REVIEW: Reflecting on Darkness, Dystopia, and Discontent: The 20-Year Anniversary of Gorillaz' Demon Days
REVIEW
REVIEW
☆ BY IZZY PETRAGLIA ☆
Art By Jamie Hewlett
War, greed, insecurity, violence, and depression are just a glimpse into the themes that make up Demon Days–the critically-acclaimed 2005 album by Gorillaz that celebrates its 20 year anniversary this May 2025. In a post 9/11, Iraq war-world, creators Damon Albarn, Jamie Hewlett, and their collaborators ranging from De La Soul, MF DOOM, and Bootie Brown explore the difficulties of living in darkness, dystopia, and discontent.
The sophomore album positioned Gorillaz past the indie-disco ties that had been established in their self-titled debut, producing a lush soundscape that aimed to challenge politics and culture. While it’s a compilation of alternative rock, hip hop, funk, electro-pop, and soul, the influence of Demon Days goes beyond its sonic journey. Despite its release 20 years ago, the album serves as a historic-cultural commentary that eliminates the concept of time and manages to remain relevant to the political climate and mass media consumption of today. A prime example of this commentary lies within the lead up to the album’s release, one of the first viral marketing campaigns in music–REJECT FALSE ICONS.
The REJECT FALSE ICONS campaign was launched through the form of a mailing list and an interactive website (rejectfalseicons.com). Visitors to the site could download a file or order free stickers with the REJECT FALSE ICONS statement in white letters on a black background to stick onto “false icons” they see in real-life media–such as magazines or street advertisements. The phrase is loaded with intention and meaning. It speaks to the way society approaches celebrity culture, reminding us of the difference between appreciating versus idolizing the minds behind the media we consume. In short, it's about owning the ability to think for yourself without media influence. The statement is a nod to Damon Albarn’s disillusionment with authority and leadership–which is the most notable theme in the entirety of Demon Days.
Distribution of information through the Internet was new territory in the early 2000s, especially with the invention of Facebook in 2004. During this time, the world fell victim to numerous depictions of violence and battles they were never asked to fight–constantly gripped by fear of what was to come. Conflict, fear-mongering, and censorship by world leaders, especially in regards to war, were at the forefront of what was distributed through mass media. Today, these notions have not only remained prevalent, but increased. The emergence of social media platforms such as Instagram, TikTok, and X (Twitter) have become a universal source to circulating news ranging from the tyranny of the U.S. President to genocide around the Middle East, Congo, Sudan, and Venezuela. Now, with user-generated content spearheading news distribution, the added challenge is learning to decipher fact and misinformation.
All this to say, the world is actively living and resonating with the demon days that Gorillaz captured in 2005, if anything to a higher degree than it did during its release. Albarn shifted his goal from their self-titled debut, putting Gorillaz’ in a world of their own, and began using them to mirror the world around them by explicitly putting reality in front of their audiences. His reflections had been so direct that they were regarded as “corny” at the time. Each individual track on Demon Days acts as their own unit, encouraging listeners to dive into exploring their layers of various genres, emotions and themes and relating them to the world around them. 20 years later, the album has remained a timeless, intricate, and well-thought out classic that has continued to gain relevance in reflecting the dystopian nature of society as time goes on.
