as I am
in quiet I shall sleep without giving my first cry
just once, I want to feel a mother’s love
maybe this is love thank you
a door that never opens was closing tight
but I am surely your future, and so…
la la la…

my body burned, consumed until my bones become nothing burned, destroyed
goodbye

Yokan

uwebe dake de ima mo kimi wo moteasonderu kimi wa nani mo kizukazu
minusu ni kouru ai

muguchina kimi ni muguchina ai de muguchina fukai kan wo
muguchina boku ni muguchina ai de muguchina kizuato
juuhachi nin me no kimi boku ni kizuite inai yasashisa ni urazuketa
kouri tsuita kono ai wo

shizukana kimi ni shizukana ai de shizukana kaikan koroshi
shizukana boku ni shizukana ai de shizukana….

kaerenai kaerezu ni muguchina ai
shizuka ni shizuka ni karameau futari

kokoro muguchi ni kokoro shizuka de kokoro ni hamukete
kokoro muguchi ni kokoro shizuka de kokoro moteasonde mite mo

itsu kara ka anata ni kizuite ita demo
anata no soba ni ireru dake de ii no

boku wa saigo ni kimi wo dakishimeta
kore ga saigo ni naru to mo shirazu ni

Translation

Only on the surface now I’m toying with you you do not notice a thing
In minus frozen love

in taciturn you, with taciturn love, a taciturn discomfort
in taciturn me, with taciturn love, a taciturn scar

you are the eighteenth one you didn’t notice me supported by kindness
this love made frozen

in quiet you, with quiet love, kill the quiet pleasure
in quiet me, with quiet love, quiet….

I cannot change, I cannot return, taciturn love
quietly, quietly, we two entangled

my inner heart’s reticence, my inner heart’s quiet, striking towards the heart
my inner heart’s reticence, my inner heart’s quiet, even if I try to toy with your heart

from sometime ago I had noticed you but
to be only by your side is all I need

I held you close at the end
I don’t know if this will become the end

Mask

kutsuu kasaneta hibi katamete yuu asufaruto ni “umete”
doku no hana ga saki midarete juuji wo kiri inoreba

heiwashugisha no shiroi MASK kono te ne totte “kowase”
migi e narae shibarareta haijin tachi “zorozoro”
muchi de utareru mainichi nara kubi nama tsukami
hakaishugisha no kuroi MASK kono te ni totte “kabure”

Sweet life Mad life Last life Brain crash

migi me hidari me migi te hidari te migi ashi hidari ashi “kubi”
hone ase namida ketsueki kokyuu shinkei shunou mo “zutazuta”
mahi suru made nomashi tsuzuke hiru wo nomasete
yume wo tachikirarete ikiteku dokusai shugi ni “kurue”

hane wo hirogete miyou arumi no hane
oni no inu ma ni jimen ni hayaku ochiyou
hane wo hirogete miyou kuzure yuku yume
kanawanu yume jimen ni hayaku chiribame

Translation

agony builds up, day after day in hardening asphalt “bury it”
the flowers of poison bloom in profusion if I cross myself and pray

the pacifist’s white mask take in this hand “break it”
do the same as the rest bound and tied mindless people “marched”
if struck every day with a whip seized by the neck
the bellicist’s black mask take in this hand “wear it”

Sweet life Mad life Last life Brain crash

right eye left eye right hand left hand right leg left leg “neck”
bones sweat tears blood breath nerves even brains “torn”
continue to drink until numbed, in a stupor let them drink the leech
dreams severed, living under dictatorship rules “go mad”

spread your wings and see aluminium wings
while the demon isn’t there go quickly down to the ground
spread your wings and see a collapsing dream
an unfullfilled dream scatter fast on the ground

Zan

daeki nure ni shita
ao sameta karada wa
shikai ni hebari tsuita
yugameta zankoku e

mujou ni mo kuchiteku
mijikashi inochi mau
saigo ni mita kioku
warau kimi…. yame

PSYCHO yugamu mawaru naka
PSYCHO zankoku no mama
PSYCHO PASTTRAP
PSYCHO PASTTRIP
by…. DEATHTRAP

Translation

painted with saliva
a paling body was
clung to within sight
a distorted picture of cruelty

even emotionlessness is rotting
dance a short life
the memory I saw at the end
you laughing… die

Psycho
while warping, revolving
Psycho
cruelty unchanging
Psycho
Past Trap
Psycho
Past Trip
by….
Death Trap

Akuro no Oka

ano basho de deatta ne ima de wa mou nani mo dekinai keredo
kono machi de deatta ne ima de wa mou dare mo aisenai keredo

kimi wa ima ano oka de futari de mita kono sora wo mitsumeteru
boku wa ima kono sora de futari de ita ano oka wo mitsumete

kareru hana ano koro no you ni mou ichido dake de ii kirei ni sakitakute
kono yoru ni kokoro mo risou mo yami ni tokekomu semete konya dake demo
kimi no soba de

ano basho de kimi to deai subete wa hajimaru ima de wa nani mo dekinai
kono machi de kimi to deai ima de wa dare mo aisenai kimi to futari de
mata ano oka e

kareru hana ano koro no you ni mou ichido dake de ii kirei ni sakitakute
kono yoru ni kokoro mo risou mo yami ni tokekomu semete konya dake demo

tsunaideta yubi ga todokete fukaku shizumi yuku boku saigo ni mita kimi wo
aishiteta kanawanai yume akuro no oka de matsu kimi to nemuritakute
samenai yume

kako wa nido to modorenai keredo umarekawari kimi wo sagasu kara
sono toki made boku wo matte ite keredo ima wa ano oka ni wa mou….

