This song is an extremely slow, beautiful, atmospheric piece with amazing sung vocals straight through from beginning to end (no growls here); sung as only lead singer Ryan Clark can. With that full, deep voice that leaves you speechless in its rumbling nature. I love to hear Ryan sing in this style, and this song overall is a great winter piece for any occasion; and a perfect Christmas song to enjoy the Winter season. Just in time for the new year!
Lyrics:
(Ooh)
These city lights illuminate your breath
As you tell of all the ways that you feel dead
December left you cold and alone
I’m sorry but I have enough to fear on my own
Dying to care
I’m searching for some solace in this air
(Ooh)
But the wind, it cuts to my bone
The wind, this hollow breath of cold
The snowflakes fall like ashes into dirt
Like every hope that rose and dissolved into hurt
Dying to care
I’m searching for some solace in this air
(Ooh)
But the wind, it cuts to my bone
The wind, this hollow breath of cold
The wind, it cuts to my bone
The wind, in winter’s arms I feel at home
And I won’t let go
But I will take you with me
Right to the end
But the wind, it cuts to my bone
The wind, this hollow breath of cold
The wind, it cuts to my bone
The wind, in winter’s arms I feel at home
I feel at home
About Demon Hunter Month
January 2013 is dedicated to the Christian metal band Demon Hunter, arguably my favorite band; and will feature songs from their entire catalog featured daily throughout the month, one a day. Whether you like metal, believe in God or not, check these songs out as you may be pleasantly surprised and hopefully you will discover some new-to-your-ears music to enjoy. Demon Hunter’s sound is extremely diverse, not all songs feature screams and growls, some are slow, sung ballads; others are heartfelt, all are deep with powerful lyrics that will make you think and ponder, as the sound takes you away.
Becoming the Archetype introduces their new single, The Time Bender!
The Time Bender by Becoming the Archetype is the all-new song single from the Christian metal band’s all-new upcoming album “I AM”!
This song is absolutely badass in every way, shape and form, and the music video (lyrics video actually) features some insane imagery. I cannot WAIT for the new album! It drops on September 18th (my younger bro’s bday!), so be sure to pick this beast up!
I truly think Becoming the Archetype has outdone themselves with The Time Bender, this song is infinitely more awesome than I ever thought their new album would be. Especially given that veteran BtA vocalist Jason Wisdom is no longer with the band *tear* and has been replaced by new vocalist Chris McCane… who has done a PHENOMENAL job.
He sounds so close to Jason and his growls fit so well with what you expect from BTA that you can hardly even tell (or care!) that Jason is gone… even though I am still heartbroken that Jason, the rock of the band, is no longer with them.
Oh well. Times change, and if The Time Bender is any indication as to what we can expect from the rest of the album, then I am beyond freakin’ stoked! CANNOT WAIT! Be sure to pre-order!
Christians are gamers too and vice-versa. Including metal bands and rappers of all stripes!
Its no secret. Videogames and Christian bands and artists from metal to rap are often gamers, just like I am. The result is that many Christian Metal and Hip-Hop artists grew up with videogames and thus are inspired by them or pay tribute to them in their awesome songs.
So what Christian songs of Metal and Rap feature videogame references? PLENTY.
This list comes from my own personal observances where I’ve noticed videogame references in the Christian metal and rap songs I love.
Please leave a comment to let me know of other Christian songs where you’ve noticed videogame references and I’ll add them to the list! Eventually I hope this will become a masterlist to find videogame references in modern Christian music!
CHRISTIAN RAP/HIP-HOP VIDEOGAME REFERENCES
CHURCH CLOTHES By LeCrae (From the Church Clothes Mixtape) What is the Videogame Reference? “Al and Jesse don’t speak for me. I’m probably gonna catch some flack, mayne/ But I’m gonna swallow this pill like Pac-Man” at about 58 seconds into the music video.
“Find Your Worth, Come Home” is the all-new Sophomore album from “To Speak of Wolves”, following their debut Solid State Records album called “Myself Is Less Than Letting Go” from 2010. Be sure to buy To Speak of Wolves Find Your Worth Come Home On Amazon.
