Are You Out There

Surprising many with slew of Spring/Summer singles - largely backed by wistfully rendered classic reprises - is Californian power ghoul Night Demon, whose secondary offering, Darkness Remains (circa 2017 - a less "vysterical" age), had same effect as portent sonic boom across traditional heavy metal landscapes, of both a North American, as well as Worldly, nature. (Am still reeling, while knowing gloveboxes everywhere possess their own well-spun copy).

Less flowery than April's "Empires Fall" (a great track, no-how), or power metal-ish than May's "Kill The Pain" and July's aggressively socio-political, albeit heavy hitting, " Vysteria", June's "Are You Out There" (also released on limited 7", coloured vinyl under Century Media Records, with B side cover of Thin Lizzy's "Sun Goes Down") entails flat-out favorite, thanks to its hyper-melody and grit, NWOBHM style, along with killer opening lead and front/bass man Jarvis Leatherby's rough, steadily concise chanting.

To boot, the evocative lyrics pertaining to struggle and loss, combined with fantastic cover art (similarly stylized as front of Spirit Adrift's Angel & Abyss Redux EP), brings to mind that weird and obscure 1970s movie "Dream Death" - about a zombie stricken son returning home, from bloody Vietnam War combat, only to spring his insouciant morbidity i.e. state of non-life on unsuspecting parents, slow-burn, most creepy-like - amalgamated with Black Sab's "Jonny Blade" humdinger, from 1978's Never Say Die. Fun times.

Succeeding harmonized, Trespass-meets-Thin Lizzy* reminiscent guitar licks, a restrained, yet gripping, lower-mid tempo drum beat/tuck n' roll heralds Jarvis' phlegmatic mid-range, and such, until tightly fired, pentatonic mini-solo parts quiffs, with ensuing return to acclamatory form.

One gets shivers simply musing about potential third release proper on behalf of these guys. Until such kick-ass day arrives, we'll have to content ourselves with Night Demon's wicked song vault, thus far.

*Essentially, "Are You Out There", is written in homage to Thin Lizzy's Phil Lynott (RIP), as well as inspired by Cowboy Song, a most comprehensive biography written by Graeme Thomson.