Arche (stylized as ARCHE, Greek for "the origin") is the ninth studio album by Japanese heavy metal band Dir En Grey, released on December 10, 2014.[7][8] It was preceded by two singles; "Rinkaku", which was released two years prior, and "Sustain the Untruth".

Arche
Studio album by
ReleasedDecember 10, 2014 (2014-12-10)
Genre
Length68:01
LanguageJapanese, English
LabelFirewall Div.
Dir En Grey chronology
The Unraveling
(2013)
Arche
(2014)
The Insulated World
(2018)
Alternative cover
Limited edition cover
Singles from Arche
  1. "Rinkaku"
    Released: December 19, 2012
  2. "Sustain the Untruth"
    Released: January 22, 2014
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Bloody Disgusting[3]
Ultimate Guitar7/10[4]
Allmusic[5]
rockin'on.com(Positive)[6]

Overview

edit

The contents of the album as well as the track list were added to the band's website in late September.[9] At that time, the band's guitarist Die said it would be the most achieved sound that they have ever had.[10] The album will deal with the theme of pain, as shown in a trailer narrated by Ryō Horikawa released on November 12.[11]

The title stands for "origin" in Greek. This title connotes a special meaning to the members as it encompasses every phase the band has been evolving into. Vocalist Kyo said via Dir En Grey's website : "This album is being worked on with me thinking about the past and future of myself as a vocalist, more than I have had ever before. That place where the old me and the new me crosses is what is being put into the 9th album 'ARCHE'".[12] The art cover suggests this symbolism by depicting a beheaded torso of a pregnant woman from which emanates roots.[13]

Track listing

edit

All lyrics are written by Kyo[14]; all music is composed by Dir En Grey

Disc one
No.TitleLength
1."Un Deux"3:33
2."Soshaku" (咀嚼; "Chew")4:10
3."Uroko" (鱗; "Scales")4:03
4."Phenomenon"4:01
5."Cause of Fickleness"3:25
6."Tōsei" (濤声; "Voice of the Waves")5:31
7."Rinkaku" (輪郭; "Silhouette")5:43
8."Chain Repulsion"2:48
9."Midwife"4:11
10."Magayasō" (禍夜想; "Calamitous Night Thought")4:25
11."Kaishun" (懐春; "Yearning of Youth")4:22
12."Behind a Vacant Image"4:59
13."Sustain the Untruth"4:25
14."Kūkoku no Kyōon" (空谷の跫音; "Tramplings In the Lonely Valley")5:48
15."The Inferno"3:15
16."Revelation of Mankind"3:23
Total length:68:01
Disc two ("Special" Limited Edition/ Limited Edition)
No.TitleLength
1."And Zero"2:25
2."Tefutefu" (てふてふ; "Butterfly")4:47
3."Sustain the Untruth [Remix]"6:16
4."Unraveling [Remix]"3:33
5."Soshaku (Acoustic Ver.)" (咀嚼 (Acoustic Ver.); "Chew (Acoustic Ver.)")5:02
6."Uroko (Crossover Ver.)" (鱗 (Crossover Ver.); "Scales (Crossover Ver.)")3:39
7."Behind a Vacant Image (Acoustic Ver.)"4:55
Total length:30:37
Disc three ("Special" Limited Edition, Blu-Ray/ DVD)
No.TitleLength
1."Un Deux (Shot In One Take)" 
2."Chain Repulsion (Shot In One Take)" 
3."Live footage from Tour14 Psychonnect -Mode of “Gauze”? at Shinkiba Studio Coast (08/30/2014)" (かすみ (Kasumi), 蜜と唾 (Tsumi to Batsu) and 激しさと、この胸の中で絡み付いた灼熱の闇 (Hageshisa to, Kono Mune no Naka de Karamitsuita Shakunetsu no Yami)) 
4."Behind the Scenes of Arche" 
  • Disc 2 of the Limited Edition includes only tracks 3, 5, 6.

Chart performance

edit
Chart (2014) Peak
position
Oricon weekly chart 4[15]
Billboard Japan Top Albums 3[16]

References

edit
  1. ^ "Dir en Grey - Arche Review - Randict". Archived from the original on 2015-02-24. Retrieved 2015-02-24.
  2. ^ "Dir En Grey: Arche | Reviews @ Ultimate-Guitar.com". Ultimate-guitar.com. Retrieved 20 May 2023.
  3. ^ Barkan, Jonathon (December 15, 2014). "[Album Review] Dir En Grey 'Arche'". Bloody Disgusting. Retrieved December 25, 2014.
  4. ^ "Arche Review". Ultimate-guitar.com. December 16, 2014. Retrieved January 24, 2015.
  5. ^ "Arche on Allmusic". AllMusic.
  6. ^ Takahashi, Miho. "痛みを響かせ続ける理由 DIR EN GREY『ARCHE』". Rockin'on.com. Retrieved 19 October 2018.
  7. ^ "DIR EN GREY ANNOUNCE NEW ALBUM 'ARCHE' FOR DECEMBER 2014". Archived from the original on 2014-09-10. Retrieved 2014-09-18.
  8. ^ "Dir En Grey to release new album Arche". Kojaconreport.com. Retrieved 2014-09-11.
  9. ^ "NEW ALBUM『ARCHE』(2014.12.10 RELEASE) Track List Revealed!". Direngrey.co.jp. Retrieved 27 September 2014.
  10. ^ "Dir en grey 9th album『Arche』(2014.12.10 release) 特設ページ". Direngrey.co.jp.
  11. ^ "Dir en Grey". En.barks.jp.
  12. ^ "Meaning of New Album from Dir en Grey". Direngrey.co.jp. 5 August 2014. Retrieved 19 August 2014.
  13. ^ "New Album Art Cover". Verdamnis.com. 1 May 2015. Retrieved 3 May 2015.
  14. ^ According to album liner notes
  15. ^ "CDアルバムランキング - 2014年12月22日付 - (2014年12月08日~2014年12月14日)". Oricon. Retrieved 30 January 2015.
  16. ^ "Billboard Japan Top Albums". Billboard Japan. Retrieved 4 May 2015.