Demon Hunter "War/Peace" Double Album Review

By: James Southworth

If I haven't made it abundantly obvious by previous reviews and lists on this site, I love Demon Hunter. They are the only band on this site whose albums I've ranked in their entirety (I'm planning on doing that for more of my favorite bands this year), and that's pretty significant. I've also counted down my top 10 songs by them, and that list hasn't changed significantly. I was incredibly excited when I heard Demon Hunter would be doing a double album, a concept that seems to be getting pretty popular lately. Having 20 new DH songs is something I'm not gonna complain about. I was initially a little worried about the albums however, as both of the singles ("On My Side" from "War" and the title track from "Peace") were not really top tier quality. I shouldn't have been too worried though, as both albums are stellar and actually an improvement over "Outlive". This review will be divided into two sections. I'll start with "War", go on to "Peace", and then give some brief final thoughts.

War 
Rating: 4/5 Stars

Well, this album was a little unexpected, and in the absolute best way possible. If you've been following this band in any significant way, then you know that they have been getting a little softer in their sound ever since the release of "Extremist". Some fans have not been too hot on this, but I personally didn't mind too much with "Extremist". I will admit, however, that "Outlive" has not really aged well with me like almost every other DH release. I sort of regret that I put the release in my top 10 albums of 2017, because it didn't really deserve a spot there (although the song "Slight The Odds was more than worthy of a spot on my top 10 songs of the year). There has been a debate amongst fans as to whether it's even possible now to call the band metalcore anymore. I would agree that it's a been a bit of a stretch to put them under that genre, as they more conventionally fit under melodic heavy metal with the two aforementioned albums. However, "War" sees the band delightfully going back to their roots in a lot of moments, while occasionally showing off how they can still appeal to their fans who do prefer their newer sound. For me, the majority of this album was a delightful throwback to the old days of Demon Hunter, as sound-wise it reminded me a lot of releases like "The Triptych" and "The World is a Thorn".

The album gets off to a roaring start with "Cut to Fit", which gives you a really good idea of what you're in for on the rest of the album. I like how the band starts off with conceptually establishing the idea that "War" will be a thematically darker line with the haunting statement "War in every breath...". After that, a pounding guitar ruff and throttling drums come in to get your head almost immediately banging along. Ryan Clark's screams here really surprised me. They're higher pitched than they've been for a long time, and they sound like they have some real grit to them- unlike "Outlive", where the screams were unfortunately a little bit too sanitized, even on the more intense cuts. The chorus of this song does a solid job at combining singing and screaming together to make something that sounds both melodic and intense. I really enjoy everything about this song, and it's more proof that generally, Demon Hunter knows how to open an album on a positive note. After this, we get the lead single "On My Side". Now I did say in my precursor to my reviews that I was initially very lukewarm on this single. However, on more listens, it has grown on me significantly. It is certainly not one of my favorites from this album, but it's good for what it is. I'd certainly say it's a better lead single than cuts like "Cold Winter Sun" or "Artificial Light", both of which adhered to the DH formula in pretty cliched ways. This song doesn't necessarily do that, especially in the gorgeous chorus where Ryan actually lets his voice go into his higher register. This is something that he hardly ever does, and that is my favorite moment of the song. I do wish that more moments like that stood out here, but the verses are sadly just a little bit too same sounding in structure. The chorus does really save this song, though. My favorite song on the album, and what could become one of my favorite songs of all time by the band in the future, is "Close Enough". This song put a wide smile on my face from almost its very beginning, as this incredible guitar work begins off the song. It's not often we get to see Patrick Judge and Jeremiah Scott really just shred and show off their skills. It is a delight to hear. Also, the lyrics are quite compelling as Ryan gives a powerful message about how we need to live for God in every waking moment: "I’ve learned to count this all/Lead the fight and heed my call again/No time to waste in vain because/Every time I bleed is close enough". It's typical of DH to give bold messages like this, and I feel like they always do it in a way that can relate to a variety of listeners. The best part of this song, though, is the breakdown. I haven't heard a breakdown from the band like this since "God Forsaken". It is a BANGER, and was what really made me certain this song was my favorite. If you hear nothing else on this album, at least listen to this track!

