Label - Spaced Out Music
Track listing-
01 - Prey (Intro)
02 - Prey
03 - Shine A Light
04 - Unbroken
05 - Wings Of Steel
06 - Fill Your Head With Rock
07 - Take Me To Your Leader
08 - Private Lives
09 - We Can Make It
10 - What About The Night
11 - I Still Believe
Founded in UK at the end of the seventies by lyricist/vocalist Dave Hill and guitarist Mal Spooner, DEMON is one of the most musically interesting and socially aware hard rock bands of their age. Breaking through at the heart NWoBHM movement with albums like Night Of The Demon and The Unexpected Guest Demons sound probably had more in common with the likes of Europe and Bon Jovi than Iron Maiden and Saxon. Despite a huge and loyal fan base and critical acclaim over the years things never really took off on the same scale as it did for their contemporaries, mores the pity because Demon have recorded some great songs over the years and many a great album.
Unbroken is Demon's first new album since 2005’s ‘Better the Devil You Know’ and it sees them back, for the most part, to a classic hard rock/metal sound. There is a little prog in the opener the uptempo Prey, and its intro piece, which shows vocalist Dave Hill is still in fine vocal fettle. Joining Hill on writing duties are keyboards player Paul Farrington (although his keys are often way in the background) and drummer Neil Ogden. Shine A Light continues the powerful dynamic feel as the album starts to form and take a hold of you. The vocals are raucous and the solo is on fire.
Title track Unbroken is pretty much a reference to the band's longevity and unbroken spirit. A bit of a different animal than the previous, more melodic and harmonic, although the main guitar riff is blistering!
Wings of Steel is a keyboard laden tune which shouldn't come as much of a surprise as Hill wrote it with the keyboard player. It simply has one of the most breathtaking choruses on the entire album, another great Demon epic and what a bloody guitar solo!
Fill Your Head With Rock is an anthem about Sweden Rock Festival that the band has played on a number of occasions. It really goes to show that these veterans still know how to rock!
Take Me To Your Leader continues the bands / Dave Hill's fascination with ET life and space. The track is spacey but rocking too, with a big thick, multi-tracked vocal in the chorus that sticks out.
Private Lives is another track that Dave has written with keyboard player Paul Farrington, musically pretty melodic rock oriented and clever lyrics about the whole instant celebrity cult and paparazzi thing. A great polished sound here, a truly great song.
The very melodious and rhythmical midtempo We Can Make It, (If We All Try) tells another beautiful story, followed by What About The Night drenched in luscious keys, a classy 'theatrical' Demon tune deliciously devilish fun.
Finally I Still Believe is a lighters and a hands in the air anthem written in the trademark Demon way, a ballad yes, but ardent and powerful.
Unbroken is one of the strongest albums that Demon have put out in their entire career, and really does deserve some massive mainstream attention.
If you like melodic well written hard rock / metal executed to perfection then check this album out!
Rating - 10/10
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