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There’s a distinctly cathartic feel to the power-rock atmosphere that floats all over Diet Lite’s sound. With a constant switch-up of vocals, guitar and bass between Max Niemann and Kelson Kuzdas — backed by the hard-hitting rhythms of Evan Marsalli — the trio quickly became a staple in the Milwaukee scene. Shows that spilled out onto the crowd with a stage presence that’s equal parts jangly and sweaty earned them a rowdy reputation.

Diet Lite fill a packed room with a chaotic sound that remains pointed in its journey, but not its end, which makes sense for a band that radiates so much musical energy. It all has to go somewhere, right?

Today, it goes to the band’s new single, “X-Ray,” off their upcoming album Double Wide Yukon set to release next month.

There’s a clear layer in the band’s writing process that lets their individual perspectives flow into a natural whole. Musically, the song was written by Marsalli, while the lyrics were worked on by Kuzdas and Niemann individually. To no one’s surprise, the latter duo penned similar sentiments that represent, in the band’s own words, “the kinda feeling you might get when you find a fiver in a pocket while doing laundry, and it’s completely covered in hot tar.”

That sense of being thrown out of our day-to-day lives permeates “X-Ray.” The sense of self is gone; it’s just the noise now.

I push the button, and I know not how, but why
I got magic in the fingers and an unrelated rot in the mind
Lying patient in the presence of the prize
Sweet mother of invention, give me some kisses

Self-destructive creativity is a common theme for artists in general. The all-consuming act of creating anything becomes a problem in itself, for it quickly becomes the only thing an artist thinks about. Diet Lite personify this as an omniscient god that one must beg for grace.

Lying tall on our sad ivory stage
Won’t you take it, take it, take it, take it, take it, take it, take it, take it
I have it all and I can feel it sinking in
Now I have it all and I feel like swimming

There’s a salvation that comes from finishing a piece, but it’s a short one. The hit of dopamine that burns through you only burns for a short time. The only thing you can start thinking of afterward is what’s next. It blurs the lines between vice and opportunity that doesn’t necessarily need to leave you feeling better — just whole.

Sonically, the song mirrors the thematic pull of the lyrics, with sweat-soaked rhythms and virile guitar. It’s a rowdy batch of notes that pushes and pulls at the body, churning the insides until everything starts to boil. That’s what Diet Lite are all about: an unstoppable force with no clear end that just won’t stop going. “X-Ray” grabs the listener with no remorse for a little under two minutes and drops them off at another station with no rhyme or reason for how they got there.

If you want to go for a ride, listen to the song using the player at the top of the page or on the 88Nine airwaves throughout today (6:30 and 10:30 a.m.; 2:30 and 6:30 p.m.). Then stay tuned for when “X-Ray” releases this Friday, Oct. 17, followed by new album Double Wide Yukon on Nov. 14.

Jonathan Joseph is a Milwaukee-based multimedia freelance journalist who specializes in art and culture writing (and all things Milwaukee), with work appearing on Radio Milwaukee and in Milwaukee Magazine. Contact him via email or find him on LinkedIn.