Find Your Worth, Come Home was released on May 22, 2012, and will appeal to fans of metal music in the vein of UnderOath or Norma Jean. The music is extremely busy, and the first couple of songs blew by me and made me grit my teeth to the point where I was dreading having to take a full 11 tracks of this noise…
Making matters worse, I had the official lyrics in my hands (along with my review copy of the album provided by Solid State Records) and had extreme difficulty following them due to the vocal style of the band. Which reminds me of Oh, Sleeper, UnderOath or Norma Jean. Thankfully, however, the album begins to redeem itself once you hit the 4th song… all the way up until the finale, which is a song so powerful that it moved me to tears… and from a thumbs down to a thumbs up position. I recommend everyone go out and pick this album up. Even if it is NOT your cup of tea, give it a real shot. Listen to the songs below that say “HIGHLIGHT” and go through each one until you reach the final song. I can virtually guarantee you that, at that point, you will NOT be disappointed. While the music, the vocals and the themes of the album grow tired and do not manage to stand out from the crowd, the songwriting is spoken with passion… passion and conviction that boils over once you reach the end and will leave a HUGE impression on you afterward.
Any album that can move you to tears gets an immediate recommendation from me. As that is a feat rarely accomplished. Give this album a shot!
* Click on a songname to purchase that song digitally on Amazon.
– Now let’s go through “Find Your Worth Come Home” track-by-track, these opinions mark my INITIAL LISTEN, as I wrote this review as I listened to the album for the first time. –
1. Hive Mind
A blur… I don’t even have anything to say. Except that I don’t want to relive what just happened.
2. Stand Alone Complex (feat. Micah Kinard)
This song goes in some interesting places thematically. Especially towards the end, the song makes it blatant that this is talking about the hurt of a broken family. With lines like, “i swear dad has changed/he’s still a good man/ if i’m wrong i’ll hold my head high/ i’ll let God / spit in my face”. This song also has some interesting words about God, such as this line: “you cast your fault/project your loss/but reflections must mirror the victor/ your heart longs to honor/the fact remains/that His flawlessness waits/to accept only/utter surrender / and he’s extending his arms”. However even with lyrics in hand, I had a very hard time following what was being said… it all blurs into each other, and there were a few annoying parts in this song, with voices speaking over each other and such. Which always bugs me.
3. Vertigo
This is the first song that really stands out from this album, which will catch your attention immediately with the really cool sounding intro. The track is much better than the previous two, with interesting lyrics that are easier to follow than the previous songs. This song also features some brief clean vocals on a briefly sung chorus, which isn’t too bad. Overall this is the best song yet and a certain HIGHLIGHT, and the first song that immediately feels like Id’ go back to it on a later listen.
4. Broken Birds
Now THIS, is great songwriting. This song is absolutely amazing… if you just read the lyrics on their own without hitting the play button. Unfortunately, the lyrics in this sung are screamed so fast and are so “muddled” sounding that it is very difficult to understand what the lead singer is saying. Particularly in the first two lines, great ones that read, “broken birds cant fly/and broken bells cant sing”. This song really challenges those who believe they have life all figured out and yet don’t know Jesus Christ, and the song is really pointed. The lines in this song are amazing. “now you lose your soul every day/as it wastes away/you cant face the day /you waste away/you cant face the day/you lose your soul every day /the hands around your throat are your own.” I think sadly, that these lyrics do not match the style of the vocals or the music. This made me sad because the opening moments of this song are awesome, you think something amazing is in store, and there is… until the music plays. Although I love the “i wanna give my memory to the flame/ i wanna burn it all away” part. Regardless, this is definitely a HIGHLIGHT. And overall this is a powerful song.
5. A SIMPLE THOUGHT THAT CHANGED EVERYTHING
This is a great song. For once, To Speak of Wolves decides to slow it down and not scream their crazy lyrics in their crazy way throughout the whole sung. Nope, instead most of the verses and portions of this song are SUNG. Not a positive thing when you’re a hardcore metal band of this sort, as the singing is the typical juvenile style that you’d expect from a band like UnderOath… that is, it grates on the nerves. However there is a lot of passion behind the words being spoke, and the song itself is quite beautiful. The song is from the point of view of a struggling Christian who can’t seem to reach his “Healer”, because his life is so hard and the pain blinds Him to God. This is reinforced through lines like, “this cross on my back/ has grown to be too much/ the crown on my head wont fit/my sword is dull from the drag/ i am the wounded carried / i’m not carrying the wounded / healer did you get my call?” However in the end, he realizes that all he has to do is believe, and he feels God near. A great song with effort that must be commended. The execution will be hard for some to swallow, and you’ll just have to deal with the voice given in the singing portions, but if you just get lost in the words you’ll come to love the song. I also love what they did near the end of the song to mix things up. And overall I felt that this song was very tight, and executed extremely well. A huge HIGHLIGHT and their first “ballad” on the record.
