Sounds on the Ground #15: You're Smiling Now But We'll All Turn Into Demons
By: Steve Rose
What's the deal? Affectionately known to a select few as 'Demons', these cloak wearing, malevolent spirits are without a doubt the best band that I know of, that seems to have bypassed the ‘Radar’ of most (yeah we're talking to you, mainstream press). Total injustice, of Biblical proportions!
Having seen the 'critically acclaimed' US psyche rock outfit Wooden Shjips play to hundreds of people on several occasions, whilst being bored to tears by their repetitive psyche riffs, and relentless rhythms, I have also seen the 'UK equivalent', Demons, play packed out, one hundred capacity venues in Nottingham, Birmingham, Portsmouth and London's infamous Vice affiliated Old Blue Last, to hipsters, who basically lose their shit in a murky quagmire of cosmic doom...
The real behemoth behind Demons, other than the legendary psychedelic surprise, hypnotic, remorseless and consciousness-expanding anthems, and hypnotic, psychedelic-era, duelling banjo's-esque, double axe assault - is Ryan Howarth's thundering, hyperactive drumming. Breaking sweat, sticks, skins and anything in his way, in a never ending four-four drum role.
When can I see them live: Demons can be seen supporting the aforementioned Wooden Shjips in sunny Brighton on the 18th August. With a bit of luck a UK tour to promote their upcoming record will be in order. Other than that...
27/8/09 – Fat Fox, Porstmouth
19/9/09 – South
25/9/09 – Old Blue Last, London
What can I listen to: Having already committed to tape three colossal full length monsters (Q. Are We Not Men? A. We Are Demons!, The Freewheelin' Demons and Black Demon Time), the latter two recorded, mixed and mastered by the baby faced Steven Ansell of Blood Red Shoes and Cat On Form fame.
The year two thousand and nine brings about the next record for Portsmouth's prog rock fallen angels, on their unholy, hometown based Beware The Priest Records. Recorded locally in an old pagan church-come studio, with a pentagram on the floor and a goats skull on the wall above the drum kit. It sounds next level!
For a neatly summarized version of their back catalogue head over to www.myspace.com/thedemons to listen to four tracks from four different releases! (pretty amazing that .com/thedemons was available, hey).
We all know music peaked in 1994, so give me a sound-bite about how we could compare them to some kind of obscure band from the Britpop era: This band could be your life. They are sooo far before Britpop its off the hook! Once more showing this section of sounds on the ground to be siiiillly [yeah, what?], Demons are more akin to classic rock'n'roll British invasion bands like The ‘Stones, The Kinks and The Who (all certified Godfathers of Britpop). With healthy dollops of Black Sabbath and Led Zepplin. But if you really must... the weirder less bubblegum moments of the almighty, timeless 'Blur'.
Artists in this article: You're Smiling Now But We'll All Turn In To Demons