True heavy metal has not evolved much, never will, and never should it. The steel! The axe, the leather, and the open highway. The road is your home. You're an outsider looking in. Where do you belong? Certainly not on these strange boulevards in this unknown burg. Fuck it, no time for that! Because the crowd and that blessed energy transfer both await. This is why you do it. Knock one back for the broad you laid last night and hit the stage! Welcome to the night… Fucking Night Demon, man - Maiden-worshipping heavy metal with American torque and testicular fortitude. NWOTHM done the California way: cool, soulful, melodic, and tailor-made for the road. These dudes LIVE on the road and the stories are legendary, just like their recognizable-the-world-over style and their high-energy live performances. Rebellion! Fucking denim, leather, and those cool spikey bracelets that I've never had the balls to wear! Founded in 2011 and only three LP's? For Night Demon, being on tour, on stage, and watching those tits flash in the crowd (do girls still do that?) all come first and recording happens when they feel inspired to make some new music. Funny, seems like that should be the idea behind every great heavy metal band. With this trio, it's just organic, and each record of theirs just feels like you're right there in the studio. During my latest interview, Jarvis Leatherby of Night Demon talks Maiden, the road, the new album, "Outsider" (Century Media), and a little existential philosophy. We got a little deep, but not too deep…

Jeger

Welcome, Jarvis. We spoke about four years ago and a lot has changed, at least stylistically with Night Demon, as evidenced by the progressive nature of the new LP, "Outsider", where you guys showcase a different, more melodic side to the music. Would you call this an organic transition or did you spend some time reimagining the band's creative vision a bit?

Jarvis: Definitely organic. We try our best to not repeat ourselves from album to album. We never wanted to be a band that released 20 albums anyway. We just put stuff out when we are inspired to create something with a different flavor than the last. We are a live band, so having musical diversity allows us to be a bit more entertaining from the stage.

Maybe I've outgrown Maiden but I just feel like there was a certain level of mystique to the pre-Dickinson era. Once bulging balls through spandex came into the picture, I wasn't sure anymore…

There's a nice helping of Maiden-worship within your discography, Particularly with 2017's "Darkness Remains" LP. I dig what Bruce has done with the band up until a certain point, but there was just something about the Di'Anno era, man. Lots of swagger there.

There's something special about all eras of Maiden, but early in our career, we took on more of the vibe Maiden also had early in their career. We were much more influenced back then by the earlier Maiden stuff, but as our career has gone on, you can start to hear more "progressive" ideas in Night Demon music. Just the same as Maiden, I suppose.  We all get older, LOL!

The dreaded major label transition. They sold out! They're just making music for the label now. We fans are so deranged and just love to stir up the drama. We know Jack shit. I'm a journalist! Still don't know shit. Love to assume, though…

How's major label life treating you?

Better than expected. It's always scary going into the big corporate beast, but luckily we have real metal fans who work there and deal with us on a day-to-day basis, and they totally understand what Night Demon is all about, and never put us in compromising situations. We have never been told that an album or songs are not good enough and that we need to go back and write some radio hits. It's been a good deal for us.

As I get owned a bit…

What was production like for "Outsider"? I'm no musician and have no real knowledge of recording/engineering, but I imagine that under a major label, you have some pretty awesome stuff to play with in the studio.

We actually recorded everything ourselves at our guitar player's studio "Captain's Quarters", then sent it over for Kurt Ballou to mix it. Pretty straightforward. Most of the tracks were recorded live and in just a few days. We were well-rehearsed before we went into track."

"Outsider" is a volume dedicated to rebellion, but also one of yearning to belong.

I wrote a screenplay of the story first, and then we as a band adapted it into a concept album. It was ambitious at first, but it all came together quite nicely, and I'm very proud of that.  There's a whole lot more to come in the future in regards to the Outsider story. Stay tuned!

Any sort of vision yet for a follow-up?

We've been in the studio recording a few new songs, but we won't have a clear vision until late 2025. We have a lot more left in the "Outsider" touring cycle, and we find it's best to focus on one thing at a time. We take our projects in seasons. Much like a sports team.

Check us out here. The Force is strong…

You've certainly reached a pinnacle in your career, but that often leaves one feeling a bit empty or even a bit disappointed. Do you still possess the same level of passion and drive as you did in 2011?

That's a great observation. It can feel a bit lonely and worrisome when you accomplish a lot of your goals. Where do you go from there, right? Did getting here really make me happy? I can safely say that a lot of those thoughts have gone away. I've got some really great friends and bandmates, and that's what really matters. Taking the journey with people you love and respect is the key to it all. Luckily, we have a lot more in the tank and have so many inspiring ideas for the future of the band.

Get to know these dudes! Listen to the stories and hear the way things are from true heavy metal artists' own perspectives…

You've been a road warrior throughout your career. Lots of memories are made on tour. What's been your most memorable experience on the road?

It's too difficult to have only one. There are SOOOOO many! I would recommend listening to the Night Demon Heavy Metal Podcast. As of this interview, we are up to 213 episodes. All of the tour stories are on there.

What are you most proud of when you think of Night Demon?

I'm most proud that we've stayed around and stayed focused. We are in our 10th year of touring. Most newer bands are broken up by then. We stuck around, and great things are continuing to happen as a result of our hard work. Touring and writing better music each time out has made us proud of ourselves, no matter what everyone else thinks. You can't control the outcome of your art, but you can control how you feel about it by pushing yourself to do more with it.

Do you have a message for your fans?

Do what you love and do it every day! Life is fleeting. There's a passion in each one of us. Get to it. You won't regret it.