The Marrow of a Bone | ||||
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Studio album by | ||||
Released | February 7, 2007 | |||
Recorded | December 2005 – January 2007, various locations | |||
Genre | ||||
Length | 63:25
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Language | Japanese, English | |||
Label | Firewall Div./SMEJ | |||
Producer | Dir En Grey | |||
Dir En Grey chronology | ||||
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Singles from The Marrow of a Bone | ||||
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The Marrow of a Bone (stylized as 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, [4] and in the United States (20 February), Germany (2 March), [5] France (6 March), [6] and the United Kingdom (7 May) [7] in the following months. In total, the album was released in eleven countries. [8] The band was touring North America at the time of the album's release in both Japan and the United States. [9] In March 2007, The Marrow of a Bone reached number 21 on Billboard's "Top Independent Albums" chart. [10]
The album was released in Japan with two editions. The regular edition is a single disc packaged in a traditional jewel case, and a limited edition was released with two discs, one being the main album, and the second an "unplugged" album. [11] The European and American releases were all single editions.
The main disc with the thirteen featured tracks were included. The initial pressing of the album's American edition was affected by a misprint that rendered the album cover unreadable. [12] Warcon Records announced that corrected booklets would be printed. [13] Later pressings featured a correctly printed booklet with a fully visible logo. The cover image is taken from the Dmitri Baltermants photograph "Grief".
A promotional site, in both Japanese and English, was launched prior to the album's release, containing video clips and samples of several songs, information about the album, hosted on the band's official web page. [14] A second promotional site was launched shortly after the release, only accessible with a password included in the Japanese release. [15] Both sites posted information about "premium live" shows, available to those who purchased the album and registered with their product barcode. Footage from the first show was featured on the fan club DVD, In Weal or Woe. [16]
The Marrow of a Bone is, like most other Dir En Grey albums, self-produced. Work began on the album as early as 2005, [17] while the majority of songs were written while touring throughout 2006 between shows in Japan, Europe, and America during the Family Values Tour. [18] [19] The band members noted that touring in the United States on a major festival tour influenced and inspired them in the production process, [20] and several songs, including "Lie Buried with a Vengeance", [21] "Agitated Screams of Maggots", [22] and "The Pledge". [23] Guitarist Kaoru has said about the production process, "...some of it went really well, but some of it went really badly." [18] The entirety of the album's final recording was completed following their 2006 tour in December, with only the month of January to finalize production to meet the February release date. Even though the formal process was rapid, it has been described as their cleanest production and heaviest album to date. [24] The production on the supporting singles and the album showed a noted difference, with two of the singles, "Ryōjoku no Ame" and "Clever Sleazoid", being rerecorded entirely for the album, as Dir En Grey hired a new sound engineer. [25] "Ryōjoku no Ame" received a strong change instrumentally, as well as removing the falsetto vocals. [8]
As with every Dir En Grey album following Vulgar (2003), the lyrics are solely composed by Kyo, and all music is credited to Dir En Grey wholly, while the online liner notes give some insight into individual writing of songs, such as drummer, Shinya's writing of "Namamekashiki Ansoku, Tamerai ni Hohoemi". [26]
The entire album is a progression for Dir En Grey into heavier sounds, felt in the previous album, Withering to Death. [27] Individually, the album's songs vary from soft and slow-tempoed, to chunky and aggressive, however the sound on the album always remains dark and emotional.
The album opens with a moody, [28] slow-tempoed [17] power ballad, [27] "Conceived Sorrow", but the contrast is immediate with the second track, "Lie Buried with a Vengeance" displaying "thrashy drumming, callous riffing, and barked vocals". [27] The album continues at a heavier, faster pace with "The Fatal Believer", "Agitated Screams of Maggots", and "Grief". [24] "Agitated Screams of Maggots" is the pinnacle of the album's "straightforward bashing metal". The album steps down in heaviness as "Ryōjoku no Ame" is a "near-symphonic progressive metal tune." [28] Following is "Disabled Complexes", a song that "contains a lot of funk elements" but it quickly goes "into a different dimension in the middle of the song." [29] Showing a completely different sound, "Namamekashiki Ansoku, Tamerai ni Hohoemi" is a deviation from the heavier, loud sound enduring from the second track, and seen as the softest of the feature tracks. [24] The guitar work has a "Spanish-like", melodramatic sound, [30] with a very emotional expression showing "the band's maturity as songwriters," [24]
The album's final progression to its heavier sounds begins with "The Pledge", which for Kyo, uses his full vocal range. [23] "Repetition of Hatred" is another heavy track to the album, which gives a strong example of the backing vocal aspect, performed by Kaoru, Toshiya and Die, the latter who commented "It's tough sometimes when you have to sing and play your guitar at the same time. Kyo [the lyricist] doesn't think about how difficult it can be." [31]
The first music video released was for "Clever Sleazoid" in 2005 with the single version of the song, however the new recording is featured in the live-footage music video found on Despair in the Womb. After a year of touring, the next single, "Ryōjoku no Ame" was released, also featuring a music video. The third single from the album, "Agitated Screams of Maggots", is another song with two music videos. The first music video for the song was an animated video created by Keita Kurosaka, which was shown at the 2007 International Film Festival Rotterdam. [32] The original video aired only as a censored clip on Japanese television, due to its "sick and twisted" nature. [24] A second music video for the song appears on Despair in the Womb, compiled of live footage of their 2006 touring.
