Demon Hunter
Encyclopedia
Demon Hunter is an American heavy metal
band from Seattle, Washington
, started in 2000 by brothers Don Clark
and Ryan Clark
. All of Demon Hunter's members are Christian
s and express their love for Jesus
in many of their songs. Although the brothers created the band, only one remains, Don Clark having left the band to take care of his family. As of early 2010, the band has sold over half a million albums.
. Ryan had previously played guitar in hardcore band Focal Point
, who released an album on Tooth & Nail/Solid State when Ryan was still in his teens.
Demon Hunter first appeared on This is Solid State
, Vol. 3 with their first song "Through the Black" released in February 2002. Demon Hunter's self-titled album
was released in October 2002 on Tooth and Nail Records subsidiary Solid State Records
. Ryan and Don wrote all of the songs, performed the majority of the instruments (with Ryan singing as he had in TFU) and hired Jesse Sprinkle to record drum tracks.
At first the members of the band chose to hide or obscure their identities in photos and in the press. Their names were revealed when they undertook their first tour, which featured Norwegian metal heavyweights Extol
and death-influenced metalcore
youngbloods The Agony Scene
, and saw the permanent adding of Jesse Sprinkle on drums, Jon Dunn on bass, and Kris McCaddon, formerly of Embodyment
, on lead guitar.
," with McCaddon contributing, and again with Jesse drumming. Summer of Darkness hit stores on May 4, 2004, and was a modest success, propelling Demon Hunter into the secular scene with the addition of the music video "Not Ready to Die" on MTV2's Headbanger's Ball and Fuse TV
, along with single "My Heartstrings Come Undone" being placed on the Resident Evil: Apocalypse
soundtrack. The album featured four guest vocal appearances, including Mike Williams
of The Agony Scene
on "Beheaded," Brock Lindow of 36 Crazyfists
on "Beauty Through The Eyes Of A Predator," Howard Jones
from Killswitch Engage
on "Our Faces Fall Apart" and Trevor McNevan
of Thousand Foot Krutch
on "Coffin Builder."
Demon Hunter hit the road that summer with McCaddon on lead and Dunn on bass, and with new touring drummer Tim "Yogi" Watts, as Jesse Sprinkle could not make the tour. This time Demon Hunter took with them rock/post-hardcore
rookies Dead Poetic
, along with metalcore band Haste the Day
. Post-hardcore band Staple
replaced Haste the Day towards the end of the tour.
In 2005, Demon Hunter went back to The Compound in Seattle, Washington
to record their third album, entitled The Triptych
. The word "triptych" centers around the concept of three, as it was the band's third album. Included on the album is a cover of Prong's song "Snap Your Fingers, Snap Your Neck." This album debuted Watts as Sprinkle's permanent replacement on drums (Jesse having joined Dead Poetic) as well as the addition of Ethan Luck
(The O.C. Supertones
(Guitar), The Dingees
(Drums)) as lead guitarist, replacing Kris McCaddon. The Triptych was even bigger than "Summer of Darkness," selling more than twice as many records on its first week of release than Summer of Darkness had. "Undying" was the band's first single from this album, and was also made into a music video directed by Chris Sims (As I Lay Dying
, Lamb of God
, Zao
).
Demon Hunter's only 2006 tour took place over the summer with Zao, Becoming the Archetype
, August Burns Red
, and Spoken
. The band shot a video for "One Thousand Apologies" after the tour was over with director Darren Doane
at the helm. The Triptych was re-released on October 31, 2006 with a DVD accompanying the album and four extra songs added to the original album.
The hard rock and heavy metal based magazine, Revolver
, published a cover story on Christian metal in December 2006, featuring what the magazine called "The Holy Alliance": Spencer Chamberlain
from Underoath
, Ryan Clark
from Demon Hunter, Tim Lambesis
from As I Lay Dying
, and Cory Brandan Putman
from Norma Jean
.
Demon Hunter entered the studio in June 2007 to record their fourth full-length album, Storm the Gates of Hell
, which was released on November 6, 2007. Solid State released three versions of the album with various bonuses. "Fading Away" was the album's first single and music video. In spite of the bands secular popularity, they continued to support the underground Christian Metal
scene by appearing on obscure radio programs such as The Full Armor of God Broadcast in January 2008. On March 13, 2008, "Carry Me Down" debuted on Headbanger's Balls website as the album's second music video, and made its television premiere on March 15 on the same show.
