Known for their androgynous image, prominent use of reverb-laden guitar work, and forlorn vocals akin to the style of early Killing Joke, Drab Majesty are an alternative neo-goth project from Los Angeles, California. Created by Deb DeMure (real name, Andrew Clinco), the project came about after the singer/songwriter decided to focus his creative energy on his own work, primarily geared toward particular aural and visual aesthetics. Raised in a musical household during the early 2000s, one of the young creative's first introductions to music was discovering abandoned vinyl in the bins of the local thrift stores around Hollywood. Through this, he developed a taste for the culturally defining sounds of acts from the decades beforehand, such as Siouxsie and the Banshees, Red Lorry, Yellow Lorry, and Felt. Alongside this, Clinco also found time to build up his own musical abilities by teaching himself to play his father's guitar and attending regular church visits with his grandmother, where the expansive range of the church choir and the naturally cavernous acoustics of the church would later influence his eclectic vocal style.

Over time, DeMure began to experiment with various instruments and styles, and eventually found his first niche in handling drum duties for post-rock outfit Marriages and neo-goth darkwave band Black Mare. After having established himself on the gig circuit and extensive recordings with both bands, Clinco felt he needed to delve deeper into his own creativity and inner consciousness by developing a multi-angled project of his own. Interested in creating something that traversed visual arts as well as aural textures in which he could become "a vessel" for outside influences flowing inwardly through him, the idea ultimately resulted in the character of Deb DeMure and the world of Drab Majesty. Opting for a blend of '80s-esque new wave with jangly, reverberated guitars and ethereal synth leads, DeMure amassed a number of songs, and Drab Majesty put out the independent release Uranian Dances in 2012 in a limited run of 100 cassette tapes. The effort was later picked up and re-pressed by Lollipop Records.

Drab Majesty then went on to sign with DAIS Records and release the full-length effort Careless in late 2015. The record was a success, with many critics praising its use of nostalgic sound and its crystalline production techniques. Drab Majesty then went out on the road to promote the record, in support of acts such as Clan of Xymox, the Black Queen, and DAIS labelmates King Dude and Youth Code. These numerous live appearances, both in the U.S. and overseas, began to expose the project to a wider audience, gaining an ever-increasing fan base. It wasn’t long until Drab Majesty's followers were demanding another full-length release. They got what they wanted with The Demonstration, issued in early 2017. The effort featured the project's signature sound alongside more prominent use of synthesizers, effects, and post-punk-influenced guitar work.

Rob Wacey
AllMusic.com