DIR EN GREY's MORTAL DOWNER: The evolution of sound continues.

 

It's time to go on a musical journey with DIR EN GREY. Now, for those who have followed my blog for a while, you'll already know that DIR EN GREY just so happen to be one of my favourite bands of all time with ARCHE being darn near musical perfection in my humble opinion. For me that was a pivotal moment in their musical evolution and well, they've always been evolving their sound whilst retaining the lyricism and the core of what makes them who they are. I rather enjoyed PHALARIS which was released back in 2022, as it contained some brilliant stuff such as Kamui/Kamuy, Schadenfraude and Oboro with them all having a regular spot in my playlists. I was rather curious as to how they would follow it up, especially considering the teaser that was The Devil In Me released as a single in 2024. Low and behold, MORTAL DOWNER finally arrived on the 8th of April, 2026 and man, it is another step in the evolution of the band's sound. 

ISOLATION 

The album opens up with an instrumental. I don't think that's a major surprise or shock to anyone as a lot of bands start their albums that way. It does however, live up to expectations when one sees the name of the track: ISOLATION. It's a very atmospheric piece of instrumentation with some really dark and foreboding synth-work combining with a rather melancholic piano. It feels heavy, oppressive and pulls you into a seemingly bleak landscape in terms of imagery. In fact, the artwork for the album leaps into mind with such sounds. 

Kaijin ni Kisu 

Kaijin ni Kisu introduces us to Kyo's vocals and the band as a whole, as they work in tandem. The guitar riffs are solid, providing an almost progressive metal sound rather than something as heavy as say the works of UROBOROS or even DUM SPIRO SPERO. It certainly feels less chaotic than previous offerings, but as a bigger fan of their more mellow works, this suits me perfectly. That's not to say that there is no heaviness, as there is, with Kyo getting to provide some screaming, especially towards the end of the track. Kind of has the essence and feel of a Petit Brabancon song, really. 

EN'EN 

EN'EN is a magnificently crafted song and one that grows on you more and more with each subsequent listen. There's a unique rhythm throughout the verses as they kind off flow off-kilter. It's hard to explain, but it's as if it shouldn't work, but evidently does. It flows quite like something slowly coiling around to asphyxiate you, taking its time to drag it out. It builds into a beautiful chorus and Kyo's vocals really, really shine throughout with his clean emoting. Definitely one of the strongest, stand-out tracks and one of my personal favourites, fabulously composed. 

Discard 

Discard was first unveiled during DIR EN GREY's 2025 domestic tour and as such, concert-goers had already had a taste before the album even dropped. Heavily capturing nihilism and emotional vacancy, the track has a steady rhythm with solid guitar riffs, stellar drums and Toshiya putting the bass to work. It has a bit of an edge to it, but my favourite part comes 3 minutes into it with a bit of a switch-up in guitar tune. 

Bloodline 

Bloodline is a stellar track that definitely stands out. A very melodic, melancholic soundscape of a ballad and Kyo shines throughout once more emoting with such elegance and grace that he sings directly to one's soul. There's an interesting moment in which Shinya has the chance to do something of a drum break, with the snare immediately sounding oddly different from the rest of the song. I love the beginning with the dreary, yet appealing piano/keyboard work, the overall flow that is rather soothing in contrast to the dark lyricism. 

There's nothing else 

A huge foreboding sense of unease could be used to describe the sound of There's nothing else. The band absolutely tear through the track with the heavy instrumentation with some outstanding drum work from Shinya that is headbang worthy. The vocals are a masterclass, showcasing Kyo's sheer brilliance in almost sounding feral and inhumane as he growls and distorts his voice. Reminiscent of his Petit Brabancon work, which is a recurring thought with this album.

Hizumi to Ame 

Another standout and amongst my personal favourites. There's something incredibly funky about Toshiya's bass work in Hizumi to Ame with it sounding kind of electronic in certain respects. The bass works incredibly well with the crisp, clean guitar tones used in the verses whilst Kyo emotes exceptionally with clean vocals. The build-up pays off towards the latter stage of the track with everything getting heavier, including the vocal switch-up from cleans to screams. 

The Devil In Me 

The Devil In Me was known about since it was already released as a single back in 2024. I have to admit that I was not the biggest fan on my first listen. It's took me a few repeats to fully appreciate the sound that DIR EN GREY were going for. It's a suffocating, aggressive sound that is appropriate for the song title. Another track that lets Kyo-san really riff and showcase his vocal range. I really enjoy the finally instrumentation that is a little quieter than the rest of the song. 

MOBS 

I love the intro to MOBS. A simple, catchy guitar riff brings us into Kyo's first verse and is a bit of a reprieve after the previous aggression. Some light orchestral touches in the background before Kyo shifts into more angry vocal delivery. Calms down back into the catchy riffs in the middle and then there's a lovely shift-up with the orchestral element becoming more prominent. 

Void 

Void might be the best song on the whole album. It's a sublimely crafted composition. The mixing seems to be the best out of any of the songs on this one with the bass being heard better than previous tracks. There's elements of the classic DIR EN GREY on full display and it feels like the culmination of their evolution and ever-flowing style of musicianship. Loved the usage of acoustic guitars. The hooks reminded me of ARCHE and that's not a bad thing at all. 

Demand 

Pounding drum work opens up Demand and that is met by competent guitar riffs. Kyo fully engages his poetic madness with him going from one extreme to the other with crisp cleans and feral growls and screams. The chorus is a big switch-up, beautiful contrast to the aggressive verses. I love the soft touches before going back into the heavy madness, nobody encapsulates the struggles and emotional complexity quite like Kyo. 

Kusabi 

Kusabi has some nu-metal-like elements in the riffs and overall flow. Darker, deeper growls and screams from Kyo permeate the track. Heavy bursts of sonic sound, pounding drums and relentless rhythms that are interspersed with moments of softer, quieter choruses. Not my favourite, it's another track that kind of grows on you after repeated listens. 

Moumoku ga Yue ni 

Moumoku ga Yue ni is an interesting song. At times, it feels like it'd be at home on a Petit Brabancon EP or album. There's very much a sense of controlled chaos, of dissonance. A tight, well-crafted track that doesn't really stand out, but is rather solid nonetheless. 

no end 

The melancholic sound returns with no end, which at times is reminiscent of songs such as The World of Mercy. There's a very striking violin solo, which is rather different and unique for a DIR EN GREY song, but a refreshing new element. Another exquisitely crafted song and a perfect way to capstone the album in general. One of the best songs from MORTAL DOWNER. 

Closing remarks/Verdict 

Overall, MORTAL DOWNER is a fascinating album. It continues the musical evolution of DIR EN GREY at quite an interesting point in their journey. They are veterans of the industry and as such, have the leeway to experiment with differing sounds. The album sounds dark, melancholic as if you're slowly but surely sinking into the abyss and despairing at what you've found there. It almost feels like a funeral at times. I don't think that it's there best by any means, as it doesn't quite have the same easy listening flow that ARCHE had. Still, it's not a bad album by any stretch of the imagination. It's different, stripped back, patient and more straightforward than any previous offerings. Still, there's some brilliant tracks to replay again and again such as Bloodline, EN'EN, Hizumi to Ame, no end and Void.