While the album title is a direct reference to the Die Hard franchise, after listening to the 16 tracks that make up With a Vengeance, I can’t think of a more apt title. According to dictionary.com, the phrase “with a vengeance” means “with great violence or energy; also to an extreme degree.” The band picks you up and shakes you from the opening cumbia-inspired “Nothing Like a Good Old Fashioned Witch Hunt” and doesn’t let go until the gospel punk of “Praise to the Algorithm.” It’s also very common for songs to change songs and tempo part way through. The result is an album that keeps you on your toes and never gets stale.
To accompany the musical diversity showcased on the album, Hans Gruber and the Die Hards use humor, cynicism, and sarcasm to express their views. With a Vengeance is an album filled with plenty of social and political commentary. Songs like “Let’s Drive Everywhere” is a song that showcases the bands sarcasm and wit extremely well. In the song, the band suggests we should drive everywhere because it’ll warm up the Earth and make it more comfortable. It also calls for us to murder all the dolphins because they’re assholes. Every lyric in that song is dripping with sarcasm and wit. It’s catchy, funny, and really helps put things in perspective regarding our environment.
When I say there really is something for everyone here, I’m not joking.
I already mentioned cumbia and gospel influences, but it doesn’t stop there. While Hans Gruber and the Die Hards are technically considered a ska punk band, pigeon-holing them into that genre does them a disservice. They are tremendously talented because they can take multiple genres and link them in the same song seamlessly. In any given moment, you’ll hear punk, hardcore, ska, crack rocksteady, thrash, and heavy metal. At times, they sound like one of the most innovative ska punk bands ever, The Blue Meanies. Other times, I feel like I hear a little System of a Down, Violent Femmes, or Mr. Bungle creep in.
I can honestly say that With a Vengeance will likely be the most original and diverse album in the independent punk and ska scene this year. The energy oozes from each song, making for an engaging listening experience. I found myself just playing the album on repeat all day when I first heard it because there was always something you may have missed the previous spin because there’s that much diversity. It’s truly a credit to the band that they can pull off such a kaleidoscope of manic energy and make it cohesive and infectious. With how involved the music is on each song, lesser musicians would crumble under the pressure. A lot of credit should also go to Rosey Armstrong, who is one hell of a saxophone player. Hans Gruber and the Die Hards, on the other hand, come back With a Vengeance. This album finds the band at their best. I can’t wait to hear what they do next.