"Grief" is the only track on the album to be turned into a music video without being released as a single. The video was released just prior to the album as a promotional clip.
Winter–summer touring
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Dir En Grey supported The Marrow of a Bone with touring throughout 2006 and all of 2007. In 2006, Dir En Grey began their "Tour 06 Inward Scream" shows, with the debut show in August. The show featured several teaser tracks, making this the debut performance of "Conceived Sorrow", [17] "Agitated Screams of Maggots", [33] "Disabled Complexes", [29] and "The Deeper Vileness". [33] After featuring these teaser tracks in the later 2006 touring, the band started regularly rotating several new songs during the American tour, beginning in 2007. The album was released while Dir En Grey was on tour in the United States, however the band was not yet fully supporting the album.
In March, the band began "Tour 07 The Marrow of a Bone", [34] thoroughly covering much of Japan and ending in the beginning of May. This tour introduced set-lists containing most of the tracks from The Marrow of a Bone, and was the first time many of the songs had been performed publicly. [35] After the first leg of "The Marrow of a Bone" touring, Dir En Grey went on to another American tour, opening for Deftones in June and July. [34] The short set-lists, due to their opening position, usually consisted of new material, giving the first performances of several songs in the United States. [36]
Summer–fall touring
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Following American touring, "Tour 07 The Marrow of a Bone" continued, now in its European stage. The European tour, still supporting the album, [37] including several festival appearances, brought Dir En Grey through the United Kingdom, Sweden, Denmark, Germany, Finland, and Poland. [34] Upon returning to Japan, the band recorded and released a new single, "Dozing Green", and had a short tour supporting the new single, as well as the previous album. [38] The "Dozing Green" tour also contained a short European leg, supporting the same material. [39] "The Marrow of a Bone" tour concluded with a short Japan tour in December 2007, also featuring American band 10 Years as a support act. [40] The finale took place with three consecutive shows at Shinkiba Studio Coast in Tokyo. [34]
Review scores | |
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Source | Rating |
About.com | [41] |
Allmusic | [42] |
Billboard.com | (favorable) [43] |
Metal Hammer | |
MusicOMH | [44] |
Ultimate Guitar | 8.5/10 [45] |
The album has received critical acclaim from music critics. Reviews by Apeshit, [24] Billboard.com [46] and About.com [47] described it as Dir En Grey's best album to date, and a definite progression from their last effort, Withering to Death, which was also met by underground critical acclaim.
The album reached the second spot on CDJapan 2007 sales charts. [48] The album charted on the Billboard "Top Heatseekers" chart at number 8, [49] the "Top Independent Albums" at number 21, [50] and again on the Oricon album charts at number 30. [51]
All lyrics are written by Kyo; all music is composed by Dir En Grey
No. | Title | Length |
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1. | "Conceived Sorrow" | 4:49 |
2. | "Lie Buried with a Vengeance" | 2:43 |
3. | "The Fatal Believer" | 3:11 |
4. | "Agitated Screams of Maggots" | 2:57 |
5. | "Grief" | 3:38 |
6. | "Ryōjoku no Ame" (凌辱の雨; "Rain of Violation") | 4:03 |
7. | "Disabled Complexes" | 3:56 |
8. | "Rotting Root" | 4:45 |
9. | "Namamekashiki Ansoku, Tamerai ni Hohoemi" (艶かしき安息、躊躇いに微笑み; "A Charming Repose, Smiling in Hesitation") | 4:38 |
10. | "The Pledge" | 3:55 |
11. | "Repetition of Hatred" | 4:33 |
12. | "The Deeper Vileness" | 3:46 |
13. | "Clever Sleazoid" | 3:12 |
Total length: | 50:05 |
No. | Title | Length |
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1. | "Namamekashiki Ansoku, Tamerai ni Hohoemi" (艶かしき安息、躊躇いに微笑み; "A Charming Repose, Similing in Hesitation") | 4:29 |
2. | "Conceived Sorrow" | 4:59 |
3. | "The Pledge" | 3:51 |
Total length: | 13:20 |
Region | Date | Label | Format | Catalog |
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Japan | 7 February 2007 | Firewall/SMEJ | double-disc CD album | SFCD-0048~49 |
single-disc CD album | SFCD-0050 | |||
United States | 20 February 2007 | Warcon/Fontana | CD album | WRCN-15 |
Germany | 2 March 2007 | Gan-Shin | CD album | FWEAL003CD |
France | 6 March 2007 | |||
United Kingdom | 7 May 2007 | |||
South Korea | 20 November 2007 | Ales Music | CD album | ALESCD-2062 |
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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.
