Demander - S/T / 2005 Triplicate / 5 Tracks / http://www.demandernyc.com / Reviewed 08 August 2005

There is no notification on this digipak that Demander would bew such a hard rocking type of act. In fact, I was expecting something either in the vein of Matchbook Romance or one of the millions of retro-rock bands that have littered the music scape in the last few years. While Demander is not a band that purely goes on the fumes of bands that preceded them, there are a number of influences present on this disc, including but are most definitely not limited to Me First and The Donnas. The slower tempo of �Raise A Glass (Redux)� may just be the perfect vehicle for understanding that the band is not just someone with the punk chops, but rather a nuanced, intense band that can toy around with ever-increasingly intricate compositions. Of note during this track are the simply beautiful building orgasm found later in the track, something that is definitely borne by the drums.

The press sheet for Demander rattles off a listing of bands like Jet and Kings of Leon, but I feel almost as if this sheet is doing Demander an injustice by clearly trying to identify them with bands that might be better known but clearly are of a lesser talent. This EP may only be fifteen minutes, but the density of the music which Demander placed on this disc will allow for the sweet strains of tracks like �Elijah� to be played continuously without losing any of the interest one has for the band. The inclusion of a drum and violin-like bass line to �Elijah� really means that this track has a brooding, dark feel to it. The jangly and loud interludes that are to be found on this track are rendered all the more brilliant by the corresponding darkness.

Unlike many of the bands, regardless of genre, that are out and famous on the music market today, the ever-present and essential bass on each track puts Demander into a plateau all their own. There is no note of weakness to be found on this EP, and that means there is no cause for concern that the bands first full length will not live up to the high expectations one draws after listening to this disc. Strong mastering does not make this disc, but really allows the above-average (nay, impressive) instrumentation and arrangement of Demander to shine through as clear as day.

Top Track: Elijah

Rating: 8.8/10