Newcastle punks Dead Mall have had a busy start to 2025. After reemerging with ‘GASOLINE’, their first single in 2 years, Dead Mall are a very different band from where they started. With 2 singles under their belt, the band have shown a clear intent to move into new sonic territory.
Today they release their new single ‘SUPERLIMINAL’, along with the announcement of their debut album of the same name – set for release on the 21st of August.
The 11 track LP was recorded, engineered and mixed by the band’s guitarist Darcy Long. ‘SUPERLIMINAL‘ is a smorgasbord of styles and influences, with the kind of attention to detail and personal touches that are only ever achieved by working ‘in house’. A collection of up-tempo power jams that demonstrate their hardcore roots, as well as incorporating elements of alt-rock, nu-metal, power-pop and electronica. The result is a punk rock soup where any song could fit seamlessly onto any ‘Tony Hawk Pro Skater’ or ‘Burnout’ soundtrack.
The album’s title track ‘SUPERLIMINAL’ is the bands most melody-forward offering yet, with vocal hooks coming from every direction, and a quick-fire, drop-tuned riff that makes you want to drive your skateboard at 120Kms. Lyrically, the song looks at the state of media – and their influence over opinion, and relationships.
“‘SUPERLIMINAL’ at its core is about how different political values can affect relationships. It’s about how media outlets exploit people’s anxieties for ratings, and turn people against each other in the process.” DEAD MALL
Released alongside the track is a music video, directed by frequent collaborator Nikola Jokanovic (who has previously worked with the likes of dust, dogworld, Poltergeist 9000 & Rum Jungle). Nikola and the group set out to film something that captured the energy in the track – and found some sort of performance element was needed to really get that across. Using an array of engaging framing techniques, Jokanovic takes the ‘band video’ to new heights with his own signature style.
“I love working with Dead Mall because they’ll happily let me take a video in any direction and to any weird place we might end up. The energy of Dead Mall’s music somehow manages to make any crazy visual idea I throw at them totally convincing. For this clip, we were aiming to do a classic, performance-style video while making it ‘different’ in some way.
I recently moved to Sydney, where I’m almost directly under a flight path – it’s not uncommon for me to see planes overhead about as low as they appear here, which is how I got the idea for the shots with planes flying overhead. Other than that, we were looking for ways to literalise the lyrics of the song – this is how we got specific shots from ‘half answers’, ‘pulling teeth’, ‘cut ties’, etcetera.” NIKOLA JOKANOVIC
Dead Mall have seen plenty of support since their return earlier this year – with significant support from media, radio and DSPs alike. They’ve seen radio support for both singles from triple J, triple J Unearthed, 4ZZZ, FBi, 2SER, RRR, PBS and more; DSP support from Spotify (with adds to New Music Friday, Local Noise, Fresh Finds AU & NZ, All New Metal and Hardcore Rising), Apple Music (The Riff, All New Rock, Rise Above) and have seen praise from national tastemakers Rolling Stone, The Music, Scenestr, MILKY, Blunt, Happy Mag, Hysteria and more. On the live circuit, the band have previously played with the likes of Trophy Eyes, Whatever, Forever, Honest Crooks, Illnatured, Feel The Pain, Splinter, Terminal Sleep, Peace Ritual and many others.
The band have recently done their own headline shows in Newcastle and Sydney, and will be hitting the stage at the Hamilton Station hotel in Newcastle on the June Long weekend, playing a mini-festival alongside Cry Club, Bad Neighbour, Amends, Jen Buxton and more.
‘SUPERLIMINAL’ (single) is out May 22nd
‘SUPERLIMINAL’ (album) is out August 21st