DIR EN GREY - ARCHE

[Ro plz 1290]

I figured I might as well start this thread. ARCHE leaked yesterday and I think peeps have had enough time to get a few listens in.

Here's my review straight from my FB status:

Its a pretty kickass album for what it is. I second Dakota in saying that it is not a favorite. I already have my batch of favorite tracks but the other songs don't really really resonate with me at this point in time. This could be due to the fact that I really didn't like a lot of the tracks that give off the vibe of the way older albums. I have key songs that i like in the pre MOAB era but for the most part, a lot of those songs are a snooze fest. With that said, I do dig that this album is very tame, simple, and very easy to get into. It took awhile for me to really get situated with URO and DSS so this was a nice change. I look forward to seeing how the new songs are placed in setlists for future live DVD's. I feel like placed perfectly, they will blend so well with the bands previous material and the sets will shine.

Great Job.

Highlights: Un Deux, 咀嚼 ,鱗, Cause of Fickleness, 濤 ;Behind a vacant image, Revelation of mankind. Rinkaku remastered.

[DogManX 179]

This album is what I would call a final STOP sign for anyone who seriously expected a second Withering To Death (and associates). Once again Dir en grey go on showing that they are willing to take any risk, just to express themselves. The album is more fluent and consistent than Dum Spiro Spero, but still it is a natural evolution from that style and I think it's safe to say that we can expect this sort of evolution in the future ahead. It also carries an atmosphere that is beautifully consistent. Each song sounds like it is supposed to be on THIS album.

What takes this album to the extreme is the change from melodic one-liners to total dissonance (Chain repulsion --> 禍夜想). Those elements are also much more focused into each song for its own than in the past. You don't get another DREAMBOX here, because it either is totally harmonic, or it is totally crazy and unpredictable. Past songs like Shitataru Mourou appear like early inspirations to what conceptualizes the sound on this album. Distorted, through-composed with one theme after another, and still focused. Sukekiyo and tool are also greeting in the background.

 

The guitar work is great on this album. There are great chord progressions (鱗, Phenomenon, revelation of mankind), reminiscences to old VK (Cause of Fickleness, 懐春) and downright hypnotic riffs that may turn a theme into a whole song (The Inferno). Faster, more technical, heavily layered. It's like kaoru and die read a few sukekiyo reviews on which their own guitar work on deg is ridiculed in comparison, just to shove it back into the writer's a**es. The solos here and there are a nice touch, but not really necessary. Toshiya steps back a bit from his metallic slapping sound. His bass isn't as present anymore, but still contributes with warm and soft riffs, and of course also he gets times to shine (sustain the untruth, 懐春). Shinya's drums are for once not overly experimental and actually try to fit into the songs, with great result. It is still to see though if he manages those disciplines on stage, too.

 

輪郭 was helluva song in 2012 and it still is on this album. Other highlights are Phenomenon, 懐春, Cause of Fickleness, Revelation of Mankind. 空谷の跫音 takes the "Vanitas" spot, but ends up in a totally different direction. The Inferno does the obligatory "heavy-song" and somewhere resembles "Decayed Crow", but ends up being a very solid piece of death metal.

There are problems though. The placement of the songs seems spontantous from time to time. Un deux is not the strongest song on the album to say the least, and it also doesn't fit as an opener. Likewise, the finisher doesn't quite feel natural in its place. Sustain the Untruth would have been better maybe.

 

This album is heavily experimental, it doesn't try to sound compelling, and the listener should really know what to expect and how to deal with it. Dir en grey fans of the post-Uroboros material may find joy with this piece, fans of the older stuff on the other hand might just be overwhelmed by the unconformity presented to them. Dir en grey have once more proven they're not just this band which does "western metal" now. ARCHE is a solid release with my score of 8/10.

 

wow this sucked I hope someone can put it in better words than me

[kurenaishineek 646]

I still need to get one or two more good listens to the full album , but i already can say that its maybe not the best DeG album , but it sure is well made . I like how its more lighter than what they did in the last years , also most of what DogManX said is what i have in mind here , so im only gonna leave a score rating here for this .

