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Welcome to another edition of DEMO(LITION) DERBY, a regrettably infrequent column dedicated solely to demos. Existing for the sole purpose of bolstering our underground cred since uhhh 2024! If you like reading about demos, check out a previous review here.
Written by: The Administrator
It's been a long while since we've hosted a good ol' demo(lition) derby 'round these parts, and not for lack of material. However, rather than covering any of the delectable morsels currently circling the scummy surface of the promo pit, I felt moved to revisit something sludgy from the primordial days. Back in 2018, when ye olde Sleeping Village existed as a mere Instagram page, I briefly reviewed Slother's first and only project to date. Originally entitled Demo 2018, this 19-minute 4-track release was renamed to MMXVIII a few months later when From The Urn picked it up for a cassette release. The album cover aesthetic is a pretty serviceable hook, but should you require a succinctly accurate descriptor in written form, Quebec City's Slother delineates their sound thusly: “damp riffs.” For a batch of songs evidently discovered in the depths of the St. Lawrence and thrust into mildew’d service, this seems pretty damn accurate. Sopping aesthetic notwithstanding, Slother deals in an obtusely visceral blend of slasher sludge and hefty doom. The riffs are colossal and plodding and violent, often serving as an impenetrable sonic shroud. In terms of tone, the project is defined by an excess of thick fuzz, but while some bands utilize fuzz to create a warm and enveloping environment, Slother revels in grimy suffocation. An occasional lead worms its way through the fray, but the heft of the rhythm is the primary draw here. And, if all this ain’t enough to wet your whistle, the leisurely harsh vocals should seal the deal. These roars and bellows on display, courtesy of one "Pick," are languorously massive. I'm also a fan of the rare inclusion of a vocal sample--"Skrimshaw," for example, fires off with Bush's confident assertion that "the human being and fish can coexist peacefully." While they do appear to be active, judging from some minor activity on social media, I'm sad that Slother haven't released anything since this very promising demo. Or perhaps they are merely taking their sweet time? A slothful approach to songcraft feels apropos, but in the meantime, I yearn for more. Slother - Demo 2018/MMXVIII was self-released May 17th, 2025, and Sept. 2nd, 2018 on CS via From the Urn. Find it here
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Welcome to another edition of DEMO(LITION) DERBY, a relatively new column dedicated solely to demos. Bolstering our underground cred since 2024! If you like reading about demos, check out our previous reviewhere!
Written by: The Administrator
If you've read our previous entries in the (obnoxiously entitled) DEMO(LITION DERBY series, you're undoubtably familiar with the toil and trouble endured by the Sleeping Village's own Pit Herder. Upon receiving permission to injudiciously trawl the depths of our inbox for demo tapes, said manager of the promo pit uncovered a veritable bounty of quality specimens. Which sure is convenient, 'cuz I personally love listening to and writing about demos. Today's catch comes from the goregrindy Cerebral Tumour, a band about which I know effectively nothing. To add to the air of mystery, the demo is the only listing under Stench Trench Productions, who appear to have released nothing else. According to the bandcamp description, Demo 1 technically contains 6 tracks proper alongside an intro and outro, but you'll also note that when you stream, the entire 10 minute and 30 second runtime is contained within a single track listed under "Cerebral Tumour - Demo I." That said, the track breaks are obvious, and with the short run time you won't be skipping around anyways. In any case, this whole experience reeks of unorthodox upload approach, and one that certainly bolsters the grimy ethos of inaccessibility, After the atmospheric, staticky, and borderline gothic intro, Cerebral Tumour get right into it with some massive and notably putrid riffage. This is dank and dark, plunged from the subterranean depths. The tone is loose and earthy and cavernous, firmly rejecting any sheen or polish. Nasty stuff, no doubt, and the general thrust of the tracks lends an aggression that plays well against the fetid sonic environment. Lest they be forgot, the vocals serve inordinately well to contribute to the existing aesthetic. Set deeply in the mix, these grinding gurgles and phlegmy roars feel truly primordial. If you're a connoisseur of gross and grindy fare, I don't suspect that you'll find Demo I revelatory or revolutionary by any stretch. But that's okay! More than okay, I'd argue. This is some dirty and disgusting music, plain and simple. If that's your thing, I highly recommend putting on a snorkel and wading in. I do hope that any releases past the demo don't lose the dense atmosphere and menacing tone--if they can keep this sound intact, Cerebral Tumour will be one to watch.
Cerebral Tumour - Demo I was released June 1st, 2024 via Stench Trench Productions. Find it here!
Cerebral Tumour can be found:
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Welcome to the second edition of DEMO(LITION) DERBY, a relatively new column dedicated solely to demos. Bolstering our underground cred since 2024!
Written by: The Administrator
Upon receiving permission to injudiciously trawl the depths of the Sleeping Village's promo pit for demo tapes, our hardworking Pit Herder caught and subsequently presented a writhing haul. A legendary catch. Turns out there's a lot of 'em, folks. It seems like demos are all we're eating these days, and so here is a brief writeup of one of my recent favorites. tethered is a quartet out of London, and this very strong 5-track demo indicates that they are intent on hitting the ground running. Leaning into an overtly emotive DIY aesthetic, tethered state that they are attempting to "bridge the gap between some of the more introspective elements of mid 90's emo and the raw energy of hardcore." In this particular scribe's opinion, they have nailed the execution, and they inherent rough-around-the-edges demo quality only exemplifies their success. This is some vehement and impassioned stuff, particularly in the case of vocalist Rose's intense delivery. Her singing reminds me of an overexposed polaroid, bringing both a sense of nostalgia and a timeless overblown emotive rawness. Take, for example, the strained and vicious "shred." The refrain of "no more patience no more peace" feels like spite incarnate, and the following verse is vengeful in a way that feels both sharply targeted and extremely real. Rose's delivery is hurried, leaving very little room for breath between words, which in turn leads to some heart-palpitating urgency. This trend of energetic emotion is displayed through the demo, and the instrumentation often matches the forward thrust of the vocals. On this note, the drums are notably present across the short breadth, a leading factor in the overall forward momentum of the tracks. On opener "torches," for example, I initially found myself following the drums more than the guitar, which almost serves more texturally. That's not to discredit the riffage, however--I particularly enjoy the jarring guitar work on the spirited "motorhinder." All told, tethered have good reason to be proud of this demo. It is well-constructed, rough and raucous without feeling over the top, and feels exceptionally heartfelt. I'm looking forward to hearing more--should they release an official debut, I'll certainly be checking it out! tethered - demo was released digitally August 19th, 2023, and saw release on cassette via strictly no capital letters. Find it here! 
Written by: The Administrator
Upon discussing the state of our abyssal promo pit with the Village's own Pit Herder, we came to realize that there are a great many unsung demo tapes swimming in the depths. They often go unnoticed, unfairly so. As we were ruminating, the Pit Herder recommended that we ink-splattered scribes create, and I quote: "a brand new column dedicated solely to demos that you will get excited about in the short term yet inevitably abandon in several month's time?" To which I responded, "splendid idea!" And so here we are, having dredged a variety of delightful and terrifying specimens from amongst the pit's weeds, discarded carcasses, and other assorted detritus. Today's catch: the 3-track demo from Singapore's End Of All, released digitally on February 24th of this year. Let's get into it, shall we? |
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