Artist: Demon Hunter
Album: The World Is A Thorn
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
Reviewer: Alex Judge
With their fifth studio release, “The World is a Thorn,” Demon Hunter makes another strong stand for their beliefs and encourages their fellow Christians to do the same. This driving album presents a theme of the world as a thorn in the Christian’s side that needs to be removed, and presents the idea through a variety of punchy, metallic, gritty, yet melodic songs. Ryan Clark, the lead vocalist and writer for Demon Hunter, exhibits more great songwriting to follow up their previous releases, which have set a high standard. The energy behind the drum rhythms and guitar licks and the purpose behind the words creates a very heavy, energetic album with a voice.
Songs like “Collapsing”, “Tie This Around Your Neck”, and the title track are among the highlights of the album. Lyrics to “The World is a Thorn” show the mentality of Clark, fearless to present blunt truth in his writing. The song calls for believers to leave all that the world accepts as right and good. Other songs like “This is the Line” call for us to know the difference between right and wrong and to abide by our standards regardless of what the world says. Life is a war, as stated in “LifeWar,” and we have to take our stand or we will lose our footing.
Some down sides to the album are that the rock ballads, “Driving Nails” and “Blood in the Tears,” were both a bit disappointing after their last albums hit, “Carry Me Down.” Also, the ending of “Feel as Though You Could,” was a bit strange in the vocals. Otherwise, the album has great music with a great message. If you are looking for a group to appeal to your heavy metal musical taste and still retain a very truth based lyric, Demon Hunter would be perfect for you!
Demon Hunter will be embarking on a nationwide tour this spring with As I Lay Dying, blessthefall and War of Ages. There are currently 23 scheduled stops, beginning April 29 in Tucson and ending May 22 in Las Vegas.
"This is something that we've hoped to do for a while now, and we're extremely honored to be a part of this tour," says vocalist Ryan Clark. "We had the chance to play a festival with the band in 2008, but aside from that show, it's been seven years since we've shared the stage with this metal powerhouse."
The tour comes in support of Demon Hunter's latest album THE WORLD IS A THORN which was released March 9. The album is available everywhere and can be purchased in stores at Best Buy and online at iTunes, Amazon MP3 and Shockhound.
Dates for the tour are as follows:
29 Apr - Tucson, AZ Rialto Theatre
30 Apr - Albuquerque, NM Sunshine Theater
01 May - Lubbock, TX Cactus Courtyard
02 May - Oklahoma City, OK Diamond Ballroom
03 May - Des Moines, IA Peoples Court
04 May - Springfield, MO Remington's Downtown
05 May - Louisville, KY Headliners Music Hall
06 May - Richmond, VA The National
07 May - Allentown, PA Crocodile Rock
08 May - Pittsburgh, PA Mr. Small's Theatre
09 May - Pittsburgh, PA Mr. Small's Theatre
10 May - Nashville, TN Rocketown
11 May - Chicago, IL House of Blues - Chicago
12 May - Minneapolis, MN The Cabooze
13 May - Kansas City, MO Beaumont Club
14 May - Englewood, CO Gothic Theatre
15 May - Magna, UT The Great Salt Air
16 May - Boise, ID Knitting Factory - Boise
17 May - Spokane, WA Knitting Factory - Spokane
18 May - Eugene, OR McDonald Theater
20 May - Reno, NV Knitting Factory - Reno
21 May - San Diego, CA SOMA
22 May - Las Vegas, NV House of Blues - Las Vegas
Please check out the "50 Days Of Demon Hunter" at TheWorldIsAThorn.com. For 50 days straight fans will have access to exclusive Demon Hunter content, information, track listings, contests, images, videos, and much more!
Demon Hunter is an anomaly in today's heavy music scene, jettisoning fashionable trends and easily recognizable cliches in favor of traditional heavy metal power and melodic hooks. THE WORLD IS A THORN recalls the best of the genre's past while pushing the envelope forward at the same time. The album follows previous studio albums STORM THE GATES OF HELL (2007), THE TRIPTYCH (2005), SUMMER OF DARKNESS (2004) and DEMON HUNTER (2002), as well as the live album and three-disc CD / DVD set 45 DAYS, which have sold close to a combined half a million copies.