6. Nostalgia Seeds
Of all of the songs on the album so far, this one is the strongest both vocally and in showing off the typical style of this band at its best. The vocals here use lower growls instead of the typical yelling style of screams, and the lines of the song are screamed in a much more deliberate manner. This makes the song lyrics much easier to follow. This song is excellently paced, and is easily one of the best songs on the record so far. A clear HIGHLIGHT. Thematically, this song deals with a person who is taking the brunt of life and being crushed under it. Feeling hopeless and angry at God for not “being there”. With lines like, “the killing feeling / that i cant save my brothers / the loneliness of my father / the abandonment of my mother / the confused thoughts of my sister / raining on me / it’s always raining on me.” Definitely not a happy song, but one that is realistic with what a lot of young people go through in their broken family lives and many people will likely relate to it. HIGHLIGHT
7. Je Suis Fini
This strangely named song is another strong one vocally. The song starts out as a kind-of counter point to the last song, speaking of being strong in the face of adversity. However thematically it quickly degenerates into the same tired old themes that pervade on this record, and which the song itself attacks with the lines, “oh please release my body/ from the jaws of the beast / let my savage triumph be a sight for all to see / day in day out / all you taste is stagnation / so spit it out / it’s getting so old.” Sadly, this type of juvenile drama IS getting old by this point in the record and the themes of a rough life beating you down is starting to wear thin. Although this song offers some redemption, it pulls it back too far to ultimately be more redeeming than not. Even so, it’s another strong vocal performance like on the last track, Nostalgia Seeds.
Here is the Je Suis Fini music video from To Speak of Wolves:
8. Oregon
WOW. My respect for this band just rose up a notch thanks to this incredibly heart-wrenching song. This may be the second, if not first, best song on the album. The song tells the all-too-common story of the pain that his parents bare with them due to their failures in life. And the manner in which the love between them and the love for others is wasted… This line in particular hit me hard: “well i rest my head / and i cry myself to sleep / cause they’re both lonely / when there’s no need to be / and that kills me.” Man can I relate to that. Overall this was an outstanding song. If there’s any one that you download, be sure it is this one. GREATEST HIGHLIGHT
9. Dialysis Dreams
The heavy themes continue from the last song with this one, which almost wholeheartedly revives the band in my eyes. This song conveys extremely powerful emotion of the regrets, sadness, confusion and loss that comes from losing a loved one; how that effects a person and how that person cannot change the circumstances and is powerless to do so. Additionally this song is done in a real personal manner, you can feel the pain… because the vocalist is talking about himself (or the person who wrote the song, using pronouns like I) and that adds so much more emotion and power to the song. This line can’t help but to move you, “everyday i lose a memory / i feel the pull of time / a piece of me dies / a bit of my life unwinds / but i’ll never ask why / because everyone grows and everybody dies.” Powerful stuff. HIGHLIGHT
10. Voidmaker
This song takes the band back into familiar territory from earlier on the record, with a return to themes about the difficulties, tribulations and trials of life and questioning God and the like. This song is done pretty well though, and by this time you are getting more used to their style and lyrics. I love the ending of this song when the music cuts out and switches up, although I thought the end vocals at that part could’ve been done much clearer. Overall this is a pretty good song. It’s worth noting that the title of this album is taken from the final line of this song, “find your worth / come home”. I liked these lines in particular: “changing lines and shifting sides / coward cant you grow a spine? / you will fail the test of time … oh, defiant lion tearing your way through life / blood in my teeth but i’m still thirsty.”
11. Rearview Memories (featuring Levi The Poet and Bree Macallister)
HOLY…. *wipes tears* I am speechless. This song literally led me to tears and made me wept. This is flat out one of the most powerful and heart-wrenching songs I have EVER heard in my entire life. This song has singlehandedly pulled this album from the grave of “average” and violently shoved it into greatness. This TRUE HIGHLIGHT is a song like no other… made up of spoken testimony, real stories of real people… whose lives were shattered by the suicide of that one individual. One point of view is from the daughter, who is asking God questions but has a forgiving heart, and is trying to remember the good aspects of their relationship. The other is one of complete anger, especially due to the fact that it led to the daughter’s downfall, as bitterness at God and life grew in her heart. “she took off her crown / i watched it shatter when it hit the ground.” This song gives you chills, and I’m still being moved by it. If this song doesn’t make you re-evaluate life, then check your pulse. You may already be dead. A must listen. BUY THIS SONG NOW. (buy Rearview Memories by To Speak of Wolves on Amazon MP3)
The cover artwork for Celestial Progression, a new remix album by Becoming the Archetype.
