The Beat Surrender

Monster Island are a three piece from Darwen, Manchester.

In the interest of fairness I did listen to all eight tracks on the demo, opening track Short Story had the same guitar riff repeated all the way through, just repeated over and over which even though I can’t even hold a guitar never mind play, think I could have copied. The vocals were spoken or slurred, sounding a little like my husband when he’s been out with his Mancunian work mates and wants to take the mickey (or had a few to many!).

Next track had the same approach to the vocals, what wasn’t spoken was slurred in a lovely drunken fashion. The guitar was a little better, it appeared that whoever was playing was a little further into the “teach yourself” manual. Lovely title for the next track C-Vomit, the intro was a slow pound with what could have been acoustic guitar (again not very well played) but this time with horrible howling vocals. I started to think this was a joke (not very funny) being played on me by the editor of The Beat Surrender (nice one Kev).

On to the next track X43, musically the intro sounded a bit more interesting, then it changed, god knows why it started out ok but once the track got going it was more of the same. However strangely this was one of the better tracks. Fifth track was I Know, again had an interesting intro which had it built into something could have resulted in a half decent track. Instead, they choose to have the music drowning out the vocals, so much so I wasn’t sure they were even there, strange amount of quiet feedback going on!

Next track was Surgeons, vocally the best track on the demo, but the music was fighting it all the way (and winning). This could have been due to poor recording equipment but this is something which should be ironed out before you send out the demo, after all this is your chance to get someone (apart from your immediate friends and family) to listen and appreciate your music.

Almost at the end (thank goodness) E-Mail Man, strange warbling noises, really don’t know what to make of this band, perhaps strange and expensive substances are involved but whatever it is I don’t want any. The track moves from wired to weirder slowly I begin to think I am losing the will to live. The whole track sounds like a bunch of non-musicians drunk (or whatever!!!!) let loose and then being told they are the next Oasis and brilliant.

Last track Agency, again had recognisable vocals with a slow plodding beat, wasn’t to the same mental standard of the earlier tracks. So overall, this has to be another of the stronger tracks to listen to. I have tried to imagine this band playing live, it really left me puzzled it doesn’t fit any recognised genre, must make them happy to play but left me really sad listening to it. It’s not often I can’t find anything positive to say, but on this occasion I really really can’t, sorry guys.