Summer of Darkness — Demon Hunter

Demon Hunter's Summer of Darkness came out on Solid State on 4 May 2004. Aaron Sprinkle produced it at Compound Studios in Seattle, with Ryan Clark singing. Clark said the debut was tuned to drop C, that this one went down to drop B, and that they had more time in the studio. Four songs have guest singers: Mike Williams, Howard Jones, Brock Lindow and Trevor McNevan. It was the only album with Kris McCaddon on lead guitar, the first with Jon Dunn on bass and the last with Jesse Sprinkle on drums. It sold 4,247 copies in its first week, and it runs past fifty minutes across thirteen tracks.

Who they were in 2004

In 2004 Demon Hunter was a Christian metal and metalcore band on Solid State. They brought Seattle heaviness and made no secret of their faith.

What the critics keep saying about this album

MTObsidian, a user reviewer at Sputnikmusic, called it heavy, full of energy and probably Demon Hunter's best. He said this was where the band found the formula later albums would follow, and that Aaron Sprinkle outdid himself with a wall of sound where everything blends into one impact. He liked how sparingly the electronics and synths were used, pointing to "Less Than Nothing" and "My Heartstrings Come Undone," and he praised Clark's layered screams and clean singing. He liked the guests too, singling out McNevan's change of pace on the bridge of "Coffin Builder." His complaints were that the formula can make songs sound alike and that there are no guitar solos at all. He still rated it excellent.

Metal Bulletin later wrote about "Not Ready to Die" and the album around it. After the raw, charging debut, it heard sharper melodies on Summer of Darkness with no drop in quality, a clearer sound, and mid-range growls and chugging riffs under a catchy chorus. It called the song big, direct and anthemic.

Clark said in 2003 that the record was heavier than the self-titled debut. Years later he told Cross Rhythms he always calls Sprinkle the "sixth band member" in the studio, the one behind the keyboard parts, the programming and a lot of the vocal melodies and harmonies. You can hear that in the wall of sound here.

Four tracks from this LP

Not Ready to Die opens the album and was the single. It's the clearer melody Metal Bulletin heard, with a chorus that's outlived that modest first week.

Beheaded, featuring Mike Williams, adds a guest without drowning out the band. It was early proof that the guest list was there to serve the songs.

My Heartstrings Come Undone shows the electronics working, just as Sputnikmusic's reviewer said. It's the softer side of the album, and it ended up on the Resident Evil: Apocalypse soundtrack.

Coffin Builder, featuring Trevor McNevan, is MTObsidian's favourite guest spot. The change of pace on the bridge keeps the wall of sound from going flat.

"I Play Dead," "Beauty Through the Eyes of a Predator" and the title track are worth hearing too. The complaints about a samey formula and no solos still stand. The album earns its score by improving on the debut, not by pretending every riff is new.

The score

It scores an 8/10.

So why not a nine? Even its fans admit the formula gets samey, the lack of solos won't please every metal fan, and the first-week numbers were modest. And why not a seven? Sputnikmusic's reviewer called it probably the band's best, and Metal Bulletin heard clearer melodies with no loss of intensity. Sprinkle's production showed Christian metalcore could be heavy and radio-ready at once, and "Not Ready to Die" still lands. It's a polished step up from a raw debut.

Where this album sits on Loud Faith

For Christian metal on Solid State in 2004, this was a serious record. It meant drop B tuning, guest spots from across the scene and Aaron Sprinkle working like a sixth member, years before the band's bigger Billboard debuts. Summer of Darkness is the album that set the Demon Hunter template. The band said it was heavier than the debut, critics heard it as clearer and more melodic, and later records kept chasing its sound.

Where to buy: Summer of Darkness is on Amazon Australia, and Demon Hunter sell their music directly on their official Bandcamp page. We don't earn anything from these links.