Die Spitz- “Something To Consume” Review
Written by Beau Croxton
Die Spitz by Pooneh Ghana
Die Spitz are impressive, multifaceted and explosive on their debut LP– Something To Consume is a bold, ripping showcase of shifting vocalists, songwriting and heavy rock sub-genres.
Die Spitz have been turning heads since 2022 with their wild live DIY shows, their last EP Teeth, and more recently, their tour dates with artists such as Amyl & The Sniffers and OFF!. Their new debut full-length album from Jack White’s Third Man Records– Something to Consume, is one hell of a way to make an official entrance.
Produced by Will Yip (Turnstile, Mannequin Pussy), Something To Consume is an impressive feat of genre scrambling. The album is a showcase that highlights the band’s trademark of shifting songwriting and swapping instruments. Band members Ava Schrobilgen, Chloe De St. Aubin, and Eleanor Livingston all take turns as the lead vocalist and songwriter, while Kate Halterall holds it down on bass. Ava and Chloe often directly swap drumming and vocals with each other.
At Die Spitz’ first shows, they added covers in their setlist of their influences, like Black Sabbath, Pixies, Mudhoney, PJ Harvey, and Nirvana – and all of those influences are here along with so much more. The record is very a free-spirited, dark, swirling haze of rock subgeneres– it rips through 90’s grunge, shoegaze, alt rock and punk rock and the occasional metal influence. The monstrous, warped image of four people on the album cover is fitting, as the record is a showcase of the many different monsters that the group is capable of conjuring up.
“Pop Punk Anthem (Sorry For The Delay)” is a solid opener that is a slight red herring– it veers more pop-punk territory for the group with its mall-core, skate-punk, west coast, post-Y2K punk sound. Admittedly, this particular sub-genre isn't up my alley as much as the rest of the LP, and it's a curveball because the rest of the record is much heavier. But to its credit, the track is still extremely well performed and the band is 150% committed– if you dig the sound, it should be a total hit. It concludes with haywire shredding guitar leads, expert drums rolls and growled vocals.
”Voir Dire” taps into a swampy, garage-rock groove that lands somewhere in between the darker material of PJ Harvey and Flat Duo Jets. Halfway through the track, its melodic vocal passages bring it to different places entirely– one of the most interesting parts about the record is how Die Spitz are capable of vibe-switching on a dime. Chloe fronts this track, with instantly quotable lyrics like “This life is a tragedy/ You can get what you want, but you’ll beg for what you need”.
”Throw Yourself To the Sword” exists somewhere in between the tough taunting of Amy Taylor and the monstrous chugging of some Slayer-adjacent metal– it's an absolute beast. The track is easily the largest standout, sounding like a monstrous, doom-thrash sibling of the band’s earlier standout track, “I Hate When Girls Die”. The guitar work and Ellie’s braggadocious vocal performance on this track are brilliant. ”American Porn” picks up where the chuggy riffs on “Throw Yourself to the Sword” left off, and it pivots to a grungy styling in a very cohesive way. It also doesn't hold back on kickass screamed-vocals, more remarkable drumming, and vicious metal chugging in the back half– it's a ripper folks.
“Sound To No One” drills on through more sludgy chords and expert drumming— while it’s not as memorable as some of the other cuts, (perhaps because the singing is more distant) the vocal presence is effectively haunting and moody throughout. The track has an absolutely primal crescendo with more showstopping drumming from Chloe De St. Aubin. “Go Get Dressed” serves as a ghostly breather-track between the wall of sound that the Austin-based 4-piece specializes in. It’s a tasteful moment on the record, and it’s beautifully spooky. It may seem slight amongst louder blasts, but I think it’s a vibey standout moment that heavily showcases the band’s range.
“Red 40” is another solid punker that keeps up the consistent hit rate, and when its energy is at its peak, it shines bright. “Riding With My Girls” sounds like Die Spitz at their energetic best, but it also sounds like the most high-octane material of their Australian tour mates Amyl & The Sniffers. The track goes sky-high with buzzsaw pub-rock riffs, killer guitar leads and a storm of vocal bravado from Livingston. It’s a significant highlight that serves as a lightning bolt of energy directly through the center of the record.
“Punishers” is one of the better melodic vocal tracks of the bunch , fronted by Chloe and features a shoegazey, hazy alt-rock vibe. Be sure to check out their awesome horror-themed video here. “Down On It” has anthemic, searing, growling Nirvana-esque choruses and ultra-tough verses. Closing “strange moon/ selonophilia” plays out like a moody siren song. Distant vocals leave more to be desired, but sequentially and structurally, this is a great song to draw the album to a close with some excellent guitar work.
On Something to Consume, Die Spitz refreshing style of shifting singers and meshing heavy rock sub-genres keeps you on your toes– it's a thrilling and refreshing approach both live and in studio. The highlights on this record are absolute barn-burners, and the whole LP is very enjoyable and notable.
On standout “Throw Yourself To The Sword” Ellie Livingston shouts “What’s it like knowing none of you bitches can compete?!” and on “Riding with my Girls”, she declares “ “Bigger things/ Bigger dreams/ Bigger fish/ I’m with my girls, and we’re gonna RIDE!”. These statements resonate through this record because they feel like thesis statements for the band's trajectory. Die Spitz have been said to be one of the more exciting rock and roll acts to emerge in recent years, and Something To Consume doubles down on that statement. Their spirit is vicious, their presence is huge, and the way they mesh all of their influences feels unique– surely, there is tons of excitement to come from this Austin 4-piece. It seems clear that they could expand on almost any of the directions from this album and find success– as each of the singers are multifaceted and talented in many modes. (...fingers crossed for a thrash/doom metal album similar to “Throw Yourself to the Sword” in the future…)
This record should be a hit for those into an array of modern rock and punk sub genres, and the band makes a hell of a case for becoming a new favorite band among fans of modern rock/punk bands like Mannequin Pussy, Viagra Boys, and Amyl & The Sniffers. Shred on, Die Spitz.
Occult Highlights: Throw Yourself to the Sword, Riding With My Girls, American Porn, Go Get Dressed, Voir Dire, Punishers
(…but we recommend you spin the whole thing while profusely head-banging)