Artist Info:Discography Album length: 11 tracks: 41 minutes, 49 secondss Street Date: March 9, 2010
It may be safe to call 2010 the year of the Christian metal heavyweights. If you've already worn yourself out on Living Sacrifice's
excellent release from a month and a half ago, then Demon Hunter has arrived just in time with their fifth album, The World Is A Thorn.
While not quite having the history of a band such as Living Sacrifice, there is no question that Demon Hunter is a present-day legend in the Christian
metal/hardcore scene. Ever since their first self-titled album, they've been making music that doesn't sound much like anybody else, and is consistently great.
That being said, the band has seen some significant evolution, leaving many of us wondering what we're going to get on their fifth release.
Storm the Gates of Hell, the band's previous album, was a solid enjoyable effort that found the band meandering off into some strange,
progressive directions. The attempt worked most of the time, but it wasn't flawless. Now, with The World Is A Thorn, it's safe to say that Demon Hunter has stepped
back from their progressive wanderings.
The biggest news in between these two albums was the departure of both of the band's guitarists, Ethan Luck and founding member Don Clark. They were replaced by former
live fill-in Patrick Judge and Ryan Helm from The Ascendicate. The new guitar foundation is readily apparent on The World Is A Thorn, and I would say is an improvement.
While none of the band's previous albums featured any particularly impressive guitar work, here we find some nice riffing and an occasional burst of technicality that is refreshingly new.
Perhaps because of the new guitar approach, this album is noticeably harder than previous albums. The band seems to let things go much more readily then they
did before, and the instrumental background to Ryan Clark's growling is heavier and deeper. Of course, there are still a few ballads, as expected. "Driving Nails" is
a beautiful track in the vein of previous songs such as "Carry Me Down" and "Infected." In between the two extremes we have "Collapsing," the first single and
one of the strongest tracks. The vocal quality are almost entirely clean, but the song is still quite heavy and features a delightfully-placed guitar solo.
Another standout track is "Just Breathe," which ups the heaviness ante by including guest vocals from former Scar Symmetry vocalist Christian Älvestam.
In general, The World Is A Thorn is both heavier and faster than anything we've heard before from Demon Hunter,
and finds its place more solidly in the metal world than the band's previous albums.
As anticipated, the lyrics are hard-hitting and deep. "Tie This Around Your Neck" refers to the world's idea that man should
be completely dependent on himself, which Ryan Clark says is like a weight around our necks. "We feed on pain, disorder, delusion. The filth of the
modern plague. And in this reign of Godlessness, the heathens will say…Tie this around your neck." In a similar vein, Clark speaks
out strongly against the secular world in the title track, saying "Won't bow to man. Won't bow to government. Won't trust in a failed system of
self-fulfilling lust. Won't love a world where my God is mocked. I defy."
The World Is A Thorn may be the closest thing to a perfect album we've heard so far from Demon Hunter. The band stumbles in only one
respect, the uninteresting, too-short track "LifeWar." In every other sense, this is an excellent release that will quickly find its place as
one of the top metal albums of the year.
- Review date: 3/8/10, written by Timothy Estabrooks of Jesusfreakhideout.com
(JFH Sponsor Spot)
JFH Staff's Second Opinion
As one of Solid State's top acts, Demon Hunter is taking 2010 by storm with their powerhouse fifth studio album, The World Is A Thorn.
They've gotten better with each new release, and it's safe to say that this trend has continued once again. While older DH almost used the same pattern for most songs
on a single album, The World Is A Thorn is a bit more diverse. "Driving Nails" is your standard DH ballad, but you find yourself getting pummeled by the severe thrash metal
of the title track while the speed and intensity of "Just Breathe" ironically leaves little room to breathe (but no complaints here). The musicians find themselves experimenting
quite a bit and succeeding just about all the time. The high-pitched guitar screeches during the verses of "Shallow Water" - though a good idea - become more obnoxious than enjoyable,
but it's pretty minor and doesn't really last too long. There's a lot more '80s-styled guitar work intertwined, as well, and it's always perfectly placed and a welcome addition in
each song. Ryan Clark's vocals sound as good as ever, and he has found new ways to stretch them, whether it's hitting much higher notes while singing or taking his screaming
into death metal territory. There's even some gang vocals thrown into the mix, which always make for a nice touch. The World Is A Thorn is heavier, thrashier, more
experimental, and without a doubt Demon Hunter's best work yet.
