“Red or Maryam” - DECAYS' first album

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Written by Michela Valeri

Following the announcement of DECAYS, a new project by Die (DIR EN GREY) and Kashiyama Kei (MOON CHILD), the j-rock world immediately took notice: what kind of music would this new band deliver? How will Die perform as a singer? Yes, you read it right: the band's leader was announced to be both guitarist and singer, in collaboration with Kobayashi Yosuke (THE NOVEMBERS)!

After the unveiling of their first video, Secret Mode (available on iTunes in eleven countries), and a series of live events, on December 16 the band released its first EP, Red or Maryam. The format is innovative: a USB drive with the seven songs in multiple formats, plus the Secret mode video and a gallery of live shots.

Along with the individual musicians' skills, Red or Maryam surprises for its variety of genres and moods, ranging from shoegaze to pop and dance rock, along with pinches of traditional Japanese sounds.

Secret mode opens the EP with its 80s dance groove, followed by Ai wo nokosazu... (愛を遺さず...), which features violinist Ayasa. Dry and Red tide, darker and grittier, come closer to shoegaze before the album turns again to poppier sounds with NOVA SPIRAL and Rana from Future Boy (ラナ ~from Future Boy). The EP ends with the melancholic ballad beautiful.

A surprising mix of genres that satsifies all expectations and unveils a previously unknown side of Die as an artist. Highly suggested!

Tracklist

01. Secret mode (Red or Maryam ver.)

02.愛と哀を遺さず... (Ai to aware wo nokosazu...)

03. Dry

04. Red tide

05. NOVA SPIRAL

06.ラナ ~from Future Boy (Rana from Future Boy )

07. beautiful