Record Label: Gold Standard Laboratories
Genre: Noise
Band Link: link
Buy on Amazon.com link

Don’t let the first song fool you – Die Princess Die can actually write songs. They begin the album with an obnoxious, repetitive full-on noise assault, I guess to ensure that nobody but the most patient reviewer would listen further. After that lesson in pain, this Californian noise band changes things up with some creative takes on noise punk. The second tune, Nights of the Light, is almost funky, with a dance punk beat and scratchy guitarwork. That’s followed by The Racer, a highly melodic and self-restraining casio punk tune. There’s also some machinistic noise, dissonant techno, and some pinball-in-hell sounds that remind me of TFUL 282, only punked up (Sport and Roar of 84).

The album dips into obnoxious, jackhammer-to-the-skull noise now and then, but it’s minimal and the vocals are never screechy – in fact, the vocalist sings a lot and reminds me of Mike Patton meets Zack de la Rocha. Not quite sing-shouting through a bullhorn, but close, and with a Mike Patton melody instead of a frat boy aggro.

I’m very picky when it comes to noise (I mean, why the hell listen to it unless it’s really freakin good?). Die Princess Die are a nice surprise, especially after that awful first song, but the album still isn’t a keeper.

Bottom Line: Aggressive noise, but melodic enough to be listenable.
Notable Tracks: The Racer, Jack, Sport
Overall Rating: