The Unexpected Guest

“…take your place in the circle, watch the mystery unwind…”

You don’t have to remind me I was a little hard on this group’s debut (though you have), and the only defense I can muster is that it goes back to my original disappointment of the disc as this then-adolescent flung it on his turntable expecting the clanging onrush of Exciter or Oz and was rewarded with a far cry from either, but whose fault is that really? In the spirit of honesty, I should’ve attached a disclaimer explaining that the debut’s review was being penned twenty one years later by that adolescent’s frustration, yet I couldn’t find the maturity to do even that, nor simply command the adult’s worldliness to write the stupid thing in the first place, and for that I apologize not only to readers, but to then-members of Demon.

So here I stand again, this time humbly, at Demon’s front entrance, and I build the nerve to use the knocker that unsurprisingly resembles this album’s front cover, knowing that the unexpected guest is me. Slow footsteps echo behind the door while foul gray-green mist seeps from the crack under it, filling the senses not unlike “Full Moon”, the debut’s weird intro. The door swings open abruptly and I'm thrown back a few steps while being greeted by the band’s masterpiece if there is one, “Don’t Break the Circle”, which instead of glowering over me, grins with a malevolent twinkle and invites me in like a new day.

“…but wait, is there one amongst us here who disbelieves?”

Okay, while admittedly over-critical of Night of the Demon, I’m not gonna gush optimistically at every waking morsel of The Unexpected Guest just to garner favor with its benefactors. The best I can do is leave adolescence at the porch, but this time around even my adolescence perceives a destiny more diabolic in Demon’s foyer, humid air more authentic with deeper intrinsic darkness that permeates words over music, and in this limited regard outclasses Witchfynde, Crucifixion and the ‘80s incarnation of Lucifer’s Friend. This lyrical darkness, however, tends to warn against itself, much like early Sabbath, and it’s possible because of this these tracks and their penchant for melodically up-tempo and even uplifting moods can find justification with fans searching for the opposite. Probably not.

Yep, hardly anything dismal can be found on The Unexpected Guest musically, in disposition, prowess, style or execution. In fact, what can be described as head-held-high triumph fills nearly every hook, nook and cranny of at least seven of these tunes while clandestinely muting the underlying lyrical pseudo-diabolism almost to a moot point (but is something hardly worth addressing, really). The level of songwriting has improved as well, enhancing this lp with more confident, stimulating hard rockin’ metal specimens spreading leathery wings to better fly into memory’s rerun pattern. The courageously vital “Deliver Us From Evil” and “Have We Been Here Before?”, infectious “Total Possession”, aurally visible “The Grand Illusion” and “Sign of the Madman”, and all-star “Don’t Break the Circle” are the bunch’s heat-treated hard rollers rollicking throughout Demon’s residence, and the adolescent peering in from the front stoop recalls why these were originally dismissed, however the ‘why’ now seems silly. Dope.

“…it’s all the work of the devil, now he will serve you well...”

Dave Hill’s usually clear, masculine rasp is a carry-over ingredient from the debut, heard much clearer here within The Unexpected Guest’s superior production, one that clears debris from a strong tenor who instills angst even in the slow-to-rotate “Victim of Fortune” and ballad-y snoozer “Strange Institutions”. Hill, in cahoots with the rhythmic provision of Les Hunt and Mal Spooner, are the reliable turbines supplying power to whatever mechanism stirs the hard rock-contained metal crock pots at the band’s center. Sure, the same turbines were used on Night of the Demon, however it’s apparent someone got slopped up overhauling the equipment to compete with ‘82’s slightly more competent standards, and before the work crew called it quits, like banners they festooned the place with the art of the chorus, the clarion call of many songs here, and in this regard as well outclass Witchfynde, Crucifixion, and maybe ‘80s Lucifer’s Friend to finish the circle unbroken.

So much for not gushing optimistic, but what can I say, the return visit with Demon is unarguably worthwhile as I not only fall under their spell, but leave my adolescence chained to the handrail as both a reminder and punishment. Won’t hold it long, however, and we’ll find it curling a lip at next year’s The Plague.

Fun Fact 87b{03}: The Unexpected Guest charted in the UK at #47.

