Demon Hunter's Albums Ranked

I figured it would only make sense to have my series of Demon Hunter posts end on me ranking all of their albums released thus far. Just know, this was NOT an easy feat. There is not one Demon Hunter release I would consider weak. All of their albums range from good to flawless. So, ranking them was pretty tough, as all of them have their memorable moments. But, I think I've managed to make a ranking I'm satisfied with. Along with ranking the albums, I will have my rating for them and naming my top 3 songs (in order) from each album. Here we go!


8. Summer of Darkness (3.5/5 Stars)

If there is one album from DH's discography that, for me, is their "weakest", I suppose their sophomore album "Summer of Darkness" has always filled that spot. Don't get me wrong, this is far from a sophomore slump. In fact, it's still a pretty good record. "I Play Dead" is one of my favorite DH songs of all time, and I still consider it to be one of their most unique songs to date, as it seamlessly transitions from Ryan's soft vocals to him absolutely unleashing his screams. The song's subject matter of metaphorical addiction is powerful. I also can't resist the hard hitting single "Not Ready to Die", and the angry anti-consumerism message of "Beauty Through the Eyes of a Predator". However, this album certainly has its weak spots. This might be DH's most bizarre sounding album to date, and it's a little all over the place in all aspects. The ballad "My Heartstrings Come Undone" is easily the band's weakest ballad, as it is a little too gratuitous in its metaphors. The use of falsetto like clean vocals on "Our Faces Fall Apart" is weird, and makes for one of the band's weakest choruses (this is disappointing because DH usually makes killer choruses). "Beheaded" is still my least favorite DH song of all time, with its biggest issue being the absolutely annoying guest vocalist the band decided to feature. Demon Hunter was trying a lot of different things on this album, and while I respect that, it didn't always work. Still, at the end of the day, this album is solid enough and shines above a lot of other metal albums that came out in that year.

Favorite Songs: "I Play Dead", "Beauty Through the Eyes of a Predator", "Less Than Nothing"

7. Outlive (4/5 Stars)

Ugh, I hate ranking DH's newest album "Outlive" so low, because I am still listening to this record and I haven't gotten close to being tired of it. However, when compared to the band's other releases, this one is a little weaker. It is still a GREAT album. "Slight the Odds" is such a great epic symphonic rock track, something that I never thought Demon Hunter would do. But they tackle that genre excellently, and I find myself chanting the chorus out every time I listen to it. I dig the strings, and the large scale of the song is appropriate. It is one of my favorite DH songs to date. "Patience" continues to be a really catchy rock jam, and the unpredictable musical shifts impress. "Cold Blood" has significantly grown on me. The guitar riff makes for a headbanging metal groove, and the clever way Ryan talks about how materialism makes you hollow puts this song high up as one of the best lyrical moments of the album. "One Step Behind" is certainly not DH's strongest ballad, but the subject of fatherly devotion is touching. However, the weaker moments of this album have become a bit more prominent. "Half as Dead" is SO boring, and is neck-and-neck with "Beheaded" for my least favorite song from these guys. "Raining Down" is not an interesting rock track, and the electronics do not balance well with the guitars. Ryan doesn't sound invested in the song, either. I've become slightly less enamored with "Cold Winter Sun", mainly because of how it feels like it follows too much the formula for what makes a successful Demon Hunter single. Still, I really like this album. Its experimentation with a more electronic/hard rock sound is interesting, and the band still has the same passion for God and music. That's what is truly important.

Favorite Songs: "Slight the Odds", "Patience", "One Step Behind"

6. Extremist (4/5 Stars)

 

I struggle to understand why "Extremist" was so controversial amongst fans. Yes, it was a bit softer than their previous releases. I still think this album is Demon Hunter to the core. "Gasoline" is one of my top 10 DH tracks, and for good reason. I love how satirical Ryan is in the lyric department, defiantly telling the opposition that he will never water down his faith-filled lyrics. The lyrics "We'll smother out the flames/With gasoline" still put a smile on my face. "I Will Fail You" is easily one of my favorite DH ballads, as it has Ryan being very honest, letting everyone know that he will inevitably fail them at some point, and the failure might even hurt them. That type of vulnerability is rare to find in any band, and I appreciated hearing Ryan just pour himself out in this track. "Beyond Me" and "In Time" are both delightful and intense metal songs that use the DH formula to their advantage and manipulate it in clever ways (especially "In Time"). "What I'm Not" is a pure fun rock anthem which I could see working well in a live setting. This album does have its problems. The intro song "Death" is unnecessary filler, and is just not interesting as an opener. "Hell Don't Need Me" has little variation, and it meanders for its 4-minute run time. The chorus in this track is especially lackluster. I don't really hate "Heart of a Graveyard", but its pop/rock styling doesn't fit the rest of the album. Still, "Extremist" certainly didn't deserve the amount of hate it received. It is certainly a worthy addition to Demon Hunter's discography!