8/10

[Daisuke 20]

Only I can say, that DIRU did again a Great Album, very fan but I'll give a 10/10, all the song and these "experimental song" sound so great for me.

 

Highlights: Un Deux, Shoshaku, Uroko (<3), Midwife, Behind a vacant image, Midwife, the Inferno (yes I love it but I want more power in that drum!), Revelation of mankind.

[dannemannen 69]

Highlights for me:
Un deux (wish it had better chorus though), Soshaku, Rinkaku, 空谷の跫音 and Revelation of Mankind.

The rest is just decent, and there are a few 100%-filler songs like Midwife and The inferno.
I love this album but I wish they would have put some more heart in some of the songs.

8/10


 

[NICKT 147]

16 shades of #BR00T4L music to cut yourself to.

 

I liked the first three songs, Rinkaku and Sustain the Untruth. I probably only liked the first three songs 'cause I was excited to hear the new album but lost interest after that and all the songs just started melting into each other in my mind and I got bored.

All in all, not a surprising album for me, I'm not so far up my arse that I have to critique whether they used 1 string or another, or any of the technical stuff, I'm a filthy casual I suppose and in the end this is just more of the same to me.

 

For the most part, this release is boring.

[relentless 254]

I don't think I could write a full review on Arche, maybe in the coming weeks I will; but for right now all I can really say about the album as a whole is:

 

Lots of "window dressing", questionable orchestration, Rinkaku is the best track on this album.

 

By "window dressing", I am referring to what is being called "through-composed"; but realistically amounts to nothing more than glorified bridges between repetitive sections. This album gives the illusion that it has progressive intents from the beginning with verses, bridges, and choruses rapidly being thrown at you with Un Deux; but it's only when you take a step back and realize the overall structure of individual songs that it's nothing special. A new section will appear for a measure, then lead into the next verse or chorus -- same as the previous one. This is a trend that seems to have arisen from Sustain the Untruth where these sections carry the same affect, albeit in a far more simple form and not as fully realized here. This is something notable and a breath of fresh air from the wooden structure of verse-chorus-verse. Verse-chorus-verse is still existent throughout; but its form is modified in key parts which largely prevents repetition. Oddly enough this was one of my favorite aspects of the album as it is a tiny step away from rock conventions; but at the same time it's deceptive in doing so.

 

Questionable Orchestration for a rock ensemble has been the bane (...Bane???) of Dir en grey's recent efforts. The fascination with drop tuned riffs lower on the neck has not left the band as they're dished out in spades over the course of the 14 tracks. The issue with this, is that rarely do the other instruments have room to breathe. People have been incorrectly blaming Madsen's mixing; but they couldn't be further from the truth. It is the band's lack of awareness when it comes to orchestration that is at fault. With that said, some of these heavier riffs are really cool, with only one instance of it being ruined by the lead guitar (Midwife) in the beginning.

 

Rinkaku is arguably the best track on this album with the points above kept in mind. The riff is very simple and straight forward; but it's what the band does with the material that warrants recognition. The dense opening (even with the distorted-to-shit guitars), the distinct guitar sections adding effects and clarity to the verses, the climax, and the coda are all highlights that shows a band that knows how to write very good music with distinct and evolving sections. Instead of "window dressing" bridges, we're given actual musical development.

 

No score, these are just impressions after a second listen. Maybe a score will follow in the future.