Be warned headbangers, Becoming the Archetype’s remix album Celestial Progression is sure to disappoint if you go into the album thinking of metal bliss and expecting to headbang to some awesome remixes. Awesome this album ain’t.
What you get instead are extremely lowkey, slow, techno-style remixes that don’t impress in the slightest with the amazing source material that the remixers were given to play around with. I cannot put into words how disappointed I am with this album. There is so much cool stuff that could’ve been done with such an amazing and diverse work as Celestial Completion… is any of that put to good use here? Nope. I feel like any of these songs could’ve been made by a fan. Like something you’d find by some 12 year old that’s good at remixing and uploaded to youtube. This is the type of stuff you’d expect to hear on a remix site like “OC Remix”, not a professional release from a major label.
Basically the remixes have taken all of the edge out of Becoming the Archetype… and what you get are subpar remixes that attempt to take Becoming into a very slow direction. They’re not necessarily bad or horrible or anything, they’re just… there. Unimpressively. You keep waiting for something awesome to happen… And then it doesn’t. Very, very sad. At least this is just a filler as BtA gears up for their next REAL album with their all-new vocalist; but I believe this album will leave a bad taste in the mouth of fans, and will whet the appetite of absolutely NO ONE. “Fail”. *cries*
Now let’s go through “Celestial Progression” track-by-track, these opinions mark my INITIAL LISTEN, as I wrote this review as I listened to the album for the first time.
Song #1. Breathing Liquid (Born of Water Remix) (4:13)
This song starts off extremely slow… and that slowness is carried throughout the song. This song was really disappointing to me, as I was expecting the album to start off with a bang, and something that sounded really cool. And I don’t believe that Breathing Liquid (a very cool name) fits that criteria. Although the first “wubbing” part with Jason Wisdom’s awesome vocals is definitely a high point. The song is a remix of the final track from Celestial Completion, called “Breathing Light”, and uses vocals from the song throughout. I really disliked the singing portion and how it was remixed here… of course Breathing Light is one of my least favorite tracks on Celestial Completion (it’s the one I skip the most), so maybe that has something to do with it. But overall I just found this track to be lacking and nothing special. It feels like your average techno-style remix.
Song #2. We Ride (Giant Robot Remix) (2:40)
This song starts off with a slow remix of the main chorus from “Beam of Light” (My FAVORITE song from Celestial Progression), however I’m just not a fan of the way the vocals are generally mixed in this album… There is no punch to them, and they are kinda muddled. Once again, I was expecting something fast-paced or cool sounding, and this Giant Robot remix doesn’t deliver at all, and in fact goes in the opposite direction. Which to me seems like a huge wasted opportunity for such a badass song as Beam of Light… This was another subpar song IMHO.
Song #3. Invisible Sitar (Giant Robot Remix) (4:12)
Now THIS is what I’m talking about! This song starts out with a very cool sounding, slight remix of the “Invisible Creature” interlude track from Celestial Completion that plays before “Cardiac Rebellion”. It’s a really Egyptian sounding song, like something you’d expect to hear in Aladdin with a Cobra snake tempter. Basically this same tune plays throughout the song, and even plays as vocals from the “Requiem Aeternam” trilogy from Celestial Completion are overlaid over it (a VERY cool touch!). Once again this isn’t exactly what I was hoping to hear on this album, but this song is leagues ahead of the other two and sounds pretty sweet simply because the Egyptian tune is such an awesome one. The song changes the tune and adds enough to it to stretch it out throughout the track without it becoming too tiresome or repetitive, although you will think that for a bit as you realize that the same tune is extended through the WHOLE song. But either way this is definitely the single STANDOUT track so far. Even then I wouldn’t say this track is necessarily anything special.
