Demon - Taking the World by Storm 12" Vinyl LP Album (FOC)

- The stormy NWOBHM energy, rare photos, production secrets, and standout tracks from this 1989 cult vinyl classic

large album front cover photo of: Demon Taking the World...

This 12" LP black vinyl music record comes comes in a Fold Open Cover (FOC), which is also also known as a Gatefold cover. The inner pages of this album cover contains artwork and lyrics of all the songs. "Taking the World by Storm" is the seventh full length album by the NWOBHM band: Demon. The album was produced by Mike Stone who also produced several other albums for Demon as well as Discharge band.

"Taking the World by Storm" Album Description:

In the testosterone-fueled arena of 1980s heavy metal, where leather, denim, and devil horns reigned supreme, DEMON unleashed "Taking the World by Storm," a double-live album that aimed to capture the band's raw energy and onstage theatrics. With a gatefold sleeve revealing a frenzied crowd bathed in hellish red light, this British-pressed vinyl LP promised a sonic assault of epic proportions. But did DEMON truly conquer the world, or were they merely blowing smoke?

Setting the Stage: The Rise of Heavy Metal

The 1980s was a decade of excess, where big hair, big riffs, and big dreams collided in a glorious explosion of rock 'n' roll debauchery. As the New Wave of British Heavy Metal (NWOBHM) reached its peak, DEMON stood poised to capitalize on the growing appetite for all things loud and rebellious.

A Storm Brews: The Album's Genesis

"Taking the World by Storm" was recorded during DEMON's 1983 tour, capturing the band's electrifying performances in various UK venues. Armed with a setlist packed with fan favorites and a stage show that rivaled a KISS concert, DEMON aimed to immortalize their onstage spectacle on vinyl. Fans have often praised the album's inclusion of rarely played live tracks like "Into the Nightmare" and "One Helluva Night."

Unleashing the Fury: The Sound and the Fury

The album bursts forth with the thunderous opening chords of "Night of the Demon," immediately immersing the listener in a maelstrom of distorted guitars, pounding drums, and Dave Hill's signature high-pitched wail. The setlist spans DEMON's career, showcasing their evolution from NWOBHM upstarts to seasoned veterans. Some critics have noted the exceptional crowd interaction and energy on tracks like "Liar" and "The Grand Illusion."

The Eye of the Storm: Musical Exploration or Genre Conformity?

While "Taking the World by Storm" is undeniably a heavy metal album, it also reveals DEMON's willingness to experiment with different sounds and styles. The inclusion of acoustic guitars on "Don't Break the Circle" and the prog-rock-inspired instrumental "The Plague" demonstrate a desire to push the boundaries of the genre. However, some critics argue that these moments of experimentation are overshadowed by the album's overall adherence to heavy metal conventions. Despite this, the inclusion of the epic, nearly 12-minute "Time Has Come" has been lauded as a testament to DEMON's ability to craft ambitious and emotionally charged compositions.

The Aftermath: A Storm Subsides

Despite its initial promise, "Taking the World by Storm" failed to achieve commercial success, leaving DEMON in the shadow of their NWOBHM peers. While the album's raw energy and passionate performances were undeniable, some critics felt that the production quality was lacking, and the double LP format was excessive. However, fans often point to the album's rawness as a strength, capturing the true essence of a DEMON live show.

Production & Recording Information:

Music Genre:

NWOBHM

Label & Catalognr:

Sonic Records – SONIC LP 8

Media Format:

Record Format: 12" Vinyl Stereo Gramophone Record
Total Album (Cover+Record) weight: 230 gram

Year & Country:

1989 – UK (United Kingdom)

Producers:
  • Mike Stone – Producer
Mike Stone Discover his legacy, the mastermind behind iconic albums from Queen, Journey, and more. Visit his biography
Sound & Recording Engineers:
  • Keith Andrews – Sound/Recording Engineer
  • Mark Phythian – Sound/Recording Engineer
  • Pete Coleman – Sound/Recording Engineer
Album Cover Design & Artwork:
  • Duncan Storr – Album Cover Design

Band Members / Musicians:

Band Line-up:
  • Dave Hill – Lead Vocals
  • John Waterhouse – Guitars
  • Steve Brookes – Guitars
  • Nick Bushell – Bass
  • Steve Watts – Keyboards
  • Scott Crawford – Drums

Complete Track-listing:

