Die! Die! Die! are amongst the hardest working bands around today. Living almost exclusively out of suitcases between their home in New Zealand they are constantly playing shows in Australia, the States, UK and Europe. It’s almost surreal, the little punk band that could, and very well did.
For a band that takes a creative approach with their live shows; quite often with punters ending up on stage and equipment being trashed; they never really put a lot of thought into album covers and names (the ep and first album are both self-titled, and the covers are remarkably similar with the name scribbled on). Locust Weeks, the second ep and first recorded output with new bassplayer Lachlan saw a slight change in style: a bit more structure, but with their roots still firmly grounded in punk ethos.
With their second offering Promises Promises it’s more of the same in a sense. First of all, there’s still the energetic shouty vocals courtesy of singer/guitarist Andrew. This time it appears that the songs have reached a level of maturity not seen before. For a band that pride themselves on having short songs it’s refreshing to see two songs clock in at over four minutes each. With thirteen tracks coming in at just under 40 minutes it’s also their longest release, the first album lasting only 21 minutes!
The album starts off with the blistering Blinding, a track seemingly about a girl. “I could never forget her if I tried” (Is this a love song from Die! Die! Die! that we’re seeing here?). There’s even harmonious ooh-oohs and backing vocals on a few tracks ( check out Sideways Here We Come ). It’s apparent that frontman Andrew has turned into a skilled guitar player, moving away from angular punk riffs and attempting more melodic styles of playing. Fear not if you think they’ve lost their punk way, there’s still plenty of angst in A.T.T.T.I.T.U.D. and Throw a Fit. With choruses like “ECHOECHO repeat it again. If it wasn’t for you these echoes would end” it’s bound to get stuck in your head long after the album has been played.
For the first album the band employed the skills of none other than Steve Albini, this time around they played a bit closer to home to get countrymate Shayne Carter of Bailterspace and Dimmer fame to produce. The result is a well-rounded, but no less abrasive album.
Die! Die! Die! will make it their mission to make you sit up and pay attention. Are you listening yet?
