Demon (band)
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Demon are an English rock group formed in 1980 by vocalist Dave Hill and guitarist Mal Spooner, both hailing from Leek, Staffordshire. They drew their initial audience from the New Wave of British Heavy Metal movement in 1980.
The original lineup was completed by Les Hunt (rhythm guitar), Chris Ellis (bass) and John Wright (drums). The band were rapidly snapped up by Carrere Records to join their stable of metal bands. Their debut album Night of the Demon was released in 1981.
After their follow-up album The unexpected guest in 1982, the band experimented beyond the NWOBHM sound and moved the band in a more melodic direction whilst still retaining the more taditional heavy metal black magic lyrical style.
With the decline of the NWOBHM as a major force, Demon took a change in direction. The Plague (1983) was their last album for Carrere and marked a swing towards a more progressive sound. Lyrically the band also changed direction, switching to a more overtly political style that was to characterise their albums for the rest of their career. The following album, the Pink Floyd influenced British Standard Approved (1984), released on the small independent 'Clay' label, was not a huge commercial success, and with the tragic death of Mal Spooner later that year, it appeared that the band would soon fold.
However Heart of Our Time (1985) showed that the remaining members of the band were determined to continue, and it was the start of a new songwriting partnership between Dave Hill and keyboard player Steve Watts. Although the album is regarded as the weakest of the bands releases, it paved the way for the critically acclaimed Breakout (1987) and its follow up Taking The World By Storm (1989).
The band continued releasing material throughout the 1990's, and despite several line up changes continue to record and tour whilst maintaining a loyal and hardcore cult following throughout Europe.
