Therefore I Am - Summer Demo
Although a very short EP, Therefore I Am’s Summer Demo serves as a perfect introduction to the Massachusetts band that seems to be getting an immense amount of attention lately, although they aren’t even signed yet. The taste of earlier tracks that still are played at shows often is a nice beginning to what the band is accomplishing. Therefore I Am expresses a conscious blend of poppy, melodic punk with a heavier post-hardcore feel, complete with a keyboard to give the band an even more diverse edge that sprawls into all directions. Easily one of the most talented and underground bands to come out of the Boston area, Therefore I Am introduces the masses to its music in a heavy-hitting three-song EP called the Summer Demo.
The first track is called Anniversary and carries some of the heaviest sounds the band has recorded. The emotional, full-bodied vocals captivate some of the strongest yet that Therefore I Am has given to the music community, and yet that is just a taste of what they have to offer. The mix of indie and post-hardcore influence bring out the softest and hardest the band has to offer. Some parts makes one want to close his eyes and feel the mood, and other parts makes one want to just full-out flail his limbs to a breakdown. Therefore I Am also demonstrated a strong ability to change vocal ranges from a melodic singing that’s powerful to a full out emotional scream. The product is a powerful piece that demonstrates how capable the band is of meshing influences into a collective, distinct sound.
The transition song This Is Only A Chapter is more of a soft indie transition that bands would often put as an “interlude” in a heavier album, but it seems to fit and flow much better in the kind of sound Therefore I Am portrays. A sound clip of someone talking seems to give a very reminiscent vibe of a Mogwai song I am very fond of. The acoustic guitar and digital drums together create a very calming, soothing sound that carries over into the final track of the demo.
Empire opens up with a continuation of the soft, indie feel that the previous track portrayed while pressing it closer towards the heavier feel the band gave off in the first track. With huge vocal ranges and a very moving sound to the introduction, the song is easily the most powerful of the demo. The track clocks in at 6:38, yet the song doesn’t drag at all, but rather flows beautifully. Therefore I Am seems to like to utilize sound clips from people talking because it occurs several times during the song, giving it a more personal feel to the song. At the end of Empire, the energy builds up more and more to an explosion that fades off into keys from the piano into silence.
As an introduction to the band, the Summer Demo is essential but too short. I recommend buying the Summer Demo and the other demo together as a bundle, or even picking up the split album with Vanna. Therefore I Am has a strong future ahead with a huge fanbase in the Boston area already. It is a wise decision to keep a close eye on them for the time when they get huge.
TRACK LIST:
01. Anniversary
02. This Is Only A Chapter
03. Empire
