Demon’s Claws : The Defrosting Of…
The Demon’s Claws’ influences range far and wide, spanning most of contemporary rock and roll. The Claws’ sound is vast, fusing punk and garage rock sloppiness with ’60s pop, and often as haunting as a ritual killing. Hailing from Montreal, the band have garnered a reputation for putting the pedal to the floor, playing harrowing and distorted classic rock and roll arrangements resurrecting some of the greats, such as The Rolling Stones, 13th Floor Elevators and the Kinks. Binging since 2004, the boys in Demon’s Claws follow up their debut, 2007’s Satan’s Little Pet Pig, with The Defrosting Of… A title that has been left semi-censored and incomplete due to the referencing of a particular, well known animator rumored to be cryogenically frozen.
As you can tell by the titles, Demon’s Claws approach their music with an intense level of rebellion and danger – the ‘fuck you’ attitude is all too apparent on the new record. The band continue to revel in the folk-psych, garage rock spectrum – the guitar sound of Jeff Clark remains rough around the edges (purposely) and jangles with a certain level of underproduction (“Laser Beams” and “Trip to the Clinic”) that allows the raw emotion shine through; it is something very pure.
The lo-fi production is something that doesn’t always work for bands, but for a band like Demon’s Claws, who may constantly have alcohol running rampant through their veins, it brings full circle a sense of balance in equilibrium. The band talking amongst themselves in between songs could even confuse a listener into thinking they’re listening to a live album, but one cannot deny the good-ol’-days-of-rock feel. A hard hit of nostalgia, “Anny Lou” could be confused as a Stones throwaway, while the album’s opener, “Fed From Her Hand” is reminiscent of early Eric Burdon songs. Other times, the album is a firm push forward for contemporary music. “Weird Ways” and “You Will Always Be My Friend” sound a lot like something from fellow Canadian outfit The Sadies, while “At The Disco” leans toward labelmates Black Lips.
Rock and roll has continuously retreated underground to rebuild itself in the sixty years it has had an impact. While electronica is very prevalent in the indie circuit, Demon’s Claws take a step back, turn the amps to 11 and explore the true roots of rock and roll. To ignore this record would be a complete folly for a true music lover. The only added effects (other than distortion) are minimal synth sounds (“All Three Eyes”) and the echo-y vocal tracks from Clark, reminiscent of Roky Erickson. What the band lacks in fidelity is made up for in raw emotion and good fun. Keep dancing.
Similar Albums:
13th Floor Elevators – The Psychedelic Sounds of the 13th Floor Elevators
The Rolling Stones – Out of Our Heads
Black Lips – Good Bad Not Evil