5. Dir En Grey
experimental/death metal/alternative
Dir En Grey are playing far too low down for my liking, far too low down. I would hazard a guess that most heading to
Download, or interested in the type of bands mentioned so far, would know of
Dir En Grey, but perhaps not given their positioning on the bill. Having formed in 1997, in Osaka, Japan, the band have been around a while and have had a number of successes outside their homeland. Though it wouldnt be wrong to say they havent had much western attention their way in a while, which is a shame. If youre not familiar with them, or just aware, I suggest you get along and see them for their experimental hybrid of alternative rock, death metal, prog, radio rock, grindcore, balladry and many other genres that leave them switching between sounding like
Tool,
Deftones,
Muse,
Nine Inch Nails,
Smashing Pumpkins,
Pantera and
Kate Bush at any given moment if any of those were keyed in on a typically, Japanese melodic-sensibility. http://youtu.be/50KM1857nlM