Reviewer: Chris Rickett

Released: 18th August 2014

Label: Infectious

Brisbane-duo DZ Deathrays have been battering Aussie house parties for the last half-decade with their vulgar breed of high voltage thrash-pop. From 2012’s ‘Bloodstreams’ to the mainstream, ‘Black Rat’ is essentially their debut album with sunglasses on – the party just hasn’t stopped. Throw in some shrill falsetto, a few ‘oh baby’s and more repeated refrains than a parakeet with OCD and what you’re left with is near 40 minutes of slow and sweaty seduction executed exquisitely by weeping guitar.

Title track ‘Black Rat’ is the first in line to sink its teeth into your ear canals, and it definitely draws blood. It’s sexy and patient, but, in addition, loud and all-up-in-your-business in a mismatch pairing that hasn’t come out of Australia since the Minogues. Part of this two-pronged sonic sound mash is owed to the skill of producer Burke Reid, while the other is just an aural salute to the ‘take no prisoners’ attitude that Simon Ridley and Shane Parsons have for their instruments.

Either way, it’s a rip-roaring start. Lead single and certified skater banger ‘Gina Works At Hearts’ then sucker punches you for good, with a ‘take notice’ chorus the ear equivalent of a boob job, before ‘Less Out Of Sync’ and ‘Reflective Skull’s good cop/bad cop call-and-response verses lure you even deeper into the band’s catharsis. But this record’s stylistic consistency is no more than that of oil and water. ‘Northern Lights’, ‘Night Walking’ and ‘Tonight Alright’ offer a more restrained attack, colouring in-between the lines as opposed to the previous splash buckets of noise.

But it’s poised in that passing lull where ‘Ocean Exploder’ then erupts into consciousness with a killer riff. Forget exploded, that ocean has been pulverised. Punchier than an agitated Tyson, this song sounds sweaty, and sports enough animalistic screams to remind you that you’re not in fact listening to a Franz Ferdinand number. Because that’s the thing, this record noticeably draws upon a much wider range of influences than their first. This is best exemplified by album closer ‘Nightslave’ which sounds like Optimus Prime rocking out in an electro-disco onslaught.

Overall, it doesn’t really matter whether a track leans further towards Animal Collective than Foo Fighters, it won’t stop you from kicking your foot out at every snare hit regardless. So pull up a seat and tuck into this dark dish for some sticky Saturday night dancefloor pop-metal.

Hope you’re hungry.

Tags: Album Reviews, Reviews, DZ Deathrays, Infectious

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