The Divine Demo Tape REview
The Divine Demo Tape is an experimental 4-way split between Quarter Consciousness, Shortstop, DepopulateMontana, and fedtodeath. The record covers everything from pop-punk to avant-garde screamo, and some old-style screamo in between. This is a very perplexing album, I think in the best way possible. It definitely falls under experimental, and if that’s what you’re looking for that's definitely what you’ll find. ALSO, I have to say the album art is pretty sick, it makes me think of old death metal records and even some newer deathcore ones.
Starting off with “Kairos” and “Atlas” by Quarter Conscious these are definitely the lightest tracks of the album, but probably the most well produced and cohesive of the bunch. These are fantastic pop punk tracks, very reminiscent of the artist Belmont, in their heavier drum tracks behind very groovy and catchy guitars. Especially with the track “Atlas”, the fast pace and more aggressive chorus really makes you want to move and headbang until your neck breaks.
Next is “Sisyphus” and “Orpheus” by Shortstop, these are what come to mind when I think of screamo and post-hardcore. With the mid and highs scooped, gritty-distorted screams and a loud bass track. “Sisyphus” being only a minute and a half it starts off a little slower then kicks in about half way through. “Orpheus” takes a similar approach with a slow start then picking up some time in, this time sounding very familiar to the first track. It almost sounds as though both tracks stemmed off the same idea and become two tracks rather than one longer one. I’m not sure if this was on purpose, but you can’t say they aren’t consistent. Definitely the group to look at if you’re a post-harcore fan, such as myself.
Starting the second half of the record is DepopulateMontana with what sounds very much like avant-garde screamo. Starting “Will Caine Be Able?” with what sounds like cries of pain, picking up with heavily distorted guitars and very quiet drums. This very interestingly produced menagerie of sounds with “I Guess This Is My “Lot” In Life”, with ear piercing guitars and discombobulated drums. Once the vocals come in a little after a minute, and I can’t lie, I have no idea what’s going on. The closest thing I can think of is the band I Set My Friends on Fire, but I still don’t think that comes close. If you’re interested in some wacky sounds and like the idea of avant-garde screamo, these are the guys for you!
Finishing off the record is fedtodeath, a great example of new-age screamo, taking the screamo formula and introducing some techno influences, lo-fi beats, while still maintaining a lot of what makes screamo, screamo. “Gaia: Online” ends with this cool lo-fi beat with some samples of a man screaming about their soul. “Echoing Narcissus” hits that screamo itch, and the production reminds me of original Norwegian death metal from the 80’s and 90’s and I really dig it here.
By the end of the record you’ll probably have a good taste of what each band has to offer, I would recommend looking into all of them if you like what you heard on the record. I will say the highlight of the record for myself was Quarter Conscious, definitely the furthest removed from the split, but as a fan of other bands in the same realm, such as Belmont, I can definitely see myself enjoying more of their discography as well. And as a scene kid in my mid teens, Shortstop definitely brought me back to hairspray, torn jeans, and studded belts. Both of these artists will find themselves in my library for sure.
Be sure to check out all of their bandcamp’s here!
https://quarterconscious.bandcamp.com
https://shortstopskramz.bandcamp.com
https://depopulatemontana.bandcamp.com