Night of the Demon

Demon's debut album "Night of The Demon" is an enjoyable example of what the more melodic, AOR side of the New Wave of British Heavy Metal had to offer.

Starting off with a dark, slow, misleadingly foreboding mantra, the album goes off like a firecracker with the second track "Night of The Demon", featuring a very simple four chord riff, standing to this day, after eleven albums and almost twentyfive years, as one of the catchiest offerings from this band. Dave Hill showcases a great display of hard rock style vocals, always appropriately supported by a fittingly simple rythm section, contributing to making this song a true classic of its kind. The album proceeds for another song with the band's distinct Black Sabbath-meets-AC/DC sound, slowing down on the mellow "Father of Time", only to pick up the pace again with the fast and upbeat "Decisions", hinting at what the band's musical orientation would be in the years to come.

Upon flipping over the LP, the mood of the songs decidedly changes to a more blues influenced feel. Gone are the supernatural themes and the dark atmospheres, unabashedly replaced by women, whisky, and all the things you're bound to find while "running wild" on the highway, riding on a "brand new pair of wheels". That is not to imply the band had moved to the typically "biker" sound that was spreading like a wildfire in early 80's Britain - this is no Wheels of Steel. The sound has been slowed down and stripped to the bone, the voids have become every bit as important as the instrumental parts, leaving Dave Hill alone in the spotlight to run the show and entertain the audience with his warm and powerful voice. Thus the listener is treated to a pleasant alternation of moods and tempos all tied together by the common blues matrix.

Demon's "Night of The Demon" might not appeal to fans of complicated songs with elaborate structures and hyper-technical solos, and it will no doubt bore the average Darkthrone or Dream Theatre fan. Despite being a very simple easy-listening release though, Demon's debut album does not fail to keep itself enjoyable even after many listens: what this album lacked in complexity, it more than made up for with its vast number of catchy riffs, and with Dave Hill's excellent vocals, which fit the songs perfectly, adding a personal and unique touch to each song. The album remains interesting throughout its length, no song sounding quite like another, each one conveying a different mood and feeling, and it is likely to satisfy all AOR/Blues Rock fans, NWOBHM cultists, and most metalheads with a taste for softer retro sounds.