ASPHYXIUM ZINE

Wednesday, September 7, 2022

Single/Lyric Video review: The Amazing Demon Boy "Ezmerelda" (Independent) by Dave Wolff

Location: Long Island, New York
Country: USA
Genre: Shock rock, metal
Single/lyric video: Ezmerelda
Format: Digital
Label: Independent
Release date: August 15, 2022
The Long Island artist The Amazing Demon Boy has been on my radar for a while now, but he's as active as ever, performing, releasing EPs and full-lengths, making convention appearances, and promoting his recently launched video. Hardworking as he is, he's also one of the most accessible artists on this side of the Island and you need look no further than Youtube and Facebook to keep up with his activities. In addition, he has always been one of the most approachable, and is always pleased to share his creation.
"Ezmerelda" is a lyric video directed and edited by Edward Nyahay and Little Lost Productions, which also handles videos by Gotholic, Antron LaVey, X Fighter and Wings of Flesh. A previous collaborator of Demon Boy, poet and Asphyxium contributor Rich Orth has a hand in contributing lyrics to this new song. It's likely this will engrave itself on your consciousness for long to come if you’re familiar with DB’s past projects. In more than a decade since started out, he has continued to produce memorable work.
“Ezmerelda” follows DB’s last videos, “This Halloween” and "Hot Summer Nights" (a cover of Walter Egan's 1978 single) and shows the increasing momentum established on "Born Dead", "Pain" and "My Coffin". It has less overt gore in favor of a phantasmagorical vibe, featuring a spectral apparition haunting your dreams when the witching hour is nigh. To put it another way, the appeal of this video is less comparable to Gwar, more to King Diamond with early sequences from “Hellraiser” added for good measure.
In a recent podcast, “Ezmerelda” is a murder tale about a man who kills his girlfriend and keeps her in a box. As the imagery described above illustrates, the horror is multilayered and implies personal fear from deeper in the psyche. Maybe it’s her spirit, maybe a piece of the unnamed man’s conscience at having killed his girlfriend. Whatever this phantom is is likely too horrible to be exposed, and has to be locked away in the box shown in the video. This video is much more psychological, dark and complex than usual.
"Ezmerelda" demonstrates the extent to which The Amazing Demon Boy is transcending his past influences and developing his band's own identity. For a song written almost ten years ago, the music and video production are more professional, and the catchiness remains. We even get cover art designed by Jay Jay Jackson, former Marvel Comics artist. The band plans to release a new full-length album that will feature more recently released material along with some new songs. –Dave Wolff

Lineup:
(Track)
The Amazing Demon Boy: Vocals
Shawn of the Dead: Guitar, bass
Lightning Lou: Drums

(Touring lineup)
The Amazing Demon Boy: Vocals
Scotty The Dead Body: Guitar
Frankie (Casanova) Irizarry: Bass, rhythm guitar
Lightning Lou: Drums
The Demon Girl – Rebecca Carnage Rampage: Dancer



Review of "My Coffin" video by Dave Wolff

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