This is going to be a long comment...I apologise in advance ^^' First to your question at the end: No, American bands are way more popular in Japan. Dir en grey have a solid fanbase, but they aren't crazy huge. The biggest Japanese metal band is X-Japan. It's probably the only Japanese band that pretty much every Japanese person knows about. And yep, Kyo blew his voice a couple of time (and injured his left ear early on in their carrier). But I think it was mostly due to excessive touring. They had a couple of years where a Japanese tour was followed by a European and an American tour (they where invited by Korn for their Family Values Tour) and the circle started all over again with recording sessions for the new album in between. The whole band was working like mad and they had to cancel some American shows when Kyo's voice got so bad that he couldn't sing at all anymore and just kept on screaming on stage. (Their manager flew in to regard the situation and they decided to cancel the shows.) At the time Shinya (the drummer) was playing with two broken rips and Die had a bad viral infection. Now...this might come as a surprise after "Vinushka" and "Macabre"...but I wouldn't consider Dir en grey a progressive band. Looking for some Nu-metal vibes? They have it, looking for some Death Metal: Why not? Looking for incredibly beautiful ballads: Hell yeah. They do everything and when you hear them live, it all flows perfectly together. Kyo definitely has a very unique voice and singing style which not everyone likes. If you want to check out his entire register you should do a double reaction with Dir en grey's remake of "Tsumi to batsu" and Sukekiyo's (Kyo's second band) "Elisabeth Addict". Or just check out songs like "Uroko" or "Chain repulsion". Now..to THIS song *laugh*: Macabre was originally recorded in 2000 when the band members where in their early 20s (what the hell have I done in my early 20s???? Still blows my mind) but they rerecorded and expanded it in 2013, this time with 7string guitars. They only played this version a couple of times during their Tabula Rasa Tour in 2013 and one last time in 2014. A usual Dir en grey concert is between 1:10-1:40 hours long (longer ones exclusively in Japan). No one in the band plays the keyboard but they work together with Takumi (who also plays the piano in sukekiyo) for their recordings. About the venues in Japan: No, people don't usually sit all the time (Only if certain bands....like sukekiyo did for their first album....demand for the people to sit to create a Theatre like atmosphere). But bigger venues are seated, during long, progressive songs like this they might sit down but you wouldn't find any people sitting during "Decayed Crow" or "Different Sense" for example. Due to technical reasons they often film concerts in these bigger venues, which is why people might get the impression it's like this everywhere in Japan. (You should watch anything from the "The Rose Trims Again" DVD which was filmed at Shinkiba Studio Coast, to this day my favourite live DVD. SO much energy!) I hope you will do another Dir en grey reaction, something shorter and heavier maybe? Thanks again so much for your time and putting up these reactions, it's a true joy to watch!
Wow thanks so much for the in depth comment. Your input definitely helps us better understand this band a lot more as well as the Japanese music culture. We appreciate when fans reach out with requests but we also love when fans can inform us on things like you have. We will surely do more Dir en gray videos especially if they’ve got some heavier songs. I like when a band has some diversity in its catalog and doesn’t get stuck in a certain style. Thanks so much again!
@@hopsmetalshow3413 I took a moment searching through UA-cam...sadly it seems that a lot of songs I wanted to request haven't been uploaded in "good" quality yet or can only be found on uploads of entire DVDs and I don't know if you can use those? Nonetheless, I would really like to recommend this version of "Hydra 666": ua-cam.com/video/G-mKYVxnjts/v-deo.html Otherwise try "Different Sense". There are two versions I would recommend, one from Shinsekai and the other from the "mode of DUM SPIRO SPERO". Shinsekai has the better mix, but I prefer the "mode of..." version: ua-cam.com/video/hFfI4CAG1wA/v-deo.html (from the "mode of...") ua-cam.com/video/GeUFYqW7D1w/v-deo.html (Shinsekai) "Different Sense" might need a few listens, though. I heard a lot of people being confused about this song. If you want a really short gem, check out "Chain Repulsion": ua-cam.com/video/cQIibn7j1bE/v-deo.html "Uroko" is pretty amazing as long as you don't dislike his higher register. Would certainly love to see a reaction to that one as well :)
@@hopsmetalshow3413 I'm honestly happy with every dir en grey reaction, so do whatever works best for the channel (most requested, best quality etc.) I'm looking forward to it :)
Hops Metal Show I would recommend Diabolos, it’s kind of a similar prog style but more compact, it’s like 8 minutes long but has a ton of cool style changes in it. As for something super heavy I’d recommend Different Sense
This is my all time favorite song, thanks for reacting to it, and I hope you guys react to more Dir en grey in the future, their discography is very diverse, and they are very unique!
