Vulgar
Artist: Dir en grey
Album: Vulgar
Musicians: Kyo (vocals), Kaoru (guitar), Die (guitar), Toshiya (bass), Shinya (drums)
Composer/Lyricist:
Release Date: 3 Sep 2003
| Vulgar - Dir en grey Tracklisting:Â Â 01. audience KILLER LOOP *Bold titles - recommended listening. |
 |
OVERVIEW
Vulgar gets kind of a bad rap from Dir en grey fans. The fourth album in Dir en grey’s arsenal, it marks the shift from their previous complex rock sound to a more hardcore metal sound. There are lots of screams and harsh vocals, and the guitars rage with a heavy violence that seems very different from the sound of their earlier songs, which some fans of the first three albums might not appreciate. But this is actually a refreshing change, and a sign of Dir en grey’s constant striving to reinvent themselves and their music. It keeps their sound unique and always entertaining. And “entertaining” is exactly what Vulgar is. The screams and loud guitars cannot hide the usual intricacy of their composition, which is present in each song. Although there are some relatively weak songs here due to the experimentation with this new sound that makes this album not quite up to the standard that Dir en grey set for themselves, Vulgar is still an extremely good hard rock album.
THE GOOD
Shokubeni
In many ways, “Shokubeni” is the hardest rock song on here. The angry sound benefits from a very heavy, thick-sounding bass and guitars. This is a song to mosh to if I ever heard one. Kyo screams and makes sounds that remind me of the band Disturbed, but this song is made unique by the constant unpredictable shifts in volume, instrumentals, and vocals. “Shokubeni” would, in any other band’s hands, have been divided into two or three mediocre songs. Dir en grey is not afraid to combine the sounds into one complex masterpiece, and they show that they have the talent to pull it off.
Red…[em]
“Red…[em]” begins with a guitar riff that instantly draws you in, but it is the off-beat drums that keep your ears interested. With heavy guitars and bass as support, Kyo puts his heart into the lyrics, which fly out as rapid-fire syllables that I would challenge anyone to try to sing along with. A rocking guitar solo in the middle makes the instrumental transition into the last half of the song. “Red…[em]” is an underrated song in Dir en grey’s discography, but it is one of my personal favorites. It also gets props for including one of the most positive lyrics I’ve heard yet from Dir en grey (”Motto jiyuu ni,” translated as “Be freer”), although the rest of the lyrics are as positive as a fatal car crash.
Obscure
Any review of Vulgar would be incomplete without at least mentioning “Obscure.” This song, combined with the next track “Child Prey,” make up the climax of the album. “Obscure” is the perfect illustration of melody emerging from chaos. Beginning with a deceptively quiet build-up of sound, it quickly screams into chaos with violent guitar chords and lots of growling and screaming. But then out of the chaos emerges a smooth melody, and later loud sections resolve into a gorgeous chorus. This is one of the best songs I’ve heard that manages to weave both the chaos of screamo music and the beauty of a solid rock song into one perfect show of contrasts.
Amber
There are so many levels to “Amber” that the song itself is hard to describe. Kyo settles for normal, low vocals for this song, without any screams to mention, and he sounds fantastic as he gradually builds into the final two lines. The guitars sound heavy, as they do for most of this album, but they weave a fascinating backdrop to the vocals. The electronica adds another layer to the song. “Amber” may sound simple and straight-forward on the first listen, but it becomes more and more complex the more it is repeated.
THE BAD
New Age Culture
There’s not much to say about “New Age Culture.” It is not a horrible song, but it is not up to the standard of many of their other songs. There is an interesting guitar line in the background, but it is lost behind a loud chorus. “New Age Culture” is a short song; it swoops in with the speed of a tornado and leaves behind the same feeling of chaos. Put simply, it adds little to the album, and is one of the weaker tracks I’ve heard from Dir en grey.
The Rating: 8
Reviewed by: dheu
