Customer Reviews

Die Happy/Volume 2

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I first listened to Die Happy in 1993, and even then, getting a CD of them was nigh impossible, at least, around these parts. I searched in vain for years. Now, thanks to KMG records, I have finally gotten both Die Happy CD's in one!

If I had to classify them sepparately, I'd rate 'Die Happy' (the 1st album) with a 5, and 'Volume II' (unsurprisingly, the 2nd one) with a 4 at best. But the first one is so good that I have to give the pack a 5.

If you never heard Die Happy, and you wanna know how it sounds, well, pick Metallica (pre-Load and all those) and change James Hetfield on the vocals for W. Axl Rose. Now add some hard rock Gospel lyrics. What you imagined sounds almost like what Die Happy is. I heard a lot of Christian Metal bands, and Die Happy is certainly one of the best.

When I ordered it, I didn't know wether it was only Volume II, a double CD containing both, or what. Well, if you ask yourself that question: here's the answer. It's a single CD with all the tracks of both albums, except "Bone Doctor", "Silver Cloud", and "Cole's Atomic soul funk thang". My only regret beside those 'lost tracks', is that it lacks the lyrics...

Hope they're available somewhere on the 'net...

Christian metal band Die Happy is made up of nearly everyone from the extreme metal band Vengeance Rising. Unhappy with the direction their former band was taking, the departing members formed the somewhat more mainstream act Die Happy.

Comparisons to thrash legends Metallica and Megadeth are perfectly valid. Die Happy's particular style mixes thrash metal with some more melodic elements, particularly with the vocals. To my ears the band sounds like a mix of Metallica, Megadeth, doom metal masters Solitude Aeternus (with a somewhat faster pace of course), and the tragically overlooked metal band Wicked Maraya (check them out; you'll thank me later). The results are interesting enough, and should please a fair amount of metal fans. And while Die Happy is undoubtedly a Christian band, they don't beat you over the head with it. Unless you're reading their lyrics while listening to the album, you probably won't notice the band's religious message.

The shift in styles between the self-titled 1992 album and its follow up Volume II is noticeable. The band still plays metal, but they obviously picked up on grunge's wake-up call, introducing some slightly dirtier, Soundgarden/Alice in Chains style elements. It's done pretty well, but I'm always more impressed when a metal band is content to remain metal, rather than glomming onto the latest trends.

Calling this Die Happy/Volume II or even a 2-on-1 release is more than a bit misleading. This particular disc serves as more of a "best-of" compilation of material from Die Happy's first two albums. It's a bare bones compilation at that, containing no band photos, lyrics, and only rudimentary liner notes. If you're looking for a relatively inexpensive was to get acquainted with Die Happy's particular brand of metal, then this is as good a place to start as any. If you're expecting to get two complete releases on one CD, however, you will be disappointed.

NOTE: There is another, more recent band from Germany called Die Happy. That band has nothing to do with this one.