I became a huge fan of Dir En Grey when I saw their performances at Nippon Budokan on the DVD package of UROBOROS - with the proof in the name of living... This amazing concert film is easily one of the best filmed music performances of all time.
Let me talk about the film-making first. They must have had dozens of camera, many of them on cranes and dollies. This creates a vast approach the editors could have taken, resulting in a dynamic view of the show. The cinematography itself is crafted with exquisite precision, developing some truly breath-taking compositions with just the right amount of movement. The lighting is perfect for the camera systems they used to record, creating some great rays of light through the fog and an ambiance that I find so rare in recorded live shows.
All of this great footage would be nothing without the band though. Below I have linked the final track of Day 2 at Nippon Budokan: Vinushka. Hailing from their seventh studio album, Uroboros, the song nearly reaches nine minutes. It is an epic journey of progressive metal, that shows off the bands amazing musical range. The drums, guitars, and especially the bass, demonstrate a profound talent. What really strikes me with Dir En Grey, however, is the front man. Kyo is energetic, the true embodiment of what a front man is. His vocal prowess is unprecedented, ranging from swooning falsettos, to gritty hard rock wails, and delving into brutal death metal growls and piercing shrieks of unbelievable depths and heights. His showmanship is delicate and yet powerful in his body movements, his control of the audience, and his inexplicable harness on the power of the music. To say he has control over his voice is an understatement: he fully becomes the voice. Kyo is, by far, my favorite vocalist of any musical genre. Dir En Grey are artists of the highest caliber.
Watch Vinushka:
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