. The tour featured the recently reunited Christian metal forefathers Living Sacrifice
, whose lead singer Bruce Fitzhugh
was featured as a guest vocalist on Storm the Gates of Hell
s track titled "Sixteen." The tour also included Oh, Sleeper
, The Famine
, and Advent
. This tour completed July 5, 2008, at Cornerstone Festival
in Illinois.
Demon Hunter released "45 Days
" in November, a box set comprising two DVDs and a CD containing a documentary film about the band and their fans, a pro-shot performance from the "Stronger Than Hell" tour and a brand new score written exclusively for the film along with two bonus tracks.
A live album, entitled "Live in Nashville," was released on January 27, 2009. It includes 14 songs from their show in Nashville, Tennessee from their "Stronger Than Hell" tour. The album features lead guitarist Patrick Judge, who filled in for Luck on several of the "Stronger Than Hell" dates due to Luck's conflicting scheduling commitments as drummer for Relient K
.
Judge also filled in for Brian Leppke of metalcore band Bleeding Through when he was unable to turn up for the Thrash and Burn tour in May.
Following the completion of the "Stronger Than Hell" tour, the band began work for the first annual "Huntour." The mini-tour was planned for 3 nights between August 12 and August 15, 2009 with supporting acts Heiress, 7 Horns 7 Eyes, Throwdown, Living Sacrifice
, The Crucified
, The Great Commission, Focused, and Faith Snakes.
On August 12, 2009 in Seattle, WA at El Corazón Demon Hunter announced that Don Clark has left the band to pursue his graphic designer career and to be with his family. Demon Hunter also announced that they are heading back into studio in October to record their next album. It has also been learned that Ethan left because he could not keep up with the hectic schedule of being in both Demon Hunter and Relient K.
On August 28, Demon Hunter release an official statement with a new band photograph stating that Patrick Judge is the new permanent replacement for Ethan. However, the statement made no mention of Randy Torres's joining the band, but a new band photograph shows him with the band.
The band started work with producer Aaron Sprinkle
and mixer Jason Suecof
for their new album.
On December 16, 2009, an official replacement for Don Clark was announced in Demon Hunter's exclusive fan club, The Blessed Resistance, with the announcement of Ryan Helm
, formerly of The Ascendicate
, as the band's new permanent rhythm guitarist.
The band released The World Is a Thorn
on March 9, 2010. It features guest vocals by Dave Peters
of Throwdown in "Feel As Though You Could" and Christian Älvestam
of Miseration
in "Just Breathe". Björn "Speed" Strid of Soilwork
featured in the single "Collapsing".
The album debuted at No. 39 on the Billboard 200 with first-week sales of 14,000.
The band joined As I Lay Dying
on tour in March, marking the first time Demon Hunter ever toured as a support act rather than the headliner. Blessthefall and War of Ages
were also on the bill.
Demon Hunter released an anthology of their first three albums on March 8, 2011 titled Death, a Destination.
. Everything from the popular Coldplay
, Radiohead
, and Travis
to more obscure bands such as Elbow
, South, and Soundtrack of Our Lives. Obviously the Heavy side of the stuff comes from bands such as Metallica
, Pantera
, Sepultura
, Prong, Machine Head
, and Living Sacrifice
."
band. Don Clark stated, "We get that question a lot. I guess we liked to ride the fence. Then we got a little older maybe wiser and you know what, we're a Christian band. We're five dudes, we're all believers, we really don't want to ride the fence anymore." Ryan Clark claimed, "When we officially started we wanted to be very bold about it, we didn't see any purpose of just beating around the bush."
Many non-Christian heavy metal music
fans and bands have given respect to Demon Hunter. Clark stated, "Christian fans are very, very supportive of what we do, they love it, and they're excited that we're bold about what we do. They respect that we don't walk the fence between a non-christian and christian band. We also get respect from non-Christians and non-Christian bands, people in that scene, just because we're legitimate in what we say. There is something to be said for something and I think people respect that more than just standing in the middle."
Former members
Touring members
Heavy metal music
Heavy metal is a genre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s, largely in the Midlands of the United Kingdom and the United States...
band from Seattle, Washington
Seattle, Washington
Seattle is the county seat of King County, Washington. With 608,660 residents as of the 2010 Census, Seattle is the largest city in the Northwestern United States. The Seattle metropolitan area of about 3.4 million inhabitants is the 15th largest metropolitan area in the country...
