We let our music define our name instead of our name defining our music,” said Michael Weiler of O’ Israel, sitting back in his Minneapolis house’s porch on a rainy evening. The chiseled young man with the shaved head is hosting a house show in his basement tonight, dilapidated, and spattered with colorful graffiti from wall to wall.

At first they were Whales, but that was sort of common. And then they were I Hear the Enemy for two weeks. And then former bass player Charlie Rund player came up with O’ Israel. It’s good, but to its members it doesn’t mean anything. It doesn’t have to. That is the execution of O’ Israel, a foursome inspired by the Mars Volta, At the Drive-In, and Led Zeppelin but sounding more like a post-rock band by way of Sigur Rós and Cocteau Twins.

Michael, Charlie, guitarist Ben Larson, and drummer Marshall Fassino began playing together two summers ago, basing themselves out of Hudson. As the band-naming iterations went on, the four played house shows, a Hudson coffee shop, and a friend’s barbecue. Their sound became distinct, and with the help of Eric Fox, owner of Hudon’s Foxtone music store, they recorded eight songs for their fist demo. It took them all of one night last January, and as Ben remembers it, “on the coldest day I’ve ever f&^%ing seen.” Charlie moved to Illinois a month ago and Matt Wakeling has since filled his spot.

There will be no singer for tonight’s show. Not for O’ Israel. And there hasn’t ever been. “I don’t think we play music with deep meaning,” says Ben. “It’s like having songs without lyrics: It expediates the songwriting process and leaves it more open; you don’t need to be held down by a vocalist.” Even the song titles sound good (e.g., “The Philanthropist & the Downtrodden”), but don’t get caught; here, meaning precedes naming.

The demo hosts songs that begin calm and pretty, trickling with delay, and then build to climactic textured soundscapes: chugging bass, cymbal showers, and wall-of-sound swirls of guitar furiosity. They range from dreamy wonder to raging sound-torrent and back again, either whispered shut by a stripped-down theme or burning out in waves thick of feedback. “Ambient instrumental rock,” sums up Ben. “A mix of jam rock and post-rock,” says Michael.

The group looks forward to playing more shows and getting their demo into more hands and iPods. “I think it’s a good thing we’re spread out, “ says Matt speaking of the Eau Claire-Hudson-Minneapolis spread of O’ Israel members. “We’ve got a much wider range of places to book shows and find fans.” Look forward to upcoming Eau Claire shows.

Back at Mike’s basement, the bands pulled together 30+ people. The show was loud, the beer was cold, and three groups rocked. But O’ Israel maintained an ethereal quality that, despite how interpretive they come to be, sent a crystal clear message of style and intent.

    Download O’Israel’s demo free at www.myspace.com/ohisrael.