Song #4. Elemental Bond (Giant Robot Remix) (3:22)
This song starts out with a remix of … some music I recognize but can’t quite place at the moment. It has a kinda cool, operatic sound to it… however once again it’s pretty slow and too laid back… and the same tune is played throughout. It’s a great tune, so the track isn’t a whole loss. But it just feels like it doesn’t do enough with it… This track doesn’t feature any vocals, which was surprising. Another disappointing track IMHO. I’m sensing a trend. :(
Song #5. Space Refraction (Giant Robot Remix) (3:15)
This song opens with a pretty cool intro, with the main tune of “Reflect/Refract” from Celestial Completion being played over some Castlevania-style music, which slows down considerably for a piano section. This song is saved thanks to the fact that it replays some of the coolest bits of Reflect/Refract, although once again it kinda has that muddled sound to it which is somewhat annoying. This would have to be my second favorite track, simply because it has a cooler sound than any of the other songs so far and does an alright job by using some of the great instrumental sections of the source song. No vocals on this track once again…
Song #6. Magnetic World (Giant Robot Remix) (4:04)
This song is a remix of “Magnetic Sky”, starting off with “The final chapter, has already been written, the story has already… been told” sung line from Celestial Completion while then transitioning into a very slow piano piece. This remix has a kinda emotional feel to it and the music does move you, but the lyrics don’t really fit to this music… you can see what they were going for though. And this feels like a better thought out song than the previous remixes, with a real theme to it, a sad theme, that carries the song throughout. It does a good job of it, and I think this will be one of the few tracks that you will go back and listen to again after you finish the album. Especially near the end, the track really layers on the somber tone. This is a definite HIGHLIGHT, but not an impressive song. Much like the entire album.
In the end, I cannot recommend this album to anyone. It’s, quite simply, as average as they come. There are no real standout tracks, and it only has SIX of them. I feel like most people will be entirely disappointed by this album… although if you go into it knowing what to expect, you may be able to get some enjoyment out of it. As for me, I’ll pretend it never existed and twiddle my thumbs some more until Becoming the Archetype returns to the scene with their next metal album.
Score: 5 out of 10 Stars (Completely and utterly average).
Becoming the Archetype is among my top three favorite bands of all time, including Demon Hunter and The Showdown, all bands from Solid State. Despite the low review scores of this album, all of Becoming the Archetype’s albums are incredible and I urge you to pick all of them up, you will NOT be disappointed! The first album you should pick up is the absolutely awe-inspiring Dichotomy, which is one of the greatest Christian albums ever made in my humble opinion!
The extremely creepy “God of Nothing” by Christian metal band MyChildren MyBride.
MyChildren, MyBride’s God of Nothing, a song from their self-titled album released last March, is an extremely powerful, eerie song that demonstrates to me that Christian metal bands can be just as effective at instilling fear and terror, as any secular band can.
This song truly will make the hairs on your neck standup, and is extremely thought-provoking as well. I love how MyChildren MyBride encorporated horror-style sounds and a pervasive sense of fear into this song.
If you haven’t heard MyChildren MyBride before, then be prepare yourself for a very creepy ride. And buy MyChildren MyBride at Amazon to support this awesome band and add the new album to your collection!
This is an album I really wanted to pre-order before it came out, having enjoyed their initial debut album. I’ve seen them in concert twice, and liked their first album quite a bit. However I never got around to hearing their second album. So this self-titled one will be my re-introduction to the band.
MyChildren MyBride was established in 2004, having previously been called “Stars Are Falling”. Their debut album was Unbreakable, released in 2007 on Solid State Records. The album was produced by Joey Sturgis of The Devil Wears Prada and mixed by Adam Dutkiewicz (aka Adam D.) of Killswitch Engage. This album had a Halo tribute song called “Headshot” that turned quite a few heads. Their next album was called “Lost Boy” and released in 2008. Finally, their third and newest album, self-titled, was released on March 13th, 2012.
Demon Hunter Grand Finale Artwork, the Heaven's Open
The Latest And the Last and Grand Finale from Demon Hunter, lyrics included below, are the titanic closing tracks from Demon Hunter’s crushing challenge to the realm of evil off their 2nd and 4th full-length albums; Summer of Darkness (2004) and Storm the Gates of Hell (2007).
These two tracks are, arguably, my two highest-regarded and favorite songs from Demon Hunter’s entire discography (even though almost all of their tracks could, arguably, be called my FAVS).
Both of them are awesome but are similar in style and in some ways theme. That’s why I think they are a great songs to contrast, equally great but also showing the growth in sound and sharp writing that cuts to the bone. Both songs have incredibly powerful and straight-up badass intros alongside with fantastic singing choruses that seem to beleigh the ferocious nature therein and yet perfectly compliment the whole.
