When They Know You They Will Run - Demo

There seems to be a general feeling going around at the moment, that the instrumental/post-rock genre has reached a saturation point. It is a notion, that I do subscribe to in parts. Granted there are literally hundreds of bands, who are doing nothing new at all and only serve to hold back what was once an innovative movement.

However, since starting this site, I have come across some exciting bands that suggest post-rock is very much alive. From Yndi Halda's expansive soundscapes to Strap The Button's pyschedelic jam's, the UK's experimental scene is in safe hands.

Another band you should consider, is Bristol four-piece When They Know You They Will Run. They make instrumental music akin to Explosions In The Sky, but rather than matching the Texan group's intensity, they instead pepper their sound with a more metallic edge, like the Red Sparowes. The band also show enough innovation that bodes well for the future.

Before I start discussing the music, I must mention the fantastic artwork for this demo. It is beautifully put together and a lot of time has been spent on it. The bands logo of a crow sitting on a branch intertwined with their name, is a great touch. It is this sort of attention to detail that immediately impresses.

To the music, though.....

Kicking off with "Moving To America", the first thing that stands out is the powerful performance of the drummer. In fact, along with the bassist, he puts in such a flawless performance that it gives the two guitarists the platform and freedom to create their delicate melodies. They also display a good understanding of the dynamics involved in this genre, especially when they unleash a staccato riff around the 3 minute mark, that shows their influences are not solely based in post-rock. Its not quiet/loud here, its simply gloriously loud.

"December" shows, much like Mogwai, that this band do not need 15 minute build-ups to execute their sound. Instead, they can go for the kill almost instantly. This is a four minute burst of a song, that certainly shows both guitarists capabilities.

Without a shadow of a doubt, 3rd track "Last Words" is this demo's best. Starting with an introspective guitar line, the song gradually builds for around five minutes. The guitars throughout the whole demo are pretty original, so prevent tracks like this from becoming tedious. Having said that though, you do know that the band are building up to a big climatic section. But any predictablility is superseeded by the sheer force of the explosion of noise. The demo has a chunky and full sound that certainly helps create an almost monolithic loud section during "Last Words"

One (small) criticism, maybe that the over the course of a longer release, the band's style may become repititious. For example, final track "Mary, What Have You Got In Your Hands?", although well crafted, tends to meander for too long without leaving much of an impact. However, the strength of the material overall suggests that this glitch can be easily ironed out. When They Know Us... show they have their own ideas and that in itself holds a lot of promise.

They are currently recording a new demo and I'd be very interested to hear their progression. If this band develops properly, and I'm sure they will, then I see them fulfilling their obvious potential. Definitely, one for the future and I'll be keeping my eye on them. You should too!!.

Listen to and even download some tracks at their myspace. It also worth mentioning that They Will Know You.. will be performing live at The Croft in Bristol on September the 14th. Check them out in a live setting.

"Last Words" mp3