There are still plenty of tracks to commend here. "Unbound" may be a little too repetitive in the lyrical department for my taste, but I do appreciate that Ryan's screaming is varied in style. Also, the guitar riffs almost bring to mind thrash metal in a way, something the band hasn't attempted for a while. "Gray Matter" is a simply beautiful rocker. It has a pretty solid groove to it, and stays engaging throughout its run time. I'm not sure if I agree with the message here- that Ryan feels like morality is a very black and white thing, and there are no grey areas- but this is typical fare for Demon Hunter. They are not a band who compromises on their messages. This is the group who also said "Not one of you bastards has a cross to bear" and compared embracing the way the modern world is running to willingly tying a noose around your neck. I can respect that even after 20 years, the band is not mellowing out on their messages. The fact that this song is so engaging actually still makes it a favorite of mine, even if the message doesn't entirely line up with my beliefs. "Ash" will make even the hardest to please DH fans smile, as this is one of the most intense songs the band has ever done. It's right in line with "The World is a Thorn" and "Storm the Gates of Hell". I just can't imagine people being turned off by this cut. "The Negative" is another track where the chorus is almost too repetitive, but DH still finds a way to make it compelling through the musical dynamics. This song has a lot of Slipknot influence, and its huge guitar licks make it too fun to dislike. The album ends off on a very intriguing note with the bone chilling cut "Lesser Gods". This song has some of the quietest moments from Demon Hunter, as well as some of the most gut wrenchingly intense. It creates a dissonant feeling that works well for the brutal subject matter of the song. It's a cool way to end off the album. Just like DH knows how to begin in album, they also tend to know how to leave an impact on you with the closing cut.

There are a few problem areas on the album for me. One is, in general, the lyricism. I alluded to this a couple times in my review, but I feel like the choruses especially are relied upon way too much. The verses aren't given sufficient time to shine for the most part. This is especially apparent of cuts like "Unbound" and "The Negative". I just think back to some of the lyrical content the band has had in other albums, and this one doesn't match up to other albums in terms of lyrical depth. There are a few specific tracks that don't work for me. I think "Leave Me Alone" had some real potential, but unfortunately that potential was squandered by the song meandering for too long. The song is nearly six minutes, and the content doesn't quite justify the length for me. "No Place for You Here" is what you've come to expect from the sound of Demon Hunter. It's sadly run of the mill for them, and I'm somewhat surprised this didn't become the lead single due to how it sounds like their formula. This isn't a good thing, as on cuts like this, it feels like DH is relying on the formula like a crutch.

Overall, "War" is such a good, even great, listen. There are plenty of moments here to enjoy, particularly in the slightly better first half of the album. If you're a fan who has been missing DH's older sound, then you'll get that in significant amounts on this release. I highly recommend it!

Favorite Songs: "Close Enough", "Lesser Gods", "Grey Matter", "Cut to Fit", "Ash"
Least Favorite Songs: "No Place for You Here", "Leave Me Alone"

Peace
Rating: 3.5/5 Stars

When Demon Hunter announced the titles of their two new albums, I had a feeling that "War" would be the more intense album, while "Peace" would show off the softer side of the band. I was definitely right on that front, but even then, "Peace" still managed to surprise me- and mostly in a good way. This is by far the band's softest release to date. There's only one song on here with some screaming; the rest are entirely comprised of clean vocals. The band fully embraces the sound they were going for here, and there are some cool moments of experimentation on this album. For that reason, this album mostly works and ends up shining brighter than "Outlive", although its not quite as good as its "War" counterpart.