Wow, you pick the really long progressive songs of Dir en grey. Thanks for reacting to this one and exploring one more song of them. I totally understand your reaction about being it (too) long and not being your taste. Japanese is a difficult language to get used to and the songs you listened to are not easy songs. I am from the Netherlands and they are certainly not big over here, but Metallica definitely is. But... since you already took your time for Dir en grey, could you please react to an easier and shorter song like Chain repulsion live (tour 16-17 from depression to ... kisou), or Uroko (official video) or Ningen wo kaburu (official video)? They reflect more their current style. I would appreciate it very much. Thanks for the good work and your research on them.
Hi! Thanks for the great reaction. I appreciated how you guys tried to check them out and listened to them carefully. They're a one of a kind band. They have a variety of songs and great lyrics. There are some of their videos with translated english subtitles which can be helpful, and translated lyrics online, but I like to let the music and the performance to do the talking sometimes. If I may add some information, the guitarist (Kaoru) who is usually at your left-hand side have had some problems with his fingers due to his work as a guitarist. Apparently he couldn't hold a pick but it's getting better these days. He's had times where he had to tape the pick to his fingers to be able to play live. If I recall, the vocalist (Kyo) said in the past that he doesn't think that he sings very well. Instead, he uses his voice like an instrument to get his emotions and messages across together with the music. He is definitely an intense and artistic vocalist. Of course, the rest of the band members are immensely talented and they work well together. Now, I'd like to recommend "Tousei" : ua-cam.com/video/SXfhWUMtaRI/v-deo.html , this video has english subtitles. A more progressive track that I'd recommend is "Diabolos" : ua-cam.com/video/84mjhmJKogQ/v-deo.html this one also has english subtitles. I'm looking forward to your journey with these guys. They are definitely not everyone's cup of tea, but they are worth taking the shot since they are so talented. Thanks again for making the time for my favourite band.
I agree with everyone suggesting “Uroko”. I looooove concerts in Japan. Especially as a woman that is past the age of wanting to get injured at a show. At most venues, you pay 500¥ for a coin locker to put your stuff in, and it usually includes a drink. For the most part, everyone keeps enough space that you can dance in your spot without hitting anyone. No one really pushes or jumps to the front. Dancing is often a sort of choreographed series of hand movement called furitsuke. It’s crazy- most fans know the furitsuke to every song, and it tends to be the same cross-country. While I love letting loose and doing my own thing, there’s also nothing like doing the same dance with hundreds of people at the same time to a song you all love. You feel like one organism. During ballads or slower songs, the audience stands still to listen-even for metal bands. People also don’t shout usually during songs. They wait until the song is over. Another nice thing about Japanese concerts is that entrance to the venue is by numbered tickets, which is usually randomized (though sometimes the first person to buy a ticket gets ticket #1, etc.). Each ticket has a number, and you go inside when the staff calls your number. It eliminates the need to camp outside the venue all day long to get into the first row. Seating is usually just at large venues/stadiums, like the U.S. People are courteous and spatially aware. Afterwards, everyone cleans up the venue instead of leaving it trashed. (Great time to find picks from the band that fell to the ground.) This is in general. Of course there are always exceptions. If we’re taking Japanese metal, I strongly suggest D’espairsRay. “Forbidden”, “SIXty∞NINe” and “Angeldust” are great starter songs. Gotta be live though. D’espairsRay is definitely a live band.
Thank you for doing this!! This video was very good. Macabre is one of my favorites. It's about the life of a woman. The butterfly is the woman. Please react to The Deeper Vileness, Revelation of Mankind or Chain Repulsion next.
I think that the only band that could be said to have similar status to Metallica in Japan would be the heavy metal/power metal band X-Japan. They were started the same year as Metallica and definitely have a similar high status position in their home country that few younger bands can challenge. Metallica is still Metallica in Japan though. Dir en Grey is more of a 90s band like Korn, Tool and Slipknot.