Translation

At that place, we happened to meet.. and now we can’t do anything, yet..
In this town, we happened to meet.. and now I cannot love anyone, yet..

You are now, at that hill, where we two saw this sky that you are staring at
I am now, at this sky, where we two were that hill that I am staring at

withered flowers like that point in time it’s good only once more wanting to bloom beautifully
Within this night even spirit, even ideals melt into the darkness at least, even for tonight
I’ll be by your side

At that place, my encounter with you everything will begin and now, we can’t do anything
In this town, my encounter with you and now, with you who cannot love anyone, the two of us
again, to that hill

withered flowers like that point in time it’s good only once more wanting to bloom beautifully
Within this night even spirit, even ideals melt into the darkness at least, even for tonight

the bond that joined us is broken I, deeply depressed saw at the end, I loved you
a dream that won’t come true wait at the hill of Acropolis I want to sink into sleep with you
to unwakeable dreams

The past can never be restored, but… in another incarnation I will search for you, so
Until that time wait for me yet now at that hill, you are not there….

Mode of Eve

5
4
3
2
1

I’ll

sabitsuiteiru kono tokai boku no youda
hito no ai wa nanige naku owari wo mukaheru

osanaii koro wo omou yasashisa ni ueteta
amari ni mo tooisugita anata no koe

boku no kokoro ano koro to nani mo kawarazu
kimi ni okuru shitto dake gatsu noru bakari

kizutsuku no ga osokute nani mo dekinaku naru
itsu ka yume ga kanau to boku wa negau

kisetsu ga yuki o furashite sonna yoru
kimi ga boku ni okutta ai no hanataba zokei no doku no hanataba

osanaii koro wo omou yasashisa ni ueteta
itsu ka yume ga kanau to boku wa negau

kisetu ga yuki o furashite sonna yoru
kimi ha boku ni okutta ai no hanataba zokei no doku o hanataba

boku noyume wa kuzurete suna ni nari
kaze ni nagasare
nido to hito wo ai sezu
demo ima mo kimi wo sagashiteiru

kisetsu ga yuki wo furashita
nido to hito wo ai sezu
demo ima mo…
kimi wo sagashiteiru

Translation

This rusty clock is like myself
people’s love arrives to his end without reason

I remember my childhood when I hungered for tenderness
your voice was too far away

My heart didn’t change at all since this time
only the jealousy I take to you increases

I’m afraid to be hurt and I could not do anything
I wish someday my dreams come true

This night when seasons made snow fall
the bunch of love flowers you sent me
was just a bunch of poisoned flowers

I remember my childhood when I hungered for tenderness
I wish someday my dreams come true

My collapsed dream turned into sand
and was taken away by the wind
I won’t be able to love anybody
but I’m still looking for you

Seasons made snow fall
I won’t be able to love anybody
but I’m still looking for you

Jealous

kare ni mayoidashita ANO hi kara
nazeka kokoro ga kyozetsu shiteita

kare no sugata ga henkei shite yuku
tooku amari ni mo chikasugite

kamen o kaburou ka? kare no mae de wa
hikitsuru kao o kakuseru kara

karada ni mayou watashi no kokoro wa
itsu no hi ni ka hanarete yuku

doku no hana no you ni saite miseru wa
soshite kaerizaku hana to naru

mou mukashi no you ni waraenaku natta
kare o ai shita watashi de wa nai

kokoro wa kizutsuite iyasezu ni
iroasete yuku
ai wa kuzure yuku naka de
hana to sakimidarete…

ichido dake nigatsu no ANO yoru ni
midareru hito o daiteita
ai suru “anata” wasurerarezu

Translation

A wounded heart will fade away
the love is destroying you, in full bloom with the flowers.

JEALOUS

Since that day I didn’t know what to about him
for some reason my heart has rejected (him)
His form is changing, far away but all too close
Should I wear a mask, so I can hide my face drawn with tension
when I’m with him.
my heart lost in my body will someday leave me

I’ll bloom as the poison flower
and become the flower that blooms again.

A wounded heart will fade away
the love is destroying you, in full bloom with the flowers.

I’ll bloom as the poison flower
and become the flower that blooms again.

I can’t laugh like I used to,
I’m not the same person who loved him.
I only held that crumbling man once that february night,
I can’t forget the ‘you’ that I loved.

A wounded heart will fade away
the love is destroying you, in full bloom with the flowers.