, started in 2000 by brothers Don Clark
Don Clark (musician)
Don Clark was the rhythm guitarist for the Christian metalcore band Demon Hunter, which he co-founded with his brother, vocalist Ryan Clark. Before Demon Hunter, Clark was a former guitarist and co-founder of Training for Utopia with Rob Dennler.Clark also founded Seattle-based Asterik Studio with...
and Ryan Clark
Ryan Clark (musician)
Ryan Clark is an American graphic designer and musician. He is best known as the lead vocalist of the heavy metal band Demon Hunter, which he co-founded with his brother, guitarist Don Clark.-Early life and career:...
. All of Demon Hunter's members are Christian
Christian
A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...
s and express their love for Jesus
Jesus
Jesus of Nazareth , commonly referred to as Jesus Christ or simply as Jesus or Christ, is the central figure of Christianity...
in many of their songs. Although the brothers created the band, only one remains, Don Clark having left the band to take care of his family. As of early 2010, the band has sold over half a million albums.
Formation (2002-2003)
Demon Hunter was initially conceived as a project band by the Clarks, who had played together previously in the initially Coalesce and Neurosis influenced but later more experimental band Training For UtopiaTraining for Utopia
Training for Utopia was a metalcore band which existed from 1996–2000. The band first signed with Tooth & Nail Records and was later moved to Solid State Records, the Tooth & Nail sublabel which promotes heavy Christian music...
. Ryan had previously played guitar in hardcore band Focal Point
Focal Point (band)
Focal Point was a short lived Hardcore punk band from California, who released a 7" vinyl record on Life Sentence Records and their only full-length album on Tooth & Nail Records...
, who released an album on Tooth & Nail/Solid State when Ryan was still in his teens.
Demon Hunter first appeared on This is Solid State
Solid State Records
Solid State Records is a Christian record label, a division of Tooth & Nail Records. Unlike Tooth & Nail, Solid State signs hardcore and metal bands. Like Tooth & Nail, Solid State is primarily a Christian label. However, they have signed several bands that don't label themselves as Christian,...
, Vol. 3 with their first song "Through the Black" released in February 2002. Demon Hunter's self-titled album
Demon Hunter (album)
Demon Hunter received overall positive reviews. Allmusic's Alex Henderson described it as "an album in which moments of intense brutality are followed by hauntingly melodic passages." He commended the band for its "complimentary" use of intensity and melody and noted the album as "imperfect" yet...
was released in October 2002 on Tooth and Nail Records subsidiary Solid State Records
Solid State Records
Solid State Records is a Christian record label, a division of Tooth & Nail Records. Unlike Tooth & Nail, Solid State signs hardcore and metal bands. Like Tooth & Nail, Solid State is primarily a Christian label. However, they have signed several bands that don't label themselves as Christian,...
. Ryan and Don wrote all of the songs, performed the majority of the instruments (with Ryan singing as he had in TFU) and hired Jesse Sprinkle to record drum tracks.
At first the members of the band chose to hide or obscure their identities in photos and in the press. Their names were revealed when they undertook their first tour, which featured Norwegian metal heavyweights Extol
Extol
Extol is a Christian progressive extreme metal band from Bekkestua, Norway, that was formed in 1993. In 2007, they announced they were splitting up to work on separate projects. The band is known for playing a variety of different styles of metal which include progressive death metal, melodic death...
and death-influenced metalcore
Metalcore
Metalcore is a subgenre of heavy metal combining various elements of extreme metal and hardcore punk. The name is a portmanteau of the names of the two genres. The term took on its current meaning in the mid-1990s, describing bands such as Earth Crisis, Deadguy and Integrity...
youngbloods The Agony Scene
The Agony Scene
The Agony Scene was a metalcore/deathcore band from Tulsa, Oklahoma, USA. On October 8, 2008, frontman Mike Williams confirmed that the band had broken up in the spring of that year...
, and saw the permanent adding of Jesse Sprinkle on drums, Jon Dunn on bass, and Kris McCaddon, formerly of Embodyment
Embodyment
Embodyment was a Christian alternative metal band from Arlington, Texas which formed in 1993 and were first known by the name "Supplication".-History:...
, on lead guitar.
