Rather prolific Norfolk, VA quartet Demons has been churning for at least eight years now, having released a couple of albums and EPs before first crossing my path last year via the Swallow EP, issued by the excellent Knife Hits label. Now, they're already back again with album #3, Under the Western Heel, being co-released by Knife Hits and The Ghost is Clear next week (pre-order now through either label). Offering eight tracks in just under a half-hour, the group's impellent form of lurching noise rock places excellent emphasis on the rhythm section—beefy bass runs and an admirable level of subtle flare to the percussion—while occasionally teetering toward an almost metalcore-ish level of caustic abrasion.
Above, we're premiering some of the album's darker, more twisted textures by way of "Holy (My Body, Broken for You)"—which is also the LP's longest track at nearly seven minutes. About the piece, guitarist/vocalist Christopher Mathews states:
"Holy..." reflects a lyrical thread that runs through much of this record. It's desperation, it's exasperation—it's the hypnotic spiral of continuous, daily defeat. As counter-cultural and transgressive as we may sometimes perceive ourselves, I still find myself thinking, "I'm playing this game as best I can. Is this still not enough?" "Holy (My Body, Broken for You)" is the tired sigh of "I fucking give up."
***
Under the Western Heel will be out July 21 via Knife Hits and The Ghost is Clear on black (200 copies) or transparent blue (100 copies) vinyl, or green or transparent red (50 copies apiece) cassettes. Hear two more new tunes and pre-order over at Bandcamp (Knife Hits/TGIC). Peruse more from Demons on Bandcamp and Spotify. They can also be found on Instagram and Facebook.
