Sydney-based nu-metal/hardcore outfit Deficit are set to release their new EP ‘DEATHSTYLE’ this Friday 21 November.
The band dropped by to give us a track by track breakdown of the killer new EP and insight what inspired it!
- SUFFOCATE//DEADWEIGHT
To open the EP we wanted an energetic, urgent feeling track to really grab hold of the listener. Includes a very “Deficit” style beatdown, and the track is underpinned with some 90s-ish D’n’B style production we made. Lyrically the track is about how suffocating it feels investing your time and heart into someone or something that ultimately doesn’t return that, and the release you feel once you shed that dead weight.
- FYA (feat. UNITY TX)
FYA was actually written in the studio while we were messing around. It was never intended to come to fruition as a full song. However we all vibed it and decided to complete it. Another faster song, we leaned more into our metal influences on this one. Lyrically on surface level it feels silly, but in actual fact the lyrics are holding a mirror to artists that are trying to be emotive or profound yet have zero experience to draw from and nothing to actually say. We are huge fans of UnityTX and have a good bond with the guys so Shaolin made perfect sense to feature on a track. We also wanted to keep it interesting by having Jay on the song on this EP that probably sounds the least like traditional UnityTX or Deficit.
- DEATHSTYLE
The title track of the EP, and the embodiment of what Deficit and Deathstyle is. “Death” refers to our tastes in the extreme end of metal, combined with “Style” that refers to our tastes that’s centred around really strong grooves, big hooks and catchiness.
- STEP UP (feat. LIFE CYCLES)
Another more straight up and down metal song. Very riffy and very fun to play. We wanted to write something stripped back and aggressive. We are massive fans of Life Cycles, a band out of Texas – we have a combined love of the riff and bringing that back to heavy music, So we had to have Lou feature on this track. The track is about the culture of fabricated personas people use to climb social ladders, and reflecting on our commitment to authenticity. As a band we take pride in being genuine and forging our own path through sheer hard work.
- BLOODSPORT
This is a very bouncy, catchy track. We are huge Fear Factory fans and this song ended up being a nod to them. It wasn’t something we did intentionally or consciously – this is just how it naturally flowed out of us when we wrote it. Lyrically it’s a tongue-in-cheek track written for anyone having a bad day and not wanting to be pushed or crossed.
- FINAL BOSS
This song has us venturing slightly into more melodic territory, with an anthemic chorus. It still has some quite heavy moments however. Final Boss is about channeling the pain of growing up in environments that were dysfunctional and unsafe and transforming that struggle into strength. It’s about refusing to be defined by the hand you were dealt and instead choosing to forge your own path, and staying focused on what it is you want in life through sheer strength of will. The “Final Boss” is the embodiment of all that adversity, negativity, hostility and resistance into one singular foe that you have spent your entire life building and training yourself to overcome.
Forged in Sydney’s heavy music scene, Deficit have built a reputation as one of Australia’s most formidable rising metal acts, pulverising boundaries with their unapologetic and individual sonic identity. With four EPs and millions of streams to show for it, the quintet – Nathan Newman, Macleane Ryan, Michael Campbell, Blake Fry and Zak Borg – continue to prove they’re ones to watch. The band have played sold-out tours supporting the likes of Ocean Sleeper, Lil Lotus (US), Alpha Wolf, Malevolence (UK), UNITYTX (USA), Prompts (JPN), Diamond Construct and more and have honed their live show into a commanding set that’s earned them a growing reputation among fans and industry alike.
With DEATHSTYLE, Deficit are poised to dive even deeper into the darker edges of their music, embracing the rage that lies at their core. Their evolution reflects a newfound attitude – a rejection of polished, overproduced modernity in favour of authenticity, and sees them pull influence from the corners of 90’s metal and nu-metal, hardcore and industrial.
‘DEATHSTYLE’ the EP will be out Friday 21 November.
