The B-side of the "Empires Fall" 7" single was an obscure NWOBHM song called "Fast Bikes," originally recorded by the unheralded Le Griffe. The forthcoming Year of the Demon album marks the first time Night Demon's version of this unpolished gem will be heard by a wide audience. In this episode, we explore the unlikely manner in which Night Demon discovered the song, how it became the soundtrack to some of their early van tours, and why they decided to cover it. We run through the known history ...
Feb 11, 2022•54 min•Ep. 81
For the final installment of our deep dive into the track "Empires Fall," we begin with each band member discussing how his parts came together. You will hear isolated tracks of each instrument to demonstrate the players' insights. The guys explain why they feel "Empires Fall" captures all the key elements of Night Demon, while also foreshadowing a heightened level of musicianship to come on future tracks and releases. We break down the killer cover artwork for the 7" single. We describe the pro...
Feb 04, 2022•56 min•Ep. 80
In part 3 of our ongoing investigation into "Empires Fall," we examine how Night Demon came to work with producer Matt Hyde on this track, including Armand's long history with him. The band describes their experience in working with an outside producer and reflects on whether Night Demon really needs an outside ear in the studio. The guys also explain how and why they tapped Josh Newell for the final mix of the song. You will also hear in detail from the three guests who contributed gang vocals,...
Jan 28, 2022•52 min•Ep. 79
This week we resume our in-depth exploration of "Empires Fall," the lead track from the forthcoming Year of the Demon compilation album. The guys talk about how their observations and experiences with record label turmoil helped to shape and inform the lyrical content of the song. Jarvis takes the listener line by line through the lyrics, including isolated vocal tracks and commentary as to the meaning and sometimes surprising origins of the words. From there, Night Demon carries you step-by-ste...
Jan 21, 2022•49 min•Ep. 78
This week we tackle the lead track from Year of the Demon , "Empires Fall." The guys explain the rationale for releasing the song as a single on April 3, 2020, with no advance warning, promotion or pre-orders. They explain why it was released as a 7" vinyl single in multiple color variants, why physical product is so important to a band like Night Demon, and how the variants were selected. Each member of Night Demon explains his reaction to the nearly immediate sell-out of all 1,000 copies. You ...
Jan 14, 2022•56 min•Ep. 77
Last week we gave you the exclusive inside scoop on the forthcoming release of Night Demon's new compilation album, Year of the Demon, on March 25, 2022. This week's episode is devoted to a full overview of Year of the Demon. The guys go through the tracklisting, song by song, with snippets of each track and commentary from Jarvis, Armand and Dusty about the writing and recording process. You will hear about the band's approach to sequencing and mastering the record, as well as an in-depth exami...
Jan 07, 2022•1 hr 10 min•Ep. 76
Do you want to know what Night Demon has planned for 2022? There will be not one, but two, physical releases. A press release will go out on January 1. But you, our loyal NDHMPC subscribers, deserve the inside scoop, straight from the source, ahead of everyone else. So tune in to hear Jarvis, Armand and Dustin explain what's next, along with a bevy of record label managers to guide you through all the whys and the wherefores. 2022 shall be the year of the Demon. For all of us. Listen in and you ...
Dec 31, 2021•50 min•Ep. 75
This week the guys present you with their annual year-in-review episode, recorded live this week with host Nesbit. Among the topics covered in this wide-ranging, candid conversation are how the band members were affected by the pandemic in 2021, how the podcast provided them with motivation to keep everything together in the darkest of times, their reflections on the pre-Night Demon podcast episodes aired earlier this year, and their impressions of the two one-off live gigs they played on the ba...
Dec 24, 2021•58 min•Ep. 74
This week we take you behind the scenes for an up-close look at Night Demon's triumphant performance at the Decibel Magazine Metal and Beer Fest at the Belasco Theater in Los Angeles, California on December 10, 2021. You will hear in-depth commentary from the guys about their experiences and impressions from that night, as well as extensive backstage interviews with promoters, bands, friends and fans. You will learn about new merch items made available at this show, as well as additional Night D...
Dec 17, 2021•1 hr 20 min•Ep. 73
In part 10 of our in-depth analysis of Night Demon’s early years, we explore the winds of change that confronted the band in September 2013. A lineup shakeup results in Dusty Squires agreeing to play drums on forthcoming studio recordings, but leaves them with no drummer for imminent live commitments. Armand fills in on drums for a gig in Pasadena. You’ll hear from departed drummer John Crerar as he speaks at length about his feelings at the time, his reactions in hindsight, and his goodwill tow...
