Demon Hunter Albums (6)
'Storm the Gates of Hell'
Release Date 1/1/2007
Tracks 12
Label EMI CMG
See Album Tracklist and Review
What The Critics Say
Because it embodies a particularly thorny contradiction -- pairing one of rock's most consciously rebellious genres with an institution fundamentally based on blind-faith obedience -- Christian metal has enjoyed startlingly infrequent success stories over the years. So infrequent, in fact, that an '80s group as lame as Stryper is still perceived as the defining Christian metal band (Creed don't count since they vehemently refuted any Christian ties, even while being shamelessly marketed to that market), nearly twenty years after their demise. Of course there's been no shortage of candidates vying for that dubious honor in the interim, and among the hopefuls to emerge in the early 2000s, arguably only Underoath have shown greater commercial appeal than the aptly named Demon Hunter. 2006's The Triptych is the Seattle natives' third opus, and it finds them investigating alternate styles of metallic expression with a sense of freedom they'd surely never dare question their religious beliefs with. This creative questing yields a few negative results when the likes of "Relentless Intolerance" and "Fire to My Soul" insist on abusing fairly outdated nu-metal devices (rapped vocals, rhythmic, bottom-heavy riffing, dissonant squalls, etc.); but the positive dividends far outweigh them thanks to tracks like "Not I," "Undying" and "The Soldier's Song," which deal in much more relevant melodic metalcore tricks (big choruses, big breakdowns, big melodies, and alternating clean and growled vocals). Even risky reaches into softer realms such as "Deteriorate" (an Incubus-like number mixing discreet electronics with harsh shades of light and heavy) and "The Tide Began to Rise" (a surprising ballad built on acoustic guitars, strings and piano) are rather confidently executed; and you've got to hand it to them for a well chosen, rather surprising cover of Prong's "Snap Your Fingers, Snap Your Neck." It's also a matter of no small consequence that Demon Hunter choose their lyrics wisely throughout this set, keeping them more elliptical and metaphoric than most Christian metal bands, and greatly broadening their appeal as a result (even if it pisses off a few Christian zealots). And, ultimately, even if The Triptych's audacious diversity still rubs some close-minded listeners the wrong way, it probably bodes well for the band's future capacity to navigate heavy metal's ever-changing trends. [Apparently, fear of God didn't preclude Demon Hunter or their record label from fearing additional profits, and The Triptych was reissued barely one year after its original release with four bonus tracks (three acoustic versions and one remix), and a DVD containing music videos, bandmember interviews, a complete concert, and behind-the-scenes footage.] ~ Eduardo Rivadavia, All Music Guide
'Summer of Darkness'
Release Date 5/4/2004
Tracks 13
Label Solid State
See Album Tracklist and Review
What The Critics Say
Stylistically, Demon Hunter's second album Summer of Darkness is quite similar to the alternative metal band's self-titled debut album of 2002; the headbangers still get their points across with an effective combination of haunting, intricate melodies and sledgehammer brutality. The comparisons that were valid in 2002 are just as valid on this 2004 release -- comparisons that range from Slipknot, Nothingface, and Pantera to Sepultura and Slayer. But this time, Demon Hunter's writing is slightly more consistent -- not perfect, but slightly more consistent. Those who get the most out of this CD will be listeners who hold melody and ferocity in equally high regard; like before, Demon Hunter has no problem showing listeners their melodic side one minute and pounding them into submission the next. And more often than not, Demon Hunter skillfully pulls off this heaven/hell juxtaposition. There are plenty of other alt-metal artists who fluctuate between melodic intricacy and ferocious sensory assault -- that part is hardly unique -- but the advantage Demon Hunter has over much of the competition is the ability to make it sound natural rather than forced. Some alt-metal bands sound awkward and unnatural when they go for the kindness/cruelty and pacifist/aggressor contrasts; however, that isn't a problem for Demon Hunter, who give the impression that they wouldn't be happy giving the listener either all heaven or all hell. Both sides are valid parts of their artistic expression, and Summer of Darkness would be a weaker album if they had been forced to give either one up. Again, Summer of Darkness isn't perfect; some of the tunes are excellent, while others are merely decent. But the number of excellent songs has increased a bit for Demon Hunter -- and even though Summer of Darkness falls short of ideal, it's still an enjoyable step forward for the alt-metal headbangers. ~ Alex Henderson, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
When an artist wants to be truly harsh and blistering, density can be a highly effective tool. In avant-garde jazz, density is the thing that makes Charles Gayle, Albert Ayler, and post-1964 John Coltrane much harsher than AACM icons like Anthony Braxton and Roscoe Mitchell -- and in metal, density is what gives Slayer's God Hates Us All a claustrophobic quality that you don't get from the old-school fantasy metal of Judas Priest, Iron Maiden, Ronnie James Dio, and Black Sabbath. Density is a big part of what Demon Hunter does on this self-titled debut album; when the alternative metal band is in the mood for maximum brutality, it pummels the listener with a dense, noisy, highly abrasive metal/punk assault. But harshness is only part of what Demon Hunter does on this CD. While some alterna-metal bands like to be punishing 100 percent of the time, Demon Hunter's debut is an album of contrasts -- an album in which moments of intense brutality are followed by hauntingly melodic passages. One minute, Demon Hunter is mercilessly beating listeners into submission; the next minute, it provides some breathing room and shows how thoughtful its melodies can be. And these two sides of Demon Hunter usually have a way of complimenting one another -- more often than not, the band successfully pulls off this melody/brutality juxtaposition. That isn't to say that the CD is perfect; some of the songs are stronger than others, and one gets the impression that Demon Hunter's best albums are yet to come. Even so, the band's recording career is off to an interesting, if imperfect, start with this self-titled debut. ~ Alex Henderson, All Music Guide
