刹那
刹那 is one of the three songs by Dir En Grey that were never properly released and only performed live in their indies era from 1997 to 1998. The other two are 藍紫色 and 新曲2.
The first confirmed performance of 刹那 was on May 31 and its last known performance was on September 15, 1997. However, the song is still listed on later setlists, such as those from October 28 and 30, 1997, as well as February 21, 1998. The live report of the October 28 live, published in SHOXX #59 (January 1998), also gives the song's title as 刹那. Audio recordings of the October lives, however, confirm that Dir En Grey performed a song that sounds more similar to Unknown…Despair…a Lost than the available recordings of 刹那. This is further corroborated by a setlist of the January 14 live, published in SHOXX #62 (April 1998), where the song is also titled Unknown…Despair…a Lost.
Interestingly, Kaoru explains in Bandやろうぜ (July 1998), that Unknown…Despair…a Lost is the remade version of a song that previously existed. From what is known, Dir En Grey also never performed both songs at the same live, so it's very likely that 刹那 was heavily reworked between the September and October lives and then renamed into Unknown…Despair…a Lost in time for its release on JEALOUS (1998).
You can listen to the May 31, 1997, performance of the song here.
Trivia
- In 2020, Kaoru used the setlist of the June 14, 1997 live, where this song was performed, as a t-shirt design. This marks the first known time the song was officially recognised by the band since their indies days.
Title
- In FOOL'S MATE #198 (April 1998), Kaoru is asked about 新曲6 (Shinkyoku 6) ("New Song 6"). He explains that he felt the need to change the song's title because the song became too different. Taking the date of the interview into account, he most likely refers to 刹那. While there's currently no other known mention of 新曲6, it was possibly used as an interim until the band had decided on "Unknown…Despair…a Lost" as the song's final title.
Variants
| Title Variants | |
|---|---|
| Title | Release |
| 新曲6 | – |
| Unknown…Despair…a Lost | JEALOUS (1998) |