Demon Hunter - Outlive (2017)Release ID: 5483
Demon Hunter has been a big part of the Christian metal community for a long time. When they released their 8th album Outlive in 2017, that year also marked the 15th anniversary of their self-titled debut. There's only one original member still in the band and that its founder and creative force, vocalist Ryan Clark. Their previous album Extremist is a great album but it was underwhelming for Demon Hunter fans who fear an electronic change of sound.
With Outlive, that scenario is out the skyscraper window! This album is more in-between, not as heavy as True Defiance and not as diverse as Extremist with a few electronic elements that overpower their usual sound. Outlive is slightly different from other Demon Hunter albums, standing alone with brighter tone.
"Trying Times" starts slower, NOT ballad-slow, just a slow anthem. This track contains marching drums that would nearly make you shout "WE WILL, WE WILL ROCK YOU!!" until the electronic ambiance starts rising and the vocals appear. Then at one minute left, the guitar enters the picture. That intro leads perfectly into "Jesus Wept", a short verse in the bible that Christian kids first learn, but with a different personal twist in the script as Ryan Clark screams "I'M WHY JESUS WEPT!" Lead guitarist Patrick Judge performs a killer solo. Then it flows to catchy rock-ish tune "Cold Winter Sun" (not to confused with epic death metal band Wintersun), which is fine except for the generic chorus and structure. "Died in My Sleep" had some mixed reception as a single. That sounds right because despite the rising appeal, it's still not the best in the album.
"Half as Dead" is a solid jam with tough lyrics. "Cold Blood" returns to the metal feel from earlier, this time with a clean-sung chorus. Halfway through, we switch gears to the alt-metal half-ballad "One Step Behind". Continuing the rock vibe, "Raining Down" sounds like a song you might expect Disciple.
"The End" sounds metal in the verse and breakdown, despite the rest of that song just sounding like straightforward rock. "One Less" levels up the intensity and is one of the only songs to be truly metalcore. The high death screams in the chorus really set the song apart from the melodic majority of this album. "Patience" starts with 30 seconds of piano before beginning the dominating rock-ish sound you were waiting patiently for. What really stands out is bright chorus surrounding the extreme verses. "Slight the Odds" starts with symphonic strings that fade out for the guitars to fade in. An awkward DJ-like transition but as the song goes on, you'll see more of the band's bright side.
The heavier Demon Hunter fans wanting more metal just like in True Defiance would be disappointed. The majority of Outlive leans towards the rock side while still being considered metal. There are heavy moments, soft moments, and in between, lots of melodic moments. While still keeping the key signature in minor (mostly B-minor), the band has experimented with major chords for a happier tone in some songs. Demon Hunter still has their heavier metal side with a couple great aggressive songs, but I think the band still has enough metal to continue having their albums put in this website. After releasing the slightly softer Extremist, Outlive shows the bands experimenting with electronic and older rock elements. Despite all that, this album is still a solid release sounding more different the previous one. Demon Hunter still exists as the same band. The results aren't always lovable, but they are something new. Before we get to the next step of their career, Outlive is a nice album to enjoy in the meantime....
Favorites: "Jesus Wept", "Half as Dead", "Cold Blood", "The End", "One Less", "Patience"
