Dum Spiro Spero (album)

It was released in both a single-CD edition, a deluxe edition digipak with two bonus tracks ("Rasetsukoku" and "Amon (Symphonic Ver.)"), and a limited edition featuring the deluxe digipak, a DVD and two LPs. This featured alternative versions of songs from the regular version of the album, remixes, interviews, studio footage, and more.{{cite web|url=http://www.direngrey.co.jp/english/e-newrelease.html|title=Dir en grey Official News Release|accessdate=2011-06-13|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110723104122/http://direngrey.co.jp/english/e-newrelease.html|archive-date=2011-07-23|url-status=dead}}

Music videos were released for all three singles; "Hageshisa to, Kono Mune no Naka de Karamitsuita Shakunetsu no Yami", "Lotus" and "Different Sense".{{Citation|last=BlankTV|title=Dir En Grey - "Hageshisa To, Kono Mune No Naka De Karamitsuita Shakunetsu No Yami" The End Records|date=2010-09-30|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v7IXmV6A6Bk|accessdate=2016-07-07}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OkLRH82SWQE|title=Der En Grey - Lotus|website=YouTube|access-date=2016-07-07}}{{Citation|last=Direngreycommunity|title=[HD] Different Sense {{!}} Dir En Grey (PV)|date=2011-07-07|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mep7x1EZGCk|accessdate=2016-07-07}}{{Cite web|url=http://direngrey.co.jp/lang_en/discography/1605/|title=Average Sorrow |website=Dir En Grey official website|access-date=2016-07-07}}

The album art was designed by the band's long-time artist Koji Yoda. This cover-art probably represents Tara, the "Mother of Liberation" in Tibetan Buddhism. The bamboo scenery is very meaningful to the band. According to guitarist Die, "the bamboo conveys the idea of sacredness and serenity [...]. Ultimately, it means to keep faith and hope alive even though you are living the worst: While I breathe, I hope."{{cite web |last=FRÉNOT |first=Mandah |title=Dir En Grey (2011) |url=https://visualmusicjapan.com/interviews/direngrey-dum-spiro-spero-die-and-shinya/ |work=visualmusicjapan.com |publisher=Visual Music Japan |format=Interview |location=}}

{{Music ratings

| MC = 74/100{{cite web|url=http://www.metacritic.com/music/dum-spiro-spero/dir-en-grey|title=Dum Spiro Spero|work=Metacritic}}

| rev1 = Allmusic

| rev1Score = {{rating|4|5}}{{cite web|last=Jurek |first=Thom |title=Dum Spiro Spero - Dir En Grey |url=http://www.allmusic.com/album/dum-spiro-spero-r2228728 |accessdate=2011-08-09}}

| rev2 = PopMatters

| rev2Score = {{rating|9|10}}{{cite web|last=Prokofiev |first=Dane |title=Dir En Grey - Dum Spiro Spero |url=http://www.popmatters.com/review/146623-dir-en-grey-dum-spiro-spero/ |accessdate=2014-09-19}}

| rev3 = Revolver

| rev3Score = {{rating|3|5}}{{cite web |last=Wood |first=Mikael |title=Review: Dir En Grey – Dum Spiro Spero |url=http://www.revolvermag.com/reviews/review-dir-en-grey-dum-spiro-spero.html |accessdate=2011-08-09 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110809155212/http://www.revolvermag.com/reviews/review-dir-en-grey-dum-spiro-spero.html |archive-date=2011-08-09 |url-status=dead }}

| rev4 = Rock Sound

| rev4Score = {{rating|8|10}}{{cite web|last=Moorhouse |first=Giles |title=Dir En Grey - Dum Spiro Spero |url=http://www.rocksound.tv/reviews/article/dir-en-grey-dum-spiro-spero |accessdate=2011-08-09}}

}}

Dum Spiro Spero was met with positive reviews from music critics. At Metacritic (a review aggregator site which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 from music critics), based on 8 critics, the album has received a score of 74/100, which indicates "Generally favorable reviews".

In his review for AllMusic, Thom Jurek wrote that "Dir en Grey are a band in their own genre at this point, and Dum Spiro Spero is the farthest-reaching testament to establish that as fact more than opinion." He also acknowledged the wide variety of influences on the album, ranging from death metal and power metal to pop music, praising comparing vocalist Kyo's range to Mike Patton. Rock Sound described it as a "satisfyingly challenging, perpetually writhing musical beast".

PopMatters' Dane Prokofiev noted in a positive review that "their music is eclectic and hard to classify into any one subgenre—except that they have the added fangirl-ish oomph of flashy appearances, thanks to their visual-kei roots". Like Jurek, he praised Kyo as a gifted singer, particularly for his range. He also singled out bassist Toshiya as deserving of praise for his performance on Dum Spiro Spero, "as his throbbing bass lines complement the technical guitar riffs well by adding a groovy kind of bad-ass attitude to the overall feel of the music. Without him, the guitar melodies of Kaoru and Die would most certainly sound naked and hollow."

