Artist: Demon Hunter
Album: The World Is A Thorn
Genre: Metalcore
Label: Solid State

Seattle’s Demon Hunter have spent the last decade persevering the face of adversity with their aggressive sound and religious ideals. Over the years, the Christian metal genre has steadily gained acceptance and Demon Hunter have made their way to the forefront of the movement. Since the release of their self-titled debut they have delivered consistently well-received records and hit mainstream success, even reaching the #1 spot on the Top 100 Heatseekers chart and #3 for Top Christian Album. However, after their previous release, Storm the Gates of Hell, Demon Hunter suffered the departure of both guitarists, including founding member and co-writer Don Clark. Although they have undergone a myriad of member changes in the past, this was a significant loss and is entirely evident on their disappointing new release, The World is a Thorn. A substantial evolution occurred with new members brought into the mix and Demon Hunter find themselves stuck between a traditional metalcore sound and a mainstream rock approach.

For the first time, Demon Hunter sound half-hearted and rarely venture from uninspired songwriting and sub-par work, on their self-proclaimed, “heaviest and most melodic,” installment. Adequate technical riffs and down-tuned guitar chords rule their more aggressive foundation but ultimately lacks anything mouth-watering. “Descending Upon Us,” opens the record immediately showcasing the new guitarists but your attention quickly turns towards Ryan Clarks throaty growls. Restoring hope, his impressive clean vocals evoke emotion and is delivered with passion, especially on the hard-driving ballad, “Driving Nails.” However, as the second track, “Lifewar,” began, I wanted to check out. It takes you back to an earlier nu-metal sound by incorporating short bursts of screaming and is easily their worst song to date. Following with lead single, “Collapsing,” its evident that Demon Hunter are including a plethora of mainstream hooks and are trying desperately for a radio-friendly sound. They might succeed with this though because this track is undeniably catchy, has a great energy, includes commendable clean vocals, and could possibly find a spot on one of the many top charts. However, the long-lasting effect isn’t there and the song ultimately falls into mediocrity sooner than hoped.

Lyrically, the central theme speaks strongly against the current state of the nation and the secular world’s depletion of morals and values. The fiery conviction is especially evident on the title track, “The World is a Thorn,” as Clark screams, “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.” Demon Hunter have always been known for their religious beliefs and this continues to be their trademark. An obvious change is their electronic additions, which are either hit or miss. The ending of, “Tie This Around Your Neck,” is an example of where they do the song justice.

The World is A Thorn is filled with uninspired and forgettable material, but there are a number of positives as it offers crystal-clear singing on the choruses, catchy hooks, and some notable solos. This is truly a love or hate album. Either fans will embrace their more radio-geared sound or they will dismiss their new direction completely and wish for their earlier sound. I don’t know whether it was the loss of members or lack of the commitment due to members diverting their attention to other projects in the music industry that kept The World is A Thorn from being unable to measure up to its predecessors, but it’s the unfortunate truth.

Demon Hunter have been through a lot of fundamental changes and hopefully they can regain their previous strength so that, in time, this record can be forgotten.

Score: 4/10
Review written by: Nerissa Judd

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James Shotwell

James Shotwell is the founder of Under The Gun Review. He loves writing about music and movies almost as much as he loves his two fat cats. He's also the co-founder of Antique Records and the Marketing Coordinator for Haulix. You should probably follow him on Twitter.

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