“…a fire in his eyes tells you he’s not like the rest…”

Many metalheads have heard the song “Don’t Break the Circle” which was covered by the more well-known metal band Blind Guardian. That song, and to a lesser extent this album, is Demon’s commercial and popular success, and just about the only one. There’s a reason why: “The Unexpected Guest” is the self-defining Demon album featuring Dave Hill and Mal Spooner writing music in the unique and original Demon style featured on the first side of the debut. Even more importantly, it’s all-around more consistent and really shines on.

What is the unique and original Demon style? Highly melodic guitars like Rainbow, sing-songy vocal lines like Uriah Heep, but all with the special touch of Dave Hill’s powerful voice that is highlighted even better now would be the answer. He goes into spastic-sounding wails and screams with vibrato, and simply proves himself to be one the best singers out there. Maybe he’s technically not abnormally impressive, but I’ve never heard another vocalist who sounds similar.

The passion is also turned up a notch from the working class metal on “Night of the Demon”, and now the songs focus on the “unknown”. Everything from séances in “The Spell” to possession in “Total Possession” to the afterlife in “A Strange Institution” to the meaning of existence in “Victim of Fortune” are covered in this piece of art, and that was exactly the intent. It gives off a feeling of musical wanderlust similar to what is elicited in me while listening to Angel Witch’s self-titled debut or perhaps some early Fates Warning. In the Black Sabbath tradition, though, the songs don’t actually advocate practicing the occult, but warn about the dangers of it, giving the album a very human feel.

Musically everything is at least solid, including the drums and bass. The instruments are not highly technical and so they mostly serve to communicate the mood, which I would describe as an impending doom, but yet a very distant one…for most.

“Don’t Break the Circle” is the highlight of this album, being built upon layers and layers of guitar melodies that flow perfectly into one another and build to a crescendo at the very end. “The Grand Illusion” is probably Demon’s most metallic song, being straight up borderline speed metal in composition. It’s very aggressive and one of the reasons it’s not right to refer to Demon as just a hard rock band. It’s also one of the greatest numbers on here.

The flaws on this album are scarce. It can be a bit monotonous for reasons opposite of why most albums are monotonous; this is just a ton of melody and sometimes those melodies are similar. I think it would have been nicer if this album had a ballad or two to mix things up and change the direction that virtually every song headed in.

I can’t end this on a bad note, though. After all, almost every note on this album is gold, so I should give it a plethora of good ones back.

This band is one of the "missing links" between '70s hard rock and NWOBHM. Originally on Carrere, the same label as Saxon, Demon have a bit of that band's sound...but much more as well as different.

I've just recently dug out the vinyl of this, which I listened to quite often back in the "olden days". And I was surprised at how I instantly remembered most of these songs, even after 15 years! So, I suppose that is a testimony to the songcraftsmanship on record here. I really don't know what to compare Demon to: there are many cool guitar melodies on this, but not to the complexity of Mercyful Fate. Perhaps along the same line as what Iron Maiden was doing in the early 80s, and certainly more advanced than what Judas Priest was doing. The vocalist is lower mid-range, and is quite expressive and never gets too carried away and begins to sound dorky; his voice is more raspy than clear. The production is quite nice; there is a thick, warm feeling...but I don't know if this is duplicated on cd (remember, this is a review of the vinyl). One thing that sets Demon apart is the prevailing use of keyboards. They don't have that "spacey" sound to them, ala Deep Purple, and yet they are more out-front than, say, UFO's material from the late '70s. I don't have any other reference point to compare them to. They do not "take over" the songs, rather they're an integral part of most, though the songs are for the most part guitar-oriented.

Though the theme of the early Demon material is occult, there are a few songs that sound very upbeat and almost "happy", "Victim of Fortune" and "Have We Been Here Before?" especially. However, there are some ominous-sounding songs as well, which make up the bulk of the album. I would have to say that the intro, "An Observance", points to what the listener can expect. The pace throughout is mostly mid, however they speed it up a few times and nothing really approaches doom-pace.

This is an enjoyable and well-crafted/performed listen, especially for those of you who appreciate older hard rock. I was surprised to learn the band is still active! The feel of the album is VERY British, if you know what I mean. The packaging of the vinyl is fantastic...gatefold with lyrics and photos. It was a rather interesting nostalgia trip for me, and a refreshing change of pace from my usual world of what eventually sprang from albums like this: the hideous crypt of black metal.