DIR EN GREY Rinkaku Review.

1: Rinkaku

2: Kiri To Mayu (Remake)

3: Rinkaku Remix

Now, I know it's not out yet, but I downloaded the single because I could not wait. Don't worry though, I ALWAYS buy my music afterwards, I own every DIR EN GREY release as of this single. However, I can't really prove it to you, so judge away...

This is probably one of the strongest singles I've heard from DIR EN GREY, on par with my favourite single 'Hageshisa to...'; all three tracks are great. 

Rinkaku

I'm sure most of you have heard the endless previews of the title track 'Rinkaku', but these were only the edited version. The full version has an extra verse and an exquisite piano bridge, as well as extended intros, etc.  'Rinkaku' is an extremely atmospheric song, aided in a large part by Kyo's haunting falsetto singing. This song is very much a cross between 'Wari, Yami Tote' and their 'Dum Spiro Spero' material, mixing heavy instrumentation with clean singing. I have a strong mental image in my head of 'Rinkaku' being akin to a puzzle, with each part slotting in perfectly at the right moment. 

As I said in a previous short review of the preview, the production is immense and Shinya's drumming has never sounded better. The guitars sound amazing in this song and do not sound too overproduced. They successfully create a blissful wall of sound, which isn't too in-your-face either. Toshiya is slapping again, which adds a driving motion to the song which would probably otherwise be static.

If this is the direction DIR EN GREY are going in, I have no complaints.

Kiri To Mayu

Fans wanting to see 'heavy' DIR EN GREY do not despair, as 'Kiri To Mayu' delivers exactly that. However it is a different 'heavy' to that of 'Dum Spiro Spero', and I feel slightly indifferent to it. 

Kyo can obviously still scream. He's actually sounding better than he did. The only problem I have with his 'new' screaming (I don't know if this is because of his accident or the production), is that it is very much like Suicide Silence and other contemporary American deathcore bands. It's hard to describe without listening to the song, but I've always thought American deathcore singers have a very 'cloudy' scream, and this is the sound I'm getting from Kyo. 

I think a few more clean vocals would have been nice, the only part using cleans being the chorus (I think it's the chorus?). This song is very in-your-face, but less so than say, remakes of 'Zan' and 'Rasetsukoku'; the atmosphere from 'Rinkaku' continues very much into this song and is reminiscent of the inside of a church (for me). 

You can tell the song is 'Kiri To Mayu', as it uses the same intro riff, just heavier. It's very much like the remake of 'Zan'; HEAVY HEAVY HEAVY. Each riff ends on a note that threatens to change into a breakdown, which is sort of frustrating, but also a reminder of how full of surprises DIR EN GREY are. The solo mid-song is VERY Americanized, but also strangely very DIR EN GREY, making for an interesting listen. I was disappointed with this song at first listen, but with every listen I am becoming more and more attached to it. 

Rinkaku Remix

This remix screams out 'DOOM DOOM DOOM'. It conjured up many emotions at first listen, even more the second time round, emotions such as despair, grief, sadness, anger, etc. It sounds like it wouldn't go amiss on a Silent Hill soundtrack. It's darker than anything DIR EN GREY could ever do (no hating!). This remix adds an interesting twist to the song in general. Whilst the original is actually quite hope inspiring (for me), the remix is the complete opposite, and compelled me to interpret the lyrics differently as well.

Overall I am very happy with this single and happy that DIR EN GREY are very much back. It's just a shame that more people don't listen to this utterly original, mesmerising, brilliant band.

10/10