Album Type :
EP
Date Released : 23/4/2013
Label :
Shadow Kingdom Records
Album track listing
:
1. Night Demon
3:41
2. The Chalice 3:09
3. Ancient Evil 3:23
4. Ritual 3:38
2. The Chalice 3:09
3. Ancient Evil 3:23
4. Ritual 3:38
Bio :
Night Demon is
a young trio from California who literally fell out of the sky from now where.
They’ve gone from just creating a bandcamp page to being invited to play KIT
festival in Europe before their debut EP is even officially out! Fans that love
old heavy metal from the N.W.O.B.H.M. are going to absolutely love this! Angel
Witch, Raven, Iron Maiden, all that British styled heavy metal that started it
all is feathered throughout their music. Think back to that time period and if
you add harder punch to it all, that’s what Night Demon is all about. It’s a
heavier/harder/grittier version of those bands with an American spice on top of
it all. This 4 song EP will surely blow you away. The songs on their bandcamp
page do not (I repeat) do NOT sound as good as the re-mastered versions that
you’ll hear unless you buy the CD
Band :
Jarvis Leatherby - Bass/Vocals
Brent Woodward - Guitar
John Crerar - Drums
Review :
Night Demon
are a trio of Californians who worship at the altar of all things NWOBHM. On
this, a four track eponymous EP, you know what you are getting if I reference:
Angel Witch, Witchfinder General, Iron Maiden (debut only) and even a little
Venom (not too much though).
Night Demon
open up the Night Demon EP with “Night Demon” (!). Out of the gate you get the
Priest speed riffing of the late seventies (above Sabbath, below Motorhead in
terms of tempo) and the metal references come thick and fast from that point.
You can certainly detect the earnest sound of Kevin Heybourne in the vocals (if
not the lyrical content), the riffing of Priest, the bass runs of Steve Harris
and so on.
“The
Chalice” will have you reaching for a pint of bitter in a beer mug, such is the
late seventies/early 80's British vibe. Featuring a shuffling riff and a
straightforward groove the band hit their mid paced stride well and the vocals
are particularly well delivered.
“Ancient
Evil” features Maiden-esque urgency in the opening riff and indeed in the
vocals, too. There is a detectable vibe of melancholy again, but do not think
that this is doom in any way- this is pure trad metal worship.
“Ritual”
rounds things off with some very fleet of foot guitar work as the tempo is
pushed up to around-Motorhead-speed of the first few albums. Lyrically, it is
more of the same pseudo-occult nonsense. Therein lies the appeal of this EP: it
is pure unabashed fun, harking back to a time when metal was exciting, naïve
and fresh. That this is by three Americans makes no difference; it is escapism
just as this type of metal was for the downtrodden inhabitants of England over
thirty years ago. I can't remember the NWOBHM from the first time around- I had
only just been born, but I can certainly remember what growing up in (Northern)
England was like in the 80's and it was shit. Therefore, anything which makes
life seem a little more exciting and, dare I say it, fun gets my vote.
Words by : Richard Maw
As ever,
show your support to the band by checking them out at the various links.
You can buy the record here.
This record is available now. Thanks to Clawhammer PR
