The Dirty Pagans Bring The Riff ‘n Roll on ‘Forever High’

Rattling venues and ruffling leathers since 2016, Adelaide’s DIRTY PAGANS have been on a fearless mission to smear their gritty, thick, hard rock energy across every stage they storm. The new album Forever High is a full-throttle dose of huge riffs, dirty grooves, and unapologetic volume. Self-dubbed riff ’n’ roll, Dirty Pagans deliver thunderous grooves, razor-sharp guitars, soaring vocals, and a rhythm section that hits like a sledgehammer. Fresh from a national tour support slot with Glenn Hughes of Deep Purple fame and Night Flight Orchestra, the band is charging forward at full force. With the addition of powerhouse drummer Gareth Briggs, their live energy has never been more explosive. Vocalist Matty Dee talks to Hi Fi Way about the album.

Congratulations on the album, are you feeling stoked and relieved it’s finally done?
Absolutely, we’ve been sitting on it for about a year, so it’s been up our sleeve for a while. It wasn’t a surprise to us, but having that time let us really immerse ourselves in the music, even beyond recording. The launch was awesome too, so yeah, feeling great.

You’ve played these songs live for a while now. Did that help when it came to recording them?
Definitely, we had most of it recorded, but touring with Glenn Hughes gave us the chance to road-test the album, even if it wasn’t officially an album tour. Gareth was new to the band then, so he brought his own flavour, which gave us time to fine-tune everything. It wasn’t about relearning, more about adapting. Now we’re ready to hit the road and tour it properly next year.

How has the reaction been from fans and the industry?
It’s been really nice! Not many negative reviews so far, though I’m still holding my breath. There’s always time, right? But so far, the feedback’s been super positive, which is all you can really hope for.

Did life make the album harder to pull together?
Oh absolutely. Everything in this band has been done the long way. I lived out of state for five years, and although we’ve been together for ten, I’d fly in just to play shows at places like the Cranker or The Gov. We’d go months without rehearsing, then try to jam and perform in the same weekend. It’s rough getting your groove back like that. When I got back to SA, I started working nights, so Sundays became our only jam window. The band’s been incredible, really accommodating around my schedule. We’ve done everything the hard way, but we still get it done. Honestly, I’d love to see what we could do with full focus and free evenings.

Was there ever a point where it felt too much? Like, “This is it, I’m done”?
Not really. No one’s ever just quit. Jad left last year, but he became a dad, and we totally respected that. There was zero drama, just life. We’ve never had one of those cliché blow-ups or someone storming out. I think we respect each other too much for that kind of tension to build. If someone needs a few minutes, we give it. Honestly, I’m the drama queen of the group, and we all know it!

Did you feel the pressure of the dreaded second album blues?
Maybe a little. It took longer to release than we hoped. Coming out of COVID and with Chad leaving, things got delayed. You can’t just fix that overnight especially in a band. Gareth needed time to settle in, which we gave him. But we’re already writing for album number three, so we’re moving forward.

Sonically, did you have a clear vision for this record?
I did. But with four people, you’re bound to have different ideas. You don’t want four completely different songs competing, you need some flow. Still, we never box ourselves into one theme. James writes differently than I do, and Greg brings something totally unique. That’s what makes us work. One reviewer called it “undisciplined,” but I’d rather have that variety than twelve tracks that sound exactly the same. Our formula is simple: heavy riffs and good melodies. Everything else is just personality.

The album does feel like an experience, not just a bunch of singles. Was that intentional?
That’s awesome to hear. Hopefully people listen to more than just one track. If someone hits play and rides the whole record from start to finish, that’s a win for us.

How do you usually write, music or lyrics first?
For me, it’s ninety five percent music first. I’ll start with a chorus melody in mind, build chords around it, and build the song from there. James often does the same. For Forever High, we had the music locked in, sat down to write lyrics, and James just knocked it out in three and a half minutes. We were like, “Cool! Beer time!”

Was the recording process as smooth as you hoped?
Oh, not at all. We started with Andy Kite, a brilliant producer, but a busy guy. We ran out of studio time, and couldn’t rebook for six months. Eventually we switched studios and had to finish lyrics and vocals there. Those kinds of delays really break momentum. You lose immersion in the material and it takes effort to reconnect. It wasn’t easy or fast.

Did that make the finished product more rewarding?
Yes and no. It feels great to finally be proud of something, but honestly, you just want it done. Studios stress me out. I’m a live guy, I like that adrenaline, that chaos. Recording means every part has to be perfect, especially vocals. You’re stuck with them. There’s no sneaking past mistakes like you can on stage.

What was it like hearing the final version for the first time?
I always cringe when I hear myself. But when people outside the metal scene, like my partner Tess say “That sounds awesome,” it really means something. Tess is an amazing vocalist herself, but metal’s not her thing. So her compliment really hit. If I can reach someone like her, I can reach anyone. I’ve heard the songs a million times now, but I still enjoy playing Forever High and Killer in the Night. That’s a good sign.

Touring with Glenn Hughes and Night Flight Orchestra must’ve been a huge moments.
Absolutely. It was massive and it gave us a taste of what’s possible. We’ve got plans for international touring, but life’s been busy, James is getting married, I’m getting married. Our partners have supported us for a decade, so we owe them a few months of calm! Still, we’re aiming to hit the road again early next year.

Can you see yourselves spending more time overseas?
One hundred percent, if we really want to leave a mark, that’s where we need to go. It’s on us to make it happen. We’re locked in and ready. Analytics show movement in South America, Sweden, Finland. Not so much in England or the States. But wherever the demand is, we’ll go.

Interview By Rob Lyon

Forever High is out now, purchase HERE/ stream HERE