If you haven’t heard of Genre Is Death yet, that’s about to change — and loudly.
The Brooklyn-by-way-of-suburban-doom duo of Ty V (guitar, vox) and Tayler Lee (bass, vox) just dropped their new single Attractive People b/w Cold Man, and it’s exactly the kind of abrasive, hypnotic noise that makes you feel like the city is alive and slightly unhinged around you. Which, honestly? Same.
Donita Sparks of L7 said it best: ”Attractive People is both menacing and sexy, living in the dark urban corners where the roaches still roam.” Lydia Lunch — who knows a thing or two about beautifully ugly music — called them “Sexy Southern Fried Psycho-Sludge… heavy as hell, wonderfully weird and absolutely irresistible.” Cynthia Sley of Bush Tetras rounds it out with “a whirlwind of grinds, squalls, screams and power.” When those three women co-sign your sound, you pay attention.
The origin story is as NYC as it gets. Genre Is Death packed up their suburban day-drinking-and-doom-metal existence and moved to New York City in August 2023 chasing something more. A chance encounter with 80s noise forerunners Live Skull cracked open the strange underbelly of the NYC noise scene, and suddenly they were sharing stages with The Art Gray Noizz Quintet, Lydia Lunch, Cherubs, Bush Tetras, and Jon Spencer. In 2025 alone they hit New Colossus Festival and toured with Gogol Bordello. Not bad for a couple of kids from the suburbs.
Their comparisons to Sonic Youth and Teenage Jesus and the Jerks are earned, but Genre Is Death aren’t interested in cosplaying the past. They’ve carved out something distinctly their own — a sound that Ty and Tayler describe as a direct reflection of the deep mutual respect between them. You can feel it. That’s the thing about music made from genuine connection; it hits different.
Their debut album, also titled Attractive People, drops May 1 on In the Red Records — and it was recorded with none other than Martin Bisi, the legendary engineer behind records by Sonic Youth and Swans. No pressure, no big deal, totally fine.
For the vinyl heads: a limited edition 7” will be available in person only at their album release show on May 3 at Madame X in NYC. You’ve been warned.
Catch them live — they’ve got a Southern run supporting Lydia Lunch before the big NYC release:
∙ 4/16 — Denton, TX @ Rubber Gloves
∙ 4/17 — Austin, TX @ Far Out Lounge
∙ 4/19 — New Orleans, LA @ Siberia (+ Mike IX of Eyehategod)
∙ 4/20 — Birmingham, AL @ Saturn Club (+ Mike IX of Eyehategod)
∙ 4/21 — Atlanta, GA @ 529
∙ 4/22 — Asheville, NC @ Fleetwoods
∙ 4/23 — Chapel Hill, NC @ Local 506
∙ 4/24 — Washington, DC @ Comet Ping Pong
∙ 4/25 — Philadelphia, PA @ Ruba Club
∙ 5/3 — New York, NY @ Madame X — Album Release Show
Attractive People is out May 1 on In the Red Records. Follow Genre Is Death on Bandcamp / Instagram.
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