Dir En Grey is a Japanese heavy metal band formed in February 1997 and currently signed to Firewall Div., a sub-division of Free-Will. With a consistent lineup of guitarists Kaoru and Die, vocalist Kyo, drummer Shinya and bassist Toshiya, they have released eleven full-length albums. Numerous stylistic changes have made the genre of their music difficult to determine, though it is generally considered to be a form of metal. Originally a visual kei band, the members later opted for more subtle attire, but have continued to maintain a dramatic image on stage.
Gauze is the debut studio album by Japanese heavy metal band Dir En Grey. The album was originally released on July 28, 1999, as a standard version with a thick CD case, 36-page booklet with the CD reading surface painted red, through East West Japan. An initial limited version was released on the same day, including a translucent red sleeve with a cloud pattern, 12-page picture booklet, a 36-page lyrics booklet, and the red painted CD in a maxi-CD single case for a sticker price of ¥3,059 ($27.87). The album was later re-issued as standard version only, with a silver disc on October 31, 2001, through Free-Will. Five tracks were produced by X Japan co-founder Yoshiki Hayashi, all of which had been previously released as singles.
"-I'll-" is a single released by Dir En Grey on August 12, 1998. The video of the title track would later be featured on the Mōsō Tōkakugeki VHS. The ephonym song is featured as the opening theme of the Urayasu Radical Family anime series.
"Akuro no Oka" is a single released by Dir En Grey on January 20, 1999. It is among the first to feature remixes and was released simultaneously along with "Yurameki" and "Zan". The single peaked at number 7 on the Oricon music charts in Japan. For their 25th anniversary, Dir En Grey re-recorded "Akuro no Oka" for the 2024 single "19990120".
"Yurameki" is a single released by Dir En Grey on January 20, 1999, simultaneously along with "Akuro no Oka" and "Zan". The single peaked at number 5 on the Oricon music charts in Japan.
"Yokan" is the 5th single by Japanese heavy metal band Dir En Grey released on July 14, 1999. It was used as the ending theme for the Yomiuri TV and Nippon TV drama, "Joi (女医) Nothing lasts forever / Female doctor". The song attracted mainstream attention by appearing on Japanese Music Stations, notably Music Station, Popjapan.tv, and Count Down TV.
"Ain't Afraid to Die" is a single released by Dir En Grey on April 18, 2001. It appears on Decade 1998–2002 but is not featured on any of their studio albums. Both B-sides are included on the Kai remix compilation.
The Marrow of a Bone is the sixth studio album by Japanese heavy metal band Dir En Grey and the first to use an all caps capitalization. It was released on February 7, 2007, in Japan, and in the United States, Germany, France, and the United Kingdom in the following months. In total, the album was released in eleven countries. The band was touring North America at the time of the album's release in both Japan and the United States. In March 2007, The Marrow of a Bone reached number 21 on Billboard's "Top Independent Albums" chart.
"Dozing Green" is a single by Dir En Grey, released on October 24, 2007 in Japan and across Europe as well as in the iTunes Store until the end of October. The Japanese edition includes two b-sides, "Hydra -666-" and "Agitated Screams of Maggots [Live]". The European release features only "Dozing Green" and "Agitated Screams of Maggots", while the iTunes release is sold as the title track only.
Uroboros is the seventh studio album by Japanese heavy metal band Dir En Grey. It was released on November 11, 2008, in the United States by The End Records and, due to the time difference, on November 12, 2008, in Japan through Firewall and European releases by Gan-Shin. A remastered and expanded edition was released in 2012, featuring new and reworked tracks. The album was remastered by Tue Madsen who also produced their following album Dum Spiro Spero.
"Glass Skin" is a single by Dir En Grey, released on September 10, 2008 in Japan in a regular and limited edition, the limited copy featuring a bonus live track as well as a sticker of the band and a poster. The single was released as a digital download on September 17, 2008.
"Lotus" is the 26th single by Japanese band Dir En Grey, released on January 26, 2011, in Japan in a regular and limited edition, the limited copy featuring a bonus DVD.
La Vie En Rose is the debut album by Japanese rock band D'erlanger, released on February 10, 1989. It was instantly successful, having to be reissued three times that year alone. The 1991 release reached number 25 on the Oricon Albums Chart and charted for 5 weeks.
Dum Spiro Spero is the eighth studio album by Japanese heavy metal band Dir En Grey, released on August 2, 2011 in the U.S., and in Japan on August 3.
Arche is the ninth studio album by Japanese heavy metal band Dir En Grey, released on December 10, 2014. It was preceded by two singles; "Rinkaku", which was released two years prior, and "Sustain the Untruth".
Vulgar is the fourth studio album by Japanese heavy metal band Dir En Grey released on September 10, 2003 in Japan and on February 21, 2006 in Europe. A limited edition containing an additional DVD was also released. It featured the video of the song "Obscure", albeit a censored version. Vulgar is the first Dir En Grey release not to feature individual credits for the music, though the preceding singles featured individual credits.
Missa is the debut EP by Japanese heavy metal band Dir En Grey, released on July 25, 1997. Being the band's debut release, it consists of their earliest musical output, such as "Aoi Tsuki" (蒼い月), one of the first two songs the band ever recorded.
"Saku" is the 19th single off the Withering to Death album by Dir En Grey released on July 14, 2004. It was nominated for best Music Video Award on MTV's Headbangers Ball in 2006, making it the first ever J-rock song to be nominated for the Award. Although the cover and inlay give the single title as "朔" without annotation, it's considered to be "朔-saku-". Similarly, the song title is written as "朔 saku" in the booklet.
"Cage" is the 4th single by the Japanese heavy metal band Dir En Grey released on May 26, 1999. The song appeared on Japanese radio stations in the late 1990s such as Music Station. With it receiving all around positive ratings from listeners and critics a-like.
Phalaris is the eleventh studio album by Japanese heavy metal band Dir En Grey, released on June 15, 2022, via Firewall Div./SMEJ.
