DIR EN GREY gives us all a reason to look forward to the new year with the announcement of a new single titled 19990120. It is scheduled for release on January 17, 2024. This year can’t end soon enough!

The title 19990120 is a callback to the initial release of three debut singles Yurameki, Zan, and Akuro no Oka on January 20, 1999, which were included on the 1999 debut album Gauze. As such, 19990120 refers not to a new song but instead to the remakes of these singles. Notably, Zan was previously remade as the B-side for the 2010 single “Hageshisa to Kono Mune no Naka de Karamitsuita Shakunetsu no Yami”, which reimagined the song as a death metal track.

The originals covered a variety of sonic ground, which showcased the band’s collective talents upon its breakout into the world. Fans should expect modern adaptations this time, from the slow ballad Akuro no Oka to the thrash intensity of Zan, laced with some of Kyo’s most disturbing vocals. No details are known on how similar or different the remakes will sound, but given DIR EN GREY’s track record, anything is possible.

19990120 will release in multiple editions. The regular edition includes only the three songs, but more dedicated fans can opt for one of three limited versions. Each limited version contains a DVD or Blu-ray with footage from the 1999 “Psychonnect -mode of Gauze?-” concert and “BEHIND THE SCENES OF 19990120”, which should give viewers an inside look at the construction of the single.