DEMON HUNTER - Peace
Pax Sola In Morte – Get This Peace
Demon Hunter has this thing with melody. What? Oh yeah, they have the heavy riffs, the double bass drum pounding and the harsh vocals – they are a metal band for sure. But the astute fan of all things DH knows that they also have this “thing” for melody. It surfaces in almost every song and has manifested itself on every album they have ever released. However, the one thing we have not heard from this band (prior to Peace) was an entire 10 song set devoted to their more melodic side. Peace is the “other side” of War. Wait, what? I love this simultaneous (same day) release of both War and Peace. Most bands might have chosen to milk the drama over a 6-month period, but with DH we are treated to both the harsh and the melodic (the lion and the lamb) on the same day!
“Is that you in my head/have you woke from the dead?” – “Loneliness”
Peace is exceptionally good. I would have to conclude that as powerful as is War, Peace is even better (isn’t it though?). I mean, really, these songs are just so catchy, so riddled with truth … and so infectious. Is it possible to be infected with peace? I am sure that it is after listening to these 10 tracks repeatedly.
The spacey intro (Peace only in death) is a bit deceptive because things shortly shift into an up-tempo rocker which reminds us that we are more than our flesh (“More Than Bones”). Despite the melodic focus, this is a very heavy tune – a great variation on the “I will never leave you or forsake you” reminder. “I Don’t Believe You” just keeps pouring on the praise (aka conviction) – problem is we just can’t accept there is cure for what ails us – the sing-songy guitars just too hard of a pill to swallow despite their sweetness. But if I can’t swallow it, maybe I can at least “see the forest for the trees” and wait for "Peace." No, because title tracks like “Peace” should not be allowed to sound so smooth and delicious. Oh but, “When The Devil Come” … go away Devil, you lost this battle today. Truth, transparency and the old spiritual showdown mixed into one great Western stomp. Wait, what band is this?
This Ryan Clark guy seems to think he is the king of melody – like where did he get all this melody anyway … and all this wisdom? Time to make decisions, he says, like there is some pathway. Oh, “Two Ways?” How profound – “eyes shut or open wide.” Maybe I should just “Recuse Myself” … isn’t that what everyone does these days? Give me those processed percussion sounds and that piano to excuse me from the world that I no longer recognize. But I’d “Bet My Life” that the trippy guitar riffs won’t convince me otherwise because “emptiness is not my state of mind.” But seriously, after this much truth, this much medicine, this much cure, this much ear candy … a piano-propelled ballad about fear? That’s just not even playing fair.
“When time outruns my soul/I don’t have to hide/Fear is not my guide” – “Fear Is Not My Guide”
Just give up already – just get this peace.
Release Date = 3/1/2019
Track Listing:
1. More Than Bones (4:15)
2. I Don’t Believe You (4:49)
3. Loneliness (5:15)
4. Peace (4:18)
5. When The Devil Come (4:39)
6. Time Only Takes (4:09)
7. Two Ways (4:07)
8. Recuse Myself (4:57)
9. Bet My Life (4:16)
10. Fear Is Not My Guide (4:47)