The album begins with the second half of the band's overall conceptual statement. For "War" the quote was "War in every breath". For "Peace", the statement is "Peace in only death". Though that statement might sound just as, if not more, bleak than "War"'s quote, the album overall is far from bleak. In fact, in many places this might be the band's most optimistic album. The opening track "More Than Bones" is an immediate indicator of that. It has some really well-executed electronic flourishes and one of the band's most upbeat and happy sounding guitar riffs they've done. I love the subject matter of the song, as Ryan talks in the perspective of God who assures the listener that they will not just be a human body when they die. This album seeks to give listeners comfort about the concept of death throughout a lot of its run time. "Loneliness" was a song I started out unsure about, but I think I've really started to appreciate what it does on repeat listens. It's a quiet song that subtly creeps up on the listener in a good way. I particularly like the moments on the song where it goes really quiet and just emphasizes on Ryan's singing. I'll admit, in some moments on this album we get some of Ryan's best clean vocal work to date. This song is one example of that. I also like that the song almost plays out like a Psalm from the Bible, as Ryan is just plaintively questioning God, not in a condescending way, but like he's truly trying to understand what plans God has for Him. It's a rather powerful moment of vulnerability that shouldn't go unnoticed. "When The Devil Come" seems like the band's second attempt at their controversial cut "Hell Don't Need Me", and this time the attempt works. Whereas I really found the latter track to be quite a chore to get through on "Extremist", the former works well within the context of "Peace". The odd western vibe this song has immediately stuck out, and it surprisingly just works. I'm not quite sure that I can sufficiently explain it; just hear it for yourself.

The second half of this album has some pretty great moments as well. "Two Ways" is the most "intense" cut on this album, but that's only because it has some small moments of screaming. For the most part, this song is a straight up rock cut, and I like it pretty well. The song has a nice driving guitar riff, and the chorus is probably one of the most catchy on this album. "Recuse Myself" is actually another one of my favorite moments on the album, as it embraces electronic and synth work in a highly compelling way. The song is emotionally compelling and has some truly gorgeous moments in it. I love Ryan Clark's vocal performance here as well. But the best song on here easily goes to "Fear Is Not My Guide". Never did I think that DH would do another piano ballad. To be honest, I'd been desiring one for ages, especially with "The Tide Began to Rise" being one of my favorite ballads of all time (as well as one of my favorite songs by the band). So, hearing this song almost brought tears to my eyes. That's because Ryan's vocal performance is just so assured and powerful without him even trying. He gets to some of lowest vocal tones here that I've heard from him, and because he is vocally more of a bass, these lower notes are startlingly superb. I adore the lyrics of this song, and they may be the best lyrics that appear on "War" and "Peace" combined: "When time outruns my soul/I don’t have to hide/Fear is not my guide/I won’t be made to hold/Any word inside". This song is an excellent ending to the album, as it is emotionally gripping and incredibly poignant.

I do have some problems with this album, however, and they're a bit more significant than "War". While I do think there are more lyrical moments on this release that are better written than "War", there are still several songs here that are far too repetitive. This is true even of the tracks I like, such as "More Than Bones" and "Two Ways". The musicality here can also sometimes get a little boring in places. This is especially apparent on "I Don't Believe You", which drones on and on. It's a bit of a chore to get through this song, especially with the filler "no" that's done way to often in the chorus. I don't quite know what the band was going for on this track, but I don't care for it. "Bet My Life" is a bit too generic for my test, and doesn't really fit what I feel to be the band's personality. It just doesn't feel like they put on a convincing performance here. "Time Only Takes" has a pretty cliched sentiment, and feels like it could've benefited from being cut down in length (ironically). I'm still pretty conflicted on my feelings about the title track. I can't say I dislike it, but I can't quite fully admit I like it either. There's some good moments in it (like the song's dynamic ending), but there's also some moments I don't care for- particularly the pretty unengaging chorus.

While "Peace" is not quite as good as "War", I still have a lot of respect for it. It doesn't really look like Demon Hunter was looking to please anyone with this album, and instead did an album full of stuff they wanted to try out. When this album was experimental was when it worked best. While there are some dull spots here, I still can't say that I was underwhelmed by this album; in fact, I like a great deal of it. For that reason, I also invite you to check this album out.

Favorite Songs: "Fear Is Not My Guide", "Recuse Myself", "When The Devil Come", "Loneliness", "More Than Bones"
Least Favorite Songs: "I Don't Believe You", "Time Only Takes", "Bet My Life"

Overall Thoughts
I had high expectations, as I always do, for these two Demon Hunter albums. Thankfully, this band mainly delivered those expectations, and even surpassed them and surprised me on specific cuts. If I had to give an overall rating for both albums, I would lean towards a strong 4/5 stars with high recommendations for both albums. It's been 20 amazing years for this band. Let's all hope for many more to come!