The Latest And the Last Lyrics from Demon Hunter (Summer of Darkness):
Words of high cost
YOU SPIT A CURSE AT MY NAME
When thoughts of hate cross
I CAN’T DEVOUR YOUR BLAME
This is your choice
THIS IS YOUR HAMMER TO CRUSH
I have no voice
YOU’RE NOT THE HAND THAT I TRUST
THROW IT DOWN ON ME
THROW IT DOWN ON ME
Before you break your SILENCE…
Before we tear this OPEN…
We’ll count the dead and HOPELESS
For every word UNSPOKEN
Thoughts like blood run
FOREVER STAINING OUR HANDS
Mouth like cold gun
BEFORE THE BARREL WE STAND
The latest and the last
YOU PUT A PRICE ON MY HEAD
The latest and the last
THE WORST IS ALREADY SAID
Before you break your SILENCE…
Before we tear this OPEN…
We’ll count the dead and HOPELESS
For every word UNSPOKEN
Spilling through your TEETH
You’re sick of what YOU’VE SEEN
You point your guilt at every step we took IN LOYALTY
Before you break your SILENCE…
Before we tear this OPEN…
We’ll count the dead and HOPELESS
For every word UNSPOKEN
THROW IT DOWN ON ME
THROW IT DOWN ON ME
THROW IT DOWN!!!!!!!!!!
Grand Finale Lyrics from Demon Hunter (Storm the Gates of Hell Album):
You’ll find me FACE DOWN
HANDS BOUND
Ready for the blade to MAKE ME TWO
If judgment falls to meet this ground
THAT FATE WILL RUN ME THROUGH
No DAY OF WRATH will see me break
For that FAITHLESS BREATH OF SHAME
When the HERETICS come to make that list
BE TRUE
To speak MY NAME
Leave all you see
The curse of man is dead
The hourglass turned on its head
And every care will FADE AWAY
To wake a new day
Take every throe within us all
The very breath inside our soul
We bleed the life into your hold
The very death of our control
No man can bring
A fatal sting
And I laugh at the GALLOWS THRALL
Just line it tight
Around my neck
So my words will break THAT FALL
FALL!!!!!!!
Leave all you see
The curse of man is dead
The hourglass turned on its head
And every care will FADE AWAY
To wake a new day
Leave all you see
The curse of man is dead
The hourglass turned on its head
And every care will FADE AWAY
To wake a new day
That final day will fall
And those who curse the sky
WILL FACE THE EARTH
The many turn to One
The God of Gods’ own RIGHTEOUS SON!
BEGGING FOR
THAT SECOND BIRTH!!!!!!!!
Leave all you see
The curse of man is dead
The hourglass turned on its head
And every care will FADE AWAY
To wake a new day
The True Defiance Deluxe Edition bundle with Tshirt included.
True Defiance Deluxe Edition gets an unboxing in this video by none-other than lead vocalist and writer for the band Ryan Clark! True Defiance will be released on April 10th, 2012!
Ryan Clark is an absolutely awesome, soft-spoken individual who is central to Demon Hunter’s success, with his unique low growl and his beautiful clean vocals. He is also an art designer who works both at his home label of Solid State Records and Tooth & Nail as a lead artist (and thus he works on almost all of the labels albums, as the one who draws the artwork for almost all of their covers) and also runs his own artist studio called Invisible Creature (formerly Asterisk) who has developed artwork for Anberlin, August Burns Red, Despised Icon, Foo Fighters, Will.I.Am, Korn, Kanye West, Underoath and Poison the Well among others, as well as been nominated for three Grammy awards for the artwork done on Norma Jean’s O God the Aftermath, Fair’s The Best Worst-Case Scenario, and Hawk Nelson’s Hawk Nelson Is My Friend. Ryan Clark’s brother and Demon Hunter co-founder and former bassist, Don Clark, works with him full time at Invisible Creature.
Enjoy a preview look at the True Defiance Deluxe Edition in this video. Sadly if you wanted to pre-order the True Defiance Deluxe Edition (like myself…) they are currently sold out at both official online stores (hit the links above and in the intro)! Although you can still pick up the True Defiance Deluxe Edition in stores or online via retailers like Best Buy, Hot Topic or your local music shop! Although I don’t know if the tshirt or glass candles will be available there, or the poster/stencil art…
Storm the Gates of Hell Demon Hunter logo. Metallic look. I was disappointed they didn't do more for the logo though for this album.
