The Summary Judgment Reviews:
Title: Demon Hunter
Artist: Demon Hunter
Label: Solid State Records
Release Date: 10/22/02

Rating: 4 Skulls
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    • Reviewed by Redwolff (1/13/03):
    It's been a week now since our Top 10 of 2002 lists went up, and since then I've spent a lot of time with Opeth's Deliverance and have finally listened to Demon Hunter's debut album. Neither made it onto my top ten list, but both should have - Opeth as #1, and Demon Hunter as #3, under my former #1, Eternal Elysium. As the webmaster, I could easily go into the file and change my list, then pretend it was always like that, I swear, but I'd rather be honest and admit that I screwed up. The Opeth CD I have an excuse for: although I ordered it from Amazon.com before Christmas, it didn't arrive until after New Year's because, apparently, UPS stands for Unable to Process your Shipment.

    The Demon Hunter, on the other hand, I had received in October and set aside to savor after taking care of other, more doubtful review CDs. I suspected, maybe from the name itself, that I was going to enjoy this album, and I was right. A gem from Christian label Solid State, who seem to like me despite the fact that I tore Norma Jean a new one (and received most unChristian-like hate mail from some of their rabid fans in return), Demon Hunter's first album is described in their PR sheet as being the "sonically brutal and spiritually abrasive match" of Slipknot. Not an altogether ridiculous comparison, but I honestly wouldn't have made it myself. Demon Hunter are kind of dark and creepy, with lines like, "Life is our path, and death our destination," and song titles like "My Throat is an Open Grave," but they don't share Slipknot's angry, something-to-prove attitude.

    I have to admit that despite the fact I've given bands like POD and Living Sacrifice high marks, I still harbor a suspicion of Christian bands. Seems like in other parts of the world it can be a small step from declaring love for the Deity to flying a plane into the WTC. Of course I'm overgeneralizing, don't jump on me, but the point is religion can be a volatile thing, even in America; witness Waco, TX and the Heaven's Gate cult. Somehow I hear my mother giving me an exasperated Marge Simpson-esque "hmmmph" every time I give a Jesus freak a high score.

    But fuck that, let me put aside my neurotic, paranoid prejudices for a moment and admit that this is a great album. An aggressive blend of metalcore with a touch of nu-metal and occasional throwbacks to bands like Big Black and Volcano Suns, the album was expertly produced and mixed and even the liner notes, designed to look like a spooky, Colonial-era religious text, are cool. Nothing about this says "first album." Except for the slower, more melodic fourth and last tracks, which I think detract slightly from the overall disc (one anthem would have sufficed), Demon Hunter is an excellent album, in my opinion. The songwriting is very catchy, more hooks than in standard metalcore, but with subtle differences that keep the songs from becoming formulaic. For example, in the radio single, "Infected," the chorus starts in a major chord but then surprises the listener by ending in a minor one - that and the lyrics, "I'm infected with you, pull the plug already," lend a slightly chilling atmosphere to a chorus that could have gone full blown nu-metal without it. I've probably played that song half a dozen times tonight. It's on mp3.com - if you want a sense of the band, have a listen. Be assured that if you like that song, you'll like the rest of the album.
    4 out of 5

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