DIR EN GREY
Biography and discography of Dir En Grey, the Japanese band formed in 1997, with a page for each of their twelve studio albums from Gauze in 1999 to Mortal Downer in 2026, including running orders, CD details and liner notes, on METAL BOOST.
Biography
DIR EN GREY
Biography
Dir En Grey are a Japanese band formed in 1997. Kyo sings, Kaoru and Die play guitar, Toshiya plays bass and Shinya drums, and the band’s own site publishes that as the current line-up. They have a following across Europe and America, and are generally described as a band no category holds.
Formed in Osaka (1997- )
The band were formed in 1997. Their official biography gives that year; the English Wikipedia puts it in February and places the formation in Osaka. They are signed to Firewall Div., a sub-division of Free-Will.
Their official biography says that a great deal changed between the band’s formation and their debut outside Japan, in the music and in the look alike, and that what did not change is the determination to pursue their own rock. On that account it is precisely because their work sits across genres and borders that it has travelled as far as it has.
From Gauze to Kisou (1999-2002)
The debut album Gauze was released by EastWest Japan on 28 July 1999. It runs thirteen tracks and 64:47, opening on “GAUZE -mode of adam-” and closing on “GAUZE -mode of eve-”, and five of its songs were released as singles.
The second album, Macabre, followed on 20 September 2000, recorded at Warner Studio, Studio Greenbird and WestSide Studio. It runs thirteen tracks and 72:57, eight minutes longer than the debut, and three singles were taken from it.
Kisou, of 30 January 2002, is the first on Firewall Div./SMEJ. The band produced it themselves and it runs sixteen tracks, the most they had put on a record; three singles were taken from it.
Vulgar and the records abroad (2003-2005)
Vulgar, of 10 September 2003, was recorded between 2002 and 2003 across seven rooms — Studio Greenbird, Studio Fine, Cats Studio, Studio Inning, On Air Azabu, Sound City and Studio Z’d — and produced by the band with Tatsuya Sakamoto. It runs fifteen tracks and 57:02. It reached Europe on 21 February 2006, through Gan-Shin.
Withering to death., of 9 March 2005, came out on Firewall Div./SMEJ in Japan, Gan-Shin in Europe and Warcon in the United States. It was recorded at Studio Inning, Studio Fine, On Air Azabu, Studio Greenbird and Sony Music Studios, produced by the band with Yoshinori Abe, and runs 51:14.
The Marrow of a Bone and Uroboros (2007-2008)
The Marrow of a Bone, of 7 February 2007, was recorded across various locations between December 2005 and January 2007 — a recording period of over a year, the longest of any of their records to that point. It runs thirteen tracks and 63:25, and three singles were taken from it.
Uroboros, of 11 November 2008, was recorded between 2007 and 2008 in a great many rooms, among them the Sony Building in Tokyo, Studio Inning, Studio Fine, Studio Sunshine and Prime Sound Studio Form. The band produced it and it runs 58:54; besides Firewall Div./SMEJ in Japan it was released by The End Records in the United States and Gan-Shin in Europe.
From Dum Spiro Spero to Arche (2011-2014)
Dum Spiro Spero was released by Firewall Div. in 2011, recorded between 2010 and 2011, and runs fourteen tracks and 67:31. The title is a Latin phrase: while I breathe, I hope. Three singles were taken from it.
Arche, of 10 December 2014, runs sixteen tracks and 68:01 — sixteen ties Kisou for the most songs on any of their records. Two singles were taken from it.
The Insulated World and Phalaris (2018-2022)
The Insulated World, of 26 September 2018, was recorded at Studio Sunshine and produced by the band with Dynamite Tommy; it runs thirteen tracks and two singles were taken from it. A five-track Radio Edit was issued on the same day; the album itself is the thirteen-track record.
Phalaris, of 15 June 2022, was produced by the band and runs eleven tracks and 53:45, the shortest of their albums since Gauze. The title refers to the brazen bull of Phalaris, the bronze bull the tyrant of ancient Sicily is said to have had built. Two singles were taken from it.
Mortal Downer and the anniversary tour (2026)
The twelfth album, Mortal Downer, was released by Firewall Div. on 8 April 2026 and runs fourteen tracks.
A Japan tour from 12 November that year, DIR EN GREY 30th Anniversary Rettou Gekishin Angya 2026 Nothing XXX Ugly, has been announced: nine cities, twelve nights, opening with a fan-club show at CLUB CITTA’ in Kanagawa. The official announcement gives doors at 17:45 and stage at 18:30 on weekdays, and 16:45 and 17:30 at weekends and on public holidays.
