DIR EN GREY: GEARS UP FOR NORTH AND SOUTH AMERICA TOUR THIS FALL IN SUPPORT OF THEIR NEW ALBUM ‘DUM SPIRO SPERO’

DATE:             SEPTEMBER 2, 2011

FROM:            MITCH SCHNEIDER/ANGELA VILLANUEVA/AARON FETERL, MSO

DIR EN GREY

GEARS UP FOR NORTH AND SOUTH AMERICA TOUR THIS FALL
IN SUPPORT OF THEIR NEW ALBUM
‘DUM SPIRO SPERO’

ALBUM AND SINGLE #1 ON METAL SPECIALTY RADIO CHARTS 

BAND WRAPS UP SUCCESSFUL RUN OF TOUR DATES IN EUROPE

The unique, artful Japanese rock band DIR EN GREY has toured all over the world including recently wrapping up a successful 12-date run in Europe. Now the band is gearing up for South America before finishing off the year here in North America (tour dates below). The headlining tour–with support from The Birthday Massacre–will come on the heels of their new full-length album DUM SPIRO SPERO, out now on The End Records and currently #1 on two Metal Specialty radio charts.

The internationally respected band has earned a reputation for pushing boundaries, breaking rules and continuing to shock and amaze their fans around the world. DUM SPIRO SPERO is no different. Both DUM SPIRO SPERO and the album’s single “Different Sense” are currently charting at #1 on the Metal Specialty charts five weeks after its release.

Rick Florino of ArtistDirect.com wrote “…the song ["Different Sense"] is everything a hard rock song should be and the video is the equivalent of ingesting a mind-altering substance. It will take you to other places with its imagery.” (7/6/11) Visuals for the single here: http://www.artistdirect.com/entertainment-news/article/dir-en-grey-debuts-music-video-for-different-sense-on-artistdirect-com/9008304. Kyle Anderson of Entertainment Weekly noted: “Japan’s finest shape-shifting metal machine’s latest may be their most bipolar, but it’s also their most complete…moments of beautiful brutality…punishing slogs through the grind-and-growl swamp.” (8/5/11)

DIR EN GREY–vocalist KYO, guitarists KAORU and DIE, bassist TOSHIYA and drummer SHINYA–has been consistently touring for the last decade but this new stretch holds special meaning since the making of DUM SPIRO SPERO was directly influence by the disaster that struck Japan six months ago. The band explains, “In our personal experience of the earthquake and its aftermath, one thing that really hit home is the reality that you can die at any time without knowing it. We don't know what is waiting for us as we move forward, but as long as we are alive we want to take on this tour with a sense of determination.”

Catch DIR EN GREY’s explosive set in these North and South American cities:

http://www.direngrey.co.jp/english/top.html
http://www.facebook.com/direngreyofficial
http://www.myspace.com/direngrey
http://twitter.com/#!/DIRENGREY_web
http://www.youtube.com/direngreyweb

For more information on DIR EN GREY, contact MSO:
Mitch Schneider, 818-380-0400 x235, mschneider@msopr.com
Angela Villanueva, 818-380-0400 x232, avillanueva@msopr.com
Aaron Feterl, 818-380-0400 x237, aaron@msopr.com

###