Demon Hunter is Ryan Clark (vocals), Jonathan Dunn (bass), Yogi Watts (drums), Patrick Judge (guitar) and Ryan Helm (guitar).
Seattle, WA..March 18, 2010...Demon Hunter's new album THE WORLD IS A THORN has made its debut at No. 39 on the Billboard 200 and No. 6 on the Billboard Rock Chart. It is currently available everywhere and can be purchased in stores at Best Buy and online at iTunes, Amazon MP3 and Shockhound.
As announced earlier this week, in support of THE WORLD IS A THORN, Demon Hunter will be embarking on a nationwide tour this spring with As I Lay Dying, blessthefall and War of Ages. There are currently 23 scheduled stops, beginning April 29 in Tucson and ending May 22 in Las Vegas.
Dates for the tour are as follows:
29 Apr - Tucson, AZ Rialto Theatre
30 Apr - Albuquerque, NM Sunshine Theater
01 May - Lubbock, TX Cactus Courtyard
02 May - Oklahoma City, OK Diamond Ballroom
03 May - Des Moines, IA Peoples Court
04 May - Springfield, MO Remington's Downtown
05 May - Louisville, KY Headliners Music Hall
06 May - Richmond, VA The National
07 May - Allentown, PA Crocodile Rock
08 May - Pittsburgh, PA Mr. Small's Theatre
09 May - Pittsburgh, PA Mr. Small's Theatre
10 May - Nashville, TN Rocketown
11 May - Chicago, IL House of Blues - Chicago
12 May - Minneapolis, MN The Cabooze
13 May - Kansas City, MO Beaumont Club
14 May - Englewood, CO Gothic Theatre
15 May - Magna, UT The Great Salt Air
16 May - Boise, ID Knitting Factory - Boise
17 May - Spokane, WA Knitting Factory - Spokane
18 May - Eugene, OR McDonald Theater
20 May - Reno, NV Knitting Factory - Reno
21 May - San Diego, CA SOMA
22 May - Las Vegas, NV House of Blues - Las Vegas
Demon Hunter is an anomaly in today's heavy music scene, jettisoning fashionable trends and easily recognizable cliches in favor of traditional heavy metal power and melodic hooks. THE WORLD IS A THORN recalls the best of the genre's past while pushing the envelope forward at the same time. The album follows previous studio albums STORM THE GATES OF HELL (2007), THE TRIPTYCH (2005), SUMMER OF DARKNESS (2004) and DEMON HUNTER (2002), as well as the live album and three-disc CD / DVD set 45 DAYS, which have sold close to a combined half a million copies.
Demon Hunter is Ryan Clark (vocals), Jonathan Dunn (bass), Yogi Watts (drums), Patrick Judge (guitar) and Ryan Helm (guitar).
The band's fifth album produced by Aaron Sprinkle (Acceptance, Anberlin, The Almost) and mixed by powerhouse producer Jason Suecof (All That Remains, Trivium) can be purchased in stores at Best Buy and online at iTunes, Amazon MP3 and Shockhound. Exclusively for release week, THE WORLD IS A THORN is currently streaming in its entirety at AOL Music.
"The album title refers to the often harmful and destructive world that we live in," explains vocalist Ryan Clark. "Most of the songs deal with the current state of the nation and the world as a whole. In particular, the lyrics take aim at the ideals of a Godless people and the depletion of our morals and values."
THE WORLD IS A THORN is currently at No. 2 on iTunes Rock chart and No. 22 on the overall iTunes album chart. In addition, the media are already on board for this release.
Demon Hunter’s unmatchable ability to mesh heavy with melodic and its relevant messages are undoubtedly the reason why the band continues to reign supreme over the metal genre.
--NewReleaseTuesday.com
The World Is A Thorn is heavier, thrashier, more experimental, and without a doubt Demon Hunter's best work yet.
--JesusFreakHideout.com
Demon Hunter have continued to progress over the many years they’ve been together and it shows on each album. Their fans will most definitely be as excited about this album as I was. I’m left listening to this album over and over. The effort put into this album is really impressive and hopefully that’s what is left in the listeners mind.
