Classic Rock Bottom

It SHOULD be an album from 1984, but I've been there, done that (say those last five words in a Thurston P. Howell III voice, it just makes more sense).

Instead, I am going backwards to 1981. That week I posted an album from 1984, hence the "I've been there, done that" (again, Thurston P. Howell III). 

What was really fun about this post was trying to find the clearest picture of Demon's "Night Of The Demon" album cover on the internet. It had to be clear so you could see the fingers digging into the innards. The blood and innards needed to be very, very clear so you'd know what you getting into.

Hell, the name of the band is Demon so you should expect something dark, evil and menacing. The album cover helps. C'mon, it's a cross. It's hands poking out from the ground tearing isteself apart. EVIL! Just the type of music I know you absolutely love! Thumbs up on this one!

Start with the first track and oh, yes. There are chanting "RISE" they are chanting for Beelzebub to rise! That is evil!

I remember when I saw this album at a local Sam Goody. It was during an outing for Mrs. Haverspam's School For Wayward Boys and when I saw this album cover in the front window of the Goody, I just had to have it. Mrs. Haverspam would have none of that, though. She looked at the album cover, told me I would go to hell just for listening to that type of music, grabbed my left ear and dragged me to the Dippin Dots and told me to wait right there while she rounded up the rest of the wayward boys. 

Of course, instead of waiting I went back to Sam Goody because I needed that album. It was calling me. It wanted me. It wanted to convert me from being just wayward to being wayward AND evil. 

It did just that by forcing me to stick the album under my coat and walking out of Sam Goody. Free album!

Now I look back at that and wonder if by stealing that album I caused Sam Goody to go out of business. If that's true, then I AM evil! All because of this album!

When I got back to the home, plopped this album on the turntable and heard the first "RISE", I knew that I was evil and that all the spawn from hell would be visiting me that night. I even chanted along since that's what wayward, evil boys do. 

The next two songs were about demons and nightmares, as evil as evil could be. i was going to burn in hell! Yes!

But then, I noticed something. This album isn't evil sounding at all! It sounds like a mashup of Thin Lizzy, UFO and Axe. Sure, there's some lyrics about hell and the devil and such, but the music is very accessible. 

Basically, outside of that evil album cover and that first song, this is pretty much early NWOBHM, but more bluesier. 

Dammit. Now I just realized that I was a fake evil boy way back in '81. But wait! I did steal it so I am evil! All because of this evil album! Take that, Mrs. Haverspam! You were right!

Night Of The Demon

1. Full Moon
2. Night Of The Demon
3. Into The Nightmare
4. Father Of Time
5. Decisions
6. Liar
7. Big Love
8. Ride The Wind
9. Fool To Play The Hard Way
10. One Helluva Night

Availability: The remastered version featuring four bonus tracks could be yours for about $11 (if you have Amazon Prime). 

       

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Who, me?

Gosh that was a flippin' scary opener!    And then the Night Of The Demon comes on and I'm going to have to say extra prayers to night, sleep with a cross and bible clutched in my white knuckled hands.  'cause I'm scared now...

In all seriousness, the image doesn't match the music, so I'm not sure what they were going for.  Its so confusing!!  Evil music this is not!  Thankfully too, I am not a fan of it ...  There are moments of melodic goodness and flashes of geetar, but alas, its kind of flat.

I did like the vocals though, thought his voice was interesting.  It reminded me of Axe in many spots,

Best Track: Father of Time

Worst Track:  Decisions

What a study in contradiction...

The album cover is totally evil.  Innards and a cross.  Just the epitome of evil.  And how 'bout that first track?  Man, with an intro like that, you know things are about to go batshit crazeeeee!

But then a funny thing happened.  Musically, they went all Southern Rock/Blackfoot/Spinal Tap on us.  I mean, it's like they took the musical track from a Blackfoot album and tried to write a few evil lyrics, but then just decided to sing about Big Love like Spinal Tap might do.  And let's just make the rest of the album up with some anthems.  Everybody needs an anthem. 

Overall, I dig it musically.  The vocalist is nothing to write home about, but he's not difficult to listen to either.  The guitar solo on Ride The Wind is short but blazing.  If they could write some better songs, I'd totally check it out.  But this album has to major flaws.  Bad songs and an image that it doesn't live up to.

I'm glad to say I got to listen to this lost album, 'cause if I'd seen it in a music store, I wouldn't have given it any thought at all.  And by the way, I didn't read Jon's commentary until now.  I see he says NWOBHM.  I say Southern Rock.  I see great minds still think totally opposite of one another.

But I'm right.

Right wing maybe...

Whoa!!! When I first saw this post, and read "Demon"....it sounded familiar to me. Then I read Jon's stuff (he could be a writer of comedy!!)...and read the track listing. And that's when it hit me. I have this "Heavy Metal" type album I was given on a birthday many, many years ago. Bunch of different artists, including this song called "Liar" by Demon.

Well, that's the only Demon song I've ever heard. But I always thought it was a killer tune. And now that I've read through all the posts, I'll go ahead and see if the rest of this album is as good as the "Liar" track.

But, before I even hit the play button, I'll say that demonic b.s. wont keep me from listening to an album, but if it is full of lyrics that insult me and Christianity, I'll never listen again. Sometimes, I think that a lot of hard rock bands go the "evil route", thinking it will help sell the album.

So, ok, after listening through, I most agree with RJHog's most excellent post. I think he hit the nail on the head. Evil cover, band name, and beginning. But after that? Just regular rock n roll. Which, personally, I'm glad of. I definitely get a Blackfoot feel during the sections of harmony guitar leads. Good call RJHog.

"Liar" is the best track for me, but some other tracks are pretty good as well. Definitely sounds dated, which you may think is a "duh" statement from me, since it's over 30 years old. But....Led Zeppelin does not sound dated, does it? So, again, my point is that the production, while ok for early 80's, just does not "hold time" as well.

Overall, glad to be able to hear this, but I won't be searching it out as a purchase. And...I can't help but wonder...did some record company executive, way back then, tell these guys "we'll sign you", but you gotta have an evil image, so we can sell you better? And the band agreed, wrote an "evilish" song or two, and then went back to writing what they wanted to write?

The song "Father Of Time" even has this in it's lyrics: "I was there on Calvary, when He died on the cross"...but I had a hard time picking up more of the lyrics of that tune. I honestly think the whole evil thing with these guys may just be an image. But like RJ said...did they "swing and miss" at the image????

I don't know if it was a swing & miss, but from what I've read, onstage they were more evil than in the studio? Don't know what the hell that could mean, maybe they were slaughtering chickens while playing.

Yeah, it does sound dated, but dated like Def Leppard's first album sounds dated. Still good, but it's that early 80's no frills type of recording.

What for my next post. It's evil beyond evil. It's most evil!

You know, you've got that right. That first Def Lep album is still one of my favorites from them, but the production was not that good. Probably not enough money, back in those days, eh? But I do think this album sounds better than that Def Lep. Just speaking sonically, not musically.

We all wait with anticipation for your next evil offering.

If a band wants an image like that...Evil Offering could be a good band name!

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