[nomemorial 341]

This record sincerely feels like the most energetic effort in Dir en grey's more recent catalog  -- it's exciting and surprising, a bit more straightforward than Dum Spiro Spero or Uroboros, but I think it's a better direction overall.  I personally consider everything after The Marrow of a Bone to be where Dir en grey truly began to reinvent themselves as a "metal" band and out of those albums, this one resonates the most with me at the moment.  Granted, this is going off of two listens, but it appeals to the part of me that likes heavy music while feeling a bit more like an older Dir en grey record in some aspects.  The choruses soar and Kyo's vocals are absolutely standout, while I feel the rest of the band is really hitting all of the right marks.  "Un deux" is a fantastic opener and I think skipping the typical "epic" intro really sets the tone for the record, while it closes out perfectly with "Revelation of Mankind," which feels so much like "Saku" at certain points that it's almost chill-inducing; it's hardly the same song, but it's the chaos leading to melody that feels similar.  I'm beyond pleasantly surprised with this album and can only hope that they make their way back to the USA soon; seeing them live last year brought them back to the forefront of my favorite artists and while DSS may not have been my favorite record, this is just an absolutely tremendous effort, above and beyond all expectations.  "ARCHE" is quickly becoming a contender for album-of-the-year.

[Youko_o 51]

I had great expectations on this album since it was announced, cause hey, it's Diru. I loved their previous album, DSS, and ARCHE feels like a less heavy DSS. Not that it is the same thing just taking off some heavy shit, but the style didn't change a lot. I really liked the album but I think I need to listen to it a few more times to get the whole essence of it. I'm never very good at giving a note to a release, but 7~8/10 I guess.

[kurenaishineek 646]

I had great expectations on this album since it was announced, cause hey, it's Diru. I loved their previous album, DSS, and ARCHE feels like a less heavy DSS. Not that it is the same thing just taking off some heavy shit, but the style didn't change a lot. I really liked the album but I think I need to listen to it a few more times to get the whole essence of it. I'm never very good at giving a note to a release, but 7~8/10 I guess.

I think this album is just this way , i said 8/10 but now after 10 more listens i cant stop listening to it , and its a 9,5/10 now , so its probably a sound you need to get hooked up with . Songs that get you hooked up from the first listen are getting boring fast , thats why this is getting a album of the year sign from me as the more i listen to it , the more i like it . And in my book thats better , cause i will listen to it longer without getting bored of it . Also i totally love that lighter yet still dark and experimental/post metal style they have there .

[Ito 2438]

I am not even done listening to the album, but one thing is hitting me hard. I actually ENJOY the sound!

 

Uroboros felt muffled and trapped...the remastering helped in this but absolutely killed the drums as they felt just too wide and tinny. DSS suffered from the same drum problems and just something about it sounds off. The Unraveling I just didn't listen to enough to have a real opinion. But god damn, does the mastering in ARCHE just sound -right-.

 

No other opinions as of yet, but I have a feeling this will be my favorite Diru release since Withering.

[greatest_dane 15]

I can't remember the last time I listened to an album and ended up saying I absolutely love 11 of the songs.

Un deux, Soshaku, Uroko, Phenomenon, Tousei, Rinkaku, Magayasou, Kaishun, Behind a vacant image, Kukoku, and Revelation of mankind.....

 

Sure, the majority of the song structures are generic, but I don't care. They are melodic, catchy, emotional, and memorable. Far more than I can say about DSS, imo (which I enjoyed, and still do to this day).

 

 

I'm loving this more every single time I listen to it. 

 

Easy 9/10 right now for me. 

[トカゲ 49]

Just had the chance to listen to the first 10 songs of Arche and I couldn't love it more so far. As someone who loves their VK-past  and than again their records starting by Uroboros, but having some troubles with the records Vulgar, WtD and MoaB, this record is once more just an acoustic orgasm.

I listen to Doom Metal like Horn of the Rhino and I have to admit Arche is really kind of emotional and sensitive while being hard and fucking dark, something I often miss by western bands with such heaviness. The dark, heavy sound and the deep bass could fit sometimes to Doom. ♥

 

Like back then when Uroboros came out Arche hits my weak spot and fits perfectly to my life right now like nothing else. Loving Uroboros and DSS I have to say, I can't wait to listen to the rest of Arche tonight thou I already love this baby! 10/10

[finnthesubhuman 26]

 

The guitar work is sub par on this album. There are great chord progressions (鱗, Phenomenon, revelation of mankind), reminiscences to old VK (Cause of Fickleness, 懐春) and downright hypnotic riffs that may turn a theme into a whole song (The Inferno). Faster, more technical, heavily layered. It's like kaoru and die read a few sukekiyo reviews on which their own guitar work on deg is ridiculed in comparison, just to shove it back into the writer's a**es.

