●2018 started with the release of the best album 『VESTIGE OF SCRATCHES』, on January 2nd. Even though the previous year marked the band’s 20th anniversary, no new song was released in 2017, so the the remake versions of 「腐海 (FUKAI)」「THE ⅢD EMPIRE」「Beautiful Dirt」 were a delight for the fans. Curtains fell on the revival tour series “TOUR16-17 FROM DEPRESSION TO ________”. The band is ready to move on.
●At this time, the band started working on their new album, the first one since the release of 『ARCHE』 back in 2014. The first step was the release of the new single『人間を被る (Ningen wo Kaburu)』on April 25th, about 1 year and 9 months after the previous one. Along with the suggestive title track, the band’s 29th single featured also a remake version of 「Ash」 from the single 『脈 (MYAKU)』(2000), and a live version of 「詩踏み (Utafumi)」, taken from the show held at Zepp Tokyo on October 12th, 2017. The artworks and music video, shocking but still able to stimulate the imagination the people looking at them, got a very good response from the audience.
●『TOUR18 真世界 (Shinsekai)』, the first nationwide tour of the year, started just before the single release date. The band announced 7 shows to be held in 5 cities all around Japan, starting from an 「a knot」 only show on April 16th at CLUB CITTA’, and all the tickets for the shows got sold out. On the first day of the tour, the band announced 2 additional shows at Shinkiba STUDIO COAST. Those were held as an 「a knot」 only show (June 29th) and a 『人間を被る (Ningen wo Kaburu)』 Release Celebration Show (June 30th).
●In August the band already started a new tour: 『TOUR18 WEARING HUMAN SKIN』. The tour was opened with 4 「a knot」 only shows, two held at ROHM Theatre Kyoto Main Hall on the 2nd and 3rd followed by two at CLUB CITTA’ on the 7th and 8th, and brought the band to perform in 8 cities for a total of 15 concerts. An European Tour was announced for October, bringing back the band to Europe for the first time since the 『TOUR15 THE UNSTOPPABLE LIFE』 held back in May 2015. The band performed 8 times in 6 different countries starting in Saint Petersburg (Russia) on October 6th followed by dates in Finland, Poland, France, England, and Germany. During this tour the band revealed 4 new yet unreleased songs, showing everyone that the new album, the first since 2014, was about to be completed.
●Finally, the 10th album 『The Insulated World』 was completed. Released on September 26th, 3 years 9 months after the previous album 『ARCHE』, this work featured 13 songs, including the single title tracks 「詩踏み (Utafumi)」「人間を被る (Ningen wo Kaburu)」 and was released in 3 types: a Limited Deluxe Version (coming with a bonus CD and bonus Blu-ray/DVD), a First Press Limited Version (coming with a bonus CD), and a Regular Version. With 『The Insulated World』 the band improved even more the simple yet solid style of 『ARCHE』, considerable evolution on the lead track 「Ranunculus」, both the song and its music video.
●Coming back from Europe, DIR EN GREY announced a 「a knot」& ONLINE Limited『TOUR18 FOLLOWERS』 in Nagoya and Osaka only, concluding this intense 2018 made of single and album releases, 2 tours, and a comeback to Europe.
●DIR EN GREY had already announced the next tour『TOUR19 The Insulated World』. Titled after the new album, the tour was announced to be held from March 14th, 2019 with a show (「a knot」only) at CLUB CITTA’, to Apr. 25th and 26th at NAMBA Hatch, for a total of 12 shows scheduled in 9 cities. One of those shows, held at Zepp Tokyo on March 20th, was going to be a celebrative show for the release of the new album 『The Insulated World』 and for the venue’s 20th Anniversary. Everyone was looking forward to seeing the final form of 『The Insulated World』, wondering how its songs will evolve thanks to the live performances.
BEST ALBUM VESTIGE OF SCRATCHES
- 1.2 RELEASE
29th SINGLE 『人間を被る』(Ningen wo Kaburu)
- 4.25 RELEASE
TOUR18 真世界(SHINSEKAI)
- 4.16 CLUB CITTA’ -｢a knot｣only-
- 4.18 SHINKIBA STUDIO COAST
- 4.19 SHINKIBA STUDIO COAST
- 4.25 NAMBA Hatch
- 4.26 NAMBA Hatch
- 4.28 Sendai Ginko Hall Izumity21
- 5.1 Zepp Nagoya
- 6.29 SHINKIBA STUDIO COAST -「a knot」only- (additional)
- 6.30 SHINKIBA STUDIO COAST (additional)
LUNATIC FEST. 2018
- 6.23 Makuhari Messe
TOUR18 WEARING HUMAN SKIN
- 8.2 ROHM Theatre Kyoto Main Hall -｢a knot｣only-
- 8.3 ROHM Theatre Kyoto Main Hall -｢a knot｣only-
- 8.7 CLUB CITTA’ -｢a knot｣only-
- 8.8 CLUB CITTA’ -｢a knot｣only-
- 8.11 Sendai PIT
- 8.12 Sendai PIT
- 8.23 TOKYO INTERNATIONAL FORUM HALL A
- 8.24 TOKYO INTERNATIONAL FORUM HALL A
- 8.28 Fukuoka Civic Hall
- 8.30 NAMBA Hatch
- 8.31 NAMBA Hatch
- 9.4 NIIGATA LOTS
- 9.5 NIIGATA LOTS
- 9.14 Zepp Nagoya
- 9.15 Zepp Nagoya
10th ALBUM 『The Insulated World』
- 9.26 RELEASE
OVERSEAS (EUROPE) TOUR18 WEARING HUMAN SKIN
- 10.6 AURORA HALL -St. Petersburg / Russia-
- 10.7 RED HALL -Moscow / Russia –
- 10.10 THE CIRCUS -Helsinki / Finland-
- 10.12 PROGRESJA -Warsaw / Poland-
- 10.14 LE TRIANON -Paris / France-
- 10.16 THE ELECTRIC BALLROOM -London / UK-
- 10.18 TECHNIKUM -Munich / Germany-
- 10.19 LIVE MUSIC HALL -Cologne / Germany –
TOUR18 FOLLOWERS
- 12.19 Zepp Nagoya -｢a knot｣ & ONLINE only-
- 12.24 Zepp Osaka Bayside -「a knot」only-
- 12.25 Zepp Osaka Bayside -｢a knot｣ & ONLINE only-
OVERSEAS (EUROPE) TOUR18 WEARING HUMAN SKIN
- 10.6 AURORA HALL -ST.PETERSBURG / RUSSIA-
- 10.7 RED HALL -MOSCOW / RUSSIA-
- 10.10 THE CIRCUS -HELSINKI / FINLAND-
- 10.12 PROGRESJA -WARSAW / POLAND-
- 10.14 LE TRIANON -PARIS / FRANCE-
- 10.16 THE ELECTRIC BALLROOM -LONDON / UK-
- 10.18 TECHNIKUM -MUNICH / GERMANY-
- 10.19 LIVE MUSIC HALL -COLOGNE / GERMANY-
TOUR18 FOLLOWERS
- 12.19 Zepp Nagoya -｢a knot｣ & ONLINE only-
- 12.24 Zepp Osaka Bayside -「a knot」only-
- 12.25 Zepp Osaka Bayside -｢a knot｣ & ONLINE only-
