THE MANY - Rat's Ass demo CS
This Toronto-based project thanks THE MOB and NY HOODS as inspirations in their liner notes. I like when bands wear their influences on their sleeves (literally), especially since that’s not exactly where my mind would have gone to as far as comparisons. Granted I’m not that well-versed in those two particular bands but upon first listen early WARZONE came to mind, which is not too far-off. So we’re talking 80’s NYHC. Somehow it prompted me to dig out my copy of the URBAN WASTE EP to see if there was any similarity there; but THE MANY are much less frantic and more rooted in the more danceable and groovier Hardcore of the era (while still remaining fast enough). Their demo opens with a cool intro, I gotta say I’m usually not that into fast-parts in intros but it really works here. When the low, throaty vocals kicked in I immediately thought of Marco from THE ICEMEN (as opposed to Carl’s JJ-esque growl) and that’s a cool style that not a lot of bands have (willingly or not). Expect a slightly more modern recording sound than their 80’s influences, it sounds just punchy enough with the vocals sitting nicely in the mix. There’s a dub track in there that’s really cool (“It’s too late/never too late”), which gives it even more of an UNDERDOG vibe (previously established in the self-titled song that precedes it). This is probably my favourite demo that came out this year. I got lucky enough to catch their first show and it was already super promising!
Kierdawg