Following a game changing year of turning the internet on its head and what is expected to be an explosive appearance at Big Day Out, the uncompromising force that is Death Grips have confirmed they will launch a full scale assault on audiences this January with their own headline shows in Melbourne and Sydney!
Vocalist Stefan Burnett and drummer Zach Hill may possibly be the most talked about act of 2012, having already turned ears and heads after dropping their major-label debut, The Money Store, earlier this year.
A record that censored none of their schizophrenic attitudes and controversial tastes, a record which our Tone Deaf reviewer said was “full of barren yet maximalist electronics made up of otherworldly samples, sickly synths and thunderous drum patterns with hyper-masculine aggressive rapping.”
It’s follow up however, NO LOVE DEEP WEB has stirred the music scene with even greater vigour however, when the on October 1st the Sacramento noise-rap crew leaked the album onto the internet without the permission of their label, Sony Music imprint Epic Records.
To add insult to injury, the extremely NSFW artwork featured the completely unsellable image of the album’s title written in marker across an erect penis.
But the world really paid attention after a bitter dispute began early October with their record label Epic, after the band deliberately leaked their sophomore album on their website and all over the net, which they subsequently claimed was shut down by the label, who did not give permission for the early release.
The tensions escalated when the band began to post confidential exchanges with Epic through their Facebook page, with some highly inflammatory captions included for good measure. Naturally, Epic promptly dropped Death Grips from their roster, and in a statement, the label claimed that they were “extremely upset and disappointed” at the Sacramento group’s actions.
But the buzz isn’t just about controversial album covers or subverting the music industry, it’s also about their critically lauded work. Defying both genre and convention, the Sacramento duo will showcase the furiously innovative and frenzied tracks that have seized the attention of critics worldwide.
SPIN named them 2012 ‘Artist Of The Year’ as well as unparalleled praise from Pitchfork, NME, Rolling Stone, The New Yorker and countless others. Their standout single ‘Guillotine’ from their highly sought after first mix tape ‘Exmilitary’ was named Time Out New York’s #1 single of 2011.
This was followed by their label debut The Money Store which was given 4 stars by The Weekend Australian, and No Love Deep Web could well be the most talked about release of 2012.
In a time when 360 degree deals and product placement are as much fixtures as the music itself, this kind of insurgence may just be the shot in the arm the industry needs… and Death Grips rabidly growing fan base is inclined to agree.
Death Grips rare live shows are a visceral experience; a bloody, toothy kiss on the mouth that will bring you to your knees. Don’t miss the show that everyone else will be going to.
Death Grips 2012 Australian Tour / Big Day Out 2013 Sideshows
Frontier Members pre-sale via www.frontiertouring.com/deathgrips 2pm AEDT Wednesday 5 December to 2pm AEDT Thursday 6 December
On sale from 9am local time, Friday 7 December
Sat 19 Jan Sydney | Oxford Art Factory (18+)
www.moshtix.com.au | Ph: 1300 438 849
Tue 22 Jan Melbourne | Ding Dong Lounge (18+)
www.oztix.com.au | Ph: 1300 762 545
