Deathrats Demo - Review in MRR #316

One of the best hardcore demos I've heard in a long time. DEATHRATS plays "dark and heavy" hardcore that is likely influenced by bands such as DROPDEAD, DEATHREATS, TO WHAT END?, and SKITSYSTEM among others. The songs have a lot of great riffs, cool instrument breaks, crucial feedback at exactly the right moments, and vocal phrasing that works really well with the music, all played a bit faster than usual for this style. Chrstine's livid vocals seriously send chills down my spine, and there's a refreshing earnestness and intelligence to her anger, as she takes on people that project their own misery onto how they treat others, how the male gaze keeps her from developing a positive self-image on her own terms, and how the need for girls to stop hating each other and band together is just as relevant now as it was in the heyday of riot grrl. All of this servers as further proof that girls/women in punk have more reason to be pissed than their male counterparts. Upcoming 7" on To Live A Lie Records, but get this in the meantime.