Die So Fluid
Grog: Vocals and Bass
Drew Richards: Guitar
Al Fletcher: Drums

It's all very well declaring you're a maverick, a loose canon, somehow above and apart from the herd but a picture is worth a thousand words, and though the cliche doesn't extend to it, an 18 track album is worth a million words. The 'Opposites Of Light' is the fourth from Die So Fluid and represents the moment they jump without a parachute. Right from the band's inception they always fit a bit awkwardly with their peers, who were more inclined to adhere to the restrictions of whatever pigeon hole we were all being stuffed into that week. But being the weird looking stepchild of the British Nu Metal scene was a lifetime ago and with each recording Die So Fluid have flaunted their individuality and found an audience that prize difference above familiarity.

'The Opposites Of Light' began as a working title the band chose for the new record because the material was going to be dark and heavy. As the writing progressed the record started to live up to it's own name and so became concrete. 10 songs featuring some of the heaviest playing the band has recorded and 8 songs going into dark and introspective depths only hinted at before. Egyptian violin virtuoso Samy Bishai returns to provide strings on several of the recordings and he is joined by guitar ace Niko Tsonev, performing mandolin, on one track. The band entirely self produced the record to maximise the time spent on performances and sounds and after extensive tracking Mark Williams returned to mix. The result is the most complete Die So Fluid record yet with a flair for post punk experimentation and yet on the other hand showing off the band's ability to craft traditional and timeless songs.

Profile:

Die So Fluid are the modern incarnation of a ‘power trio’. Their sonic identity possesses the muscle of metal, the angular cheekbones of post-punk and the bittersweet heart of grunge.

History:

Die So Fluid first surfaced in 2001, touring the country in the wake of their debut e.p. ‘Operation hypocrite’, released on Sanctuary. They released a further single, ‘suck me dry’ with Sanctuary before forming their own label, Cartesian, and releasing their third single ‘Disconnected’. In 2004 Cartesian released the band’s debut album, ’Spawn of Dysfunction’ in the UK. The album was universally well received and is still selling through the major chains of the UK and itunes worldwide. Promotion of ’Spawn of Dysfunction’ almost solely relied on the band touring the UK which they did tirelessly, turning up for over 300 shows between 2003 and 2006. Apart from pursuing a campaign of playing their own shows off the beaten track Die So Fluid supported bands like Drowning Pool, Vex Red, Clawfinger, Boy Hits Car, Feeder, Girlschool, Antiproduct and The Wildhearts. Further promotion of the album came from a single release of the title track licensed to Retinue records which was supported with a video featuring the babes and the fighters of a metal wrestling event.

Recording for ‘Not everybody gets a happy ending’ started in 2005 with the album’s opening track ‘Gang of one’. The finished recording was so good it actually caused a crisis within the band as they mutually agreed the song was the pinnacle of what they had been trying to achieve musically on ’Spawn of Dysfunction’. But in the end it was this realization that freed them to explore a wider range of influences and styles. So songs like ‘Existential Baby’ and ‘Test Confessional’ draw on Al’s ska background and ‘Throw you away’ features an Egyptian string arrangement thanks to one of Drew’s colleagues in, Gypsy troupe, The Death Orchestra. The finished record is the product of multiple sessions scattered over a two year period. This ungainly recording schedule was adopted because the record was being financed by royalties from ‘spawn’ - as they trickled in. For ‘Not everybody gets a happy ending’ Mark Williams was back in the producer’s chair at his new premises in the legendary Battery studios building in north west London The title track was partly fueled by the long drawn out recording process and, at the time, no prospect of a release. That changed in 2007 when the band found a new backer in Finland and finally ‘Not everybody gets a happy ending’ was made flesh. First single ‘Happy Halloween’ was released worldwide on iTunes on November 2nd 2007 and coincided with a Halloween festival appearance in Helsinki and Die So Fluid’s portrait by Paul Harries appearing on Finnish postal stamps. The esteemed rock photographer, and long time associate of the band, also directed the video for second single ‘Existential baby’. 'Not everybody gets a happy ending' was released in the UK in February 2008 to a great response and immediately entered the retail sales charts. The band then diligently followed the cascade of international releases – touring Finland, the USA (twice), Germany and the rest of Europe, appearing in nearly 20 different countries in 2009. As well as headlining festivals in Portugal, Germany and Switzerland Die So Fluid supported Eisbrecher, Mindless Self Indulgence, My Ruin, Ill Nino, Maj Karma, and Prong.

2010 saw the release of 'The World Is Too Big For one lifetime'. The band licensed the album to DR2 which
frankly restricted the breadth of the album's distribution. Nonetheless the press came back with universally
positive reviews and with the help of videos 'Mercury' (playlisted on Scuzz and Kerrang) and 'What a heart is
for' the band's audience continued to expand leading to sell out shows at the Scala and Dingwalls in London
and Virgin Oil Company in , home from home, Helsinki. The live popularity was also reflected in requests
for festival appearances in Finland, Holland, Spain as well as the UK including 3 appearances for Hard
Rock Hell. The album Itself was viewed by the band, and producer Mark Williams, as a consolidation of the
sound they had previously strove for. This was the first time the band had anything like a conventional
'month in the studio' album recording session. The record has been the band's best selling yet and helped
push their Spotify play count over 5 million. From the middle of 2011 the band went on hiatus, barring a
few live commitments including two sell out London shows and an exclusive performance at the London
Bass Guitar show. They started recording 'The opposites of light' in December 2012. The album will be out
March 2014. The first track ‘Black Blizzard’ released November 2013 with a stunning video is currently
receiving an abundantly positive reception and creating an international buzz. Die So Fluid’s US presence is
strengthening. Notably this track is in the official final selection of Classic Rock Magazine wildcard entries
for Songs Of The Year 2013!