_ _______ _ ...:... _ _______ _ ___ / .:::::::::::. \ ___ | / .. (:::::::::::::) .. \ | | . .:::::.`:::::::::::'.:::::. . | | .::.. `:::.::':::`::.:::' ..::. | _ _______ | .::' ::::':::::`:::: `::. | _______ _ \\ | | :: `' ::':`:: `' :: | | // \ | | `:. .::' . `::. .:' | | / . | | .::::::..::::' ... `::::..::::::. | | . | | `:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::' | | .... | | `:' `::::: :: :: :::::' `:' | | .... | ' | : `. ': :: :: :: :: :` .' : | ` | |.....: . .......: :: :: :: :: : ...... . : ....| . ...................: : :: :: :: :: : : ................. . _____________:_____________ _____________:_____________ _ ___\` __ /_\` _______/_\` __ _/_\` /___ _ // __ / (/ ___/ (/ _ (/ /_______/\ _ _ /_________ ___________ ______/\ _ ______________/\__/_ _ \\\\\_________\__/\_________\__/\_____/\_____/\____________/ /// - -\-\-----------\__/----------\__/-------\_____/---------------/-/- - - -------------------: : :. ..:: :: . :------------------ - : : :......: :: :` ': :: : .....: : : ___ _ | | : ` ' : | | _ ___ _\---------- : | -------- : B E R C : -------- | : ----------/_ /_\ . : . ..:.. ..:.. . : . /_\ /// . . : : . . \\\ /: :\ /:: Artist :: Night Demon ::\ :: Album :: Night Demon :: :: Year :: 2022 :: :: __ _ _ __ :: -:--\\-----------------------------------------------------------------//--:- :: \ / :: :: . Genre :: Heavy Metal Source :: CDDA . :: :: Label :: Metal Army R.date :: 2023.01.16 :: _::__ Cat.nr. :: ARMY 076-CD S.date :: 2022.00.00 __::_ ::// \\:: ::/---------------------------------------------------------------------\:: :: :: /: Encoder :: LAME 3.100 -V0 :\ ..: Bitrate :: avg. 262kbps :.. . Quality :: 44.1kHz/Joint Stereo . . Size :: 55.40 MB . . . __ __ _ . : _ ____ _ _ ____ _ : . _ __ __ .\\\\------- : | ---\ /---------------------\ /--- | : -------////. +/ -\------- | | ----\ tracklist /---- | | -------/- \+ /: . : : . :\ /:: ::\ :: 01. Night Demon 03:44 :: :: 02. The Chalice 03:12 :: :: 03. Ancient Evil 03:29 :: :: 04. Ritual 03:40 :: :: 05. Axe Crazy 02:50 :: :: 06. Lightning to the Nations 04:20 :: :: 07. Radar Love (First Live Gig) 04:35 :: :: 08. Ritual (First Live Gig) 03:37 :: :: ------- :: .. >> 29:27 .. __ __ _ . : _ ____ _ _ ____ _ : . _ __ __ .\\\\------- : | ---\ /---------------------\ /--- | : -------////. +/ -\------- | | ----\ release notes /---- | | -------/- \+ /: . : : . :\ /:: ::\ :: :: :: Whether you're an inner circle initiate or aspiring :: :: disciple, partaking in its enthusiastic but admittedly :: :: coarse debut, Curse of the Damned, and superior successor, :: :: Darkness Remains, without tuning in to the self-titled EP is :: :: like asking the maitre dÆ for ketchup at an upscale French :: :: restaurant- itÆs simply not done! :: :: :: :: In other words, this thrilling little gem is indispensable :: :: to the fist-pumping old school metal fest which is the Night :: :: Demon experience. Independently released five years ago and :: :: comprised of four cozy originals excluded from the eventual :: :: full-length debut, it certainly dispelled any reservations I :: :: had at the time regarding the actual band name (to this day :: :: it continues to elicit its fair share of chuckles). Now, it :: :: may sound cheap and generic to the point of hilarity but :: :: don't be fooled! Night DemonÆs anything but thanks to its :: :: raw power, stimulating appeal and groovy horror undertones. :: :: :: :: The Ventura, California natives cut right to the chase with :: :: Night Demon's "namesake" track, in the same tradition and :: :: with equal metal fury as Iron Maiden