INDYUS – Demonstration

Demonstration might not sound like the greatest name for a demo, even if that’s exactly what it is. Sounds a bit uninspired, like going to a grocery store and seeing “Bread” and “Soup” on the shelves.

Showing that they have a bit of imagination, though, new Death/Thrash/Hardcore Metal band Indyus (who are from Innsbruck, Austria) have used the color red in a creative way, coloring the first five letters from their three-song Demonstration disc a bright crimson. How very evil and scary of them …

Indyus is a four man outfit consisting of Matthias Mayr, vocals and guitar; David Furtschegger, guitar; Jakob Innauer, bass; and Klemens Mayr, drums. The three songs on Demonstration – “Welcome To Depravity,” “Double Standards,” and “Legalize Life” – have a combined playing time of around 15 minutes and were recorded in the home studio of a friend of the band. Indyus has managed to gather a following in their homeland, and are looking to take it to the next level.

Hardcore and Death Metal are acquired tastes; you either love it or hate it, without much middle ground. Indyus aren’t going to change many minds with Demonstration. If you didn’t like Hardcore or Death before hearing Demonstration, you won’t like it afterwards. This disc is loud and coarse, full of growled and grunted vocals, with Thrashy, pummeling guitar riffs and punishing drums all over the place.

Still, for what it is, Demonstration is fairly good: the chunky riffs are nicely played and fairly catchy, and there is a decent solo or two that manage to stick out amongst the noise. The songs come across as kind of catchy and melodic while maintaining a strong level of power and aggression, even though a couple of them go on a little too long. There are also some sampled sound effects used from time to time, which helps the music stand out a bit. Matthias Mayr’s vocalizations are gravelly, growly, and coarse, but they don’t irritate you. But, like many Hardcore/Death singers, Mayr is rather unintelligible most of the time; while the vocals are in English, you wouldn’t know they were until you got to the choruses. Even then, you might make out a word or two, never mind an entire sentence.

For what is technically a home recording, the production on Demonstration is respectable; while it’s a little thin and could use a bit more oomph, it’s recorded well enough.

Indyus did a fairly nice job with the brief Demonstration, and if you’re into Hardcore and/or Death Metal you might be inclined to give them a listen.