DIR EN GREY
Japanese superstars rock to the bone

WHILE DIR En Grey may not be household names in the UK, in their homeland of Japan, their six previous albums have made them megastars.

The band were formed in 1997 in Osaka from the remains of several local scene bands and had no particular aim in terms of sound, just to, "express emotion with our souls. We don't have a specific goal or aim. We just want to express pain, anger and agony," explains guitarist and main songwriter Kaoru, via a translator.

Joined by Kyo on vocals, Die on guitar, Toshiya on bass and Shinya on drums, the combined noise of this dark collective is an eclectic brew - one that takes industrial, goth, metal and out and out rock, inpired, says Kaoru, by a desire only to chronicle 'human' feelings, such as anger and agony. "In other words, we try to express the shadows in a person's heart via our creations. We are affected by all things in life."

And it means that, in Japan, they're a big deal. The five-piece have played in front of 10,000 near hysterical fans at venues like the Nippon Budokan (also played in by Bob Dylan, The Beatles and '80s rockers Cheap Trick to give you some idea of its importance). "But we have never thought 'we've made it'," says Kaoru. "In fact, people hate us here. The scene not exactly made for bands to play heavy rock."

It means they're not afraid to be playing smaller venues as they head to England, America and Europe to build a name for themselves across the world. And, though having recently toured with the Deftones, it's actually the smaller venues that Kaoru prefers, admitting, "We are not a band who wish to make it big. We don't want to be a band everyone likes - just one that can make our emotions real with aggression, sensitivity and beauty."

HEAR: The album 'The Marrow Of A Bone' is out now on Gan Shin Records.
MORE INFO AT: www.direngrey.co.jp