or Witchfinder General :: :: (the explosive solo at the beginning is more than enough to :: :: make you sit up and take heed). As for front man/ bassist :: :: Jarvis Leatherby, he sounds distinctively youthful here; in :: :: fact, at times he's a dead ringer for Diamond Head's Sean :: :: Harris. While it's a fair comparison in general, on no other :: :: track is this as prevalent. :: :: :: :: Also of note, this is where founding member and original :: :: guitarist Brent Woodward (having since been replaced by :: :: Gygax's Armand John Anthony) rattles off some of his :: :: fiercest lead playing, sharply in contrast with his bare :: :: bones solo on "Ancient Evil", a simple but fun track if :: :: there ever was one. Plain as it is, I dig his sliding riff :: :: and overall restraint. There are times when less is more and :: :: "Ancient Evil" is certainly one of them. To boot, I'm :: :: completely enthralled by Leatherby's wicked vocal inflection :: :: at the end of the chorus, specifically "Ancient!...Ancient :: :: Evil", but pronounced as "E-Vile", Such vocal antics add a :: :: whole new dimension to an otherwise unassuming track. :: :: :: :: Soon to be relieved by Dusty Squires, John Crerar and :: :: Patrick Bailey split drumming duties here, but truth be :: :: told, I wasn't even aware of this until I started writing :: :: this review and verified the EP's line-up. While short- :: :: lived, their stint with the band paved the way for its :: :: eventual success, as Night Demon's just released a second :: :: full-length, Darkness Remains, to what I predict will be :: :: wide acclaim once word gets around how great it is. Now, I :: :: don't know who took to the skins on "Ritual", but holy :: :: fudge! I have to agree with Wykydtron84, as this monster :: :: track, stimulating to the extreme and adorned with :: :: delightfully cheesy lyrics, is indeed the top highlight of :: :: this EP. It's like Halloween in a can, to be pried open with :: :: glee over and over. I don't think I'll ever get my fill of :: :: "Ritual". :: :: :: :: Let's not forget about "The Chalice", either. Though I :: :: consider it the less imposing track Night Demon has ever :: :: written, it fits in nicely as the second track, coming on :: :: the heels of the romp which is "Night Demon" (the track :: :: proper). It's also laden with Leatherby's thumping bass line :: :: and some rather toned down lyrics compared to the band's :: :: usual grimoire. One more thing: if you can, try to get your :: :: hands on one of the expanded editions, as they include two :: :: live tracks (Riot's Road Racin' and Golden Earring's Radar :: :: Love) as well as two additional kick-ass covers of Diamond :: :: Head's "Lightning to the Nations" and Jaguar's "Axe Crazy". :: :: While these last two give a good indication of Night Demon's :: :: NWOBHM inclinations, I find "Axe Crazy" sits right at home :: :: with some of the tracks from Curse of the Damned (ôScreams :: :: In The Nightö, ôKillerö, ôRun For Your Lifeö- you know the :: :: drill.). :: :: :: :: . _ _ . :: \: :. \\ ___________ . ___________ // .: :/ __\____ :: ____ ___\ _ / BERC : 2023 \ _ /___ ____ :: ____/__ \\\f3! :: \\\ __ _/_________i_________\ /___/ /// :: cRO/// \ :: :\-\___________\_ ___ / _ _/___________/-/: :: / :: | . . _ _ _/ __/ . \_ _ _ . . | :: : :::::::: | | \\\\\/ _______\____|\ \///// | | :::::::: : :: | | -\-\/____/-------------\____\/-/- | | :: :: | | \ :|: / | | :: : : | . ` ::: ' . | : : . . | : ::: : | . . | :::....:::....::: | : ::::::::::::::::: : . :::''``:::''``::: . : ::: : . ::: . .:. :