Favorite Songs: "Gasoline", "I Will Fail You", "In Time"

5. The Triptych (4/5 Stars)

The Triptych is the album that pushed Demon Hunter into prominence, and rightly so. This was their first album that felt a bit more accessible, with more clean vocals and toned down screaming. But this album is still certainly intense, and I highly enjoy listening to it to this day. "Undying" is one of my favorite DH songs of all time; it is really the song that made the loved Demon Hunter formula famous. There's something special about this song, and that can be found in the beautiful chorus which tells us that our ancestors will guide us in our Christian walks. There  are plenty of other excellent songs on here, such as one of my favorite of the band's ballads, "The Tide Began to Rise". The song is one of the band's softest and most beautiful, and I love how Ryan says if he's not really giving up his spirit for God, then there's not a reason for him to live. That is a powerful proclamation. Other highlights include the chilling ballad "Deteriorate", and the fun metal cover of "Snap Your Fingers, Snap Your Neck" that will easily get your head moving. "The Soldier's Song" rightfully honors our troops, and even got recognition from the military at one point. There are some moments in this album I don't care for, such as the underwhelming rock number "One Thousand Apologies". This was the first time DH tried a straight forward rock song, and they didn't do it very well this time, though I appreciate that this effort led to some much better rock songs from them. I also suppose that "Ribcage" is a bit underwhelming. Still, "The Triptych" is an undeniable metal treat that deserves to be remembered as a landmark release for Demon Hunter, even if it isn't their absolute best.

Favorite Songs: "Undying", "The Tide Began to Rise", "Deteriorate"

4. True Defiance (4.5/5 Stars)

If there was one thing that a lot of people probably didn't expect with "True Defiance", it was for Demon Hunter to adapt a classic sounding metal flair. But DH did, and it makes a superb album. "God Forsaken" is one of my top 3 Demon Hunter songs, as it embodies everything I love about Demon Hunter, just represented in a larger way. This track is a sweeping nearly 6-minute epic, and every moment of it is full of metal glory. The over minute-long breakdown at the end of the song still puts a smile on my face, and the parable-like lyrics about how easily we can fall into temptation hold more true for me now. The chorus of the song has become a personal reminder for me that my temptations can lead to horrible places. There are plenty of other great moments on the album, such as the hard-hitting track "This I Know", which has a huge guitar riff that dominates the whole song. I also love the ballad "Dead Flowers", serving as a touching eulogy for someone who has passed on. The string section in the song is gorgeous, and Ryan's vocals certainly sound beautiful. "Crucifix" is one of Demon Hunter's most delightfully intense songs, "Someone to Hate" feels like an instant DH classic with just how huge it is in every aspect, and "We Don't Care" powerfully reminds the listener of how easy it is for us to have apathy for our sins, and that can lead to some glaring problems. One of the weaker songs in this album is the uninteresting ballad "Tomorrow Never Comes", which just doesn't impress. I also don't particularly care for "Means to an End", a 4-minute long instrumental that does not feel necessary at all. But, the weak songs are short in quantity here, and they don't detract from just how great this album is. This is a quality modern metal album in every way.

Favorite Songs: "God Forsaken", "This I Know", "Dead Flowers"

3. Demon Hunter (4.5/5 Stars)

Demon Hunter's self-titled debut has grown on me significantly over time. I don't think I fully appreciated it years back. This is one of the band's most mature releases, and that's impressive since it's their first album. This is the only release of theirs that I would call conceptual in some ways, as it seems to chronicle the story of someone who turns their back on God, ends up in some very dark places, and then comes back to Him in a beautiful moment of redemption. The lyrics of this album are some of the band's best, especially in what is still my favorite ballad by the band and one of their top 5 best songs, "My Throat is an Open Grave". It's a bittersweet song that seems personal to Ryan and how he used to struggle with believing in God, but he is alive now because of his belief. "Turn Your Back and Run", a song that I initially dismissed on the album, has become one of my favorites just because of its musical creativity. I love the unsettling choir the song has which makes it feel like it could be in a horror movie. There are many other highlights on the album, such as "A Broken Upper Hand", where Ryan screams out lyrics in incredibly fast succession; the song is one of the most primary examples of how he's always been a talented vocalist. I also love how every word of the song simply reeks with disgust for Satan. It's a song that rejoices in him not having the upper hand anymore, and just how justifiably angry Ryan sounds on this track is pleasing. I also love "I Have Seen Where It Grows", which has the compelling lyrics "Life is a path/Death a destination". "The Gauntlet" is a ballad which still gives me chills because of its dark atmosphere, "Through the Black" is catchy, and Ryan shows off some powerful deathcore screams in "As We Wept". The only song I don't care for on the album is "Infected", one of the band's slightly weaker singles. It's not a horrible song, but it's not their most memorable. DH's debut is incredibly special, and I'm glad that I can now fully appreciate it and just how clever it is conceptually.

