DIE HAPPY, Vandal Moon

California-based duo Vandal Moon return with DIE HAPPY, a long awaited concept album that leans fully into digital paranoia and late-capitalist dread. Released on January 23, the record explores the consuming nature of technology and its hold on modern society. Internet culture influences every inch of this album, from the track titles to the digital sounds incorporated, creating a dystopian world that fully immerses the listeners.

Die Happy by Vandal Moon album cover.

Art by Jane Jürman, featuring Natalie Undead.

“It’s an art piece that possesses all the weirdness and off kilter vibes that our lives possess.

It’s not designed to pump you up or bring you down like some corporate commercial.

It represents the ebb and flow of real life, but puts you into an imaginary world we created where you can explore and think about your own life.”

— Blake Voss

Album Review

Everything written in this blog post is my own, unpaid opinion.

Heaven Without You

The album opens with “Heaven Without You,” a dark, atmospheric track that echoes Vandal Moon’s earlier work. The track feels like the perfect introduction, bridging the sounds of DIE HAPPY with the rest of the band’s discography. “Heaven Without You” is a twisted love song; as the band explained in an Instagram post, the track tells the story of “a man too sinful for heaven [who] kills the one he loves, believing her innocence can carry them both inside.”

Her Happiness Is Gone

“Her Happiness Is Gone” is the album’s first single, released on August 19, 2025, and served as listeners’ introduction to Vandal Moon’s new era of sound. In the context of the full album, the track feels like a perfect distillation of DIE HAPPY as a whole, combining digital instrumental textures, deep vocals, bright synths, a compelling hook, and a clear narrative.

High School Sucks (So Kiss Me)

“High School Sucks (So Kiss Me)” is the album’s second single, released September 30, 2025, featuring stunning vocals from Sister Nocturne. The track captures a bittersweet nostalgia, evoking memories of teenage recklessness. Listening to “High School Sucks (So Kiss Me)” feels like stepping back into a world you once thought you’d never leave, but now can only reach through distant memories.

Cyberbully

“Cyberbully” is a dark electronic track perfect for the goth club, driven by a propulsive beat and sharp synths. Voss’s vocals play off Sister Nocturne’s with a controlled tension that gives the track its edge.

Inside U

WOW, just wow! That is the word that came to mind when I first heard this song. Though it is practically impossible for me to choose a favorite from this album, “Inside U” might just be mine. The track is erotic and emotionally vulnerable hiding under a mask of stiff electronic sounds; as displayed with the forward robotic voice and Voss’s deep vocals in the background. The juxtaposition within this song makes it stand out among the rest. “Inside U” feels like a preview for what we can, or rather not know what to, expect from Vandal Moon. Something completely out of the ordinary, and a fresh sound within the goth scene.

Money Dance

The album’s final single, “Money Dance,” released on November 11, 2025, is a sharp critique of late-stage capitalism, disguising its message beneath a danceable beat. The track arrives at a time when economic inequality feels impossible to ignore, capturing the moral decay of the current climate. In a money hungry world, the money hungry survive; and “Money Dance” forces listeners to confront the cost of that reality.

Freeze Yr Blood

“Freeze Yr Blood” opens with Voss’s distorted vocals, layered with Sister Nocturne’s echoing voice in the background, immediately creating a sense of romantic longing. The repeated questions—“Do you have any idea how bad I want you?” and “Do you have any idea how much I need you?”—followed by a continuous string of similar lines builds a sensual, almost desperate tension within the song. At the same time, the track is easy to dance to, anchored by the catchy chorus that has been replaying in my head since my first listen.

Yr Girlfriend

“Yr Girlfriend” leans into sensuality and forbidden attraction, capturing the thrill of a dark desire. The track vaguely reminds me of Vandal Moon’s 2023 single “Sad Sad Girl,” while pushing forward with a quicker tempo and more mechanical production.

Sex Machine

I mean… Do I even have to explain what this song conveys? True to its title, “Sex Machine” is overtly sexy while still retaining Vandal Moon’s signature dark, twisted sound.

Die 4 U

Like “Heaven Without You,” “Die 4 U” feels like a call back to Vandal Moon’s earlier work, even weaving in references to “I’m Way Too High To Cry,” featuring Johnny Dynamite. Every element of the track is stunning, from its instrumentation to its deeply romantic, aching lyrics. Closing the album, “Die 4 U” personally makes me miss all of the complex feelings that come with being in love—longing for someone so deeply that the pain feels inseparable from the pleasure.

Final Thoughts

My personal standout tracks on this album have to be “Inside U,” “Die 4 U,” “Freeze Yr Blood,” and “Money Dance.” That being said, it’s hard to choose; just a week after the album’s release, my favorites keep changing. Each song is distinct, yet they all feel cohesive and essential to the story Vandal Moon is telling.

What I appreciate most about DIE HAPPY is how distinctly it stands apart from many contemporary goth releases. In recent years, a universal darkwave sound has come to dominate much of the scene, often blurring artists’ work into one another. By taking a risk in being different, Vandal Moon separates themselves from the others. DIE HAPPY ultimately serves as a testament to the importance, and liberation, of true artistic expression.

(From left) Blake Voss and Jeremy Einsiedler.

Photo by Jayson of Secret Playground Photography.

“This album exists in opposition to digital sedation and smiling prison we’re all encouraged to wriggle into and call contentment.

We made something different for us and for you.” 

— Blake Voss, Jeremy Einsiedler

(Vandal Moon via Instagram post)

Special thanks to Blake Voss and Jeremy Einsiedler! I’m incredibly grateful to have been involved in DIE HAPPY. As a longtime admirer of Vandal Moon’s work, this experience has truly been such a pleasure.

Stream DIE HAPPY on all platforms, support on Vandal Moon’s Bandcamp!

Resources

VANDAL MOON, www.vandalmoon.com/.

“Die Happy by Vandal Moon.” Vandal Moon, Bandcamp, 2026, vandalmoon.bandcamp.com/album/die-happy. 

“Vandal Moon on Instagram.” Instagram, https://www.instagram.com/vandalm00n/.