“An artist does not paint a picture in sake of colors, but he takes them very seriously,” said the outstanding Russian choreographer Mikhail Fokin. The statement is the best fit for the famous Japanese band DIR EN GREY. It’s name determines the duality of one’s own creative goals, on the one hand, and the viewer’s perception on the other, which is typical of any creator, be it an artist, musician or poet.

The group’s creativity makes their audience musically educated, because it involves the avant-garde trends of the century, radical decisions, stylistic diversity. And, of course, melody, on which the audience has the opportunity to relax for a while. Not for long – because the unique imagery of the band members, especially, of course, vocalist Kyo, does not allow one to be distracted from what is happening on stage for a second. Critics compared this action with a kind of shamanism; a ceremony involving a less stylized act of self-sacrifice. And this is every time, at every concert!

It is necessary to say a few words about the history of DIR EN GREY. The date of its foundation is February, 1997. The group’s line-up includes leader and guitarist Kaoru, vocalist and lyricist Kyo, guitarist Die, bassist Toshiya, and drummer Shinya. DIR EN GREY’s first mini album, “MISSA”, was released in July 1997. It was followed in 1998 by the successful singles “JEALOUS” and “-I’ll-”, and DIR EN GREY became the first independent group to reach the top 10 of the Oricon charts. They released five singles produced by Yoshiki in 1999. They released their first full-length album “GAUZE” as well in the same year, which showed that the group was developing in its own direction – the music mixed elements of hard and soft rock, which can be heard, for example, in “YOKAN”. “GAUZE” became a very successful album and DIR EN GREY went major.

In 2000, DIR EN GREY released the singles “【KR】 cube”  and “Taiyou No Ao”, and changed labels from East West Japan to FIREWALL DIV. to release “MACABRE” (#4 on the chart). With the release of this album, it became clear that from a musical point of view the band was developing in the direction exactly reflected in the title («macabre» – gloomy, terrible, related to death). The album’s songs range in style from progressive rock to thrash metal. Therefore, the release of the ballad “ain’t afraid to die” in 2001 was a big surprise. A few more singles were followed by the “KISOU” album. It continued the trends formed in “MACABRE”. However, the sound has taken on a somewhat Western sound.

In support of their new album, DIR EN GREY went on tour in 2002, not only in Japan, but also in China, Taiwan, Hong Kong and South Korea. On September 10, 2003, the long-awaited album “VULGAR” appeared. The music became heavier and harsher as a result of the band’s experimentation with a «Western» sound. The band’s fifth album “Withering to death.”, released in March 2005. As part of their tour “TOUR05 It withers and withers”, the band performed solo concerts in Germany and France. The band went on tour in the US in March 2006, promoting the upcoming American edition of “Withering to death.” (released in May). Soon DIR EN GREY took part in the “LOUD PARK 06”festival along with such bands as MEGADETH, SLAYER and CHILDREN OF BODOM.

2007 began with a solo tour in the USA and the album “THE MARROW OF A BONE”, which became famous for the maximum amount of lyrics in English. This year the group turned 10 years old, in connection with which a collection of the best songs was released. “UROBOROS”, seventh studio album was released on November 12, 2008. This album became a key point in the development of musicians as avant-garde and progressive composers. Ethnic instruments took part in the recording: mandolin, conga and sitar. The album received extremely high ratings around the world. The video “VINUSHKA” was released, which became, in author’s opinion, one of the most significant in the history of DIR EN GREY. In support of the album, tours took place in the USA, Canada, Japan, European countries and Latin America (Chile).

On August 3, 2011, the eighth studio album “DUM SPIRO SPERO” was released. It became the most extraordinary and progressive in the history of the group, the level of quality of recording and mixing of instruments rose to a qualitatively new level. Following, already traditionally, tours and a performance at the “Wacken Open Air 2011” festival started.

In the period from 2011 to 2014, the group had several releases. On December 10, 2014, the ninth album “ARCHE” was released, on which the musicians abandoned the progressive metal style characteristic of previous works. In 2015, the guitarist and bandleader Kaoru developed paralysis of his right fingers, which was diagnosed as an occupational illness. On February 5th and 6th, 2016, DIR EN GREY put an end to the “ARCHE” era at the Nippon Budokan and announced a June 2016 Blu-ray & DVD release date. From that moment on, the band began a series of nostalgic tours of previous albums with the general title “TOUR16-17 FROM DEPRESSION TO ________”.

On September 26, 2018, the tenth studio album “The Insulated World” and the video “Ranunculus” were released. On September 18, 2019, the single “The World of Mercy” was released with the central composition of the same name, which returned to the progressive times of the “DUM SPIRO SPERO” era. Following this, the band toured Japan and North America from December 2019, and then Europe from January to February 2020, recording the “TOUR20 This Way to Self-Destruction” concert in France and the “DOCUMENTARY OF TOUR20 This Way to Self-Destruction”.

