The Brass

Demo (2008)

Neill Cawley

"Blunt trauma."

Those are the only words the Brass uses to describe themselves on their MySpace, and I don't think it can be put any other way. From the creative and influential mind who brought you On the Might of Princes, Jason Rosenthal teams up with some other Long Island punk vets (ex-members of Latterman, Potboiler, Air Raid Barcelona) to bring you a new and highly innovative project.

The Brass's EP/demo will you hit you hard from the very first note, but it will not knock you down. Instead, the melodic harmonies, the complex but not mind-numbing drumming and dueling guitars will ease you into your submissive position while the Brass has its way with you. Every track on this four-song demo is absolutely splendid. While maintaining their ferociousness, the group is able to provide a beautiful ambiance that few bands can create with just a song. If you are a fan of On the Might of Princes or most forms of post-hardcore, I highly recommend this release and anything this group ever puts out.

You can download the demo at ifyoumakeit.com.