*This guys are coming to the USA* 😁 The group started since 1997 and since then Kyo the singer is the one the only one that writes the lyrics, is only on his early 40s. He has the tendency of writing metaphoractly and I a woman's perspective. He started the group and is basically the leader but too lazy, doesn't like crowds so leaves responsibility to the lead guitarist, so i heard. Die, the one with several guitars, is the rythem guitarist. He usually has red hair. He is always towards our Right. Kaoru, is the main or lead guitarists and leader by "force" he is the one that writes all the music. You haven't listened to enough dir en grey to appreciate it and know the jewel of Kyo.
Most dir en grey songs are 4-5 min long. Theres only a handful of these prog ballads (and a few non prog ballads). If you want a more american sound, check out their Marrow of a Bone album. Every album has a totally different sound to it. I feel like DSS was their absolute peak though Uroboros and Arche are absolute masterpieces as well. Vulgar remains my favorite album though. Reiketsu Nariseba is hands down the best song I've watched live. The energy for that song in that venue was absolutely explosive and euphoric. I've seen them twice in the states and am driving 4 hours to Houston this month to see them again. You'll never experience anything else like it.
Please react to Dir En grey Shokubeni with subs and Diabolos with subs!!! With the Japan concert thing: I saw them a few times live and people where normal standing and was freaking completely out when heavy parts of a song where played and where completely silent when silent parts where played.
Please react to this song "Juuyoku": ua-cam.com/video/x8FjwVrrtoI/v-deo.html It's shorter and heavier, and it definitely shows how amazing Kyo's vocals are!
This is going to be a long comment...I apologise in advance ^^'
First to your question at the end: No, American bands are way more popular in Japan. Dir en grey have a solid fanbase, but they aren't crazy huge. The biggest Japanese metal band is X-Japan. It's probably the only Japanese band that pretty much every Japanese person knows about.
And yep, Kyo blew his voice a couple of time (and injured his left ear early on in their carrier). But I think it was mostly due to excessive touring. They had a couple of years where a Japanese tour was followed by a European and an American tour (they where invited by Korn for their Family Values Tour) and the circle started all over again with recording sessions for the new album in between. The whole band was working like mad and they had to cancel some American shows when Kyo's voice got so bad that he couldn't sing at all anymore and just kept on screaming on stage. (Their manager flew in to regard the situation and they decided to cancel the shows.) At the time Shinya (the drummer) was playing with two broken rips and Die had a bad viral infection.
Now...this might come as a surprise after "Vinushka" and "Macabre"...but I wouldn't consider Dir en grey a progressive band. Looking for some Nu-metal vibes? They have it, looking for some Death Metal: Why not? Looking for incredibly beautiful ballads: Hell yeah. They do everything and when you hear them live, it all flows perfectly together.
Kyo definitely has a very unique voice and singing style which not everyone likes. If you want to check out his entire register you should do a double reaction with Dir en grey's remake of "Tsumi to batsu" and Sukekiyo's (Kyo's second band) "Elisabeth Addict". Or just check out songs like "Uroko" or "Chain repulsion".
Now..to THIS song *laugh*: Macabre was originally recorded in 2000 when the band members where in their early 20s (what the hell have I done in my early 20s???? Still blows my mind) but they rerecorded and expanded it in 2013, this time with 7string guitars. They only played this version a couple of times during their Tabula Rasa Tour in 2013 and one last time in 2014.
A usual Dir en grey concert is between 1:10-1:40 hours long (longer ones exclusively in Japan).
No one in the band plays the keyboard but they work together with Takumi (who also plays the piano in sukekiyo) for their recordings.
About the venues in Japan: No, people don't usually sit all the time (Only if certain bands....like sukekiyo did for their first album....demand for the people to sit to create a Theatre like atmosphere). But bigger venues are seated, during long, progressive songs like this they might sit down but you wouldn't find any people sitting during "Decayed Crow" or "Different Sense" for example. Due to technical reasons they often film concerts in these bigger venues, which is why people might get the impression it's like this everywhere in Japan. (You should watch anything from the "The Rose Trims Again" DVD which was filmed at Shinkiba Studio Coast, to this day my favourite live DVD. SO much energy!)
