Artist Spotlight: Must Die!

As we patiently await the arrival of the Never Say Die fall tour lineup, it is necessary to focus on the unique character that is Must Die! The man behind the persona goes by the name of Lee Austin Bates and has been present in the bass scene under his current alias since March of 2012. Inspired by anime, childhood memories, and a knack for ridiculous sound design, Must Die! Has created a plethora of mind-boggling remixes and originals that have been released on major record labels such as Dim Mak, Play Me, Firepower, and Never Say Die Records. The diversity of Must Die!’s production is apparent as he covers genres such as dubstep, drum and bass, and electro house in his long list of releases.

Must Die! Has been a pioneer in the field of sound design among other dubstep artists such as Skrillex, Excision, and Borgore. Many of his old projects from two to three years ago host noises that other artists are just beginning to create and use today. Almost every song in Must Die!’s discography is composed of vastly unique sounds making his arsenal of high quality noises one of the most diverse in the scene. This type of individuality and ability to brand a certain electronic sound has landed Must Die! collaborations with major names such as Skrillex, Zomboy, and Datsik as well as an almost constant tour schedule.

It is obvious from the music that the energy at a Must Die! Performance is sure to be off the  charts. The massive, stadium sized melodies will consume your mind and body, launching listeners into a trance of pure bliss. With a perfectly developed and short build up, these beautiful melodies are cut short by an entourage of distorted mayhem that could be characterized by an intergalactic space battle with many lasers and explosions. Coming from a veteran fan of Must Die!, it would be wise to check out all his projects stemming back to 2012. It is very interesting to see the progression of his sound design and what he has changed and improved to put him in the spotlight he resides in today. This is a show you do not want to miss as Must Die! Is accompanied by Never Say Die colleagues Spag Heddy and Eptic on October 22nd at Monarch Theatre!   

Connect with Must Die!: Twitter | Facebook | Soundcloud

Sources: The DJ List