Metal Never Forgets...Even When It Should Pt.3

And here we have the 1982 debut EP from California's own Demon Flight. This is one of the very first releases from Metal Blade records, and is one the very few items the label has never seen fit to reissue. When you finally get to hear this rarity, you might understand why. It's horribly dated stuff, kind of like a low-batteries Iron Maiden armed with a really weird vocal style. "Dead Of The Night" appeared on the first Metal Massacre sampler, and those who own it will recall the distinctive whining vocals of bassist Rick Gerad. On this track, this guy sounds like that annoying cat puppet from the old Mister Roger's Neighborhood show. Just imagine her saying "Meow, meow, evil, meow," and you'll have a very good idea of how nails on chalkboard it is. The dude gets himself more under control for "Search And Destroy," which isn't a bad poverty metal cut at all. However, the 9 minute scare-fest "Night Of The Demon" is just a boring jam on two chords that lasts for nine and a half minutes without nearly enough variation or invention to justify it. I mean, if you're gonna write a song with that title, a two chord bounce with no interesting improvisation or interplay is just not going to make the grade.

As is well known, Metal Blade would come on great guns after their first few releases. But it amazes me sometimes that were able to survive at all when one looks at how bad their first few non-compilation album releases were. I mean, Bitch, Pandemonium, and these guys didn't exactly shake the foundations of the metal world,  A real old school nugget, this falls into the "so bad it's almost good" category, but probably isn't worth the loads of cash you'll need to shell out to grab a copy. On the rarity scale, it's probably worth $50-$75. On the quality scale, if you buy me a cheeseburger I'll trade you my copy for it.