Uroboros [Remastered & Expanded]

This release is truly great. I think remastering has got a bad rap, especially in the U.S. mostly because all that's normally altered is loudness and almost always for the worse. This is certaintly not the case. My biggest complaint about the original mix was at times you could hardly hear Kyo, especially during the low gutturals. Now Kyo is front and center. The low Guttural can now be heard in Reiketsu and Gaika. The drums finally sound as big as they actually are. The drum mix was amazing on Dum and it's the exact same thing here. You can clearly hear Shinya go from one side of the kit to the other side beautifully from ear to ear. He sounds like he has eight arms. His bongo playing also comes through great on Ware. I can't say enough for how great the guitars sound. You can finally hear Die's amazing and funky playing on Stuck Man which was very diffcult to hear in the original and the beautiful acoustic playing on Ware. You can hear every guitar part perfectly. The bass is also well done. While maybe not as thumping as in the orginial, but certainly decipherable, especially on Reiketsu and Red Soil. As for the extra's, they're just icing on the cake. The new Sa Bir, the version from the last dvd, is now more intense and creepy, almost feeling like you're on an acid trip. We finally get the orginial versions of Glass Skin and Dozing Green that we should have got in the first place. Hydra 666 was a strange choice but looking back on the song it really became a staple at shows during the Uroboros period and to be honest if most fans weren't told it was a re-work of Hydra or it didn't say Hydra most would think it's a new song. And I'm very happy that Bugaboo acapella was put at the beginning rather than the end since it adds so much emotion to the song. It almost sounds like Kyo's singing a lullaby. You get a whisper to a singing to a growl. It's a perfect blend and sequence. The extra's really round out the release. This release finally showcases the greatness of the album. Guitars are clearer than ever, Kyo is right in your face, drums are huge and every strike and crash is clean and thunderous, and the bass perfectly balanced. By the way, Toguro is better here. The fuzz and distortion in the beginning is gone, Kyo sounds live, and you can finally hear Die and Karou's killer playing. Hopefully Dir en grey continue to use Tue and Alan in the future.

Received my copy yesterday. The orgasm that my ears had was pretty indescribable. I cant help but disagree with most negatives that have been stated about this remaster. Strength has been given to the drum sound, bass, guitars and vocals that was desperatley needed in the original mix. Certain songs take on almost entirely new life with Kyos vocals now diplaying the primal grit that is there in his voice, instead of muffling it out like the previous mix did. I always felt that Kyos voice was criminally misrespresented on Urororos. His growls unceremoniously blended into the background when they deserved to be front and center. I was always aching to hear Kyo more clearly, and now I can, and it is everything I had hoped for. Drums now have actual kick to them. It sounds like a much larger kit was played, even though its the same drum track. Drums have a much snappier quality to them, and feel more alive all around, for a lack of better term. Clarity overall is refreshing. Minor complaints: Certain guitar parts have been sacrificied at the expense of bringing others into the foreground. IE: Bugaboo intro. These occurances are infrequent and minor annoyances. I vastly prefer this new mix. I thank Dir en grey for actually taking on a project like this. Essentially taking their finest work and making it even better, raising a 10 to an 11 in the process. This album deserves the best possible treatment it can get, and the job they've done here is truly phenomenal. Almost nothing is lost, and so much is gained, I cant imagine going back to the original mix but for nostalgia and the option of 'the other'. This is worth every penny!

It is really interesting. The new version of my the most favourite album. Of cause I must order it anyway.