National Music Reviews
Night Demon
Curse of the Damned
Steamhammer
Street: 01.14
Night Demon = Motörhead / Diamond Head + Angel Witch
Night Demon are the epitome of a live band, the kind of outfit that can get your blood pumping with their solid riffs and straight-ahead energy. It takes some serious doing to evoke that experience through a recording, but on Curse of the Damned you can practically smell the sweat and spilled beer. Songs like “Heavy Metal Heat” and “Run For Your Life” make it impossible to sit still, and listening to “Full Speed Ahead” behind the wheel might earn you a speeding ticket—if the cops can even catch you. There’s something dirty and sexy about Night Demon that reminds me of the best Motörhead tracks, and though Jarvis Leatherby’s vocals might not have the visceral grit of Lemmy’s, his bass has just the right kind of swagger. I want to strap on my boots and jump in the mosh pit. Catch ’em next time they’re in town. –Henry Glasheen