Night Demon Were No "Outsiders" in Toronto
Night Demon's Javis Leatherby in Toronto
This past week, I was fortunate to catch a date on Night Demon's current tour, in support of 2023's 'Outsider' album, while they were direct support for Swedish power metal outfit Blind Guardian. It's been almost twelve years since I was at this particular venue, now called Rebel. This place used to be The Sound Academy and the renovations that have taken place there are nothing short of spectacular.
Heading into the show, I was really intrigued to see what kind of crowd this show would draw. While there's a clear distinction between power metal, and Night Demon's more straight-ahead heavy metal (often leaning towards that early 1980's New Wave of British Heavy Metal) sound, it's always curious to see how the fans will take in each band. In this instance, would the fantasy-loving legions that support Blind Guardian be interested in what Night Demon brought to the stage?
The answer was a resounding "YES!" From the sounds of it, these fans have been converted night after night, city after city. After watching it firsthand, it's easy to see why!
Armand John Anthony holding down guitar duties with Night Demon in Toronto
The band opened up the set with the title track from 'Outsider,' immediately followed by "Screams in the Night," a classic track from their first album. Fans had already latched on to this fist-pumping brand of metal. The rest of the set continued to showcase a great sampling of the current album (with a huge thanks for making "The Wrath" a staple), along with a fantastic selection of tracks from all of their prior releases.
The forty-five minute slot probably isn't enough time to let Night Demon showcase all they've got, but it was a great sampler platter, and plenty to give the unsuspecting crowd a dose of something new! Not to gloss over the fact that this powerhouse is a three-piece outfit, which only makes the performance that much more impressive. Jarvis Leatherby handles lead vocals and bass, while Armand John Anthony tackles full guitar duties. Recent addition "Brutal" Brian Wilson handles the drums.
Following the performance, their merch table had an impressive line and their shirts and patches were already picked through. As a long-time fan of this band, that made me incredibly happy to see! It's great for any band that's willing to put in the effort to tour and record so aggressively start to see it pay off.
Brian Wilson on the drums with Night Demon in Toronto
One of the coolest things with Night Demon, is how close this band is to their fans. If you're a die-hard follower, they either know you or they will know you. They make interacting really easy by showing up at their merch table after the show. Additionally, they have probably the single best podcast in heavy metal today. Every single week, there's a brand-new episode, helmed by super-fan Nesbit. I fully expect a tour recap once this current leg ends, but every week has a different topic and the band is fully involved in these, too. As a lifelong fan of heavy music, there's always been something special about a good interview with my favorite rock stars growing up. If you're a fan of this band, you'll hear these guys talk about anything and everything.
If you caught a show (or even if you didn't) and you want a better look at their merch, they keep an extremely well-stocked store on their BandCamp site. Recently, they even had their first three releases remaster and repressed on vinyl and CD. Additionally, they've got way more t-shirts and patches than what you can currently grab on tour.
Go check out Night Demon's BandCamp site HERE.
I can't wait to catch another show, and I hope you had the chance to see these guys recently, or maybe you've got a show planned! Check out their TOUR PAGE to see if they'll be playing near you soon!
Photo Gallery: All photos by Charlie Meister
Check this one out for "The Wrath" - if you're really short on time, go ahead and skip to 3:40 where Armand John Anthony rips into an insane solo for just a taste of the face-melting ferocity that Night Demon brings to the stage!
