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NIGHT DEMON
Outsider
Century Media Records

Rock & Roll (And Metal for that matter) have always been not only the greatest form of music ever created, but also the one that is willing to take chances. To open your eyes to life, death and all its problems, but also to tell stories. Some based on fact, some fantasy. And some bands go that extra mile and tell a story so massive, that they can base a whole album on it.

The concept album as it's known. And some of Hard Rock's greatest concept albums have been massively successful lest you think otherwise. QUEENSRYCHE's Operation: Mindcrime, THE WHO's Tommy, PINK FLOYD's The Wall, RUSH's 2112, ALICE COOPER's Welcome To My Nightmare are just some of my favorite concept albums that are ingrained in not only myself, but to the world at large. So Ventura, California's favorite sons NIGHT DEMON (it might be a toss-up between them and CIRITH UNGOL but that's not for me to decide) have entered into 2023 with the mighty task of bringing their own concept album to light, the first full album of all new material since 2017's Darkness Remains. But don't think that the band sat idly by, as in-between those six years was 2018's double album and a half's Live Darkness, and then 2020's The Pandemic Series of 7"s (1 original & 1 cover). And I'm of the opinion that a great concept album songs can be played as stand alone tracks, as the above mentioned albums all surely fall under that category resoundingly.

The story of Outsider deals with mysterious portals of time and space, the supernatural as well as an alternate universe that mirrors this one except that it's, well....different. But much like a movie or a book, it's not really for me to tell you everything about it, but for you to take your own journey and discover the story for yourself. But I can tell you about the songs, and that's really the glue that holds everything together, right?

"Prelude" is the short intro that kicks the album off and most definitely has that 80's Sci-fi movie feel before the title tracks punches you in the face. This is the lead single that the band released and has a massive chorus and an undeniable melody line behind it. When I first heard it, I thought to myself, FOO FIGHTERS. Why? Because to my ears this is the kind of song that has made them one of the biggest Rock bands on planet Earth. Period. And I believe this track can stand alongside that proudly. Throw in a little SABBATH-y breakdown in the middle and this is a winner! "Obsidian" is a mid-paced banger with some serious riffage and a great solo from Armand John Anthony. "Beyond The Grave" kicks off with vocalist/bassist Jarvis Leatherby's Flying V bass thumping as the song itself is a slow dirge with harmony vocals and moody but not far removed from something Steve Harris and the IRON MAIDEN boys might brew up in parts. And the album production is crisp where every instrument, every note stands out. Impressive! "Rebirth" is another mid-paced cruncher with Armond really showing his chops. And of course drummer Dusty Squires holds everything together with his solid backbeat. "Escape From Beyond" gets things more uptempo with a solid banger that goes in a direction that you might not expect. That shows the maturity of the songwriting of N.D. as there's more colours and flavours, not just immediate thrashing from start to finish. Nothing more evident of that then the next track, "A Wake" could play on rock radio. And I mean that not as a slight, but a testimony to the grander scale & scope the boys have tried to attain on this album. A grand story needs equally grand music to elevate the story. Album closer "The Wrath" is the longest track at over 7 minutes and finishes the album and story in fine fashion, as it starts slowly but builds to a climatic crescendo of heaviness! Hearing is believing.

Musically, Outsider comes in at a blistering 35 minutes from start to finish, made for the fast paced attention distracted world of today. Impressively more mature yet still Metal at it's core. All the songs will fit nicely in a live setting without sticking out like the proverbial sore thumb. And speaking of live, there is talk of the band playing this album in it's entirety at some point. With dates and countries already announced and NIGHT DEMON being one of the most powerful live bands out today, do yourself a favor and prepare for the pummeling whether it's this world or the alternative universe of your choice. Just don't be an Outsider.

And there is Vinyl in a couple of different variations I believe so get to crackin! Don't be a Johnny-Come-Lately and miss the boat.

4.7 Out Of 5.0 Skulls

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