#Drink This Music

[doomedandstoned]

DIE LIKE GENTLEMEN Return with Fiery Double Album ‘Hard Truths’

~Doomed & Stoned Debuts~

By Billy Goate

“Ocean at Night with Burning Ship” by Marcus Larson

DIE LIKE GENTLEMEN have always represented to me the ideal fusion of rock and metal. Drawing on their sludgey roots, the Portland, Oregon quartet adopts progressive and dramatic elements for a punchy sound that is, in the band's words, "new and original, yet familiar." This is no less true on their fifth album, 'Hard Truths' (2021).

In the opener "Guts of a Beggar," a homeless man proclaims: "How can you just step over me? I'm still a man. Even stewing in my own filth, I’m still a man." It is sung with lusty aplomb by the throaty vocals of frontman Adam Alexander. High drama at its best, the first chapter of what feels like an epic adventure as the record spins along.

This takes us to the apocalyptic, "Last Night On Earth," which bemoans our blithe attitude towards this place we call home, as we tear it away little by little.

We’ll pay by degrees plastic tides recede mountains of debris

"Whipping Boy" begins with a chugging gallop and vocals that reach levels of epic doom, mingled with elements of the New Wave of British Heavy Metal. The verses and choruses here are hearty and robust, something that's become a Die Like Gentlemen trademark.

whatever crimes the kings devise the whipping boy will pay the price

"Letting in the Rain" is another standout track, coming later in the album. It captures the gloom, uncertainty, and paranoia of isolation during a long Northwest winter ("Did I leave these footprints on my floor? Did I unlock this door?").

There is sardonic humor on the record, too, as on "Bury Me." If you've ever wanted to watch the world burn, then perhaps you can relate to this dying man's plea:

Bury me but only up to my eyes so I can see the world and watch the spool unfurl

Bury me but only up to my nose so I can smell the smoke and hear the living choke

Lyrics seem to touch upon matters relatable to our time, yet strangely removed from it, as if coming from the realm of dreams. It's like a Dr. Suess poem full of odd characters, unusual turns of a phrase, and whimsical illusions. Not quite a Neil Fallon word salad (Clutch) or a Serge Tankian spittoon (System of a Down), Die Like Gentlemen nevertheless traffic in the urgent, carnal, and bizarre.

The music itself seems to pull you right out to sea in an undertow of brash vocals, bold tonal choices, progressive stylings, and frenetic unease. When I search for the nearest anchoring point, I compare it with Mastodon's Leviathan.

In the end, vocalist/guitarist Adam Alexander comments:

We just write what we write. We all share a lot of influences – classic rock, death metal, doom, grunge. I guess it’s where we feel most comfortable: darkness, anger, anxiety, depression and doom. We’re not the first band to find freedom in dwelling on darker aspects but we’re always following different inspirations to keep things interesting.

Hard Truths is Die Like Gentlemen's most robust effort to date. It releases March 17th and will be issued on CD and 2xLP in addition to digital via Drink This Music (pre-order here). For fans of Mastodon, The Lord Weird Slough Feg, and Melvins.

Give ear...

Hard Truths by Die Like Gentlemen

SOME BUZZ

It’s remarkable to think that almost ten years on from the release of their 2013 debut, 'Romantic Delusions of Hell,' venerable cult rockers Die Like Gentlemen remain one of Portland Underground’s best kept secrets.

Born into the city’s heavy music scene; distinguished, eloquent and steeped in the spirit of Priest and Sabbath, for too long the Pacific Northwest’s gain has very much been the wider world’s loss.

However, this year all that should change. The band makes a thunderous return and with it bring their progressive rock leanings, deft song writing, heavy metal riffs, and well-warranted self-confidence on 'Hard Truths' (2023), their fifth studio album and most ambitious and cohesive work yet.

Photograph by Stephanie Savenkoff

The last few years have been a challenge for everyone in our little town of Portland: the politics, the pandemic, the isolation, the wildfires, the protests, the crime, the poverty, the addicted, and the toll of all this upon our collective mental well-being.

