Looking forward to Wednesday, when my buddy and I are gonna listen to this thing from front to back. Takin’ a leaf outta @Ro_pls ‘s book, I’m gonna drop a half tab of acid and see what happens.
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Hizumi to Ame is really cool, it reminds me a bit of Immigrant Song by Led Zeppelin. Void is absolutely beautiful. The album doesn’t feel too heavy or depressing to me at all.
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Well, i listened the album like 15 times and in the beggining i felt weird since was too different than previous one and i love the complex songs and the prog and experimental things…However the album has this Tool Vibe and Deftones and is super variable on each song that i loved since are super addictive…As much i listened more i love it. So i give the Approved to this one and i will enjoy it…
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I like that there’s a very distinct, old school “A side and B side” feel to this one. TDIM marks the end of side A, and the long fade at the end makes so much more sense now.
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When you listen to it mixed in with TOOL, AIC, Deftones it really starts to shine
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Speaking of Deftones and Tool, Die was nudged about this just recently thanks to Gekirock’s nosy journo:
https://gekirock.com/interview/2026/04/dir_en_grey_2.php
(I had to use AI here for translation purposes, sorry)
Full exact context (translated from the original Japanese)
The conversation happens right after Die discusses the album’s sound production (wanting a more organic, less compressed “live-like” mix instead of typical modern metal production).
Interviewer (Masahiro Saito):
「余談なのですが、『MORTAL DOWNER』を聴いてDEFTONESのことを思い出しました。というのも、DEFTONESも音響芸術として秀逸な”浸れるメタル”じゃないですか。彼等は今、TikTokをきっかけにZ世代から支持を広げているんですよ。」
→ “By the way, listening to MORTAL DOWNER reminded me of DEFTONES. Because they’re also an excellent example of ‘immersive metal’ as sound art, right? They’re currently gaining support from Gen Z via TikTok.”
Die:
「なるほど。」
→ “I see.”
Interviewer (continuing):
「それは〇〇メタルがどうとかの詳しい文脈を抜きにしても、再生した瞬間にムードを生む音楽だからだと思うんです。DIR EN GREYも、ジャンルを置き去りにしてバンドの世界観を提示してきた。それを踏まえて、今作は幅広い世代にとってDIR EN GREYに触れる入口になり得る作品だと感じています。」
→ “Even setting aside the specific ‘___ metal’ context, I think it’s music that creates a mood the instant you press play. DIR EN GREY has always presented the band’s worldview while leaving genres behind. With that in mind, I feel this album could become an entry point for a wide range of generations to discover DIR EN GREY.”
Die’s full reply:
「DEFTONESだって決してノリやすくはないけどそうやって人気を得ているし、去年のTOOLの来日公演もすごく人が入っていましたね。あとはMY BLOODY VALENTINEも。そういう音楽がこれだけ広がってるっていうのは、時代の変化なのかもしれない。昔は選んで買わないと聴けなかったから広がりを生むのが難しかったけど、サブスクが入り口になって触れてくれるならそれも悪くないかなと感じています。」
→ “DEFTONES aren’t exactly easy to get into either, yet they’ve gained popularity that way. And last year’s TOOL Japan tour was packed too. Same with MY BLOODY VALENTINE. The fact that this kind of music is spreading so much might be a sign of the times. Back then it was hard for it to reach people unless they actively chose to buy it, but if streaming becomes the gateway and lets more people experience it, I don’t think that’s a bad thing at all.”
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If he wanted Mortal Downer to sound organic, less compressed, and live-like, then no one listened to him.
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Strange, but the album feels far better imo if i skip first songs, when i start my listening session with Hizumi to Ame ( a far better “intro” than the questionnable ISOLATION). Because even if it’s not that long idk, as the second half has more memorable moments it’s more pleasant this way.
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Isolation isn’t so bad a second time around, really enjoyed the first half the second time around when using iems instead of AirPods. Discard feels like a dog band song or something from TIW, 歪と雨; that bass. MOBS is Deftones worship, I like Void, Demand is all over the place, but I don’t hate it and I feel like it could have been a single. Literally thought 楔 was a Tool song in the beginning to the point I was taken aback, 盲目が故に; well hello, DSS. No end was the perfect ending for this album even if it’s too short.
This is the closest I’ll be getting to witching hour anytime soon; pitch black at 10 at night, feels more like an album to get stoned to not something to listen to at 3am, I was expecting something, darker by what Shinya said.
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That DeG even mention Deftones and Tool themselves proves its not something that just western fans came up with. They were heavily influenced by them for the album..
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Feel like pulling myself back under which I didn’t do with PHALARIS, like I want to go right back into it, but I’m going to space the third listen out a bit. I am intrigued that it feels compelling enough to listen to again, don’t usually listen to an album on repeat and haven’t since TMB.
Gotten through a fourth listen front to back, and I’m coming around on those first few tracks. Now that my brain actually knows what to expect out of Kaijin ni Kisu and EN’EN, especially exactly what Shinya is doing the context with/against the guitars and bass, they aren’t throwing me off nearly as much. From there, appreciating the songs in their entirety became a lot easier.
It’s still a very dense album. It drops into a particular vibe from the start, and never really departs from there. Whether it be the heavier songs or the softer ones, it’s just gloomy as all fuck. I come back to the thought that The Devil In Me is a necessary breather at exactly the right moment (and what a funny thought it is that The Devil In Me is the break from the gloom). Just very little breathing room to be found anywhere. But I’m definitely connecting more and more with the record as a whole.
Still hoping for a vinyl release with Tohru mastering though, Gardner I’m sorry but you didn’t do this album justice…
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The first mistake was keep Brian Gardner as Master Engineer…
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diru has been receiving a ton of negative comments regarding this new album by japanese. Calling it as too depressing, or extremely depressing, too dark etc. International fans seem quite fine, I think.
Too bad, for me, Mortal Downer actually is DIR EN GREY. Dark, of course, but enjoyable.
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I have also read the japanese impressions and you are correct. They wanted more memorable songs, songs with more hook, fancy choruses. Someone said that all songs kind of blend together, some say its their worst and most generic boring album to date. Very harsh.
I personally think its fine but to be honest I feel I won’t replay this as much as their other albums. I wish there was some more highs as well, that there at least were like 1-2 real bangers.
Do you guys feel you will replay this as much as their other releases?
On listen #4 i start to change my mind. I become more curious about parts i didn’t feel anything in prior. I’m far from loving it, but it’s surpassed Phalaris already…
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It can’t entirely be Gardner’s fault. None of the Gazette albums he worked on sound like this.
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I have toxic, dim and stacked, I didn’t find Gardner’s name in it. Last gazette’s album I wanted to buy was beautiful deformity, I don’t recall seeing Gardner’s in there either. Probably after that.
Mobs is stuck in my head especially the end. Similar to diabolos for me. Never cared for it for years and now its like the epitome of diru. The ending is my favorite on there too but once you start appreciating the rest of the song its a masterpiece.
As a vulgar supremacist i want catchiness too and feel MD jus blends together, its still leagues above any other musician in terms of talent.
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my one real complaint about the album is that Kyo doesn’t make enough weird noises. I like it when Kyo makes weird noises
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