Dunedin post-punk trio Die! Die! Die! are unquestionably one of New Zealand’s hardest working bands. Having toured and recorded tirelessly for the last 15 years, the group have built a devoted cult fan base - albeit having remained a criminally under-appreciated part of the local music scene. The band’s sixth record, Charm. Offensive, retains and builds on the relentless energy of their past, showcasing a still burning creative fire and hunger for experimentation years after first stepping out on the road.
Charm. Offensive finds the band pushing the boundaries of their established sound, bringing abrasive noise, found sounds and distorted soundscapes into their brand of minimalist punk to create what is arguably their most inventive and challenging work yet. It continues the bands ruthlessly effective use of hypnotic rhythms and layered gritty guitar textures, combined with a sublime gift for melody.
Tracks like lead single ‘How Soon Is Too Soon?’ showcase the lo-fi pop punk Die! Die! Die! excel at, blending throbbing distortion with some of the catchiest and transcendent hooks the trio have put to tape. While ‘Glacial Pace’, ‘DEMON And The Street’ and ‘Caterpillar’ feature mesmerising soundscapes and trance-like rhythms and are in their own way as powerful and intense as much of the groups more urgent material.
Charm. Offensive finds Die! Die! Die! at the top of their game, featuring a masterful refinement of the post-punk sound that made their name, as well as a restless hunger for innovation and exploration.
