LIVE REVIEW: Demon - The Patriot, Crumlin 18th October 2024
In my humble opinion, Demon never quite got the recognition they deserved. Lumped in with the NWOBHM movement, they moved away from the heavy metal style after their first two albums, and concept album The Plague saw them step much more into the progressive and melodic style which was followed by a series of cleverly crafted records.
Having split in 1992, singer Dave Hill revived the band with a new line-up in 2001 and they have been gigging and releasing music ever since. Buoyed by their excellent album Invincible, this was something of a bucket list show that wasn’t going to be missed. I’d only ever seen Demon one before, at Fuel in Cardiff, and with better lighting and sound at The Patriot, there was an air of anticipation from the healthy Friday night crowd who gathered.
Two solid sets by Risen Prophecy and Intense had warmed the fans, but seeing the band enter and begin their intro certainly raised the excitement levels. It’s only Hill who remains from those heady days of the late 70s, but the band around him are long-standing veterans and high-quality musicians who play the band’s classic music superbly.
They enter to a huge reception, with guitarists Dave Cotterill, Paul Hulme and bassist Paul ‘Fasker’Johnson providing some humour with a choregraphed move that is as funny as it is awkward. Guitars up, guitars down, it’s warming to see as Dave Hill makes his entrance and the band launch into Night of the Demon. No longer wearing the devil mask that confused so many back in those early days, Hill is dapperly turned out. He’s also still got a phenomenal voice and proves it throughout a well-balanced set that takes us back through the band’s catalogue. A week or so after seeing Arthur Brown turn in a stunning show, it’s Hill’s turn to show that age is merely a state of mind. His performance is imperious, and at 77, one can only hope a return show is possible.
It would be remiss of the band not to focus on their early albums, and we get eight in total from Night of the Demon, The Unexpected Guest and The Plague. Nowhere to Run from that album is a personal highlight, and I’m not alone in singing along to every word. But there’s songs from other albums as well, all introduced with Hill’s trademark deadpan delivery. He’s asking for a pint that never seems to arrive, much to his feigned disappointment. 
Behind him, the current incarnation of the band (drummer Neil Ogden and keyboard player Karl Waye making up the rest of the team) don’t miss a note.
Remembrance Day (A Song for Peace) from the underrated Taking the World by Storm is as relevant today as it was when it was first written and allows the band to show their wider range. It’s epic stuff and the crowd are enthusiastic in their response.
Face the Master is the only track from Invincible, but it’s a goodie, and a fair few of the audience are clearly familiar with the song. Life on the Wire from Breakout is another highlight, but it’s those tunes from the first two albums that really lift the roof. The Spell and a raucous Don’t Break the Circle lead up to the grand finale, and it can only be One Helluva Night to round off a night that will long be remembered by those there.
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