Album review: Die Spitz – Something To Consume

Don’t let a German name, a French song title or an English album title distract you from the shared language that Die Spitz speak. It’s partly why Ava Schrobilgen, Chloe De St. Aubin, Ellie Livingston and Kate Halter can seamlessly interchange instruments and vocal duties, finding common ground in the musical mother tongue of Die Spitz. But first, the Austin quartet should remember their manners and teach us how to say hello.

Enter lead single Throw Yourself To The Sword, and its sledgehammer riff that could send Corey Taylor’s neck into a spasm. Blade in hand, the video tracks Ellie strutting around supermarkets and laundry rooms, demanding the listener ‘Give yourself to my sheath’ – although we’re not bending the knee to some bloodthirsty warlord. Instead, it's more of a universal call to arms, to inject strength and conviction into our own lives, or the world at large.

Herein lies the crux of Something To Consume: a thunderous, cathartic debut that remains subtly political and emotive while prioritising surface-level pandemonium. From top to bottom, it exists on the edge of a cliff.

Breakneck punk cut RIDING WITH MY GIRLS motors towards it, celebrating the sisterhood that propels Die Spitz onward. On the contrary, the contemplative Sound To No One hovers right over the drop zone, as Ellie wails, ‘Why should I stay here? / Is this it?’ over a Tool-esque riff before unleashing her inner Chino Moreno when the chorus lands.

Although opener Pop Punk Anthem (Sorry For The Delay) and the folk-like Voir Dire border on radio-friendly rock, Something To Consume is otherwise defined by its lack of rules. The clue’s in the name – this is a tasting menu of noisy treats to sink your teeth into, which naturally means sacrificing some cohesion in the name of unpredictability.

The takeaway is that playing it safe will never be an option for Die Spitz, who have set the exciting precedent for a sound that will remain on its toes.

Verdict: 4/5

For fans of: Dinosaur Pile-Up, The Distillers, Scowl

Something To Consume is released on September 12 via Third Man