Summer of Darkness/The Triptych (2004-2006)
Demon Hunter returned to the studio to record their second full-length release, "Summer of DarknessSummer of Darkness
-Charts:-Credits:* Ryan Clark - Vocals* Jon Dunn - Bass* Don Clark - Guitar* Kris McCaddon - Guitar* Jesse Sprinkle - Drums* Aaron Mlasko - Drum Technician* Aaron Sprinkle - Producer* Brandon Ebel - Executive Producer* Demon Hunter - Art Direction, Design...
," with McCaddon contributing, and again with Jesse drumming. Summer of Darkness hit stores on May 4, 2004, and was a modest success, propelling Demon Hunter into the secular scene with the addition of the music video "Not Ready to Die" on MTV2's Headbanger's Ball and Fuse TV
Fuse TV
Fuse is an American national television network dedicated exclusively to music. It features original series and specials, exclusive interviews, live concerts and video blocks....
, along with single "My Heartstrings Come Undone" being placed on the Resident Evil: Apocalypse
Resident Evil: Apocalypse
Resident Evil: Apocalypse is a Canadian-British 2004 science fiction action horror film directed by Alexander Witt, from a screenplay written by producer Paul W.S. Anderson...
soundtrack. The album featured four guest vocal appearances, including Mike Williams
Mike Williams
Mike Williams may refer to:* Mike Williams , former President of the New Zealand Labour Party* Mike Williams, a deputy of Wild Bill Hickock who was accidentally shot and killed by Wild Bill* Mike Williams, current President and CEO of Fannie Mae...
of The Agony Scene
The Agony Scene
The Agony Scene was a metalcore/deathcore band from Tulsa, Oklahoma, USA. On October 8, 2008, frontman Mike Williams confirmed that the band had broken up in the spring of that year...
on "Beheaded," Brock Lindow of 36 Crazyfists
36 Crazyfists
36 Crazyfists is a four-piece metal band originating from Anchorage, Alaska. They are now based in Portland, Oregon. The band's name comes from a Jackie Chan movie, Jackie Chan And The 36 Crazy Fists...
on "Beauty Through The Eyes Of A Predator," Howard Jones
Howard Jones (heavy metal musician)
Howard Jones is an American lead singer for the band Killswitch Engage. He was also the lead singer of Blood Has Been Shed before moving onto Killswitch Engage.-Blood Has Been Shed:*I Dwell on Thoughts of You...
from Killswitch Engage
Killswitch Engage
Killswitch Engage is an American metalcore band from Westfield, Massachusetts, formed in 1999 after the disbandment of Overcast and Aftershock. Killswitch Engage's current lineup consists of vocalist Howard Jones, bassist Mike D'Antonio, guitarists Joel Stroetzel and Adam Dutkiewicz, and drummer...
on "Our Faces Fall Apart" and Trevor McNevan
Trevor McNevan
Trevor McNevan , also known as Teerawk, is a Canadian musician and lead singer/songwriter of Thousand Foot Krutch and pop punk side project FM Static along with Steve Augustine...
of Thousand Foot Krutch
Thousand Foot Krutch
Thousand Foot Krutch is a Canadian Christian rock band formed in 1995. They have released five major studio albums: Set It Off , Phenomenon , The Art of Breaking , The Flame In All of Us , and Welcome to the Masquerade . They also have one live album, Live at the Masquerade...
on "Coffin Builder."
Demon Hunter hit the road that summer with McCaddon on lead and Dunn on bass, and with new touring drummer Tim "Yogi" Watts, as Jesse Sprinkle could not make the tour. This time Demon Hunter took with them rock/post-hardcore
Post-hardcore
Post-hardcore is a genre of music that developed from hardcore punk, itself an offshoot of the broader punk rock movement. Like post-punk, post-hardcore is a term for a broad constellation of groups...
rookies Dead Poetic
Dead Poetic
Dead Poetic was a post-hardcore band from Dayton, Ohio. They were signed to Tooth & Nail until 2008 when the band went on hiatus and the label dropped them. Their third album, Vices was released Halloween of 2006. It features vocal contributions by Chino Moreno of the band Deftones...
, along with metalcore band Haste the Day
Haste the Day
Haste the Day was an American Christian metalcore band signed with Solid State Records that was formed in Carmel, Indiana 2001. Their band is named after a lyric in the hymn "It Is Well With My Soul." The band released their debut release, an extended play titled That They May Know You, in 2002,...