This album, years in the making, was written against this backdrop of turmoil, always keeping in mind that we cannot defeat our demons without first staring them in the face and acknowledging them for what they are: an aspect of ourselves.

'Hard Truths' is a swirling tempest of heavy metal and classic rock, in keeping with the band’s Odysseus-like approach to exploration, rocking hard against prevailing winds of change. A full hour of twists and turns, wails and screams, passion and precision, and through it all, grappling with some very hard truths about ourselves and the world.

Follow The Band

Get Their Music

[365filmsbyauroranocte]

Priscilla (Sofia Coppola, 2023)

[queermasculine]

that post lesbian event afterglow.. getting home looking in the mirror sweaty as fuck and alive

[techn0tony]

I present to you: Donnie's design from my Future AU (that still does not have a name-)

Okay so a few things I should mention:

It's hard to see these details, but he has a robotic hand and eye (and one of his legs as well)

He is so fucking tall, he is taller than Leo even (but shorter than Raph of course). And yes he does tease Leo about it

He is the second brother to die, but I haven't decided his cause of death yet

There is a lore reason for places on his skin being blue, but it would be spoilers for my Separated AU if I told the reason x.x

This is the same Donnie from my Separated AU, my AU's are connected

EDIT MONTHS LATER LMAO:

Augh okay so actually I updated this recently: He does not die after Raph anymore, now Donnie is the first brother who dies

And the AU has a name now! It's the Genius Built AU

[nataliliv]

Let the evening bring harmony and peace ❤️ ☕ 🌹

[nanmo-wakaran]

sheet music coffee☕🎼

[zillychu]

there is a heinous lack of Venti + Mondstadt character content and I'm one category 7 autism event away from filing the void myself

[boredomsbonedeep]

they're gonna bring jason back right?? and piper's coming too? and she'll be an important part of the plot instead of just getting mentioned at the end? and leo will be there? and then valgrace?

[buglaur]

simself because i made a tank top

[jelepermets]

Shoutout to Kyle Adams for singing "Drink with Me" right at Enjolras. Facing him directly, staring into his soul, his voice breaking. 12/10 I'll never recover

[ecoharbor]

📍Capri, Italy 🇮🇹

[adri-atics]

I’m so obsessed with Drink With Me you guys don’t understand - the resignation, the acceptance of what will inevitably come in the morning, the choice they made to stay and see it all through to the end, despite everything.

Then Grantaire says:

“Can it mean you fear to die?”

“Can it mean your death means nothing at all?”

Which are such strong and beautiful lines, but also the voice of all their fears. Maybe it was all for nothing. Maybe they died for a belief that could never be.

And yet the next verse is happy and hopeful and dedicated to camaraderie. They don’t want to die, but they will. And they chose to spend their last night with their friends.

“Here’s to you, and here’s to me.”

[xo-myloves]

I need to drink how Duffy used too 💋🖤

(Not sexually or making fun of having a alcohol addiction)

[fishfingersandscarves]

about 8 hours - tom cardy | sandman animatic

thumbnail under cut:

[macksartblock]

i just want to say your art is so cool oh my gods like genuinely its so…. dhdhhsdhbajdbabdbdb.:!!.!!:₱;!:’ THE STYLIZATION IS SO!!!!! RHE WAY EVERYTHING FLOWS TOGETEHR OGH H YMGMDODDDDDD ITS SO COOPL!!!!!!! YOUR MESSY DOODLES R SO COOL TOO OH HMY GODDDDNdjdhsbhdbdbwjshshab

ok km. normal. normal now. on the topic of normal i would like to request a little normal oak… my boy… you Do Not need to do it though!!!!!! i just wanted to say your art is very cool whebjabsbs

thank you so much this is very sweet - I've been dying lately due to heat warnings in my area LOL happy pride <3 <3

[shiftythrifting]