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I was expecting some kind of over-the-top power metal album here, but Angel Black's Killing Demons is actually more in the traditional heavy metal mould with a slight modern vibe, and it's a lot of fun. More often than not I'm reminded of early '80s Judas Priest and I also couldn't help but think of Dio here and there. Throw in a bit of the heavier borderline glam bands for an additional dose of catchy vocals melodies such as on "Black Heart." Seriously, that song sounds so much like it could have been released in the mid-80s that I had to double-check to make sure it wasn't a cover. Speaking of which, the album ends on a curious cover of "Metal Gods" that sounds a bit like "Holy Diver" at the beginning before getting to it. Throws me off every time, and I love it.

Killing Demons, like many albums these days, has that retro vibe that will appeal to fans of the '80s but also has some subtle modern touches. It has a good balance of heavy, hard-rocking songs and mellower ones, with a track order that makes the whole thing flow smoothly. A very nice debut, and now the challenge for Angel Black is to at least keep it up at this level on the next album.