 

I'm not entirely sure you know how to use the term sub par.

 

I'm disappointed with this album. Sure, the focus on melody is great, and so very welcome after the recent flat-out reliance on heavy, which has definitely overstayed its welcome. But they managed to take out the things I liked the most about the last few albums.

 

Rinkaku got the mix down perfectly. It's sombre, it's experimental, it's focused, it's subtle. It doesn't suffer from random heavy breakdown or unnecessary blast beat attempt. But then Sustain the Untruth came out with its...flat out refusal to do anything that actually worked lest it be compared with previous material. The band is trying so hard to continue their trend of ever-evolving material but this is the first time I've really thought well, that really didn't work for me, really...and quite a few of the new tracks are like that.

 

I feel like the Unraveling EP didn't have cohesion either but it has the excuse of being a bunch of songs from different eras, different creative mindsets. Here, there's not really an excuse.

 

If they had delivered an album of ventures like Rinkaku I probably would have loved it. Right now I'm just bothered by the fact this album is just some kind of ideological statement -- a step backwards disguised as a step forward. I would even go so far as to call it capitalisation on the reception of the old track remakes. People wanted pop and the band realised this and decided well why don't we try writing something new like that? The only problem is that they're ONCE AGAIN constraining their writing abilities to produce a PRODUCT rather than letting them write naturally.

 

There was only one point in the half-decade I've been following them where I wasn't under the impression they were capitalising on SOMETHING popular...and that was Uroboros.

 

I also hate the fact they turned the bass down when the clicky sound was MY FAVOURITE THING ABOUT DSS AFTER THE 7 MINUTE TRACKS. Why did they even? Is it the current producer's fault? Did Toshiya's fingers fall off? WAS IT TOO SIMILAR TO THE LAST ALBUM? Gensou no Warsaw was a pleasant surprise and I hate that it didn't last.

 

But enough of negatives. Kyo has managed to avoid the problems he had on DSS. He's singing a lot more. He's not relying on growling. He's using his voice as another instrument. The riffs are a lot less RURUURURURURURcore. The songs do well in a shuffle, though I'm not inclined to sit down and listen to the whole thing in order. Phenomenon is weird. Track 14 is a bit like Vanitas 2.0 and I would love to have seen a version that was two minutes longer -- I'd call it my favourite cut, and it's truly beautiful. After a bunch of softer tracks The Inferno actually works. I feel pumped for it. Its placement is perfect.

 

It's more fun than DSS but it suffers from flaws pretty much of equal nature.

 

The best thing is that at least the band doesn't sound stale, which is something a lot of bands (especially in the Japanese rock scene) aren't able to boast of.

[evilcoconut 109]

I've liked about four songs on their last two albums, I like every single song on this one.  Last two kinda grated on my nerves, but they were short so it didn't last lol. But the rest, really good.  To an extent the album gave me the impression of a long soundscape. Very cool.

[cidetodeath 7]

A big thing I've gotten from this album is that it's conventional. As in, the guitars are easier to follow guitars things, the bass's role is on the rhythm side with a fill here or there, same as a the drums. And most overtly, the vocals aren't super extreme death chants to sudden whale song high which was the case on their last album.

 

I'm not sure of a rating to give this as I just listened to it a couple times, but it feels pretty good. The fact that this band is going back in the box and finding nuances is the big selling point.

[nullmoon 784]

I don't think anyone has mentioned the bonus tracks yet...? The Sustain The Untruth and Unraveling remixes are incredible! More so the latter for its thrashy new sound. Big fan.

[mopkins 42]

yeah, the Unraveling remix really surprised me, PRETTY COOL

[Peace Heavy mk II 7200]

Was anyone not impressed? From the few songs I listened to, it just sounded like a less good version of the Sukekiyo album, which is why I'm surprised people don't like that, but do like this.

