SINGLE REVIEW: Citizen Rat - FRY (Ft Polly Cooke - Mitch Please!)
Citizen Rat hit with full-force on ‘FRY’, a three-minute blast that feels like pure chaos sharpened to perfection. This is punk-metal at its most unrelenting — fast, furious, and uncompromising — a track that wears its aggression on its sleeve while still staying tight and controlled. From the first riff, it’s clear the band aren’t here to play it safe; every distorted guitar, rampant drum fill, and shouted line hits with deliberate sting.
Polly Cooke’s guest vocals from Mitch, Please! add another layer of intensity, igniting the track’s already explosive energy with fiery conviction. Her voice cuts through the mix with a blistering edge, perfectly complementing Citizen Rat’s raw, unpolished aggression. There’s also a certain Red Hot Chili Peppers vibe in the way the riffs and grooves bounce — that funky, kinetic energy threaded through the chaos — giving the track an unpredictable, hyper-charged personality without losing its punk-metal bite.
Structurally, ‘FRY’ never lets up. The pace is relentless, with tight, gnarly riffs weaving around pounding drums, building and collapsing in bursts that keep the listener on edge. It’s got the immediacy of a punk anthem but the weight and precision of metal, landing with moments that feel almost cinematic in their intensity. Every element — from the razor-sharp production to the layered vocals and dynamic shifts — works toward one goal: maximum impact.
In three minutes, Citizen Rat capture both the fury and vulnerability of feeling out of place in a world that often rewards self-destruction. It’s chaotic, gnarly, and unapologetically alive, with just enough groove to nod toward RHCP without ever softening the bite. ‘FRY’ cements their reputation as one of Australia’s most fearless heavy acts and proves they’re only just getting started.