--TheInterlude.com
This is Demon Hunter at their evolutionary peak, an amalgam of every iteration, every sound they’ve committed to 0’s and 1’s and it’s fantastic.
--TheNewReview.net
In support of the release of THE WORLD IS A THORN, Demon Hunter will be doing two free in-store performances and signings:
Friday, March 12th @ 7:00 PM
Easy Street - Mercer Street
20 Mercer Street
Seattle, WA 98109-4006
Saturday, March 13th @ 4:00 PM
Best Buy
3305 SW Cedar Hill Blvd
Beaverton, OR 97005
The release of the album comes after last week's world premiere of "Collapsing" on MySpace, the first video from THE WORLD IS A THORN.
Please check out the "50 Days Of Demon Hunter" at TheWorldIsAThorn.com. For 50 days straight fans will have access to exclusive Demon Hunter content, information, track listings, contests, images, videos, and much more!
Demon Hunter is an anomaly in today's heavy music scene, jettisoning fashionable trends and easily recognizable cliches in favor of traditional heavy metal power and melodic hooks. THE WORLD IS A THORN recalls the best of the genre's past while pushing the envelope forward at the same time. The album follows previous studio albums STORM THE GATES OF HELL (2007), THE TRIPTYCH (2005), SUMMER OF DARKNESS (2004) and DEMON HUNTER (2002), as well as the live album and three-disc CD / DVD set 45 DAYS, which have sold close to a combined half a million copies.
Demon Hunter is Ryan Clark (vocals), Jonathan Dunn (bass), Yogi Watts (drums), Patrick Judge (guitar) and Ryan Helm (guitar).
Solid State Records and Demon Hunter proudly debut a new song, "Tie This Around Your Neck" on the band's MySpace page today. The stream follows an exclusive world premiere on Liquid Metal Sirius XM, and is part of the official "50 Days Of Demon Hunter" online campaign.
"The world will tell you to lead yourself. This song is the antithesis of that ideal," says vocalist Ryan Clark about the meaning and title of the track. "We believe that we are a flawed people, and that man, given unto his own will, will fail. Therefore, using our flesh as a compass in life is a path that leads only to destruction. The burden of relying only on yourself is like a weight around your neck, and when the people and forces of the world encourage us to live this way, we tell them to 'save their breath'"
"Tie This Around Your Neck" is the first song to be released off of the band's upcoming album THE WORLD IS A THORN, which will be available in stores and online March 9th. Multiple versions of the record will be available: A Regular Edition (with two separate covers painted by metal visionary Dan Seagrave), and a Deluxe Box Edition featuring the following contents:
• CD With 2 Exclusive Bonus Tracks
• DVD Featuring The Making of "The World Is A Thorn" and a Live Acoustic Set
• 20-Page Booklet with Exclusive Artwork, Photos and Handwritten Lyrics
• 2 Fold-Out Posters Featuring Original Artwork by Dan Seagrave
• 3 Photo Cards
• Demon Hunter Handkerchief
• Set of 4 Buttons
• Sticker
Both editions of THE WORLD IS A THORN are currently available for pre-order in the Solid State Store with bundle options that contain a hat, long-sleeved t-shirt and three patches for either version.
Please check out the "50 Days Of Demon Hunter" at www.myspace.com/demonhunter. For 50 days straight fans will have access to exclusive Demon Hunter content, information, track listings, contests, images, videos, and much more!
Demon Hunter is an anomaly in today's heavy music scene, jettisoning fashionable trends and easily recognizable cliches in favor of traditional heavy metal power and melodic hooks. THE WORLD IS A THORN recalls the best of the genre's past while pushing the envelope forward at the same time. The album follows previous studio albums STORM THE GATES OF HELL (2007), THE TRIPTYCH (2005), SUMMER OF DARKNESS (2004) and DEMON HUNTER (2002), as well as the live album and three-disc CD / DVD set 45 DAYS, which have sold close to a combined half a million copies.
Demon Hunter is Ryan Clark (vocals), Jonathan Dunn (bass), Yogi Watts (drums), Patrick Judge (guitar) and Ryan Helm (guitar).
