The self titled debut album by Des Demonas grabs you by the ears and spins you round. It pleases on every level. Instantly familiar, but new at the same time. It’s a garage punk masterpiece that echoes the past, each song heavy with organ and reverb guitar. A fantastic addition to any music collection.
There was no seven-inch single release prior to the album release. No early version of a song, that would be re-recorded for favorable digestion as part of a set of songs well chosen and properly ordered for maximum LP effect. Instead we get the album as a whole, which I find to be a completely pleasing. I have enjoyed playing the album, letting the songs unfold, just as much as I have enjoyed playing individual tracks on my radio show, making segues and connections between bands such as The Fall, The Modern Lovers, The Lyres, and The 13th Floor Elevators.
The album kicks off with “The South Will Never Rise Again” starting as though the song was already playing as we are invited to listen, organ constant, feedback guitar, and anthemic lyrics delivered with with repetition.
The third track, “Liez” is another favorite of mine, building on a bouncing bass beat, the guitar slashes between drone and feedback…
Track number five “There are no vampires in Africa,” builds up slow, rhythm section of bass and drums over a bed of organ, the chorus becomes a lengthy chant that sticks in the brain.
Track number nine “Say You Tried”…initially I assumed that title was borrowed from a line of a song by Joy Division…again the song builds slowly, then explodes to a full on wall of instrumentation.
Track number eleven “Teen Stooge” concludes the album, with a drum pounding guitar freakout of sorts.
None of the tracks disappoint. It is as near a perfect album as I, a long time listener of rock & roll, can conceive. Made all the better by the fact that with no precedent or series of singles leading up this album’s release, the band and their history is a bit of a mystery.
I have had other albums that I liked from last year, but none of them have appealed to my garage rock, punk rock inner child such as this album by Des Demonas.