. Post-hardcore band Staple
Staple (band)
Staple is a Christian Hard Rock/Post-Hardcore group from Mechanicsburg, Ohio. Staple was founded in 2000 when the members met at Rosedale Bible College in Ohio.-The First Era :...
replaced Haste the Day towards the end of the tour.
In 2005, Demon Hunter went back to The Compound in Seattle, Washington
Seattle, Washington
Seattle is the county seat of King County, Washington. With 608,660 residents as of the 2010 Census, Seattle is the largest city in the Northwestern United States. The Seattle metropolitan area of about 3.4 million inhabitants is the 15th largest metropolitan area in the country...
to record their third album, entitled The Triptych
The Triptych
-Charts:-Credits:*Ryan Clark -- vocals*Don Clark—guitar*Ethan Luck -- guitar*Jon Dunn—bass*Timothy "Yogi" Watts—drums*Aaron Sprinkle -- additional keyboards and programming*Lars Katz—additional guitars and assisting*Produced by Aaron Sprinkle...
. The word "triptych" centers around the concept of three, as it was the band's third album. Included on the album is a cover of Prong's song "Snap Your Fingers, Snap Your Neck." This album debuted Watts as Sprinkle's permanent replacement on drums (Jesse having joined Dead Poetic) as well as the addition of Ethan Luck
Ethan Luck
Ethan John Luck is a guitarist, photographer, and drummer who has played in many bands, most prominently, the ska band The O.C. Supertones....
(The O.C. Supertones
The O.C. Supertones
The Orange County Supertones is a Christian ska band hailing from Orange County, California. The band was signed to Tooth & Nail Records before becoming an independent band for its final tour...
(Guitar), The Dingees
The Dingees
The Dingees are a band formed in Orange County, California in 1996.-Lineup:* Matthew "Pegleg" Roberts: vocals, guitar, alto saxophone * Dave Chevalier: tenor saxophone, vocals, keys * Matt "Bean" Hernandez: bass...
(Drums)) as lead guitarist, replacing Kris McCaddon. The Triptych was even bigger than "Summer of Darkness," selling more than twice as many records on its first week of release than Summer of Darkness had. "Undying" was the band's first single from this album, and was also made into a music video directed by Chris Sims (As I Lay Dying
As I Lay Dying (band)
As I Lay Dying is an American metalcore band from San Diego, California. Founded in 2000 by Tim Lambesis and having completed their first Line-up in 2001, the band consists of vocalist Tim Lambesis, drummer Jordan Mancino, lead guitarist Nick Hipa, rhythm guitarist Phil Sgrosso, and bassist Josh...
, Lamb of God
Lamb of God (band)
Lamb of God is an American heavy metal band from Richmond, Virginia. Formed in 1994, the group consists of vocalist Randy Blythe, guitarists Mark Morton and Willie Adler, bassist John Campbell, and drummer Chris Adler...
, Zao
Zao (band)
Zao is a metalcore band from Greensburg, Pennsylvania, and one of the founding metalcore groups. Founded in 1993 in Parkersburg, West Virginia, Zao has hosted several musicians and endured numerous roster changes to the point where no original members remain...
).
Demon Hunter's only 2006 tour took place over the summer with Zao, Becoming the Archetype
Becoming the Archetype
Becoming the Archetype is a Christian progressive death metal band signed to Solid State Records and Century Media Records formed in 1999 in Dacula, Georgia. They have released four albums on Solid State Records. Dichotomy, released in November 2008, sold around 2,300 copies in the United States...
, August Burns Red
August Burns Red
August Burns Red is an American metal band, from Manheim, Pennsylvania. Formed in 2003, the group began their first performances while a majority of the members were attending their senior year of high school, and soon began playing shows around Lancaster, before being signed to CI Records, and...
, and Spoken
Spoken (band)
-Beginnings:Starting in 1996, Spoken quickly became a mainstay in their local music scene due to a relentless work ethic and performance schedule. Shortly after forming, Spoken was signed to their first record deal with Metro 1 Music, on which they released 3 LPs and a greatest hits compilation...
. The band shot a video for "One Thousand Apologies" after the tour was over with director Darren Doane
Darren Doane
Darren Doane is a Christian filmmaker and music video director. In 2007, Darren formed a new commercial, music video and branded content production company called LEVEL4 with Executive Producer Josh Karchmer...
at the helm. The Triptych was re-released on October 31, 2006 with a DVD accompanying the album and four extra songs added to the original album.