Dec 10, 2021•1 hr 8 min•Ep. 72
In this week's episode, we continue our chronicle of Night Demon's formative years, focusing on the official release of the debut EP in summer 2013. You will hear excerpts from worldwide media coverage of the release, including glowing reviews and vintage interviews with Jarvis. A press release in early September announced the band's intention to go into the studio shortly to record their full-length debut album. Night Demon was gigging heavily in southern California at the time, feeding off the...
Dec 03, 2021•56 min•Ep. 71
This week we resume the narrative of Night Demon's early days. We pick up the story in the summer of 2013. Jarvis remains extremely active with the Heartbeats, who release a punk covers EP and embark on their most ambitious tour. But he longs for a band situation and is nostalgic for the heavy metal of his youth, so he decides to make Night Demon his top priority. In the meantime, Night Demon is taking off. The band has a string of successful shows in California in the summer of 2013, winning ov...
Nov 26, 2021•53 min•Ep. 70
This week's episode is a special airing of the complete audio of an interview that Jarvis Leatherby conducted with Rock Hard Magazine in Berlin, Germany on September 3, 2021. A German translation of this informative, wide-ranging interview will be published in Rock Hard Germany on November 24, 2021, but it is made available here in English as a sneak-preview exclusive for Night Demon podcast listeners. Among the topics addressed by Jarvis in this interview are the status of Night Demon's origina...
Nov 19, 2021•52 min•Ep. 69
On November 6, 2021, after more than 20 painful months of slumber, the Demon awakened. Night Demon made a triumphant return to the stage, headlining the Steel & Stone Festival in Asheville, North Carolina. In this week’s episode, we take you through every detail of that night, from pre-show travel headaches and mishaps to extensive interviews with audience members who traveled from near and far to experience the event. You will hear raw soundboard recordings of a dozen songs performed by Nig...
Nov 12, 2021•1 hr 23 min•Ep. 68
This week we continue our in-depth investigation of the early years of Night Demon. The story continues in early 2013. Just days after Jarvis decided to quit his day job and devote his full energies to Night Demon, record label interest materializes for 7” vinyl and CD editions of the four-song EP. Jarvis starts learning the business side, and the band accepts offers from Reinig Records and Shadow Kingdom Records for vinyl and CD versions, respectively. The band records their first video for the...
Nov 05, 2021•53 min•Ep. 67
This week we resume our investigation of Night Demon’s early days. We pick up the narrative at the beginning of 2013. Night Demon played a show on January 5, with Dusty as roadie for drummer John Crerar. It marked the first time Jarvis and Dusty had hung out in depth, aside from a prior occasion when Dusty had saved Jarvis’s life. The guys began forging bonds of camaraderie with touring bands, providing hospitality that would one day be reciprocated. A setback occurred when Night Demon lost thei...
Oct 29, 2021•59 min•Ep. 66
This week we conclude our short break from exploring the early years of Night Demon by bringing you the back half of a special radio show broadcast. On June 2, 2021, Jarvis was a guest DJ on the Gimme Metal streaming radio station, where he presided over a two-hour show highlighting current and forthcoming Iron Grip Records releases in various formats by both legendary acts who changed the face of heavy metal and new blood taking the world by storm today. In this episode, we present part 2 of th...
Oct 22, 2021•1 hr 8 min•Ep. 65
This week we begin a short two-episode break from our ongoing in-depth chronicle of the history of Night Demon to bring you a special radio show broadcast. On June 2, 2021, Jarvis was a guest DJ on the Gimme Metal streaming radio station, where he presided over a two-hour show highlighting current and forthcoming Iron Grip Records releases in various formats by both legendary acts who changed the face of heavy metal and new blood taking the world by storm today. This episode presents part 1 of t...
Oct 15, 2021•58 min•Ep. 64
This week's episode is Early Days, part 5, focusing on the eventful last quarter of 2012. Night Demon appear on their first magazine cover, in a concept gone dreadfully awry, then perform for themselves at a deserted Halloween party, learning valuable business lessons along the way. Work continues on the design of a Night Demon mascot, artwork and logo. In November 2012, Night Demon plays more shows, with drummer John Crerar in a neck brace and a stack of digital download cards to hand out to fa...
Oct 08, 2021•57 min•Ep. 63
This week we continue our series of episodes dedicated to the Early Days of Night Demon. We pick up the story in spring 2012. Brent and John had been jamming Night Demon material while Jarvis played out with his main project, Jeff Hershey and the Heartbeats. Bolstered by John's confidence and steadfast belief, as well as the support of pirate radio station KSSR, Night Demon started gigging again in spring 2012. The setlists of those shows included "Chalice 2," which later became "Satan." During ...
