Having supported MUST DIE! for years now, it’s difficult to come up with new words to describe how influential his artistry has been on the bass realm. Veteran, legend, pioneer – all words used repeatedly to describe the Seattle-based creative, and all accurate descriptions. The real genius of MUST DIE!, though, has to be his ability to continuously innovate in a saturated scene often laced with cookie-cutter tracks. Despite being a household name in the dubstep community, genre-fluidity runs deep through MUST DIE!’s veins, and his newest album out via Never Say Die titled CRISIS VISION is the only proof one needs.
CRISIS VISION has been a long time coming. The artwork from singles dating back to March 2020 all contribute to the album’s final artwork, indicating that the vision (no pun intended) behind the collection had been conceptualized far before any fans could have even imagined. The time put into the project is incredibly evident throughout, with every single piece being equally impressive on its own, but collectively coming together to form a truly mesmerizing ensemble. Aside from the ingenious dubstep singles ‘NERVE DAMAGE,’ ‘SORROW TECH‘ and ‘LOL OK‘ alongside Skream and Akeos, MUST DIE! had previously released the hardstyle-leaning ‘HELLBURST‘ as well as the infectious bass house bop ‘DON’T EVEN BOTHER‘ featuring The Pom-Poms. That’s three genres in five singles, all executed to perfection, and that’s just the tip of the iceberg.
From the absolutely gut-wrenching opener, ‘NIHILISM BEGINS AT HOME,’ to portions of other tracks such as ‘ERROR’ with onumi, there’s no shortage of dubstep in the rest of the project, too. However, it’s the versatility beyond that envelope that makes CRISIS VISION such an exquisite album. Expecting a drum and bass heater between MUST DIE! and IMANU? Think again, but the former has got you covered in ‘BODY SCREAM.’ Rave anthems, late-night club beats, and mind-melting bass can all be found in CRISIS VISION. And while bass-centric albums are now becoming few and far between, largely due to artists stagnating on a style or sound, CRISIS VISION is sure to keep you hooked from start to finish due to its sheer diversity. Don’t miss it below.