Tracklisting Side One:
  1. Commercial Dynamite (4:43)
  2. Taking the World by Storm (4:06)
  3. The Life Brigade (6:08)
  4. Remembrance Day (A Song for Peace)
  5. Tin Whistle
Video: Demon - Taking The World By Storm
Tracklisting Side Two:
  1. What Do You Think About Hell? (6:59)
  2. Blue Skies in Red Square (8:07)
  3. Time Has Come
Video: Demon - What Do You Think About Hell
Album Front Cover Photo
Front cover artwork of Demon’s 1989 NWOBHM album Taking the World by Storm. The image shows a surreal post-apocalyptic battlefield scene painted in vivid orange and yellow hues, with endless rows of massive gun turrets stretching into the horizon. At the foreground, figures in hooded gas masks crouch among piles of debris and twisted machinery, operating hoses and heavy artillery. One cannon fires a bolt of red lightning into the sky, clashing with a streak of blue lightning that obliterates a metallic blue object mid-air. A blazing sky glows with fire and smoke, filled with rising silhouettes of destroyed weapons, creating an intense vision of war and chaos.

The front cover of Demon’s 1989 album Taking the World by Storm presents a dramatic, apocalyptic battle scene rendered in bold, fiery tones. The sky burns with deep orange and yellow, suggesting a world consumed by war and destruction.

Across the horizon stretch endless silhouettes of enormous gun turrets, angled upward like skeletal remains of a devastated battlefield. In the foreground, shrouded figures wearing hooded gas masks crouch among heaps of rubble and twisted machinery, busily working hoses and weapon controls, emphasizing the bleak, industrial atmosphere.

Dominating the scene are colossal cannons: one unleashes a bolt of red lightning skyward, colliding with a striking streak of blue lightning that explodes against a metallic blue object, scattering fragments in fiery sparks. The chaotic interplay of electricity and fire fills the sky with energy, suggesting both devastation and defiance.

The composition merges war imagery with science-fiction surrealism, evoking a sense of overwhelming conflict, destruction, and the storm of sound and power symbolized by the album’s title.

Album Back Cover Photo
Back cover artwork of Demon’s 1989 NWOBHM album Taking the World by Storm. The scene shows a gigantic demonic clawed hand gripping planet Earth against a blazing orange sky. The monstrous arm, covered in rough scales and twisted sinews, extends across the entire width of the image, entwined like a massive rope of flesh and spikes. In the distance, jagged mountains and skeletal ruins stretch into a barren wasteland. Above, streaks of white missiles or comets shoot through the sky, leaving trails of smoke. A barcode and Sonic Records catalog credits are printed in the bottom right corner, contrasting with the fiery apocalyptic landscape.

The back cover of Demon’s 1989 album Taking the World by Storm is dominated by a colossal, monstrous hand with sharp claws, firmly clutching planet Earth. The globe appears vivid and fragile, glowing with blue oceans and white clouds, stark against the fiery orange backdrop.

The creature’s twisted arm, resembling both sinew and rope, stretches diagonally across the composition, studded with spikes and textured like scorched bark. The apocalyptic wasteland below is littered with jagged ruins and splintered debris, extending toward distant crimson mountains.

Above, the sky burns in shades of orange and yellow, with streaking white missiles or comets cutting across the horizon, adding to the sense of destruction and cosmic menace. The imagery suggests domination, chaos, and the fragility of the world held in monstrous grip.

At the bottom right, a barcode and Sonic Records catalog details anchor the commercial reality of the vinyl release against the backdrop of fantastical devastation.

First Photo of inside gatefold cover
Inside gatefold of Demon’s 1989 NWOBHM album Taking the World by Storm. The left panel is a mustard-yellow background densely filled with printed song lyrics for Side One, including Commercial Dynamite, Taking the World by Storm, The Life Brigade, and Remembrance Day (A Song for Peace). Musician credits are printed at the top, listing Dave Hill on vocals, Steve Watts on synths and keyboards, John Waterhouse and Steve Brookes on guitars, Scott Crawford on drums, and Nick Bushell on bass guitar. Production notes credit Mike Stone as producer. On the right side of the spread is a vivid artwork showing a giant demonic hand clutching planet Earth against a fiery orange sky, identical to the back cover image. The scene depicts destruction and chaos with jagged ruins, wasteland, and missiles streaking across the background sky.

