It’s good to see in 2013 the cassette demo is alive and
well. Cassette demos are an
easy/in-expensive way to get your music heard.
Demos could be well done and crafted or totally “just plug in your
instruments and hit the “record” button”.
Say what you will about the
digital medium but for my money I like the tangibility of a record, cassette or
CD with a well done insert. I’m coming
late to a couple of this releases but better late than never.
Correction-Five song Demo
This demo came out in the early part of ‘13 and is the side
project of Steffan (Law and Order zine/Sectarian Violence/Stay Hungry) and
Mattias (Anchor). I’m not sure if it’s a
one-time project. It’s a straight edge
tour-de-force, the insert picture is homage to the Brotherhood record, the part
of Seattle played by the duo’s native Gothenburg, Sweden. And look at that "X" it screams DIY Hardcore...the way it ought to be. What strikes me about this record isn’t the
lyrics (well written edge-speak with more than a nod to Earth Crisis “sent the
devils to the gallows/let them swing from the wretched rope) but
musically. It sound’s less youth crew
and more late 80s Scandinavian metallic hardcore. Don’t worry there’s still parts for the all important
pile-on-sing-a-long. That’s a win in my
book.
Nightstalker-Demo
Nightstalker is a
Richmond, VA band and this demo is straight up early Eighties hardcore. This band would fit easily into
an early 80s Richmond hardcore show….”who’s playing Absence of Malice, Graven
Image and Nightstalker”. I could see it. The vocals are growled out and the music has
the requisite crunch. The lyric sheet
says this was recorded at the Nightstalker hideout, which means to me recorded
live in someone’s basement, I think you can even hear them turn off the
recorder after the last song. It makes
for a muddy sound but on the other hand gives a more accurate picture of how
the band would be live. This band is a total mystery, they don't have the standard internet presence that a lot of bands have nowadays so of course that makes me more curious to check them out. Here's a darkened video...only adds to the mystery....
Cross Me “self-titled” Demo
Cross Me are from Milwaukee, Wisconsin and deliver good
solid hardcore in the vein of Terror. Of
the three demos this one is the most musically dynamic (breakdowns, leads
whatevs). I love the way the bass sounds on this recording, also this one is the most
professionally done and sounds great, unfortunately it didn’t come with an insert like the others (sorry I like inserts) but I did get number 44 of 50. Speedowax Records is putting this out on vinyl (with inserts) soon and these guys are touring with Expire this fall. Download the demo from their bandcamp page or support the band by buying it directly.
All these bands are doing it the real way, putting out music and playing out--definitely support these guys and bands like them, don't just download their songs buy a shirt or spread the word about them....
Correction and Nightstalker demos can be picked up at Grave Mistake Records website