Favorite Songs: "My Throat is an Open Grave", "Turn Your Back and Run", "A Broken Upper Hand"

2. The World is a Thorn (5/5 Stars)

There are two albums from Demon Hunter that I think are flawless, and this album has become one of them. This was the first release I listened to in full by Demon Hunter. I have such a love for it because it was the album that was my gateway into listening to a lot more metal material. This is by far DH's most intense album to date: the guitars are turned way up, the breakdowns are more frequent, Ryan's screams are at their most angry and intense, and the lyrical content is very dark, but compelling and truthful. This is also the band's most experimental work, which makes it a diverse and fun listen. A diversity of sounds appear, from the deathcore influences of "Just Breathe" to one of the most fun rock tracks the band has ever made in "Collapsing", which includes a very memorable solo from Bjorn Strid. The lyrics of this album thematically talk about the corrupted mindset of America, oftentimes stating things that are not easy to hear but need to be said. "Tie this Around Your Neck" is one of my top 3 songs by this band, and part of that is just how righteous Ryan is in his anger, comparing everyone who follows secular culture to the fullest as people who are tying their own nooses. The chorus of this song is catchy (albeit brief), but the rest of the song is a full metalcore onslaught; it's such an intense song that any hardcore metal fan should enjoy. Other highlights include "Feel as Though You Could" which has some absolutely unpredictable tempo shifts, the opener "Descending Upon Us" which is an epic in every sense of the word, the gorgeous string-led ballad "Driving Nails", and the politically charged title track. I have no problem with this album, as even the tracks I originally didn't care for ("LifeWar" and "Blood in the Tears") have grown on me because the band still hasn't done tracks that are anything like them. This album is totally different for Demon Hunter, and that is what makes it stand out so much.

Favorite Songs: "Tie This Around Your Neck", "Collapsing", "The World is a Thorn"

1. Storm the Gates of Hell (5/5 Stars)

I can't see any other album released by Demon Hunter now or in the future ever beating out "Storm the Gates of Hell", which is easily their magnum opus and the best example of all the quality music Demon Hunter can make in one album. The best song on this album, as well as my absolute favorite DH song and one of my favorite songs of all time, is "Thorns". Ryan tackles the tough issue of self-harm and states the powerful claim that Jesus already bled for us and loves us. We don't need to harm ourselves to find reprieve. Ryan and the band handle this problem with such grace, and the stories that I've read as a result of this song are incredible. This song touched me personally as well. Musically it's easily the best rock track the band has ever done, and the usage of some piano is fitting; Ryan has never sounded better vocally. There are so many other highlights, such as the epic metal/orchestral track "Sixteen", which has hard-hitting lyrics that call out hypocritical Christians who try to gain fame for all the wrong reasons. This was one of the first songs I heard by the band, so I definitely value it a lot. The single "Fading Away" is undeniably catchy and inspiring in its message about trying to make a difference while you're alive. "Carry Me Down" is a bittersweet and beautiful ballad which entails Ryan's requests for how he wants people to remember him when he dies. It's one of the most mature songs the band has ever done for sure. "Follow the Wolves" is unbelievably catchy, and the one-two punch of the closing songs "Fiction Kingdom" and "The Wrath of God" make for what is still the best ending to a Demon Hunter album. Everything about this album is perfect as it seamlessly weaves the band tackling many different genres and making it into one cohesive product that impresses to this day. This is also easily the band's most redemptive album, as it's all about conquering over evil and finding victory in God, both in life and in death. They tackle this theme in a way that it can connect to everyone. This is one of my favorite albums of all time, and it personally impacted me. You have to listen to it if you haven't already!

Favorite Songs: "Thorns", "Sixteen", "Carry Me Down"