Demon Hunter - Extremist (2014)

Tucked away in the arctic tundra that is Wyoming sits a super-volcano known to most as “Old Faithful.” For centuries this geyser has hidden a brooding power within that, at just the right moment, unleashes itself in spectacular fashion before returning to a period of simmering expectation. This is Demon Hunter personified (even though Ryan makes fun of my home land on a Training for Utopia song). Making their primary living in other trades, Ryan Clark and company often spend long periods of time simmering behind the scenes and beneath the surface. But, in the course of what is now seven historic albums, fans know that a super volcano of metal prowess is constantly brooding and bubbling beneath the surface ready to unleash itself upon the world at regular intervals.

Extremist marks that spectacular explosion back onto a scene that the band has long since claimed rulership over. It would be an understatement, therefore, to merely state that expectations are high for this release. Having captured an increasingly rabid cult following since the release of their debut album, the perception has become that DH must raise the bar to uncharted levels time and again. Over the past couple albums, this has seemingly meant getting always heavier and including increasingly thrashy elements, while still balancing in Ryan’s ability to seamlessly move into clean vocals and power ballads at the drop of a hat.

Fans may be surprised, then, to find that with Extremist Demon Hunter has gone back to the drawing board. Although the album certainly has that distinct DH sound which makes incredible use of both sides of Ryan’s discordant range, the band brings more classic metal elements to the table than ever before. In the pre-release material promoting the album, Clark has stated that this is the single most “purposeful” and scrutinized DH album to date.
Track Listing:

Death
Artificial Light
What I’m Not
The Last One Alive
I Wil Fail You
One Last Song
Cross to Bear
Hell Don’t Need Me
In Time
Beyond Me
Gasoline
The Heart of a Graveyard