Oct 01, 2021•47 min•Ep. 62
For part 3 of the Early Years, we resume the narrative in early 2012. Pat Bailey had left Night Demon to return to school. At that time, Night Demon welcomed drummer John Crerar from The Fucking Wrath into the fold. Crerar brought extreme enthusiasm and energy to the band, despite being from a punk background more than a metal background. Meanwhile in 2012, Night Demon was very much a side project as the members focused on their main bands. Jarvis was busy with Jeff Hershey and the Heartbeats, w...
Sep 24, 2021•1 hr 3 min•Ep. 61
We resume the story of Night Demon's early days in late 2011. After an extended period of focusing on other projects, Jarvis, Brent and Pat were back together in Ventura. Their first order of business was to finalize the mix on the 4-song EP at Armand's Satellite Studios. That task completed, the boys began rehearsing new ideas, working out the bones of what became "Livin' Dangerous," "Howling Man" (originally known as "Intruder"), and "Killer." In early 2012, before Pat went back to school, the...
Sep 17, 2021•55 min•Ep. 60
This week’s episode covers part 1 of ‘The Early Years’. We pick up the story in mid-2011. Night Demon had just formed, written and recorded the self-titled EP, and had played their debut gig. For the remainder of 2011, Night Demon was on the back burner as all members were focused on other projects. Drummer Pat Bailey moved 11 hours away to go back to school. For his part, Jarvis was in Jeff Hershey and the Heartbeats land, promoting a new album and giving his all to that project. Armand and Dus...
Sep 10, 2021•1 hr•Ep. 59
This episode chronicles the good, the bad, and the ugly from Night Demon’s first-ever live performance on May 20, 2011 at the Bombay Bar & Grill in Ventura, California. You will hear how the band solved the conundrum of filling a setlist despite having only four original songs. Armand and Dusty give their impressions from the show, which they both attended. The bulk of the episode consists of Jarvis giving a song-by-song rundown of the set, augmented by audio clips recorded that night. (Neve...
Sep 03, 2021•1 hr 4 min•Ep. 58
After an amazingly fruitful two-month period in which Night Demon wrote and recorded all four songs for their debut EP, it was time to entertain offers for gigs. You will hear how Night Demon were offered and turned down the opportunity to open for Accept and Sabaton in May 2011, and how Armand and Dusty’s band New Liberty took the slot in their stead. The irony is twofold, in that Armand and Dusty went on to join Night Demon, and Night Demon went on to open for Accept on an extended European ru...
Aug 27, 2021•55 min•Ep. 57
This week we conclude our deep dive into the self-titled EP with an in-depth analysis of “Ritual.” Jarvis explains why it is his favorite song on the EP, walks you through the lyrics, and talks about the construction of the song, section by section. You’ll hear how the intro arrangement was subconsciously inspired by “Welcome to the Jungle.” The guys describe the massive middle part, the looseness of the studio recording, the way they lock in the thrashy palm-muted sections live, and Dusty’s cri...
Aug 20, 2021•59 min•Ep. 56
This week’s episode focuses on “Ancient Evil,” an underrated classic on the four-song Night Demon EP. Jarvis goes into detail about how the writings of American horror author H. P. Lovecraft influenced heavy metal, Night Demon, and this song specifically. The lyrics’ numerous references to Lovecraftian characters and concepts are explained. You will hear how this song was written, why it is Armand’s favorite track on the EP, and how the tempos have accelerated on “Ancient Evil” from the demo sta...
Aug 13, 2021•1 hr•Ep. 55
In this episode, we bring you “The Chalice,” part 2, focusing on the live presentation of the song. The guys explain why the live version is so much faster and more aggressive than the studio recordings. Dusty breaks down his take on the drum parts originally recorded by Pat Bailey. You will also learn the origins of the haunting intro sample. But much of the episode is devoted to Night Demon’s demonized priest mascot, Rocky, who is inextricably connected to “The Chalice” in Night Demon performa...
Aug 06, 2021•58 min•Ep. 54
This week we continue our track-by-track deep dive into the Night Demon EP by investigating “The Chalice.” You will hear how Jarvis was influenced by the Scorpions in writing the riffs and why it was important for this song to have a different feel than the other EP songs. Using isolated guitar, bass and vocal tracks, the guys break down the bass intro, guitar solo, drum patterns, lyrical content, and other aspects of the song. They shed light on the old studio tricks and sleight-of-hand magic b...
Jul 30, 2021•49 min•Ep. 53
This episode is part 2 of our in-depth scrutiny of the anthem “Night Demon.” The guys discuss in detail the origins of the vocal harmonies in the chorus. Jarvis walks you through the lyrical content on a line-by-line basis. You’ll hear how the descending ending riff came to be, and how it was perfected over time. The band also describe how the song has evolved from the EP recording to the present-day live version, and how Dusty and Armand put their stamp on it while remaining faithful to the ori...
Jul 23, 2021•49 min•Ep. 52
