DEAF RAT opens the curtain on a sinister but tempting stage set from a dark musical with massive guitar riffs and strong melodies. This is the band that fills up the cracks in the ageing concrete between LED ZEPPELIN, BLACK SABBATH,GUNS’N’ROSES and PANTERA: A new Hard Rock force that is rising and ready to rise over clichés, borders and prejudices.
DEAF RAT are a bunch of Swedish guys, coming from different angles in Hard Rock Scene and hailing their music with a lot of dirt, darkness and melody.
An important reason for the pretty broad sound of DEAF RAT is the different music taste of the single band members, as singer Frankie Rich states: „Max has IRON MAIDEN and D-A-D as his childhood heroes. Pat is heavily influenced by LED ZEPPELIN and AC/DC. Me, my biggest influences when I grew up were KISS, WASP, PANTERA and ALICE COOPER“ On
their unholy mission, DEAF RAT have only one message to share with the world: Live your life to the fullest since it is the only one you have! „You should think for yourself, follow your heart and dreams and let nobody else decide what is best for you in life“, Frankie sums up the philosophy. A philosophy, that DEAF RAT embodies like no one else:To pay the rent between tours the band members have worked at a local theatre and a special effects company, something that sparked an interest in building props and effects for their live show. Also, a common childhood interest in blowing things up has found a natural outlet in some serious pyrotechnics. DEAF RAT is, in the truest sense of the word, one of Sweden’s most explosive live acts. The years of studio experience have taught the band to harness that fire and transfer it to tape: Every day comes with new challenges, new struggles but also new opportunities, and the only thing that is certain, is that you cannot control anything. Nowadays, we don’t believe in anything until we see it happen“, Frankie adds. This ungovernable energy and trust now led the band to their first long player: „Ban The Light“, an impulsive, energetic album bursting out into catchy melodies, heavy riffs – and strong lyrics: DEAF RAT do not close their eyes to current problems in our society.
The album is inspired by yesterday’s and tomorrow’s evening news, where politics and religion are used to justify horrible acts. The album tells the story of people stuck in a world where free will is taken away, slowly, step by step, without anyone noticing. The first stroke of DEAF RAT was produced by Erik Berglund and is the soundtrack of a dark and grainy dystopia, a should-have-been-made movie directed by the Devil with a cast of thoroughly bad men and evil women. Basic tracks were recorded live in the band’s own Ballroom Studios in Falun, to capture as much as possible of the band’s on-stage energy. Vocals, overdubs and mixing were also done in Falun.
This crave for music may lie in the genes of DEAF RAT since their home region Dalarna in Sweden produced many great bands thrilling the music industry since years like PAIN, HYPOCRISY, TWILIGHT FORCE and SABATON. A small region with long traditions in mining, steel industry, music and a healthy dose of DIY attitude. “We’re hard workers”, says Frankie Rich. “If we want something done, we do it ourselves. This is definitely reflected in our music“ One does not need to be a clairvoyant to see that the stars are all in line for DEAF RAT to become a characterizing band in Hard Rock scene in the next years. So, hold your breath, keep your eyes open and be ready for a new century to begin: Be ready for DEAF RAT!
Dustin Hardman / AFM Records