Current line-up
The five the band’s own biography lists, and the line-up has not changed since they were formed.
| Member | Role | From |
|---|---|---|
| Kyo | Voice | Kyoto |
| Kaoru | Guitar | Hyogo |
| Die | Guitar | Mie |
| Toshiya | Bass | Nagano |
| Shinya | Drums | Osaka |
Discography
Twelve studio albums are registered on this site. The EPs (Missa, six Ugly, The Unraveling), the live albums and the compilations (Vestige of Scratches among them) are not included.
| # | Album | Released |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Gauze | 28 July 1999 |
| 2 | Macabre | 20 September 2000 |
| 3 | Kisou | 30 January 2002 |
| 4 | Vulgar | 10 September 2003 |
| 5 | Withering to death. | 9 March 2005 |
| 6 | The Marrow of a Bone | 7 February 2007 |
| 7 | Uroboros | 11 November 2008 |
| 8 | Dum Spiro Spero | 2011 |
| 9 | Arche | 10 December 2014 |
| 10 | The Insulated World | 26 September 2018 |
| 11 | Phalaris | 15 June 2022 |
| 12 | Mortal Downer | 8 April 2026 |
The sources disagree about the release date of Dum Spiro Spero: the English Wikipedia gives 2 August 2011, the MusicBrainz release group 1 August and its Japanese pressing 3 August. The year alone is recorded here rather than one of the three.
Japanese shows
A Japan tour between 12 November and 15 December 2026, DIR EN GREY 30th Anniversary Rettou Gekishin Angya 2026 Nothing XXX Ugly, has been announced: CLUB CITTA’ in Kanagawa (12 and 13 November), Kanazawa Bunka Hall in Ishikawa, Nankai Namikiri Hall in Osaka, Zepp Sapporo in Hokkaido, Sendai GIGS in Miyagi, KT Zepp Yokohama in Kanagawa, COMTEC PORTBASE in Aichi (two nights), Namba Hatch in Osaka (two nights) and Zepp Haneda (TOKYO). Nine cities, twelve nights, and every one of them is registered in this site’s LIVE listings.
The 12 November show is open to members of the fan club “a knot” alone, and the 13th to “a knot” members and DIR EN GREY ONLINE subscribers.
A note on sources
The facts here come from the biography on Dir En Grey’s official site (the formation year, the line-up, the roles and home prefectures, and the band’s own account of themselves), from a news article on that same site (the 2026 tour dates, times and ticket types), from the English Wikipedia articles for the band and for each album (release dates, labels, producers, studios and singles), from MusicBrainz release data (the original pressings’ running orders) and from Spotify embed data (identifying the albums). All were read on 28 September 2026.
Trivia
Dir En Grey have not changed a member since they were formed in 1997. The line-up the band’s own biography page gives is Kyo on voice, Kaoru and Die on guitars, Toshiya on bass and Shinya on drums.
The band’s own biography page gives the five members’ home prefectures as Kyoto for Kyo, Hyogo for Kaoru, Mie for Die, Nagano for Toshiya and Osaka for Shinya — four of the five from the Kansai and Tokai regions.
The band’s biography page links to each member’s other project: Kyo has sukekiyo and Petit Brabancon, Die has Decays, Toshiya has Dirt and Shinya has Seraph, each with an official site of its own.
All three string players — Kaoru, Die and Toshiya — have a page of their own in ESP’s artist custom guitars gallery, and the band’s biography links to all three; for Shinya it links to his artist page at Pearl instead.
Kaoru runs a YouTube channel called The Freedom of Expression, and three of the five — Kaoru, Toshiya and Shinya — keep a personal site on co-yomi: TheThe Day, utakata and Shinya Channel. All of them are linked from the band’s own biography page.
The band’s own biography says that a great deal changed between their formation and their debut outside Japan, in the music and in the look alike, and that the one thing that did not change is the determination to pursue their own rock. It describes them as a band that needs no category, with a following established across Europe and America.
Between 12 November and 15 December 2026 the band tour Japan as DIR EN GREY 30th Anniversary Rettou Gekishin Angya 2026 Nothing XXX Ugly — nine cities and twelve nights — and the opening night at CLUB CITTA’ in Kanagawa is open to members of the fan club “a knot” alone.
The 2026 tour sets its times by the day of the week. The official announcement gives doors at 17:45 and stage at 18:30 for weekday shows, and 16:45 and 17:30 for shows at weekends and on public holidays.
News
DIR EN GREY's Toshiya To Guest At "J 2026 Houkama Dai-Bonenkai" At Spotify O-EAST, Shibuya, On December 30
Doors open at 15:15 and the show starts at 16:00. Enquiries go to SOGO TOKYO.
Current Members
Current line-up as published by the official site, verified on 2026-09-28.
Albums
Dir En Grey's twelfth album, released on 8 April 2026, their newest record and fourteen tracks long.
Dir En Grey's tenth album, released on 26 September 2018, recorded at Studio Sunshine.
Dir En Grey's eighth album, from 2011: fourteen tracks running 67:31, recorded between 2010 and 2011.
Dir En Grey's seventh album, from November 2008. It takes its name from the Ouroboros symbol and its subject from reincarnation.
Dir En Grey's sixth album, released on 7 February 2007 and recorded across various locations between December 2005 and January 2007.
Dir En Grey's fifth album, out on 9 March 2005. It was the first of their records given an official release in Europe, North America and South Korea.
Dir En Grey's fourth album, released on 10 September 2003 and co-produced by the band with Tatsuya Sakamoto.
Dir En Grey's third album, released on 30 January 2002, sixteen tracks running 69:57 and produced by the band.