Kisou
Artist: Dir en grey
Album: Kisou
Musicians: Kyo (vocals), Kaoru (guitar), Die (guitar), Toshiya (bass), Shinya (drums)
Composer/Lyricist:
Release Date: 8 Feb 2002
| Kisou – Dir en grey Tracklisting      01. -kigan- *Bold titles – recommended listening. |
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OVERVIEW
Dir en grey‘s third full-length album, Kisou manages to build upon the success of their first two albums (Gauze and Macabre) while making significant changes. Kisou‘s sound becomes rawer; Kyo instills more emotion into his singing and there is less commercial visual kei glamour in the heavy guitar riffs. Lyrics continue to express life’s suffering, from the tortured lack of love in “24ko cylinder” to the depressive despair of “Mushi” to the horror of sexual abuse described in “Embryo.” This album bridges the gap between the polished sound of their first two albums and the harder rock of their later albums.
THE GOOD
24ko Cylinder
The third track on Kisou, “24ko Cylinder” is my favorite on this CD. Anchored by steady guitar lines, Kyo’s vocals are showcased here. Beginning on a whisper and trembling with emotion, his voice swells into the chorus. The intensity of the music and the anger in his voice gradually build to the climactic scream near the end. The difference between Gauze-era Dir en grey and Kisou-era Dir en grey is made obvious in “24ko Cylinder.” Kyo focuses less upon getting every note to sound beautiful and more on showing himself to the audience, as by the end of the song, every word figuratively shrieks with anguish. Although it is often underrated at first listen, this song is a solid Dir en grey classic.
Bottom of the death valley
Beginning with an almost calm bass riff and mellow vocals, “Bottom of the death valley” quickly turns into groove rock with intricate guitar melodies and pounding drums. Kyo growls his way through the chorus; his voice displays its versatility as he skillfully alternates between a softer, gentler sound and near screams. A guitar solo in the middle returns the song to its quieter beginnings before it surges again straight into the chorus. This one should definitely not be missed.
Gyakujou Tannou Keloid Milk
Vocals start the song off as Kyo proves he can falsetto with the best. Then his growls and heavy guitars take us straight into hard rock, and the quick beat doesn’t let us go to until the very end. “Gyakujou Tannou Keloid Milk” is yet another example of the constant innovation of Dir en grey‘s style and their creativity in composition.
THE BAD
Shinsou
Being the only instrumental tracks on Kisou, the three variations of “Shinsou” are also the least interesting songs included. Without vocals to give the songs meaning and drive, each variation repeats notes and themes until finally they decide to end. The third variation, a piano solo, is beautiful, but its inclusion is also a strange choice, particularly for the closing song of a rock album. These three songs are the only ones on the CD that I skip regularly.
The Rating: 9
Reviewed by: dheu
