Introduction
Today we are reviewing the 3rd EP “The Valley” from UK Post Punk band San Demas. Having formed in 2021 the band have built up quite the reputation for their breakdowns, riffs and not forgetting anthemic choruses!
With 2 sets at 2000 Trees Festival, and being quite the live band, it is fair to say I look forward to digging into their music. The band is made up of Lucy Parish (Vocals), Rich McKee (Guitar), Maz Marron (Bass) and Vid Dahiya (Drums). This EP is set to explore the emotional terrain of the bands low points and the strength it takes to get out of them.
Inspired by Paramore and The Used, the band use heavy guitar riffs and pop overtones. Lets see if it is as great as it sounds!
Review
You & I
What an atmospheric opening, combined with an almost Indie band style beat! From early in the song it is obvious that the vocals convey emotion with ease and are almost delicate in makeup. While the band mention Paramore, I actually think they remind me most of early Pvris, which was an era that I very much enjoyed. Funnily enough they also have a song with the same name, small world!
At times throughout the song the lyrics are somewhat simplistic with rhyming couplets but I have to admit this probably leads to how damn catchy it is! With the best vocals coming at 2:40 here the attitude is ramped up massively!
The breakdown showed invention, yet never really gave that out of control feel. While I am on the edge here I think perhaps I do enjoy their intentional approach more than the absolute chaos.
All In On Me
From the very start, this song feels a lot harder and grittier. With a cycling riff and deep base that combines with the vocals to create a lovely tone.
“My dreams will become your memories, just wait and you’ll see”
The chorus while being really catchy does finish a line or two before I thought it would, not a bad thing obviously but it was not totally what I was expecting. The harsh vocals of Shoot To Kill, add a completely different element to the song and the EP as a whole. A small cameo with a big impression.
I do think however that I would have added another chorus at the end of the song just to tie things up neatly.
Borrowed Time
Ok so now I get the Paramore comparison… The riffs and vocals from the very beginning here give that type of sound and energy. This however is not a mere imitation attempt, but something unique too. There is a real depth in the way the instruments work together, and throughout the EP the instrumental sections have clearly been given a lot of thought! This is easily my favourite of the tracks on the EP, with excellent lyrics to accompany the mesmerizing vocals.
In this case however I wish there was a little less control within the breakdown, it sort of feels somewhat transplanted into the song rather than raw emotion erupting from the instruments. However that final 20 seconds of the song more than make up for this.
Wait And Wonder
The bass, guitar and drums combine really well at the start of this track.
“Falling faster, but the sky keeps getting closer”
I enjoy the calmer almost serene middle section of the song, before the singer hits that really high note, even at whisper like volume you can tell she has an amazing voice. I know for sure that seeing this band live would be an experience I would enjoy, the varied song makeup and energy tells me that!
Final Thoughts
This is the body of work I would expect a band who have been going much longer than 4 years to produce! It is well thought out, both lyrically and across all the instruments. There were a couple of occasions where I thought the lyrics were a little bit simplistic and I think that this is something that will likely change over time naturally.
I Enjoyed the cameo appearance from Shoot To Kill, but I think perhaps I would have shifted that 1 track back, just so that the track order better showcased the bands individual talent. While I think the breakdowns are great, they don’t have that real raw energy that typically these sections have. I think they are somewhat hit and miss here and I think maybe loosening the creative strings a little and having fun in these sections could lead to something amazing.
A cracking EP though and honestly I have probably been a little overly harsh here…
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