Since the release of their album "Uroboros" in 2008, Dir En Grey have been repeatedly described as progressive metal. Uroboros and their 2011 album "Dum Spiro Spero" represent a particular musical departure from previous albums, with critics noting that their sound on these albums bears almost nothing in common to their earliest work. With Uroboros, and particularly on "Dum Spiro Spero", the band have moved away from their alternative rock roots towards a heavier metal sound. These albums feature complex song structures and guitarwork, longer track lengths, and a broader variety of particularly western influences, such as death metal, deathcore and groove metal.