Video Premiere: Demons My Friends – “Make Them Pay”

Demons My Friends is an unlikely collaboration between members of Mexican alt-metal band QBO and Washington, DC desert rockers Fellowcraft. The stoner/doom metal trio—Lu Salinas (bass/vocals), Tarro Martinez (drums), Pablo Anton (guitar/vocals)—embarked on their creative endeavor via an impromptu recording session at the SXSW music festival in Austin, TX in 2022 and have consummated the relationship with an upcoming full-length titled Demons Seem to Gather.

The new trio are offering up the first single from said album, “Make Them Pay,” via an AI-generated video directed by Salinas. The surreal, apocalyptic imagery (no doubt a vision of humankind’s future once AI has its way with us . . .) matches the dark and downbeat vibe of the sludgy track. Think fuzz. Think riffs. Think drop-tuned heaviness.

Demons Seem to Gather was recorded, mixed and produced by Jeff Henson at Red Nova Ranch, Austin, TX. It was mastered by Alberto de Icaza. It’s set for release on September 8 on vinyl, CD and digitally via Gravitoyd Heavy Music. In the meantime you can presave “Make Them Pay” here and preorder the album here. Also check out the band’s upcoming live dates in Mexico below the video.

Here’s what the band had to say about its new single:

“This track addresses the frustration that we are feeling in the post-pandemic era, due to the imbalances of power that keep growing deeper with the rise of inflation and the erosion of democratic institutions meant to protect us all from these types of abuses. We strive to make our music as therapeutic for us as possible, and this is one topic we just had to get off our chests. Times are tough right now, for everyone, and we do what we can to help one another, but if we can’t change the world, we might as well at least sing about it.”