Death Valley Dream Cult Drops New Single and Video”Carpe Diem”
A Genre-Disrupting Anthem of Radical Self-Belief
Emerging Los Angeles-based duo Death Valley Dream Cult (DVDC) has officially released their second single and music video, “Carpe Diem“. Following the momentum of their debut release, “Death of Creation,” earlier this year, the track serves as a perfect follow-up that cements the band’s reputation for blending raw rock energy with hip-hop influence and punk spirit.
This artistic collective is led by singer Greta Janssen and Nate Ascending on guitar and vocals. “Carpe Diem” features Owen Michael Guercio on drums and production and synth work from Tom Saint.
“Complacency is the Death of Creation“
At the heart of Death Valley Dream Cult lies a foundational mantra introduced with their debut: “Complacency is the death of creation”. For the band, this is more than a slogan; it is a rejection of the “victim complex” and a call to radical agency. Janssen explains that the track is about the refusal to “soften my edges” to be digestible to others, instead using her own self-defined moral code as a beacon.
“Carpe Diem” represents the next stage of this mission—pushing the philosophy further and sharper than before. The track was written and recorded in Janssen’s apartment, capturing a raw sense of urgency that emphasizes artistic freedom and the refusal to wait for permission to exist. Nate Ascending adds that the song is about embodying the life you want and maintaining the resilience to fight for your art even when facing failure.
LA Skate Culture and the Legacy of Rebellion
The accompanying music video for “Carpe Diem” serves as a love letter to Los Angeles skate culture. The band chose to film at a local skate park because it was a place where Nate and his friends “had been practically living“. By highlighting this setting, the duo expresses their pride in Los Angeles as the city where skateboarding originated.
Just as the Zephyr team revolutionized skating in the mid-70s with a raw, surf-inspired DIY style born in the streets of Santa Monica and Venice, we love how DVDC carries that torch of authenticity into a new era rooted in the foundational pillars of that history with their genre defying sound.
Visually, the video intentionally channels a late 90s and early 2000s MTV vibe. To match their unapologetic creative ethos and “typical Death Valley fashion,” the band rounds out the DIY rebellion of the visuals by “setting some shit on fire”.
A Sound for the Next Generation
DVDC describes their sound as being designed for a generation navigating disillusionment, reinvention, and the need for creative freedom. By fusing rock, punk, and alternative influences, the duo and their revolving artistic collective aim to forge a path rooted in authenticity and rebellion.
Death Valley Dream Cult is currently building toward the release of their debut EP, slated for later in 2026. “Carpe Diem” is available now for streaming, and the official video can be viewed on all major platforms. Find it HERE.
Follow DVDC HERE
