Demo2DeRo: Killing Revolutions

January 19, 2010

BY JIM DeROGATIS POP MUSIC CRITIC

Killing Revolutions make a couples of mistakes common to all too many young bands: The quintet includes only the most cryptic or clichéd biographical information on its Web sites (band members: "Dave, vocals; Mike, drums; Ryan, bass; Jonah and Miguel, guitars;" interests: "beer, women, writing music"), and it telegraphs its major influence in its moniker. (That would be political hard-rockers Rage Against the Machine, of course.)

Still, the band is worthy of some attention for the relatively unique gambit of mixing its familiar brand of rage with hints of U2's stadium-rock grandeur, as well as the fact that the six tunes on its new EP "Songs for Strangers" boast an impressive control of dynamics and some sophisticated arrangements made all the more impressive for the fact that they seemingly were recorded live.