I hope you will do another Dir en grey reaction, something shorter and heavier maybe?
Thanks again so much for your time and putting up these reactions, it's a true joy to watch!
Wow thanks so much for the in depth comment. Your input definitely helps us better understand this band a lot more as well as the Japanese music culture. We appreciate when fans reach out with requests but we also love when fans can inform us on things like you have. We will surely do more Dir en gray videos especially if they’ve got some heavier songs. I like when a band has some diversity in its catalog and doesn’t get stuck in a certain style. Thanks so much again!
@@hopsmetalshow3413 I took a moment searching through UA-cam...sadly it seems that a lot of songs I wanted to request haven't been uploaded in "good" quality yet or can only be found on uploads of entire DVDs and I don't know if you can use those?
Nonetheless, I would really like to recommend this version of "Hydra 666":
ua-cam.com/video/G-mKYVxnjts/v-deo.html
Otherwise try "Different Sense". There are two versions I would recommend, one from Shinsekai and the other from the "mode of DUM SPIRO SPERO". Shinsekai has the better mix, but I prefer the "mode of..." version: ua-cam.com/video/hFfI4CAG1wA/v-deo.html (from the "mode of...") ua-cam.com/video/GeUFYqW7D1w/v-deo.html (Shinsekai) "Different Sense" might need a few listens, though. I heard a lot of people being confused about this song.
If you want a really short gem, check out "Chain Repulsion": ua-cam.com/video/cQIibn7j1bE/v-deo.html
"Uroko" is pretty amazing as long as you don't dislike his higher register. Would certainly love to see a reaction to that one as well :)
@@hopsmetalshow3413 I'm honestly happy with every dir en grey reaction, so do whatever works best for the channel (most requested, best quality etc.) I'm looking forward to it :)
Hops Metal Show I would recommend Diabolos, it’s kind of a similar prog style but more compact, it’s like 8 minutes long but has a ton of cool style changes in it. As for something super heavy I’d recommend Different Sense
@@hopsmetalshow3413 Uroko is a good pick
This is my all time favorite song, thanks for reacting to it, and I hope you guys react to more Dir en grey in the future, their discography is very diverse, and they are very unique!
@@hopsmetalshow3413 Thats great to know, I look forward to you guys next reactions!
It sounds more of a classical piece with a twist , but in all its something you can just lean back and relax to
Wow, you pick the really long progressive songs of Dir en grey. Thanks for reacting to this one and exploring one more song of them. I totally understand your reaction about being it (too) long and not being your taste. Japanese is a difficult language to get used to and the songs you listened to are not easy songs. I am from the Netherlands and they are certainly not big over here, but Metallica definitely is. But... since you already took your time for Dir en grey, could you please react to an easier and shorter song like Chain repulsion live (tour 16-17 from depression to ... kisou), or Uroko (official video) or Ningen wo kaburu (official video)? They reflect more their current style. I would appreciate it very much. Thanks for the good work and your research on them.
One of my favourites songs of Diru. I've been playing that bass line for more than 10 years.
I absolutely love each one of them
I’ve been really lucky I’ve got to see them twice
Hi! Thanks for the great reaction. I appreciated how you guys tried to check them out and listened to them carefully. They're a one of a kind band. They have a variety of songs and great lyrics. There are some of their videos with translated english subtitles which can be helpful, and translated lyrics online, but I like to let the music and the performance to do the talking sometimes. If I may add some information, the guitarist (Kaoru) who is usually at your left-hand side have had some problems with his fingers due to his work as a guitarist. Apparently he couldn't hold a pick but it's getting better these days. He's had times where he had to tape the pick to his fingers to be able to play live.
If I recall, the vocalist (Kyo) said in the past that he doesn't think that he sings very well. Instead, he uses his voice like an instrument to get his emotions and messages across together with the music. He is definitely an intense and artistic vocalist. Of course, the rest of the band members are immensely talented and they work well together.
Now, I'd like to recommend "Tousei" : ua-cam.com/video/SXfhWUMtaRI/v-deo.html , this video has english subtitles. A more progressive track that I'd recommend is "Diabolos" : ua-cam.com/video/84mjhmJKogQ/v-deo.html this one also has english subtitles.
I'm looking forward to your journey with these guys. They are definitely not everyone's cup of tea, but they are worth taking the shot since they are so talented. Thanks again for making the time for my favourite band.