Storm the Gates of Hell and Lead Us Home from Demon Hunter, lyrics included below, are the titanic opening tracks from Demon Hunter’s crushing challenge to the realm of evil off their 5th full-length album (2007). The title track is a blistering, fast-paced song with punishing vocals that pound your eardrums from start to finish. That song then transitions into the incredibly heavy crushing intro to a slower, beautiful Heavenly ode called “Lead Us Home”.
The devastating one-two punch is one of Demon Hunter’s best and proof-positive to all metal fans, Christian or not, that Demon Hunter can melt your faceoff with righteous lyrics powerful enough to shatter a mountain in a single blow. Both songs are included below with lyrics, listen to them back-to-back for the full experience! Be sure to start playing Lead Us Home as soon as Storm the Gates starts to end. Be careful of the volume on Storm the Gates which starts off extremely loud, you’ll then want to turn up the volume on Lead Us Home as the video is much quieter compared to Storm the Gates, and that intro is one of the coolest of all time, so you’ll want it as loud as can be!
Storm the Gates of Hell Lyrics from Demon Hunter (Storm the Gates of Hell Album):
Broken teeth, a shattered jaw
Ten to one, BEHOLD MY GOD
Wicked sons of Heaven’s loss
Raise your own INVERTED CROSS . . .
Kings of earth, iron fist
Serve the sacred you dismissed!
Stand before your final day
Choke on every LINE YOU PRAY
Raise your glass to death
Not one second left…
Wake the lifeless, die to fight this
Stand beside me, STORM THE GATES OF HELL
Wake the lifeless, die to fight this
Stand beside me, STORM THE GATES OF HELL
STORM THE GATES OF HELL!
Coward’s heart, a serpent’s tongue
Stand to face what you’ve outrun
FEAR OF DEATH, FEAR OF PAIN
Bound to all you took in vain
No more lies, no regrets
SEVER TIES and hollow debt
OPEN EYES, live to learn
Or watch your BLESSED TEMPLE BURN!
Raise your glass to death
Not one second left…
Wake the lifeless, die to fight this
Stand beside me, STORM THE GATES OF HELL
Wake the lifeless, die to fight this
Stand beside me, STORM THE GATES OF HELL
STORM THE GATES OF HELL!
HELL HATH NO FURY AT ALL!
Lead Us Home Lyrics from Demon Hunter (Storm the Gates of Hell Album):
ONE MORE DAY
This time I’ll bite the bullet . . .
LET ME STAY
And set this life ablaze
Give myself to compromise
And let the hammer FALL . . .
From blackened eyes to broken ties
I’ve bled to know them ALL
Driven to the brink of death
I heed deceptions CALL
Through bitter tears, forgotten years
I’ve come to sever ALL
Lead us home . . .
Lead us home . . .
Our tired hearts are failing now, from the inside out
Lead us home
ONE MORE TIME
This day I kill the witness . . .
Take back what’s mine
And give disgrace a NAME!
Give myself to compromise
And let the hammer FALL . . .
From blackened eyes to broken ties
I’ve bled to know them ALL
Driven to the brink of death
I heed deceptions CALL
Through bitter tears, forgotten years
I’ve come to sever ALL
Lead us home . . .
Lead us home . . .
Our tired hearts are failing now, from the inside out
Lead us home
BLESSED HANDS will tear me off
And BREAK ME at the wrist . . .
Drag me back to SOLID GROUND
SLAY THE FATE I KISS!
OH!
Lead us home . . .
Lead us home . . .
Our tired hearts are failing now, from the inside out
Lead us HOME
Behind the Song – Storm the Gates of Hell (By Ryan Clark, lead vocalist of Demon Hunter and writer of all their material)
“The lyrics for this song came to me when I was reading the Psalms. It talked about the “kings of the earth” and worldly rulers. My intention is to warn these people, in our day and age, to beware of the almighty power of God. It also acts as a call for everyone who listens, to lay down their worldly cares, take up their swords, and fight with us against the evil and Godless powers of this world. To “storm the gates of Hell,” means to boldly stand in the face of adversity, and strike back against Satan’s deceitful ways.”
“Arise, O Lord! Deliver me, O my God! Strike all my enemies on the jaw; break the teeth of the wicked.” – Psalms 3:7 – Ryan Clark, Demon Hunter
Behind the Song – Lead Us Home
“This song is simply about the constant struggle in this life to make the right decisions. In the song I ask the Lord for “one more day” to make things right. I think that seems to be a common thought amongst Christians, that if we just had more time on this earth, we could learn to be better followers of Christ. And although that may be the case for some, we will always face temptation, sadness, depression and pain in this life. And in light of that fact, my plea in this song is simply for God to lead us home, to him. Time and time again, day after day. It’s a song of surrender, that Christ would show us his face in our times of failure or pain.”
