Sydney's Dirt City tackle the monster of self-medication on latest industrial single, 'Scratched'

Sydney’s alt metal outfit, Dirt City, continue to fly the industrial metal flag proudly, with the release of their latest single, ‘Scratched’ now out.

The emotive single which touches on the harms of self-medication was produced by Nathan Sheehy (DZ Deathrays, Birds of Tokyo) and mastered by Klaus Hill (PNAU, LDRU).

Dirt City keeps the fire burning for industrial fans down under with ‘Scratched’—a cold, crushing beast dripping with groove and bad intentions. This one digs into the murky depths of alcohol as a coping mechanism, wrapping its themes in a sonic onslaught that’s equal parts jagged and hypnotic. Imagine the unrelenting grind of Short Bus-era Filter smashed together with the sci-fi stomp of Powerman 5000, and you’re getting close. Scratched doesn’t just play—it burrows in, with gnarled riffing and a mechanical pulse that worms its way under your skin, refusing to let go.

Speaking on the concept of ‘Scratched’ the band explain that the song explores the struggle with alcohol consumption and the split personality it creates.

“At face value, you could read it as a werewolf tale, but underneath it's about drinking and feeling like you need to drink to feel a sense of normalcy.”

Dirt City employ a synth-heavy, industrial-like futurism to their music rarely found in heavy rock. There are moments of ambience found beneath the drum-heavy breakdowns, thunderous riffage, and melodic vocals that give the listener moments to appreciate the true soul that makes Dirt City’s exposition of alternative metal especially captivating.

The band debuted in 2023 with the release of their self-titled EP that was produced by Nathan Sheehy (DZ Deathrays, Birds of Tokyo) and mastered by Grant Berry (Redhook, Fangz). The quickly secured airplay on Triple J and Andrew Haug Radio, whilst securing rave reviews from online street press.

New single ‘Scratched’ is available on all major online stores and streaming services.