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Today, Melbourne Indie-Punks Dental Plan release their debut album ‘Raw Nerve’. The 9-track album encompasses a wide variety of punk & rock, from the thrashing frustration of ‘Hope Stealer’, the melodic indie-rock of recent single ‘Can’t Get What You Want’, heavy riffage on ‘Hole In Me, and the sing-a-long ode to the path less travelled on ‘Garbage World’. Check out the album along with a track-by-track commentary by the band below.

Since forming in 2018, Dental Plan have honed an eclectic brand of indie punk taking influence from 90s alt/rock and punk. Their 2018 self-titled EP was followed in 2019 with an EP that saw the group working with Alicia from Sub Pop Indie Rockers Bully.  In 2021, the group returned with the brutal single ‘Hole In Me’, seeing them enter early ‘90s grunge territory. Paired with a brutal horror-themed video which didn’t hold back on the gore and mayhem, the thunderous riffs and throat-shredding vocals saw Dental Plan named by Rolling Stone Australia as a band to watch.

Dental Plan will tour Australia to promote the album with release shows to be announced in the coming weeks.

Start Making Sense

This is the logical opener, a touch of heaviness, a bit of melody and a nice lead break that doesn’t outstay it’s welcome.  Boom!

Hope Stealer

One of the more intense songs on the record. Lyrically it’s about those that create division, spread lies, bullshit, racism, sexism and generally just kill our hope in humanity. It makes you feel a bit hopeless sometimes so writing an angry song and screaming about it is cathartic.

Scotty our old guitarist added a killer noise riff that really lights this one up!

Raw Nerve

This is one of those songs that came together easily, I think it’s a killer melodic punk tune that is solid throughout, we released this as the first single for the record.

Written at a point of personal hopelessness, feeling abandoned by those close to me, thinking back on all the fucked up substance abuse you’ve seen and experienced over the years and trying to come out the other side. Just out there feeling like a frustrated little Raw Nerve, aww!

Can’t Get What You Want

A catchy indie-punk song. This is a break-up song, written at a crossroads in my life, I had a hell of a dark period – took a long walk – when I arrived home I wrote this song on an acoustic guitar with the lyrics and music fully formed, it took only a few minutes and we had a tune, I hope it holds that raw emotion. Originally, we had intended to record this acoustically, but it sounded so great with Jo’s vocals and the full fuzzed-out guitar sound we stuck with that for the record.”

We released a super 8 music video for this one you can watch here:

Weighed Down

This is one of the first songs we wrote back when Jo, Stu and I started the band way back in 2018. We released it on our first demo/EP and thought it needed an update, this version is more fully formed. It always reminds of that crazy summer when Jo, Stu and I were hanging out a lot and having some memorable times.

Garbage World

This track has a Jawbreaker vibe to me. It’s that feeling when it’s last call at the bar, you’re looking around at everyone, looking at yourself and finding a bit of hope in the madness talking trash with everyone!

The vinyl & bandcamp version has a sample of one of my favourite films, ‘Ghost World’, at the start of the track.

Plastic Cowboy

Being on the run, live, laugh, regret. A twangy rock number with some nice guitar touches from Scotty once again.

Landslide

A fast 80s influenced punk track, was trying to channel the wipers with this one. Sampled ‘Repo Man’. Fast, furious and fun to play live.

Hole In Me

We recorded this one a few years back with Stu on drums and backing vocals. Remixed for the album by the wonderful Dan Antix @defwolfstudios. The heaviest track on the record, really dialling up our grunge influences. We made an epic horror themed music video for this one.