THIS WEEK I’M LISTENING TO...NIGHT DEMON – Curse Of The Damned / Darkness Remains re-issues (SPV)THIS WEEK I’M LISTENING TO...NIGHT DEMON – Curse Of The Damned / Darkness Remains re-issues (SPV)

Formed in 2011 in Ventura, California, Night Demon opened their account with a self-titled EP in 2012 before releasing their debut album ‘Curse Of The Damned’ in January 2015. Infused with the spirit of the New Wave Of British Heavy Metal and in particular Iron Maiden the trio – bassist / vocalist Jarvis Leatherby, guitarist Brent Woodward and drummer Dustin Squires – created a wonderful homage to the glory days, and followed it a little over two years later with ‘Darkness Remains’. This second album featured a new guitarist in Armand John Anthony and although it was cut from the same cloth as its predecessor it displayed more experience both in songwriting and delivery. Taken together the pair showed a real statement of intent with the band seemingly revelling in being out-of-step with the majority of their peers and highlighting the majesty of traditional early-Eighties’ metal.

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Currently on tour in Europe in support off their latest album ‘Outsider’ (and coming to the UK next February, opening for Queensrÿche) the band have re-issued those seminal early albums both on CD and coloured vinyl. Both have been remastered by Anthony, and although they’ve lost none of their vitality – they sound as fresh now as they did on release – both come with a pair of bonus tracks just to make things a shade more interesting. ‘Curse Of The Damned’ boasts a pretty faithful rendition of Riot’s riotous ‘Road Racin’’ and ‘Chalice ’15’, a version of ‘The Chalice’ from their first EP which was originally re-recorded for the album but omitted at the time. ‘Darkness Remains’, meanwhile, adds covers of a pair of old warhorses in Black Sabbath’s ‘Turn Up The Night’ and Queen’s ‘We Will Rock You’.

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There can be little doubt that Night Demon are a great band who deserve to be right there at the top. They revel in metaldom, don’t give a toss for fads or fashions, and if you don’t already know them, but like, for example, the aforementioned Maiden, The Rods or Jaguar, this band should be right up your street. Trust me on this.

Video clips:
'Hallowed Ground' – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_G_BzFMo-0U
'Heavy Metal Heat' – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8g9_MVNTzwg

John Tucker October 2014