DEMON HUNTER: Songs of Death and Resurrection

DEMON HUNTER

Songs of Death and Resurrection

Ryan Clark’s lyrics have always been excellent, but not they are front and center like never before – that and his golden voice. There’s no tight bombastic rhythm section to hide behind. This 12-song album is a collection of freshly-recorded and stripped-down acoustic versions of many of their melodic hits.

One of the best gems of this special release is reading composer Ryan Clark’s description of the mega-ballads that they’ve released throughout the years:

When my brother and I started this band, our goal was to lead with aggression, but also show range. “My Throat is an Open Grave” and “The Gauntlet” were the songs to help express this diversity on our first record.

Over time, these slower, more melodic songs would become a signature of each and every album, lead the charge of fan favorites, and serve to distinguish Demon Hunter’s sound from that of a typical metal band.

As always we thank you, not only for allowing us the freedom to pursue these somber moments, but for providing them a special place in your hearts and lives. We hope you enjoy these new renditions as much as— if not more than—the originals.

This, though only a part of their range, has defined the Demon Hunter sound for me. These are the songs that I come back to again and again. At a slower tempo, the choruses have an easier time gripping the heart and soul of the listener. It’s as if the melodies were intentional in searing the hooks into our memory.

That’s why this acoustic album is not just a placeholder until or if the band releases its next full-length. Sure, we’ve heard these songs before, but this deconstruction / reconstruction forces us to feel these tunes from a fresh angle. The lyrics seem all the more important.

“Dead Flowers,” “Carry Me Down, “Heartstrings” and “I Will Fail You” almost become spoken word performances, but like a slam poet that captures your imagination, they command attention.

Best tunes here are probably: “Tide Began to Rise” and “I Will Fail You,” I think due to the multi-instrumentation. That piano sounds so good. None of the songs sag or fall flat.

Overall, the band does a stellar job at deconstructing these songs. Each of them happen to be strong on their own, so this really underscores those strengths.
[Solid State}

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