- Scott Fryberger of Jesusfreakhideout.com
Record Label: Solid State Records
Album length: 11 tracks: 41 minutes, 49 seconds
Street Date: March 9, 2010
Buy It:iTunes Buy It:iTunes (Deluxe Edition)
Buy It:Amazon.com (Regular Edition)
Buy It:Amazon.com (Deluxe Edition)
Buy It:AmazonMP3 (Deluxe Edition)
This Thursday, February 27, 2025
ALBUMS Various Artists House of David: Season One (Music inspired by the Prime Video Original Series) [Capitol CMG]
This Friday, February 28, 2025
ALBUMS Absolved The Only Constant EP (independent) The Belonging Co Eden (Live) [Capitol CMG] The Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir I Will Not Be Moved: Live with the Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir [StowTown] Jon Keith & Miles Minnick West Indies EP (independent) Michael Monroe Some Things I've Been Learning About God: Disc 1 - EP [Provident] Rotzak HEADRUSH [StowTown] Sons Of Sunday I Looked Up/One More Day - EP [Elevation/Provident]
SINGLES Above the Clouds Applause - Single [Polished Arrow] Alabaster Grace I Will Trust In You - Single (independent) Anchor Hymns Oh To Be Like You (feat. Dee Wilson & Paul Baloche) - Single [Integrity] Philip Anthony Basement - Single (independent) Bloodguilt Solid Ground - Single [New Age Records] Bongo Chico When You Walked Away - Single (independent) Dan Bremnes Call Your Name - Single [Curb] CHPTRS Somewhere We Belong - Single (independent) Childlike CiCi x Tommy Royale Who is Y'all - Single [Capitol CMG] Citizens So Kind and It’s Freaking Me Out - Single (independent) Seth Davey To My God and Savior - Single (independent) Death Therapy The End Is A New Beginning - Single (independent) Disciple Sound the Alarm - Single [Tooth & Nail] Dubem Gritty - Single [Syntax] Faith Worship Arts Good 2 Me (Live) - Single [DREAM Worship] Forrest Frank NOTHING ELSE (feat.Thomas Rhett) - Single (independent) gio. x Dell Mac fine by me - Single [Capitol CMG] Benjamin William Hastings Lord I give you my heard (from the studio) - Single [Capitol CMG] The Heritage The Promise - Single [Capitol CMG] Ic3rd Stay Humble (ft. Parris Chariz) - Single [Syntax] Phil King Miscarriages - Single (independent) KingsPorch Psalm 23 - Single [BEC] Knaladeus Sufficient Grace (ft. Javy XI & Aciya Iona) - Single [Syntax] Lecrae & Lukas Agustinho Seu Poder - Single [Reach] Life.Church Worship Redemption Has Come - Single (independent) outr.cty Fight Night (ft. Parris Chariz) - Single [Syntax] PEABOD Head First (from Gabriel and the Guardians) - Single (independent) Procyse, JusJames God Is Enough - Single [Polished Arrow] Tommee Profitt Garden - Single [Capitol CMG] Red Rocks Worship So Much More - Single [Provident] Refiner Return To Dust / Not the End - Single [Rottweiler] ReFormed False Teacher - Single (independent) Jaelee Roberts He's Gone - Single [Mountain Home] Smokey Robinson Be Thankful For What You've Got / Lean On Me - Single [Gaither] Sound Chapel Praise You Still - Single [Provident] Stephen Stanley this far down (feat. Bodie) - Single [Capitol CMG] Verses Psalm 51:7-12 (feat. Free As A Bird & Gretyl Baird) - Single (independent) Windvent Haze - Single (independent) Mitch Wong Marvelous - Single [Integrated Music Rights] The Young Escape Older - Single [BEC]
Next Friday, March 7, 2025
ALBUMS bodie HAPPIER TO BE HERE [Provident] Fine China I Felt Called [Velvet Blue] HolyName Rock Against Traffic: Live in Pomona [Facedown] Tasha Layton Worship Through It - Live [BEC] Plead the Widow's Cause Silver Glass Stare (independent) TobyMac Heaven on My Mind [Capitol CMG]
SINGLES Free Worship Omnipresente Dios (feat. Mary Pagan) - Single [BEC] GLADDEN Sunshine Every Day - Single [DREAM] River Valley AGES Fire & Rain - Single [BEC] Stars Go Dim Discover God - Single [Curb] Wolves at the Gate Parasite - Single [Solid State]
Record Label: Solid State Records
Anchor Hymns Releases New Song, "Oh, To Be Like You," feat. Paul Baloche
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Various Artists House of David: Season One (Music inspired by the Prime Video Original Series) [Capitol CMG]
