The New Christs were originally formed by Radio Birdman and New Race vocalist Rob Younger after he was offered the support spot on Iggy Pop's Australian tour of 1984. The other members had played in groups such as Celibate Rifles, Lime Spiders and Hoodoo Gurus. The tour proved a success and the band stayed together, recording the two singles Like A Curse and Born Out Of Time for Sydney independent label Citadel Records.

These releases gained acclaim for their tough and uncompromising nature and were soon released in Europe by French based label Sonics. With the prospect of an album deal and European tour possible, the other members however chose to return to their other band interests. Younger was left to pursue a career producing some of the finest upcoming Australian alternative bands.

In 1986 Barracudas bass player Jim Dickson returned to Australia from the UK and together with Younger started a new line-up. Featured were Charlie Owen, a gifted but as yet unknown guitarist and drummer Louis Burdett who soon left and was replaced by Nick Fisher who had previously played with Ed Kuepper and Wet Taxis. Over the next three years, the band released a series of hard hitting singles; Black Hole, Headin' South and the EP Dropping Like Flies. These new tracks were compiled under the title Divine Rites and released in Europe as a mini-album thus allowing the group to tour there for the first time.

The group then went on to record the landmark album Distemper but soon broke up, leaving Younger again with a long period of inactivity. Following the breakup all of the band's early tracks were compiled onto CD for the first time and released in 1990 under the title Divine Rites through Citadel's Germany imprint.