“I guide you in the way of wisdom and lead you along straight paths.” -Proverbs 4:11 – Ryan Clark, Demon Hunter
Feel As Though You Could From The World Is A Thorn, Demon Hunter artwork
Feel As Though You Could is arguably my favorite track from The World Is A Thorn, Demon Hunter’s previous album. However due to the hard-to-remember name of the song, it’s a track that is easily forgotten and I think it’s one of their lesser known songs.
However it has some of the best lyrics on the entire album in my humble opinion, and is one of the heaviest songs on the album as well (along with Tie This Around Your Neck).
Unfortunately I don’t like the bridge of this song nor the ending. The song is strongest during the first two verses, both of which are amazing. Enjoy!
Feel As Though You Could Lyrics from Demon Hunter (The World Is A Thorn):
REBELLION!!!!!!!!!
Oh cheap thrills and vacant youth
Carry out your own will
Shovel deep and bury truth
Social stain
PUNK WRECK
Mother’s own . . .
DEFECT
Sing that song you know so well
SING IT ONE FOOT IN HELL
EYES
WIDE
BLACK
TURN
YOUR
BACK!!!!!!!
Oh how the foolish will see . . . . . . . . .
How every man he does bleed . . . . . .
THE VULTURES
CIRCLE
HALO OF THE DEAD
Another
VICIOUS
CYCLE
SWALLOW WHAT YOUR FED
And now
THE VULTURES
CIRCLE
HALO OF THE DEAD
Another
VICIOUS
CYCLE
Be true to your DISSENT
Somehow . . . Feel . . .
Feels though . . .
You could . . .
Somehow . . .
In all your petty suffering (suffering)
BURN THIS DOWN
REJECTION!!!!!!!
Of weak trends and fake hate
This is what you’re fighting for?
Some fools MISTAKE
I WILL DEVOUR YOU
I’LL OVERPOWER YOU
Rise from the ashes
Screaming ETERNITY
THE VULTURES
CIRCLE
HALO OF THE DEAD
Another
VICIOUS
CYCLE
SWALLOW WHAT YOUR FED
And now
THE VULTURES
CIRCLE
HALO OF THE DEAD
Another
VICIOUS
CYCLE
Be true to your DISSENT
Somehow . . . Feel
Feels though . . .
You could . . .
Somehow . . .
In all your petty suffering (suffering)
GO!!!!!!
OHHHHHHHHHHH
Ignite (ignite)
Upon (upon)
These words (these words)
And breathe defeat
Your shallow deeds
Make hell
FOR
Wood and stone
Flesh and bone
THIS ALONE!!!!
Somehow . . . Feel . . .
FEELS THOUGH
You could . . .
Somehow . . .
In all your petty suffering (suffering)
BURN THIS DOWN
……BURNTHISDOWN…… *repeat*
——————-
Behind the Song – Feel As Though You Could (By Ryan Clark, lead vocalist of Demon Hunter and writer of all their material)
The heavy metal scene is a culture steeped in pointless, juvenile rebellion. In some extreme cases, some delusional metalheads have murdered and raped for what they see as a rebellious or “true metal” lifestyle. More specifically, there are a number of church burning occurrences that led me to write this song. I understand that these burnings were committed in an attempt to regain some supposed pagan landscape, however, I would also assume that the real goal is to destroy Christianity, and not just a building. With logic now introduced in the scenario, I offer the concept that you cannot physically burn down something existing in a spiritual realm, therefore attempts at destroying something that dwells within our souls are futile.
“But the temple he had spoken of was his body.” – John 2:21
Lead vocalist Ryan Clark in the 4th iTunes Album Podcast Episode: “The lyrics of the song Feel As Though You Could are specifically about youthful rebellion, more particularly in the metal scene itself. I think that alot of fans take the subversive nature of metal a little bit too far and bring it into their own lives. And the way that manifests itself alot of the time is through sometimes violent rebellion or just mindless rebellion. This song to me just points out those aspects of the scene that are immature and disrespectful. These things are a common byproduct in the metal scene. I think people like to be subversive for the sake of being subversive, but to me it’s just a sign of immaturity.” – Ryan Clark, Demon Hunter