The hard rock and heavy metal based magazine, Revolver
Revolver (magazine)
Revolver is a bi-monthly rock and heavy metal magazine published by Future US. Before covering heavy metal, rock & hard rock solely, it was a more mainstream oriented magazine. The magazine is structured in a manner similar to publications such as Spin while covering many avenues within the heavy...
, published a cover story on Christian metal in December 2006, featuring what the magazine called "The Holy Alliance": Spencer Chamberlain
Spencer Chamberlain
Spencer Chamberlain is an American musician, best known as lead vocalist for the metalcore band Underoath. Before fronting Underoath, Chamberlain was also the vocalist for the band This Runs Through in which his brother, Phil Chamberlain, was the drummer.-Background:Spencer Chamberlain was born in...
from Underoath
Underoath
Underoath is an American Christian metalcore band from Tampa, Florida. Founded by Dallas Taylor and Luke Morton on November 30, 1997 in Ocala, Florida, subsequently its additional members were from Tampa, Florida...
, Ryan Clark
Ryan Clark (musician)
Ryan Clark is an American graphic designer and musician. He is best known as the lead vocalist of the heavy metal band Demon Hunter, which he co-founded with his brother, guitarist Don Clark.-Early life and career:...
from Demon Hunter, Tim Lambesis
Tim Lambesis
Tim Lambesis is an American musician, best known as the founding member, lead vocalist of American metalcore band As I Lay Dying. He also has a solo/side project in tribute to actor Arnold Schwarzenegger, Austrian Death Machine, in which he performs all the required instruments...
from As I Lay Dying
As I Lay Dying (band)
As I Lay Dying is an American metalcore band from San Diego, California. Founded in 2000 by Tim Lambesis and having completed their first Line-up in 2001, the band consists of vocalist Tim Lambesis, drummer Jordan Mancino, lead guitarist Nick Hipa, rhythm guitarist Phil Sgrosso, and bassist Josh...
, and Cory Brandan Putman
Cory Brandan Putman
Cory Brandan is the current lead vocalist for the metalcore band Norma Jean. Despite near constant touring with the band, he still manages to maintain his role as both a dedicated father to his two children, 11 and 16, and an affectionate boyfriend to his longtime girlfriend and fellow artist,...
from Norma Jean
Norma Jean (band)
Norma Jean is an American metalcore band from Douglasville, Georgia, a suburb of Atlanta. Since their inception in 1997 and replacement of members throughout the years, the band's only original member is the guitarist, Chris Day...
.
Demon Hunter entered the studio in June 2007 to record their fourth full-length album, Storm the Gates of Hell
Storm the Gates of Hell
-Credits:Demon Hunter*Ryan Clark — lead vocals*Don Clark — rhythm guitar*Ethan Luck — lead guitar, lap steel guitar*Jonathan Dunn — bass guitar*Timothy "Yogi" Watts — drumsProduction and additional musicians*Aaron Sprinkle — keyboards, production, programming...
, which was released on November 6, 2007. Solid State released three versions of the album with various bonuses. "Fading Away" was the album's first single and music video. In spite of the bands secular popularity, they continued to support the underground Christian Metal
Christian metal
Christian metal, also known as white metal, is a form of heavy metal music usually defined by its message in a song's lyrics as well as the band's dedication to Christianity...
scene by appearing on obscure radio programs such as The Full Armor of God Broadcast in January 2008. On March 13, 2008, "Carry Me Down" debuted on Headbanger's Balls website as the album's second music video, and made its television premiere on March 15 on the same show.
Stronger Than Hell Tour (2008–2009)
In 2008, the band headlined the "Stronger Than Hell" tour, which started May 26 in Seattle, WashingtonSeattle, Washington
Seattle is the county seat of King County, Washington. With 608,660 residents as of the 2010 Census, Seattle is the largest city in the Northwestern United States. The Seattle metropolitan area of about 3.4 million inhabitants is the 15th largest metropolitan area in the country...
. The tour featured the recently reunited Christian metal forefathers Living Sacrifice
Living Sacrifice
Living Sacrifice is a Christian heavy metal band that formed in September 1989 in Little Rock, Arkansas, U.S. The band has released seven studio albums, out of which the first three were recorded under R.E.X. Records with their original vocalist Darren Johnson as a more thrash metal and death metal...
