Diät

Reviews

Diät S.O.36 Berlin Sept ’22 LP

I’ve been a fan of DIÄT since the Positive Energy LP—I’m a sucker for their cold punk rock. When I saw Iron Lung had released a live recording, well, let’s just say I was stoked. S.O. 36 is a legendary Berlin venue, and the night that DIÄT played there in September of 2022 was most certainly a special night, as the recording is alive with frenetic energy. The setlist included some of my favorites like “Foreign Policy,” “Dogshit,” and “Dead Body,” all of which sound accurate, fresh, and dynamic in their live presentation. If you’ve never listened to DIÄT, this is a great place to get started, as this recording covers material from the band’s near-decade run. As a fan, this is an unexpected gift and a perfect encapsulation of DIÄT.

Diät Positive Disintegration LP

Four years following the excellent Positive Energy, we are presented with the dense Positive Disintegration. The overall tone here is sullen and tragic, distinctly marked by a subdued, deadpan vocal style and repetitious rotating rhythms. Build-until-release style songwriting, pulsating and throbbing drum sounds, but they’re still a “rock band.” Simple guitar hooks act as choruses, and the vocals appear almost as a support to the strong rhythm section, but it’s important to note the relevant lyrical themes. Relatable, biting criticism and satire of our social circles, ourselves, and the society that we wish we weren’t inherently a part of. Predictably, my favorite is the most uptempo “Foreign Policy,” which has an unmistakable CHAMELEONS vibe, and appears to be a critique of the way their fellow Germans approach Palestinian struggle (cue applause). It’s hard not to think of TOTAL CONTROL, though DIÄT feels a bit more focused (just to be clear, I’m not choosing either one). This album doesn’t smack you in the face like the last, but if you show up, it might sneak up behind and drag you into a dark pit of hellish reality.