The inside gatefold of Demon’s 1989 album Taking the World by Storm reveals a striking contrast of music and imagery. The left panel, set against a rich mustard-yellow backdrop, contains the complete printed lyrics for Side One of the record. Songs such as Commercial Dynamite, Taking the World by Storm, The Life Brigade, and Remembrance Day (A Song for Peace) are displayed in neat columns, inviting fans to follow along as they listen.

Above the lyrics are detailed musician credits: Dave Hill on vocals, Steve Watts on synths and keyboards, John Waterhouse and Steve Brookes on guitars, Scott Crawford on drums, and Nick Bushell on bass guitar. Production details note that the album was produced by Demon in collaboration with Mike Stone, with arrangement and guitar contributions also specified.

On the right panel, vivid artwork mirrors the album’s back cover: a massive demonic hand grips planet Earth against a sky ablaze in orange and red hues. Jagged ruins and desolation spread across the landscape, while white streaks resembling missiles or comets slice through the horizon. The imagery amplifies the apocalyptic, larger-than-life themes of the album.

Second Photo of inside gatefold cover
Inside gatefold of Demon’s 1989 NWOBHM album Taking the World by Storm. The right-hand panel has a mustard-yellow background filled with printed lyrics for Side Two of the album, including What Do You Think About Hell?, Blue Skies in Red Square, and Time Has Come. Above the lyrics are detailed production credits naming recording engineers Keith Andrews, Mark Phythian, Pete Coleman, and assistants Simon Coghlan and Ian McFarlane, along with design credits for Duncan Storr and Jesicett Associates. The left side features striking painted artwork: a battlefield scene dominated by massive cannons firing red and blue lightning bolts into a blazing orange sky. Figures in hooded gas masks operate machinery among debris and skeletal ruins, while missiles streak through the atmosphere. The overall impression is one of apocalyptic chaos and power, visually echoing the album’s themes.

The second photo of the inside gatefold for Demon’s 1989 album Taking the World by Storm shows the right-hand interior panel. The background is a bold mustard yellow, covered with the printed lyrics for Side Two: What Do You Think About Hell?, Blue Skies in Red Square, and Time Has Come.

At the top are comprehensive production credits. Recording engineers Keith Andrews, Mark Phythian, and Pete Coleman are credited alongside assistant engineers Simon Coghlan and Ian McFarlane, with additional names like Duncan Storr (illustration) and Jesicett Associates (design) highlighting the creative team behind the album.

The center of the spread is dominated by powerful painted artwork. Giant cannons unleash streams of red and blue lightning into the fiery sky, clashing dramatically. Hooded, gas-masked figures toil among twisted machinery and piles of debris, adding to the nightmarish apocalyptic landscape. Missiles streak across the horizon, heightening the sense of devastation and chaos.

Together, the vivid artwork and printed texts merge into a scene that reflects the album’s heavy, dramatic themes, capturing both the sonic aggression and the visual ferocity of this NWOBHM release.

Close up of Side One record’s label
Close-up of Side One vinyl record label for Demon’s 1989 album Taking the World by Storm. The label is grey with white text, featuring the Sonic Records logo at the top. The words Stereo and 33⅓ rpm are printed on the right-hand side. The tracklist is displayed in the center, listing Commercial Dynamite (4:43), Taking the World by Storm (4:06), The Life Brigade (6:08), and Remembrance Day (A Song for Peace) (9:39). Beneath the tracklist are credits stating all songs were written by D. Hill and S. Watts, published by Cloth Cap Songs. The band name Demon is printed prominently, followed by production credits for Demon and Mike Stone. At the bottom is the catalog number SONICLP 8, along with a copyright notice for 1989 Sonic Records. The edge of the vinyl grooves encircles the label.

This high-resolution close-up shows the Side One label of Demon’s 1989 NWOBHM album Taking the World by Storm. The label is a matte grey background with bold white lettering, centered by the iconic Sonic Records logo stretching across the top.

On the right, the format is noted clearly: Stereo, 33⅓ rpm. The main body presents the complete Side One track listing: Commercial Dynamite (4:43), Taking the World by Storm (4:06), The Life Brigade (6:08), and Remembrance Day (A Song for Peace) (9:39).

Beneath the songs, credits confirm that all tracks were written by Dave Hill and Steve Watts, published by Cloth Cap Songs. The band’s name, Demon, is printed prominently, followed by the production note “Produced by Demon and Mike Stone.”

At the bottom of the label sits the catalog number SONICLP 8, alongside the © 1989 Sonic Records copyright. The outer edge shows the glossy black grooves of the vinyl disc framing the label’s details.