I agree with everyone suggesting “Uroko”.
I looooove concerts in Japan. Especially as a woman that is past the age of wanting to get injured at a show. At most venues, you pay 500¥ for a coin locker to put your stuff in, and it usually includes a drink. For the most part, everyone keeps enough space that you can dance in your spot without hitting anyone. No one really pushes or jumps to the front. Dancing is often a sort of choreographed series of hand movement called furitsuke. It’s crazy- most fans know the furitsuke to every song, and it tends to be the same cross-country. While I love letting loose and doing my own thing, there’s also nothing like doing the same dance with hundreds of people at the same time to a song you all love. You feel like one organism. During ballads or slower songs, the audience stands still to listen-even for metal bands. People also don’t shout usually during songs. They wait until the song is over. Another nice thing about Japanese concerts is that entrance to the venue is by numbered tickets, which is usually randomized (though sometimes the first person to buy a ticket gets ticket #1, etc.). Each ticket has a number, and you go inside when the staff calls your number. It eliminates the need to camp outside the venue all day long to get into the first row. Seating is usually just at large venues/stadiums, like the U.S. People are courteous and spatially aware. Afterwards, everyone cleans up the venue instead of leaving it trashed. (Great time to find picks from the band that fell to the ground.) This is in general. Of course there are always exceptions.
If we’re taking Japanese metal, I strongly suggest D’espairsRay. “Forbidden”, “SIXty∞NINe” and “Angeldust” are great starter songs. Gotta be live though. D’espairsRay is definitely a live band.
Sound like a great concert experience in Japan .
Thank you for doing this!! This video was very good. Macabre is one of my favorites.
It's about the life of a woman. The butterfly is the woman.
Please react to The Deeper Vileness, Revelation of Mankind or Chain Repulsion next.
I think that the only band that could be said to have similar status to Metallica in Japan would be the heavy metal/power metal band X-Japan. They were started the same year as Metallica and definitely have a similar high status position in their home country that few younger bands can challenge. Metallica is still Metallica in Japan though.
Dir en Grey is more of a 90s band like Korn, Tool and Slipknot.
Yes Dir en grey is super huge in Japan just like Metalica is in the US..
*This guys are coming to the USA* 😁
The group started since 1997 and since then Kyo the singer is the one the only one that writes the lyrics, is only on his early 40s. He has the tendency of writing metaphoractly and I a woman's perspective. He started the group and is basically the leader but too lazy, doesn't like crowds so leaves responsibility to the lead guitarist, so i heard.
Die, the one with several guitars, is the rythem guitarist. He usually has red hair. He is always towards our Right.
Kaoru, is the main or lead guitarists and leader by "force" he is the one that writes all the music.
You haven't listened to enough dir en grey to appreciate it and know the jewel of Kyo.
Most dir en grey songs are 4-5 min long. Theres only a handful of these prog ballads (and a few non prog ballads).
If you want a more american sound, check out their Marrow of a Bone album. Every album has a totally different sound to it. I feel like DSS was their absolute peak though Uroboros and Arche are absolute masterpieces as well. Vulgar remains my favorite album though.
Reiketsu Nariseba is hands down the best song I've watched live. The energy for that song in that venue was absolutely explosive and euphoric. I've seen them twice in the states and am driving 4 hours to Houston this month to see them again. You'll never experience anything else like it.
Ningen isu - heartless scat reaction please 😁😁😁
In japan the pretty much stand and raise their fist kind like billy idol in rebel yell video
Please react to Dir En grey Shokubeni with subs and Diabolos with subs!!!
With the Japan concert thing: I saw them a few times live and people where normal standing and was freaking completely out when heavy parts of a song where played and where completely silent when silent parts where played.
now, X Japan - Art of Life live 1993
haha, this comment made me happy :) (but sadly I think it would be a bit counterproductive ^^'')
Maybe also Versailles - Faith and Decision XD. I love the long once.
Haruna has a holey cymbal.
Please react to this song "Juuyoku": ua-cam.com/video/x8FjwVrrtoI/v-deo.html
It's shorter and heavier, and it definitely shows how amazing Kyo's vocals are!
Why do i feel like this is the ending song in a james bond movie lol
Falam muito e não prestam atenção na música