Loser Demon – EP2
The only constant in life is change, and Loser Demon seem to have embraced that with fervor on their most recent release, EP2. It’s often a bigger leap than people realize to go from a raw, lo-fi energy to something that feels produced and intentional; in fact, you’re almost putting yourself in a much harsher spotlight because you don’t have the “well, it’s supposed to sound raw” defense to fall back on anymore. Luckily for Loser Demon, they don’t have to ponder on their self-worth too much – their new six-song release is a master class in growing as a band, full of powerful, self-propelled indie punk that feels explosive, powerful, and poignant in all the right ways.
Rather than start with the album opener, we’re going to highlight “Reliance,” one of the album’s most blood-pumping songs. Get used to the hallmarks found here – buzzsaw guitars grind with a guttural energy, while a shuffling drumbeat pounds out a blistering tempo. Lead guitar cuts through the mix like a klaxon, juxtaposed perfectly with the surprisingly tasteful baritone-delivered vocals. There’s an epicness here that’s reminiscent of The Killers on Sam’s Town and a jittery neuroticism that you may remember from your favorite JAPANDROIDS release. Either way, it’s not hard to envision this song as a raw, punked-out basement demo and hitting with that sort of WAVVES-esque rattiness, but instead, Loser Demon go no-holds barred and nail it. Put this one on your shelf next to your beloved, mid-aughts indie rock records because it’s going to fit right in.
Singles are great and all, but there’s so much personality to sponge up across the five other songs found on EP2. Album opener “Holding Ground” chugs on sludgy guitar while lyrics about “talking shit about your friends” blare through your speakers (actually – studies show that friends who talk shit to each other are typically better friends – Google it if you want, I’m not redirecting you away from our humble website). “Rewinder” sounds like a ’90s era outtake – think Third Eye Blind meets Eve 6 – with its spindly guitar noodling and inexplicably ’90s sounding drums (I really can’t put my finger on this, but listen for yourself and you’ll know what I mean), it’s clear that Loser Demon are capable of more than just melting your face off. Later on, “Hundred Feet” almost has more in common with Interpol than PUP, using moaning and droning guitar tones to paint melancholy textures – this might be the most surprising offering on the EP, and while it’s more mood-setter than hook-factory, it’s a refreshing look at what this quartet is fully capable of.
By the time you make it to album closer “Living in the Margins” (aren’t we all?), you’ll have traversed a spectrum of emotions… And while I don’t know Loser Demon personally, I think that’s precisely what they set out to do with EP2 – push their boundaries as musicians and artists while connecting to a broader listening base. Mission accomplished. EP2 is available now (September 30th, 2025). Check out “Reliance” via the Soundcloud embed below. Here’s a few links for Spotify and Apple Music too.
Categorised in: Album Reviews
This post was written by Nick Sessanna