Newcastle alternative punk outfit Dead Mall have returned with ‘RATS’, a confrontational new single that marks the band’s first release since last year’s debut album SUPERLIMINAL. It’s a track that pares back the production in favour of something more immediate, signalling a notable shift in both songwriting and sonic direction.
Stream it HERE.
Recorded, mixed and produced by guitarist Darcy Long, before being mastered by Grammy-winning engineer Alan Douches (Converge, Misfits, Every Time I Die), ‘RATS’ trades some of the band’s previous experimentation for a leaner, heavier approach. Drawing influence from metalcore touchstones Poison The Well and Every Time I Die, the song balances controlled chaos with flashes of melody, allowing its intensity to emerge from the performances rather than studio polish.
Lyrically, Dead Mall continue to occupy unusual territory. Frontman Ruairi Burns has previously found inspiration in subjects as disparate as the original Australian Big Brother and obscure Saturday Night Live sketches. This time, the spark comes from The Church of the SubGenius, the satirical movement whose absurdist pamphlets blurred the lines between religion, advertising and social commentary. Burns channels that imagery into a song filled with suburban unease, black humour and surreal observations, creating a world that feels unsettling without losing its sense of irony.
The accompanying video, directed by Nathan Rathsam, expands on those ideas. Initially inspired by Donnie Darko, the clip gradually shifts perspective, with Burns pursuing a mysterious rat-like figure through increasingly eerie scenes. Rathsam also draws visual influence from Chat Pile and David Lynch’s Rabbits, giving the video a dreamlike quality that complements the song’s darker edges.
Since the release of SUPERLIMINAL, Dead Mall have steadily expanded their audience through extensive touring, sold-out headline shows in Sydney and Melbourne, and support slots alongside Trophy Eyes, Anberlin, Dregg, Honest Crooks and others.
To celebrate the release of ‘RATS’, Dead Mall will co-headline a hometown show at Newcastle’s King Street Hotel on 7 August, joined by Sydney outfit Homesick with support from Grip Down and Written On The Body.
Tickets HERE.
