Returning from their first Stateside trip, where they tore the roof off SXSW, Ratking have just released their epic new single Cruel Intent as they ready themselves for a busy back half of 2019. Making it their mission to tour as much of the world as possible, the five-piece have thus far collected flags from Indonesia, Japan, Korea and the US, and are already planning to get back on the road before the year is out.

In a very short amount of time Ratking have added their own fingerprint to the ever-expanding universe of hardcore; blending elements of punk rock, metal and thrash in a way that is both familiar and unique. From 2013's Wastelander EP, to their 2014 debut album Commonwealth, to 2018's incendiary SERF EP, each subsequent Ratking release has marked the ongoing evolution of the band as songwriters and performers... and Cruel Intent is no exception.

Produced by Mike Jelinek (Pond, Felicity Groom) Cruel Intent takes Ratking on a slightly different trajectory that hints at where they are heading next. Raw and more punky than before, without ruining the balance between personality and musical brutality, Cruel Intent is a natural progression from SERF – wielding a dual vocal attack amidst the band's already pummelling sound. Perfectly capturing their live energy in the studio, Jelinek has distilled the power of Ratking into two and half minutes of sonic ferocity.

A product of their surfside upbringing, Ratking are unmistakably Australian, yet have effortlessly translated to audiences of every background throughout the world. This universal appeal is Ratking's core strength and their passport to relentless global touring. With eyes on Europe and Asia for the rest of the year, the band are spending no idle time – dropping Cruel Intent as a precursor to the release of their hotly anticipated second album in October – before getting back to the task of racking up endless frequent
flyer miles.