You’re Smiling Now But We’ll All Turn Into Demons - ‘Contact High Wit Da Demons’

Hailing from Portsmouth. You’re Smiling Now But We’ll All Turn Into Demons have continued to build a cult following for best part of 8 years with their loud riffs, psychedelic jams and on stage performances. Despite so far only releasing material on independent labels, the Demons release their fifth full release on London label, Function Records. Having previously worked with Blood Red Shoes’ Steve Ansell on previous release ‘Black Demon Time’, ‘Contact High Wit Da Demons’ also gathers a collection of some of the finest Stoner Rock beats and Post-Grunge revival anthems your likely to hear on the South Coast this year.
Opening track ‘2009’ sucks you in straight away displaying furious sounding guitars with a number that bands like Mudhoney and Black Sabbath would be proud of. We hear the influence of bands such as Dead Meadow, Sonic Youth and Om throughout the record in live favourites such as ‘Nervous/Alive’, ‘The Recidivist’ and ‘Jammin’ on the 13th Floor’. Compositions like ‘Alpha and Omega’ bash out a near 7 minute guitar and bass repetition that will make grown men want to head bang away like they did when they were 14 years old. Throughout the record we sense the passion each band member gives in their performance which is also transferred into their live performances. Although singer and bass player Richie Troughton has a quieter relaxed approach to his vocals they add a certain laid back charm that you would find in groups such as Slint and Oneida.
36 minutes and 8 tracks later, ‘Contact High’ climaxes with an eighteen minute volcanic explosion. ‘Prismatic Reflections’ takes us on a journey of Desert Rock with mind-blowing drone guitar noise to finish the record off splendidly. It leaves you with a sense of euphoria that makes you think “what the hell happened there!?” and invites us to listen again to see if the last 54 minutes really did happen.
If any band deserves some continued underground success then these guys have well and truly set the standard of what Rock n Roll should truly sound like.

Freddy Rothman