For those new to the world of Died, know this: These New Yorkers do not make music for everyone. They make music that connects with a very select few. To wit: People who never feel quite right in their own skin. People who always hear someone talking about them very quietly. People who can’t quite figure out where that buzzing is coming from. People who saw that same guy following them yesterday, but on the other side of the street. People who know that their neighbour’s motion-sensitive porch light is blinking in Morse Code. People who think life would be so much simpler if they could be as oblivious to all the horror as the rest of the sheep. People who just can’t relax no matter how hard they goddamn try. These are the people who can find themselves (or better yet, lose themselves) in the odd-shaped nooks, crannies, spaces and cramped corners of Died’s hyperintense brand of complex indie-rock and post-punk — which is, as always, brought to you by words like acerbic, serrated, wiry, complex, aggressive and antisocial. Oh sure, these songs on their third release and first full-length album come off as more evolved, thoughtful, mature and restrained than some of their earlier, edgier and more extreme entries. But the people who really understand Died know what that’s about. They know it’s just a way to placate the authorities, agencies and secret societies who monitor all our communications and consumption. So they play along, sit still, and act cool until everyone goes away and leaves them alone. Then they can listen to Died and find out what’s really going on. Yeah, those people. And you too, of course. Not that you have anything in common with the rest.
THE PRESS RELEASE: “Died is a four-piece, post-hardcore band based in NYC. Formed 3 years ago while studying at NYU, Alex Geisel (bass & vocals), Ian White (guitar), Caio Brentar (guitar), and Matthew Leichenger (drums), Died’s commitment to incorporating a vast array of musical influences ranging from hardcore to black metal to folk and everything in between has unified the band members’ visions and inspired them to write music that is confrontational and thought-provoking yet approachable for many types of listeners. Died started turning heads at the end of 2018 with their second EP, Anonymized Internal Criminals. Produced by Arthur Rizk (Code Orange, Power Trip), AIC was rated the #1 hardcore punk EP of the year and #48 out of all genres on Rate Your Music. To follow up the highly technical, heavier sound of AIC, Died went back to the studio and crafted an entirely new sound for their upcoming record, Less Life. Mixed & mastered by legendary engineer Steve Fisk, Less Life offers the most updated version of Died’s uncanny ability to meld genres together while still crafting truly memorable songs. The writing on Less Life is an amalgamation of over four years of work matched with updated production that resembles early records from key alternative bands like Slint and Unwound.”
