Demon Beat: Latest effort offers maturing sound

Local rock band and upcoming musical guests at 123 Pleasant Street, The Demon Beat, has recently released its third album humorously titled, "Shit, We're 23."

The Shepherdstown, W.Va., based band's new album showcases its strongest musical talents and proves that The Demon Beat has come full circle in developing its unique sound.

In comparison to The Demon Beat's past efforts, "We're 23" has strayed away from the hints of garage-band sound it has exhibited in the past and puts forth a more polished, confident sound consistently throughout the album.

Deriving influences from a wide range of artists like Weezer, Creedence Clearwater Revival and The Rolling Stones, The Demon Beat has a sound that channels retro-rock ‘n' roll, with a twist of bluesy soul thrown in the mix.

With energetic classic guitar and drums, the impressive instrumentals of The Demon Beat alone are enough to entertain.

The music can make anyone tap their feet to a unique rhythm.

The raw and powerful voice of lead singer Adam Meisterhans is irresistible and relentless. His moaning makes The Demon Beat stand out from the rest of the up-and-coming music scene.

Sounding like The White Stripes or Jet, the combination of Meisterhans' strong vocals and the band's ability to tell a story with its guitar strums and drum beats alone creates an addictive and unique sound that is reminiscent of bands like The Clash.

The new album's single, "Millionaire," is a perfect example of The Demon Beat's energy and never lets up throughout the entirety of the song, while track "Memory Ain't Enough" fluctuates between the band's signature high-tempo shouting and mellow instrumentals.

"We're 23" shows The Demon Beat has realized its strengths as a group and has focused in on them and evolved to create its best album to date.

Although the band has a lot of energy, sometimes it proves to be too much.

The Demon Beat tends to overshoot its intensity here and there, making listeners want to skip some tracks on the new album, or at least turn them down.

Overall, the intensity of The Demon Beat's sound is something to be admired, but it definitely takes an acquired taste to enjoy the band's constant, hard instrumentals and the straining voice of Meisterhans.

The Demon Beat pulls off a unique sound that is simple but complex, and chaotic yet strategic.

Grade: B+