HUMAN TARGET - Demo 2023
"Human target, I'm (on?) the target, you're on the fucking target, this is HUMAN TARGET." That's how the demo tape from this Winnipeg, MB band starts. An intro like that lets you know this is stupid music for stupid people. They were one of a pair of Winnipeg bands that recently played the first show in 10 years at the local legion here. This band self-identifies as "USHC" which might be annoying for some people tired of whatever trend that is, but this band was good. The riffs are stupid, the breakdowns are stupid and aplenty. But behind the stupid wrapping, I was surprised by the (relative) density and depth of the lyrics. Winnipeg is not a nice place. It's colder than Mars and just as bleak. These guys aren't trend-hopping big-city art students. The lyrics come from the experience of living in such a bleak difficult place, spanning from the personal to the political. It was a pleasant discovery after seeing a band that, after that lowbrow intro, closes the tape by finishing the eponymous song with a proper ringout... only to bring back the breakdown for another good 30 seconds after the singer essentially spells the band name out for us: "Hu-Man Tar-Get." HUMAN TARGET is more on the stupid side (which I like just fine) but are approaching the ideal juxtaposition of highbrow and lowbrow.
The tape is self-released, and you can listen here: https://humantargethc.bandcamp.com/album/demo-2023
caleb