Dir En Grey

Dir en grey is a Japanese band formed in 1997. As of 2007, they have released six full-length records and are among the handful of Japanese bands to have enjoyed notable success in Europe and North America.[1] While the group's lineup has remained consistent since its inception, numerous stylistic changes have made its music's genre difficult to determine (though it is generally considered to be a form of rock music). Originally part of Japan's visual kei movement, Dir en grey has opted for less flamboyant attire in recent years.[2]
Dir en grey's format has been subject to change throughout their career, initially being a rather experimental form of hard rock. Some tracks of their debut album Gauze also demonstrated a distinct pop appeal, which was largely dropped in favor of a more progressive sound on the following albums, Macabre and Kisou. While up to that point some songs had already been more fast-paced, raw and aggressive than others, the band's music took a decisive turn with the release of the EP Six Ugly, from then on sporting more metal influences in general. Dir en grey's style has since been gravitating towards riffs and song structures more along the lines of contemporary North American fusion genres, such as nu metal and metalcore.

All lyrics are written by vocalist Kyo and deal with subjects such as society, mass media as well as sexual obsessions and love, usually with negative implications. The vocabulary varies from subtle to explicit and several songs rely heavily on double entendres and other wordplay, often involving the multiple meanings of a kanji character.

As with numerous other Japanese bands, the members of Dir en grey are credited with their given or stage name, the names of Kyo (京, Kyo?) and Kaoru (薫) usually being written in kanji. While there has been speculation among fans, the artists' full names are not a matter of public knowledge.

Kyo – vocals
Kaoru – guitar
Die – guitar
Toshiya – bass
Shinya – drums