TOKYO, Japan (Top40 Charts/
Dir En Grey Official Website) - Japan's critically acclaimed DIR EN GREY is set to release their second U.S. full-length album THE MARROW OF A BONE February 20 via Warcon Records. In conjunction with the album release, DIR EN GREY is touring North
America on the INWARD SCREAM tour-their first headlining North American trek-with special guests Fair To
Midland and Warcon labelmates Bleed The
Dream (who will release their new CD
Killer Insider April 10). The trek launched February 1 in Ft. Lauderdale, FL and has already sold out venues in Toronto, Atlanta and Los Angeles, while the presale tickets for the tour sold out in less than 10 minutes. DIR EN GREY-KYO (voice), KAORU (guitar), DIE (guitar), TOSHIYA (bass) and SHINYA (drums)-have made a mark for themselves with their dramatic live show, which won them countless fans on the 2006 Family Values Tour.
THE MARROW OF A BONE continues to build on the sentiments of grief, sorrow and darkness that have become the band's trademark over the past ten years. While singing mostly in Japanese, KYO, via his expressive voice, is able to transition effortlessly from a deep growl to theatrical vocals that transcend language barriers. The Boston Phoenix notes that on MARROW, "The band juggle metallic styles, pulling off looming power ballads and furious speedcore with equal conviction (1/31/07)." The CD includes 13 aggressive tracks, including "Agitated Screams of Maggots," the title track of the band's EP which was released earlier this year. Other songs include: "Conceived Sorrow," "The Fatal Believer," "Ryoujoku No Ame," "Disabled Complexes," "The Deeper Vileness" and "Clever Sleazoid."
Critical praise for DIR EN GREY continues to build. The Boston Phoenix also says DIR EN GREY "...are more powerful now than ever, and they've embarked on a full-on assault of America. Their videos are edited with seizure-inducing precision, cramming together images that would make Björk and her visual-artist partner, Matthew Barney, weep with envy (1/31/07)." In a recent show preview, the Broward-Palm Beach New Times wrote that the band's music offers "hooks, atmospheres, evocative chord progressions, and nimble changes-not to mention equally elastic vocals that range from grunts to melodies to moans and groans (2/1/07)." Last year, the San Antonio Express News took note of the band's Family Values set where KYO-known for mutilating himself during the group's live performances-startled the audience. "It was an Iggy Pop-style move in the grand tradition of confrontational punk rock, though sonically in the Metallica, Queen and Strokes vein (8/5/06)."
Elsewhere, Revolver, in conjunction with MTV2's Headbanger's Ball, named DIR EN GREY'S "Saku" the No 1 video of 2006. The clip was directed by Hiroyuki Kondo and the track was off of their 2006 debut American release Withering to Death. Other accolades for the album include being named one of the Top 10 Hard Rock & Metal albums of 2006 by Amazon.com.
