Die So Fluid – “Spawn of Dysfunction” (2004)

Label : Cartesian Records/Cargo Records/Tiefdruck Music/Universal Music Germany

Review by John Davies

Die So Fluid is an exciting punk/metal style band from the UK, who I only recently discovered. The lyrics are angry, the vocals are raw and in your face, as you would expect from this style of band. However, the song writing is quite creative, making this an exceptional album of the genre. The guitar riffs are purposeful and precise, not just a bunch of raw, cheap power chords. This band manages to put out a big sound, considering they are only a three piece band, with drums, guitar and Grog on vocals and bass. The title track is quite sophisticated, with some great bridges. “Circus of Sin” just rocks and the chorus is a killer. “Tripitaka” swings from fanciful to full out drop tuned metal riffs. Some of the vocals switch into scream mode, but not too much, and it really suits the style of music. Vocalist/bassist Grog knows when to turn it on or off. “Kiss the Floor” and “Disconnected” are both superb metal songs with some crunchy guitar parts. “Draw a Line and Cross It” has a very cool guitar rhythm that is very original to say the least. I didn’t find the last two songs all that outstanding. They aren’t bad, they just didn’t quite punch me in the face like the other songs did. If you’re strictly a symphonic power metal fan, you aren’t going to like this band. But if your tastes are a little broader like mine, this is as fine an example of punk/metal as you’ll find anywhere. I think Grog is an outstanding front person, with a really strong and unique stage presence.