With solid roots in the past, they set out to dominate the future - a thrilling single from the ever restless Dir en grey!
After waiting eleven arduous months without a release, GLASS SKIN, the latest release of Dir en grey, is a refresher for fans. It flows in to illustrate a new era for a band constantly rediscovering itself. Bringing back flavours of the past, but bearing down on an uncharted future, they create a single that, once again, exceeds the expectations of everyone.
The title track, GLASS SKIN, begins intimately, enticing the listener with a purposeful piano and smooth crooning. Following the exposition, a frail but intense atmosphere engulfs the entire song. The guitars that flutter in are appropriately clean, the clanging drums and drippy bass distinctive, but non-offending, and Kyo's melodious voice soars to new levels of vocal expertise. The main melodies remain simple for a Dir en grey song, but not without some impeccable undercurrents: the bridge is dominated by a whispered prayer and Kaoru's penetrating guitar solo. The chorus, which is revisited several times, sounds fresh and crisp, without bringing in any new distractions - quite catchy indeed. It's hard not to find oneself murmuring along to the distressed and honest lyrics. GLASS SKIN is a pleasant surprise, and something different coming from a traditionally gloomy band.
The original rendition of undecided, when first released on 2002's kisou, sounded exactly as the title implies - foggy and unflavored. This time around, Die's acoustic guitar firmly asserts itself and complements Kyo's outstandingly powerful performance. Without any extraordinary phasing to alien styles demanding the listener’s attention, 2008's undecided is a solid ballad, something Dir en grey has struggled to succeed in as of late.
The second B-side and final track of the regular edition of the single, AGITATED SCREAMS OF MAGGOTS -UNPLUGGED-, is without a doubt far from accessible, especially for the typical and casual listener of the rock quintet. One can only describe it as a clutter of violent noise, dominated by haunting piano and painstaking, digitally modified screaming. People familiar with the early works of Diamanda Galas or other dark, avant garde artists, will find this track agreeable, while the rest will approach with skepticism. The only certain conclusion is that this unexpected revisit of ASOM proves Dir en grey's honest interest in new musical destinations.
The last track, included only on the limited edition, is the live performance of RYOUJOKU NO AME, and the band finally returns to its expected habitat. Unarguably it is one of the most successful live versions ever included on their CDs. The bickering guitars and Toshiya’s clean bass glisten opaquely and seemingly without effort, while Kyo expresses himself through a variety of his favorite vocal techniques - growls, howls, falsettos and chanting - and he succeeds on the whole, unlike some previous live tracks.
GLASS SKIN is a single that can hold its ground amongst Dir en grey’s rich and diverse discography. Without being the mystical DOZING GREEN, nor one of the hardcore influenced singles from THE MARROW OF A BONE, it is somewhat reminiscent of their older, more variable Jrock past. Most of all it is a fresh, multi-layered single that makes the anticipation for UROBOROS's release even more tantalizing!
