Get Ready for 'Peace' | Posted March-21-2019 What You Need to Know:
Peace is one of two recently released albums from rock metal legends Demon Hunter. One, Peace, shows the lighter, more melodic side of the band. War showcases the more aggressive side. By reputation, Demon Hunter is a hardcore or heavy metal band. They share their faith through heavy guitars and growling vocals. Peace is a different album altogether. Bravely, Demon Hunter stepped out of their comfort zone and experimented with sounds not usually found in their music.
What It Sounds Like:
"More Than Bones" is friendly for radio. Its catchy riffs and polished vocals give the song infectious repeatability. The title track, "Time Only Takes" and "Two Ways" are lighter versions of hardcore Demon Hunter. "Fear Is Not My Guide" is definitely not a song you'd find on a Demon Hunter album. It's Ryan Clarke's deep vocals, accompanied with pure Jim Brickman-style piano playing.
Demon Hunter also tinker with the arrangement on "Recuse Myself." The song starts off like a ballad, softens at the verses, and gets louder on the chorus. This arrangement continues throughout the entire song. The softer verses with heavier chorus balances the song nicely. The beginning of "When the Devil Come" sounds like the beginning of "For Whom The Bell Tolls" by Metallica.
Spiritual Highlights:
Most songs embody spiritual warfare. "More Than Bones" carries a strong message of faith: "When the fear is your Messiah/Weaponize your mind/Carve these hollow words inside your soul/I will send to you a passage/Far beyond my time/Hear my fury echo through your cold." "Bet My Life" also carries a very strong spiritual message: "I've been around the world and never in my wildest dreams/Would I come running home to you/I've told a million lies but now I tell a single truth/There's you in everything I do."
About Peace, Ryan Clarke in a recent interview said, "As always, the songs cover a wide assortment of topics from general life issues to confronting mortality and even weathering the current political discussion." Peace definitely proves that fact.
Best Song on the Record:
"Loneliness" is a masterpiece. It sounds like a song you'd find on a Metallica album--only with a more positive vibe. Demon Hunter successfully builds a gloomy atmosphere with Clarke's vocals and the band's soothing guitar riffs. The song is intimate and hopeful. I'll even use the word, "epic." Acoustic guitars in one part of the song is definitely a nice touch.
I'm a sucker for eerie ballads ("Loneliness"). I'm also a huge fan of radio friendly rock ("More Than Bones"). So, for me, as a listener, Peace is a real treat. From a reviewer's standpoint, I admire that Demon Hunter, as a band of musicians, sampled new sounds on a record. They never deviated from their spiritual warfare messages. This album may rope in a few new listeners, fans of different genres. It definitely made me a believer.
Get Ready for 'War' | Posted March-21-2019 What You Need to Know:
Rock metal legends Demon Hunter has recently released, not one, but two albums. The first, Peace, showcases the softer, more melodic side of the band. The second, War, embraces a more aggressive sound. By reputation, Demon Hunter is a hardcore or heavy metal band. They share their faith through heavy guitars and growling vocals. War fits the bill of a regular Demon Hunter album. In other words, if you're a huge fan of Demon Hunter's signature sound, you won't be disappointed.
What It Sounds Like:
"Cut to Fit" and "Close Enough" carry Demon Hunter's signature sound. "Lesser Gods" is a standout. It starts off with a gloomy, slower sound, and progressively moves into heavy guitars, singer Ryan Clarke's signature growling, and slows down again. Many of War's songs have beautifully arranged instrumentation. Some of these arrangements last for a few seconds, some last the entire song. Also, be on the lookout for some well done '80s sounds.
Spiritual Highlights:
In a recent interview with NewReleaseToday, Clarke said, "The albums are not conceptual in terms of lyrics or overarching themes. As always, the songs cover a wide assortment of topics from general life issues to confronting mortality and even weathering the current political discussion." With that being said, whether intentional or not, Demon Hunter has taken the listener down the road of aggressive worship. The listener stands with Jesus, ready for spiritual warfare. Satan beware.
Best Song on the Record:
"Grey Matter" and "Leave Life Alone," have more of a melodic sound. On a metalcore album, songs like these show vulnerability, because they showcase more melody (You'll find more songs like these on Peace).
Demon Hunter's reputation speaks for itself. Its sound is recognizable to many rock heads, such as myself. War is no different. Actually, what War proves is that Demon Hunter is one of the few bands who still embrace the rock style. The band has that luxury, because it's their reputation and their solid music that keeps them relevant. With that being said, War, is one of two new albums. Peace is the experimental project, whereas War satiates the appetite of Demon Hunter's fans. Overall, this album will leave the Demon Hunter fan feeling full and satisfied.
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