On March 22, 2020, on their official YouTube channel, DIR EN GREY gave a concert without spectators Live Concert Behind Closed Doors “The World You Live In”, which had more than half a million views. In 2022, the band released their eleventh album “PHALARIS”. Most recently, DIR EN GREY ended their latest tour, which gave them the opportunity to ask them questions.

Let’s start with your “PHALARIS” album. What are the main themes of the songs included in the album?
Kaoru: I think it’s better to make you feel each song’s theme. We made an intense album thinking about it as a crystallization of everything we have done until now.

As far as I understand, the “PHALARIS” tour will end in December of this year?
Kaoru: Yes, it ends there.

The album was recorded in honor of the band’s 25th anniversary. Does this mean that he absorbed all the musical trends that the band had during this quarter of a century?
Kaoru: I think we were able to properly represent the DIR EN GREY that is made out of all the challenges we have constantly faced.

Music critics are increasingly defining your unique style of music as «avant-garde» and «progressive» metal. Do you agree with this definition?
Kaoru: I think it’s fine that each person categorizes it as they like.

How did your style transition from Visual kei to metal? Despite the fact that now it is difficult to attribute you to the Visual, did any elements of the image remain in terms of makeup and costumes?
Kaoru: We just do what we feel like all the time. Where we stand hasn’t really changed that much from the past.

There are a lot of theatrical elements in your performances. Spectators are immersed in a phantasmagoric atmosphere. Do you have traditional Japanese theater inspired in your performances?
Kaoru: I guess we are able to create interesting forms of expression both from being influenced by many different things, and by using our imagination day by day.

Most of your songs are in Japanese. Do your audiences in other countries need to read translations of the lyrics before going to a concert? Or do you focus on emotional perception?
Kyo: Just the intuition is ok?

In order to write texts with a lot of associations, a play of meanings, do you need to read a lot of books? Which authors inspire you?
Kyo: I don’t read at all.

Each of your albums is a new era. How do group members decide where to develop and how to change the concept? What awaits us after PHALARIS?
Kaoru: We discuss some things by words, just keep on going by our sensations and feelings with others. About what’s yet to come, we are not at a stage that allows me to talk much now.

I was told that the band members are quite conservative in their choice of instruments. How much have the instruments changed in these 25 years: guitars, bass, drums? Have they become more complex and modern?
Kaoru: There haven’t been big changes, I guess they just change little by little through the years.

Now you are an example for beginning musicians. Could you please tell us if the music and musicians from such bands as X JAPAN or LUNA SEA inspired you? Maybe there were some other favorite bands?
Kaoru: X is the band that made me start one. I wouldn’t be here now if they wouldn’t have existed. I guess.

There are many versions of deciphering your name DIR EN GREY, from «Silver Coin» or «Grey (color)» to a simple combination of beautiful words. What is the most plausible right now?
Kaoru: Haiiro no ginka (gray silver coin).

When a young band is just getting started, it often intrigues the audience with its shocking appearance or behavior on stage. How do you feel now, do you need a shocking external entourage to interest the public?
Kaoru: Isn’t it better that they just keep being excited?

The clips for your songs are, on the one hand, a piece of art, on the other hand, some of them are quite shocking. How do you define the line, what you can talk about and what you can’t?
Kyo: We don’t want to put any limits on the expression and would just do and show whatever we want just as it is, but since is the company that tells us “you can’t go further than this”, I don’t personally think much about what’s the limit myself.

Despite the fact that the music of DIR EN GREY is not simple, polyphonic and harsh in sound, many girls love your band, at least in Russia. Can you somehow explain this?
Kaoru: I’m not sure, could it be because the band members are charming?

The members of the group have always been interested in what is happening in world politics. Have recent events, such as the coronavirus pandemic, affected your outlook? Has it affected creativity?
Kaoru: I think it had some influence but, despite being in this situation, we could create something like “PHALARIS” so there’s no problem.

I would like to personally express my gratitude to the leader of the group for speaking frankly about his problems with his right hand. Can I ask a question, how are things now, has it gotten better? And can I ask about your solo project?
Kaoru: Thank you for your concern. It’s not getting particularly better, but I can write songs and keep adding shows to my back as usual. I’m very grateful to the band members, the staff, the fans and everyone. As for the solo… I don’t think you really want to listen to a guitarist’s solo work, do you?

Almost every member of the group has other projects. Some have several. How do you manage to combine these projects with DIR EN GREY? And what are they for – the opportunity to express yourself in new styles of music and creativity, fashion, for example?
Kyo: (As for the projects aside from DIR EN GREY) I just do what I want to do, and create what I want to create.

It is a pity that DIR EN GREY tours in Russia are not expected in the near future. But we would like you to know that you are still very much loved here and expected. Can you say a few words of encouragement to your Russian fans?
Kaoru: I’m honored that we have so many fans in Russia. Even though we have not been able to tour outside of Japan after corona, I want you to wait for us believing that we will be able to do so in the future.

Ella Molochkovetskaya
We express our gratitude to DIR EN GREY Overseas Team for help in conducting interviews and provided photos.
Album covers from Wikipedia.
Russian translation of this interview is at https://inrock.ru/interviews/dir_en_grey_2023