{{track listing

| headline = Disc one

| all_lyrics = Kyo

| all_music = Dir En Grey

| title1 = Kyōkotsu no Nari

| note1 = {{nihongo2|狂骨の鳴り; "Cries of Kyōkotsu"}}

| length1 = 1:58

| title2 = The Blossoming Beelzebub

| length2 = 7:35

| title3 = Different Sense

| length3 = 5:03

| title4 = Amon

| length4 = 4:03

| title5 = 'Yokusō ni Dreambox' Aruiwa Seijuku no Rinen to Tsumetai Ame

| note5 = {{nihongo2|「欲巣にDREAMBOX」あるいは成熟の理念と冷たい雨; "'Dreambox in a Covetous Nest', or the Idea of Maturity and Cold Rain"}}

| length5 = 4:49

| title6 = Jūyoku

| note6 = {{nihongo2|獣慾; "Carnal Desire"}}

| length6 = 3:28

| title7 = Shitataru Mōrō

| note7 = {{nihongo2|滴る朦朧; "Trickling Obscurity"}}

| length7 = 4:02

| title8 = Lotus

| length8 = 4:03

| title9 = Diabolos

| length9 = 9:51

| title10 = Akatsuki

| note10 = {{nihongo2|暁; "Dawn"}}

| length10 = 3:33

| title11 = Decayed Crow

| length11 = 3:48

| title12 = Hageshisa to, Kono Mune no Naka de Karamitsuita Shakunetsu no Yami

| note12 = {{nihongo2|激しさと、この胸の中で絡み付いた灼熱の闇; "The Violence and the Darkness of the Burning Heat Entwines In My Heart"}}

| length12 = 4:03

| title13 = Vanitas

| note13 = Emptiness

| length13 = 5:27

| title14 = Ruten no Tō

| note14 = {{nihongo2|流転の塔; "Tower of Vicissitudes"}}

| length14 = 4:27

| total_length = 67:31

}}

{{track listing

| headline = Limited edition: disc two

| title1 = Rasetsukoku

| note1 = {{nihongo2|羅刹国; "Rakshasa Country"}}

| length1 = 4:41

| title2 = Amon (Symphonic Ver.)

| length2 = 5:02

| title3 = Ruten no Tō (Unplugged Ver.)

| note3 = {{nihongo2|流転の塔 (Unplugged Ver.)}}

| length3 = 4:56

| title4 = Diabolos (Demo 2010, Short Ver.)

| length4 = 5:01

| title5 = Akatsuki (Demo 2010)

| note5 = {{nihongo2|暁 (Demo2010)}}

| length5 = 3:29

| title6 = The Blossoming Beelzebub (Remix)

| note6 = Remixed by Kaoru

| length6 = 6:24

| title7 = 'Yokusō ni Dreambox' Aruiwa Seijuku no Rinen to Tsumetai Ame (Remix)

| note7 = {{nihongo2|「欲巣にDREAMBOX」あるいは成熟の理念と冷たい雨 (Remix)}}, remixed by Toshiya

| length7 = 5:19

| title8 = Shitataru Mōrō (Remix)

| note8 = {{nihongo2|滴る朦朧 (Remix)}}, remixed by Shinya

| length8 = 4:02

| title9 = Akatsuki (Remix)

| note9 = {{nihongo2|暁 (Remix)}}, remixed by Die

| length9 = 4:23

| title10 = Decayed Crow (Remix)

| note10 = Remixed by Kyo

| length10 = 3:40

| total_length = 49:95

}}

{{track listing

| headline = Japanese Deluxe Edition DVD

| title1 = Recording & Interview

| title2 = Hageshisa to, Kono Mune no Naka de Karamitsuita Shakunetsu no Yami

| note2 = {{nihongo2|激しさと、この胸の中で絡み付いた灼熱の闇}}, Scenes From A Knot only Tour2011 The Decomposition of the Moon

| title3 = Lotus

| note3 = Scenes From A Knot only Tour2011 The Decomposition of the Moon

| title4 = Different Sense

| note4 = Scenes From A Knot only Tour2011 The Decomposition of the Moon

| title5 = Juuyoku

| note5 = {{nihongo2|獣慾}}, Scenes From A Knot only Tour2011 The Decomposition of the Moon at Kyoto Fanj on May 26, 2011

| title6 = Vanitas

| note6 = In-Studio Footage

| title7 = Zan

| note7 = {{nihongo2|残; "Remains"}}, PV

}}

;Dir en grey

• Kyo – vocals
• Kaoru – guitar, programming
• Die – guitar
• Toshiya – bass
• Shinya – drums

;Additional

• Takumi – programming
• Dynamite Tommy – executive producer
• Alan Douches – mastering engineer
• Tue Madsen – mixing engineer
• Emi "Jewels" Sugiyama – liner notes translation

{{Reflist}}

{{Dir En Grey}}

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Category:Dir En Grey albums

Category:2011 albums