North Carolina based metal group Demon Eye produces a sound that harkens back to a simpler time. A time before blast beats and double drop C tunings, a time when hardcore still meant the occasional use of cowbell.  And Demon Eye will be bringing their riff heavy take on classic metal to The Haul tapwalk and diner in Grants Pass on Sat., April 16.

Demon Eye’s old school approach to the Metal genre developed organically via a shared upbringing.

“Basically it’s was what we all grew up on,” says guitarist and singer Erik Sugg. “We saw a lot of interesting transitions in music, being born around a time when classic rock was still a big thing. The first thing we were exposed to was Kiss, we saw the rise of ‘80s metal and got to see the strange and over the top fashions that were popular thoughout that decade. Into the ‘90s when metal was sort of passé then had this come back in a lot of ways.”

Sugg and his cohorts formed Demon Eye after performing together in the ‘70s rock cover band Corvette Summer, named for the tragically unsuccessful Mark Hamill vehicle. For Sugg the next logical step was developing music informed by his passion for vintage sound.

“Eventually I just wanted to write music like all this great throwback stuff I was hearing,” he says. “We were all huge Sabbath fans I also liked a lot of heavy psych music from the late ‘60s. If it sounds derivative to people so be it, we’re just trying to write good music.”

The resulting retro-styled doom metal quickly gained attention on a global scale. “We got a good recording, about five songs, and put it up on the internet. Just a Facebook ad and Bandcamp. It was just a week later and I was getting interview request from Lithuanian metal magazines and people trying to contact us from all around the world that’s right around when the invite from Soulseller Records came around as well.”

Since signing to the Netherlands-based record label Demon Eye has released two full length albums and is currently touring in support of their latest release Tempora Infernalia. Already this promises to be an exciting run for Demon Eye as they will be making their rounds on the west coast for the first time and finishing out the tour with an appearance at Maryland Doomfest.

Demon Eye

9 pm, Sat., April 16

The Haul, Grants Pass