[dannemannen 69]

What do you guys think about "TefuTefu"?
Arche is btw a real grower... best album this year no doubts.

[morbiusss 10]

Love TefuTefu...also love some other songs, especially track 14. But I still think sukekiyo beats everything dir en grey ever accomplished. IMMORTALIS is such a sick album.

[nullmoon 784]

Tefu Tefu is awesome, especially the solo.

Unfortunately I disagree with all comments regarding Sukekiyo's superiority. Personally I think the only song of theirs that has any significance is Aftermath because it's one of the most perfect songs I've ever heard.

Oh and the opening to Hemimetabolism is beautiful.

[Pretsy 1343]

I would like to point out that they finally learned to embrace pop sensibilities from pre-MOAB era works - some numbers even managed to pave the way for certain comebacks, such as quirkier (approx.) 3-minute bangers in the vein of 'Machiavellism' or the majority of 'VULGAR' ('Cause of Fickleness', 'Chain Repulsion'). Nonetheless, mistakes that haunt DEG ever since DSS have been present in ARCHE too: most songs either lack any logical development (e.g. 'Revelation' is pretty much "Ruten"'s 'not-so-well-behaving little brother') or just end their 'clever ideas' way too fast (e.g. 'Phenomenon' would've been a nice NIN-like experiment w/o early climax). It's not only "the shades of nostalgia" that haunt Dir, but a few problems involving new, "organic" (if I were to quote Kaoru) soundscape and track positioning as well. What are these problems then? Let's spotlight these issues in a spoiler:

 

- 'Un deux' is an okay rocker (forced chorus, eh), but not really preparing listeners for 'a bang' like decent openers normally do.

- What is a midtempo number like 'Phenomenon' doing in the middle of 'Uroko' and 'Cause of Fickleness'?

- The general, "minimalist" concept behind 'Midwife' is quite clear (at least after hearing out what Toshers had to say on it), but easily forgettable - what a shame!

- I was not only bothered by the lack of trademark *SLAP! THWACK!* in new STU, but by its position likewise (see: 'Phenomenon' problem).

- 'Kuukoku' is the most 'fatless' DEG ballad ever - even Kaoru's droning in the BG won't save the listener from deep slumber...

- 'Kuukoku' clearly signed the finish - why add two more tunes?

 

 

Did we witness any improvement after DSS? Yes. Was the improvement big enough to make it worthier than 'the holy quadrinity' (Gauze-Vulgar) or even Uroboros? No. Kudos to them for realizing that 'catchier direction' is not going to be a massive turn-off though - sob harder, DSS aficionados (jk).

 

Personal favs: Kaishun, Chain Repulsion, Rinkaku, Cause of Fickleness

Other highlights: Uroko, Tousei, Magayasou, Behind a Vacant Image

[nekkichi 6042]

arche >>> uroboros for me tbh

dss is plain terrible, but I literally can't remember what most of uroboros tracks sound like these days

(tried to give it another listen a few days ago, and stopped less than ten minutes into.

it probably sounded like a good album back then, after the dire TMOAB mess.)

I didn't realize it's been almost 10 years since WTD dropped, and they spent most of that time mostly doing questionable shit in attempt to get teh western fanboy moneys, omg

let the light of shinya's weave guide this band from now

[Ro plz 1290]

Tefu Tefu is awesome, especially the solo.

Unfortunately I disagree with all comments regarding Sukekiyo's superiority. Personally I think the only song of theirs that has any significance is Aftermath because it's one of the most perfect songs I've ever heard.

Oh and the opening to Hemimetabolism is beautiful.

 

This. I think Immortalis is a pretty solid album. Just solid. It has some key tracks that I love but nothing really "omg" worthy. Honestly, the first half of the album is nice but the second half, is meh besides In all weathers and kugui (鵠) To say that one album" surpasses everything DIR EN GREY has done", Imo is a stretch. A really bad one at that.