A record executive with an international perspective told me around the time of DZ Deathrays’ debut album Bloodstreams (2012) that the Brisbane two-piece were the most interesting band in Australia. Now, in 2014, with the release of Black Rat,one would think this curiosity would only intensify.
The enigma that is DZ Deathrays exists because for all the pop hooks and massive choruses that Simon Ridley (drums) and Shane Parsons (guitar) insert into DZ Deathrays’ sound, there is a density and inaccessibility to this band that keeps them well away from the mainstream rock category.
The two singles, Gina Works At Hearts and Northern Lights, that preceded Black Rat’s release, are individually great songs but with little musical relationship. This welcomed discrepancy alluded to a variable album in style, but certainly not quality.
Gina Works At Hearts is a speed-fuelled skater punk banger. Urgency is at the forefront of this song’s sonics with the track ripping through a punchy verse, soaring chorus and expansive bridge within the first 45 seconds.
Northern Lights,on the other hand, is post-chillwave meets pop-rock. Juxtaposing the pace of this song beside Gina’sit feels as though you’re listening to a different band.
With these two precedents in mind, listening to the album one can almost divide the songs into team ‘heavy’ and team ‘chill/prog’. The pin-up tune of team ‘heavy’ is Ocean Exploder. If you’re reading this review online look-up Ocean Exploder right now because it is like a shot of tequila at six in the morning – mind melting-stuff. Another sick-arse heavy tune is the album’s title and opening song Black Rat. This song is brutal but also woozy and to a certain degree, sexy.
DZ Deathrays are signed to I Oh You, a label they share with grunge wunderkind Violent Soho, and from listening to the song Keep Myself On Edge it would appear DZ are taking cues from Soho’s post grunge.
This album is so good that the perceived stylistic inconsistency actually becomes a strength because listening to this album is like the having the best radio station in the world on in the background – you don’t know what’s coming next but you know that it’s going to be good.
DENVER MAXX
Best Track: Ocean Exploder
If You Like These, You’ll Love This: Hungry Ghost VIOLENT SOHO, Skying HORRORS, Here And Nowhere Else CLOUD NOTHINGS
In A Word: Saaaaaaaaaa (good)
