NIGHT DEMON
“DARKNESS REMAINS”
Album Review By Iron Mathew

10/10

Night Demon are a heavy metal band from the USA forming in 2011 and releasing their self titled E.P. the following year. The bands first full length album was released in 2015 with the follow up, ‘Darkness Remains’, a 2017 release.

Since the eighties, there have been many bands from America that have one hundred percent taken on board the ethos of the evolutionary NWOBHM and simply live and breath its nature. Night Demon are one of those bands, and with the release of their second album, you just need one look at the album cover to know this is a heavy metal album. Everything about the cover resonates with heavy metal vibes, and with song titles such as ‘Hallowed Ground’, ‘Dawn Rider’ and the title song ‘Darkness Remains’, pop this isn’t, heavy metal it is… Getting the album underway in a typically atmospheric style synonymous with epic heavy metal, ‘Welcome To The Night’ is a rampant and raucous fury of blazing riffs and rhythms. Night Demon deliver sharp and infectious NWOBHM with the highest levels of power and passion. Whipping you into a frenzy, ‘Hallowed Ground’ is a stunningly addictive song that will have you smiling from ear to ear as you are whisked back to the eighties. Get your heads banging and fists in the air, this is gonna be an exhilarating ride…

With its punkish attitude and galloping rhythm, ‘Maiden Hell’ has all the trademarks of the early NWOBHM evolution when British legends Iron Maiden delivered their debut album to the world. Lyrically, ‘Maiden Hell’ pays respect to Iron Maiden, with many of the bands song titles making up the majority of the lyrics. Epic and majestic, ‘Stranger In The Room’ is a mid tempo stomper. Mean and moody with a relentless rhythm, ‘Stranger In The Room’ is a breath taking example of a mid tempo cross between the heavy metal and power metal genres. Whoa, just listen to that buzzing guitar sound that breathes fire into ‘Life On The Run’. Pulsating with energy and passion, ‘Life On The Run’ gallops on and on, all catchy, infectious and smile inducing. I was fortunate to grow up during the eighties NWOBHM heyday, and this (second) album from Night Demon is an accurate reminder of what those days sounded like. Introducing a more melodic edge, ‘Dawn Rider’ is a swashbuckling and exciting romp of buzzing guitars. Night Demon are delivering the stuff of dreams, the stuff that the NWOBHM fan is in love with, wants to marry and spend the rest of his (or her) life with…

‘Black Widow’ is catchy, infectious and has the best sing a long style chorus heard on the album. ‘Darkness Remains’ (the album) is a triumphant display of the best style of heavy metal ever created. The classic British heavy metal sound is instantly recognisable and with this album displaying all its trademarks, Night Demon have given the world a brilliant album. Foot stompingly and head bangingly addictive, ‘On Your Own’ is a rollicking and raucous romp with one hundred percent sing a long ability. Since its evolution, many bands have been influenced by the NWOBHM, with only a few that have actually been able to deliver the same vibe, feel and intense passion, and Night Demon are one of those few… ‘Flight Of The Manticore’ is an instrumental that can stand proudly shoulder to shoulder with ‘Losfer Words (Big Orra)’ (from the 1984 Iron Maiden album ‘Powerslave’). All good things come to an end, and so does this album, with the title song ‘Darkness Remains’. A departure from the barnstorming and relentless romp of what has gone before, ‘Darkness Remains’ is acoustic fuelled and mellow, breaking into power ballad territory.

Overall, a full on and rampant NWOBHM influenced album, packed with pulsating and sparkling songs that will have you head banging and smiling for a very long time.

TRACKLIST

Welcome To The Night
Hallowed Ground
Maiden Hell
Stranger In The Room
Life On The Run
Dawn Rider
Black Widow
On Your Own
Flight Of The Manticore
Darkness Remains

http://nightdemon.net
https://www.facebook.com/nightdemonband/
http://twitter.com/NightDemonBand

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