DEMON’S EYE (feat. Doogie White) – The Stranger Within (2011)

Up to now, DEMON’S EYE have established their reputation as a ‘Deep Purple Tribute Band’ in such a convincing way that as a result Jon Lord with a Symphony Orchestra and Ian Paice of Deep Purple as well as Doogie White, of course, already had several concerts together with the band and are quite taken with their skills and musicality.

Now they have taken it all a step further by recording a studio album with their own material.
Not only that, they also got Doogie White on vocals.
The sympathetic Scotsman, singer of the latest Rainbow incarnation, was their dream vocalist for doing an album. And their dream came true as Doogie was impressed by their ideas and decided this was something good with potential.
White: “The Stranger Within is a fantastic sounding album with brilliant songs, classic rock, Deep Purple and Ronnie James Dio-era Rainbow fans will be surpised”

The first song “The Unknown Stranger” starts right away very impressing. It begins with a synth intro (like “Tarot Woman”), then a huge Hammond run follows, drums set in (like Paicey did in “Pictures of Home”) and a typical eastern sound Strat riff that could have come straight from the Perfect Strangers era. And this is only the intro….. before Doogie sets in in his best manners. Right away it’s clear we’re in for a treat.
This treat continue for over an hour and we just get a superb mix of the Deep Purple and Rainbow style as we all know it too well.
These guys have a remarkable sound. All Deep Purple/Rainbow ingredients are present.
The organ sound remind you very much of Jon Lord in his best days, while the guitars have the typical Blackmore style.
You can also hear the influences of Gillan, Coverdale and Dio but Doogie White behind the mike isn’t copying them. The rawkin Scotsman has created his own style through the years and it seems he’s gettin’ only better and better.

The whole album breaths an excellent Purple vibe. You get the typical Purple early 70’s instrumental sound (“Heaven Again”), but also the 80’s (“A Foolish Man”).
There’s at times a touch of David Coverdale and Whitesnake (“Sins of the Father”) and there’s enough that reminds us to the Rainbow “Stranger In Us All” days as well as Doogie’s efforts with Cornerstone and Yngwie Malmsteen.
The album ends with an very nice instrumental called “Le Vent Lament” that’s in the Blackmore’s Night vein to make it all complete.
After this one there’s also a bonus track that brings us once again “The Best of Times”. This time in an extended version.

This is the album for anyone that is missing the good old Purple, Rainbow and Whitesnake studio albums. You won’t get that atmosphere from the bands themselves anymore. Surprisingly Demon’s Eye brings it all back to you on this album.
The German guys play like Blackmore, Lord, Paice and Glover in their best days and to top it off there are the majestic vocals by Doogie White.
If you’re interested these days in modern and trendy music this might be not you’re thing.
But if you love the class that Deep Purple and all those related bands brought you in the past but with a fine modern sound production, then you can’t go wrong with this album.
Great songs, excellent musicians and an ace singer. What more do you want?

1. The Unknown Stranger (6:39)
2. Sins Of The Father (4:38)
3. The Best Of Times (4:18)
4. Ain’t Nothing Better (4:10)
5. Evil Comes This Way (5:44)
6. Heaven Again (6:46)
7. A Foolish Man (5:37)
8. Midnight In Heaven Or Hell (4:02)
9. Far Over The Rainbow (9:21)
10. Brand New Life (5:35)
11. Le Vent Lament (2:04)
12. Bonus track: The Best Of Times (extended version) (7:37)

* Doogie White – Vocals
* Mark Zyk – Guitars
* Florian Pritsch – Keyboards, Hammond
* Maik Keller – Bass
* Andree Schneider – Drums

www.demonseye.com
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