Night Demon – Darkness Remains

Wade Reitz — Sun, 28 May 2017 00:48:49 +0000

Lately, some of my reviews come out sounding like lost connections posts. First, it was my obliviousness to the greatness of White Widdow, and then it was my slow-to-take-action listening of Silent Circus. This time I blatantly judged a band by their album cover. The latest release from Night Demon depicts a cloaked Eddie the Head look-a-like in front of a city hall with a young metal head walking up the steps. The cover appears as if it could have come from the doodling of any high school headbanger’s notebook. Because of its primitive look, I skipped it. I didn’t know what I was missing until the track ‘Hallowed Ground’ popped up on one of my Spotify radio stations. Darkness Remains was released April 21, 2017 worldwide via Steamhammer/SPV.

Night Demon is a power trio out of Ventura, California with a serious NWOBHM vibe. Jarvis Leatherby handles vocals and bass along with new guitarist Armand John Anthony and drummer Dusty Squires. Opening track ‘Welcome to the Night’ is a definite indication of their roots with its driving riffs and galloping drums. They also might possibly be into Iron Maiden. Between the song ‘Maiden Hell,’ complete with lyrics consisting of nothing but Maiden song titles, and the wannabe Eddie on the cover, it’s pretty obvious. However, for all the love Night Demon has for Maiden, for me they are not the most notable influence. Songs like ‘Stranger in the Room’ and ‘Life on the Run’ have more of a Saxon flavor, while ‘Black Widow’ feels kind of like Dio era Sabbath. Then there’s ‘On Your Own,’ which could be a long lost Armored Saint track. However, for all these comparisons, each track still has its own Night Demon flair. For instance, the instrumental ‘Flight of the Manticore’ reminds me of a lighter version of something Revocation would do more than anything from the NWOBHM days.

Night Demon are some of the finest practitioners of “traditional” heavy metal. They celebrate everything that was good about the NWOBHM movement and their fellow Americans that followed suit. I appreciate bands like Night Demon. With all the originators only getting older and/or passing on, it’s good to still have groups to keep the traditional heavy metal flag flying high. So get out your battle vests and bullet belts, and put the final touches on that cardboard air guitar. Night Demon is bringing it old school with Darkness Remains, and you’re gonna want to be ready!

Saxon – Power Of Metal.dk

Night Demon – Darkness Remains