Kyo is a Japanese musician, singer, lyricist and poet. He is best known as the vocalist and lyricist of the heavy metal band Dir En Grey. He was formerly in a string of visual kei rock bands, with the most notable being La:Sadie's from 1996 to 1997. When they disbanded, he formed Dir En Grey in February 1997 with three of its members. Kyo formed the experimental rock band Sukekiyo in 2013, and the supergroup Petit Brabancon in 2021.
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.
Macabre is the second studio album by Japanese heavy metal band Dir En Grey. It was released on September 20, 2000. It was the band's first record to be released in collaboration of Free-Will's Firewall sub-division and Sony Music Entertainment Japan. The original print of Macabre featured an etched, tinted jewel case with five wooden beads placed within the spine. The album proper, like Gauze, included two booklets: one with the lyrics, and the other featuring a related image and poem.
Kisō is the third studio album by Japanese heavy metal band Dir En Grey. The album was released on January 30, 2002. It has helped them gain popularity across Asia. The first press edition came with an extra booklet of lyrics and the cover booklet came in color, as opposed to the normal release. Unlike their previous two albums, Kisō did not feature extra poems and images per song in the liner notes; rather, the standard booklet came with the band's own English translation of the lyrics, while the extra booklet in the first pressing contained the original Japanese lyrics.
Withering to Death is the fifth studio album by Japanese heavy metal band Dir En Grey. Initially published in Japan on March 9, 2005, it was the band's first album to be officially released in Europe, North America and South Korea. In June 2006, Withering to Death reached number 42 on Billboard's "Top Heatseekers" chart. Amazon.com included Withering to Death in its listing of "Top 10 Hard Rock & Metal albums of 2006". In September 2007, Rolling Stone Japan rated it number 34 on its list of the "100 Greatest Japanese Rock Albums of All Time".
This is the discography of Dir En Grey, a Japanese heavy metal band. They have recorded eleven original studio albums, three EPs and thirty one singles in their twenty four years together. Each of the band's releases has charted on Japan's Oricon charts.
"Agitated Screams of Maggots" is a single released by Dir En Grey on November 15, 2006 in Japan and later in Europe and the United States. The limited edition comes housed in a paper casing and includes a sticker. The title track is followed by three live songs recorded during the It Withers and Withers and Inward Scream tours at Nippon Budokan, Tokyo. The single was later featured on their sixth studio album, The Marrow of a Bone.
"Tell Me" is the fourth single by Japanese musician hide, released on March 24, 1994. It reached number 4 on the Oricon Singles Chart. The B-side "Scanner " is a different version of "Scanner" from Hide Your Face, as it features vocals by Ryuichi from Luna Sea. The single was certified Gold by the RIAJ in April 1994, and Double Platinum in February 2020 for sales over 500,000.
"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.
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.
The Unraveling is the third EP by Japanese heavy metal band Dir En Grey. It was released on April 3, 2013 as a single-CD Original Version, a deluxe Initial Limited Version digipak with bonus recording footage, and a Limited Order-Only Deluxe Version featuring the deluxe digipak with a bonus CD and extra DVD footage.
Sukekiyo is a Japanese rock band formed in 2013 by Dir En Grey vocalist Kyo. It is sometimes referred to as a supergroup as every member of the band is or has been in other well-known acts in the Japanese visual kei movement, although only Kyo is currently active in another band.
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".
The Insulated World is the tenth studio album by Japanese heavy metal band Dir En Grey, released on September 26, 2018 via Firewall Div./SMEJ.
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.
Phalaris is the eleventh studio album by Japanese heavy metal band Dir En Grey, released on June 15, 2022, via Firewall Div./SMEJ.