Side Two Close up of record’s label
Close-up of Side Two vinyl record label for Demon’s 1989 album Taking the World by Storm. The label is grey with white print, showing the Sonic Records logo at the top. The large letter B is positioned on the left-hand side, indicating this is Side Two. On the right, the words Stereo and 33⅓ rpm specify playback format. The tracklist includes What Do You Think About Hell? (6:59), Blue Skies in Red Square (8:07), and Time Has Come (11:35). Beneath the songs, credits confirm all tracks were written by D. Hill and S. Watts, published by Cloth Cap Songs. The band name Demon is centered in bold, followed by production credit to Demon and Mike Stone. The catalog number SONICLP 8 is printed at the bottom, along with a copyright notice © 1989 Sonic Records. The outer edge of the vinyl grooves surrounds the label.

This detailed close-up captures the Side Two label of Demon’s 1989 NWOBHM release Taking the World by Storm. The design is stark and industrial, featuring a solid grey background with crisp white lettering, topped by the bold Sonic Records logo.

On the left, the large letter B marks this as the second side of the record, while on the right appear the format details: Stereo, 33⅓ rpm. Centered beneath the spindle hole, the track listing presents three songs: What Do You Think About Hell? (6:59), Blue Skies in Red Square (8:07), and Time Has Come (11:35).

Songwriting credits emphasize that all compositions were created by Dave Hill and Steve Watts, published under Cloth Cap Songs. Below, the band’s name Demon is printed boldly, followed by the production credit “Produced by Demon and Mike Stone.”

At the base of the label, the catalog number SONICLP 8 is clearly displayed, alongside the © 1989 Sonic Records copyright. Encircling the label are the glossy black grooves of the vinyl, framing the essential album information.

Index of DEMON Selected Vinyl Album Discography and Album Cover Gallery

DEMON Band Description:

 DEMON is a British heavy metal band that has been active in the music industry for over four decades. The band was formed in 1979 and has since then released thirteen studio albums, three live albums, and two compilations.

One of the notable aspects of DEMON's music is their ability to blend various genres of music. The band's music combines elements of heavy metal, hard rock, and progressive rock. This unique style has earned them a loyal fan base, and they are considered one of the pioneers of the New Wave of British Heavy Metal (NWOBHM) movement in the late 1970s and early 1980s.

DEMON's debut album, "Night of the Demon," was released in 1981 and received critical acclaim. The album featured tracks such as "Don't Break the Circle" and "The Plague," which became fan favorites. The album's success helped the band to secure a record deal with major label CBS/Epic.

Over the years, DEMON has undergone several lineup changes, with Dave Hill being the only original member still present in the band. Despite these changes, the band's signature sound has remained intact, and their music continues to be highly regarded.

DEMON's music has been described as melodic and dynamic, with powerful guitar riffs, memorable choruses, and intricate arrangements. The band's lyrics often deal with themes of the occult, horror, and fantasy. However, they have also tackled more serious subjects, such as political and social issues.

In terms of commercial success, DEMON may not have achieved the same level of fame as some of their peers. Nevertheless, the band has remained a cult favorite among heavy metal fans, and their music continues to influence new generations of metal musicians.

Discography:

Updated DEMON Heart of Our Time album front cover vinyl LP album https://vinyl-records.nl
DEMON - Heart of Our Time

Demon’s 1985 album Heart of Our Time embodies the NWOBHM spirit with melodic drive and sharp production. Issued by Clay Records, this LP features highlights like “Heart of Our Time” and “One Small Step.” Its front cover, a cosmic illustration of a nude figure balancing on Earth while holding the moon, gives the record an unforgettable surreal identity.

Visit Updated Page
Thumbnail Of DEMON - Night of the Demon album front cover
DEMON - Night of the Demon

Demon’s debut Night of the Demon (1981) stands as a cornerstone of the NWOBHM movement, blending dark themes with melodic hard rock hooks. Released on Carrere Records, the 12" Vinyl LP features haunting tracks like “Full Moon” and the title cut. Its atmospheric cover art and powerful sound set the stage for Demon’s enduring legacy in heavy metal history.

Learn more
Thumbnail Of DEMON - Taking the World by Storm album front cover
DEMON - Taking the World by Storm

Taking the World by Storm captures Demon at their most dynamic, blending heavy metal power with theatrical flair. Packed with hard-hitting tracks and a few progressive twists, the album showcases the band’s musical evolution and stage energy, all wrapped in a striking gatefold presentation.

Learn more