, whose lead singer Bruce Fitzhugh
Bruce Fitzhugh
Bruce Fitzhugh is the second and best known lead vocalist, rhythm guitarist and founding member of Arkansas's Christian metal band Living Sacrifice...
was featured as a guest vocalist on Storm the Gates of Hell
Storm the Gates of Hell
-Credits:Demon Hunter*Ryan Clark — lead vocals*Don Clark — rhythm guitar*Ethan Luck — lead guitar, lap steel guitar*Jonathan Dunn — bass guitar*Timothy "Yogi" Watts — drumsProduction and additional musicians*Aaron Sprinkle — keyboards, production, programming...
s track titled "Sixteen." The tour also included Oh, Sleeper
Oh, Sleeper
Oh, Sleeper is an American metalcore band from Fort Worth, Texas and is signed to Solid State Records. They have recorded three full-length albums to date, the most recent being their third album Children of Fire, released on September 6, 2011....
, The Famine
The Famine
The Famine was a heavy metal band that formed in 2007 in Arlington, Texas. The band was signed to Solid State Records.-Formation/3-song EP:The band initially formed with three of the original members of Embodyment in former lead vocalist Kris McCaddon, drummer Mark Garza and guitarist Andrew Godwin...
, and Advent
Advent (band)
Advent was an American Christian Kernersville, North Carolina-based hardcore band and was signed to Solid State Records. The band featured members of Beloved, and was considered a pseudo-continuation of Beloved. The band had released two albums under the label Solid State Records...
. This tour completed July 5, 2008, at Cornerstone Festival
Cornerstone Festival
Cornerstone Festival is a Christian music festival put on by Jesus People USA and held annually around the 4th of July near Bushnell, Illinois. In a given year, many artists that play at Cornerstone also play at other events such as Creation Festival and mainstream festivals and tours such as the...
in Illinois.
Demon Hunter released "45 Days
45 Days
-Credits:* Ryan Clark -- vocals* Don Clark—guitar* Ethan Luck -- guitar* Jonathan Dunn—bass* Timothy "Yogi" Watts—drumsLive guitar was played by Patrick Judge, as Ethan Luck was on tour with Relient K playing drums.-DVD credits:...
" in November, a box set comprising two DVDs and a CD containing a documentary film about the band and their fans, a pro-shot performance from the "Stronger Than Hell" tour and a brand new score written exclusively for the film along with two bonus tracks.
A live album, entitled "Live in Nashville," was released on January 27, 2009. It includes 14 songs from their show in Nashville, Tennessee from their "Stronger Than Hell" tour. The album features lead guitarist Patrick Judge, who filled in for Luck on several of the "Stronger Than Hell" dates due to Luck's conflicting scheduling commitments as drummer for Relient K
Relient K
Relient K is an American rock band formed in 1998 in Canton, Ohio by Matt Thiessen, Brian Pittman, and Matt Hoopes during the band's junior year in high school and their time at Malone University...
.
Judge also filled in for Brian Leppke of metalcore band Bleeding Through when he was unable to turn up for the Thrash and Burn tour in May.
Following the completion of the "Stronger Than Hell" tour, the band began work for the first annual "Huntour." The mini-tour was planned for 3 nights between August 12 and August 15, 2009 with supporting acts Heiress, 7 Horns 7 Eyes, Throwdown, Living Sacrifice
Living Sacrifice
Living Sacrifice is a Christian heavy metal band that formed in September 1989 in Little Rock, Arkansas, U.S. The band has released seven studio albums, out of which the first three were recorded under R.E.X. Records with their original vocalist Darren Johnson as a more thrash metal and death metal...
, The Crucified
The Crucified
The Crucified is an American Christian crossover thrash metal band from Fresno, California that formed in 1984. Its lineup is vocalist Mark Salomon, guitarist Greg Minier, bassist Jeff Bellew, and drummer Jim Chaffin. The Crucified released two studio albums and three demos...
, The Great Commission, Focused, and Faith Snakes.
On August 12, 2009 in Seattle, WA at El Corazón Demon Hunter announced that Don Clark has left the band to pursue his graphic designer career and to be with his family. Demon Hunter also announced that they are heading back into studio in October to record their next album. It has also been learned that Ethan left because he could not keep up with the hectic schedule of being in both Demon Hunter and Relient K.
On August 28, Demon Hunter release an official statement with a new band photograph stating that Patrick Judge is the new permanent replacement for Ethan. However, the statement made no mention of Randy Torres's joining the band, but a new band photograph shows him with the band.
The World Is a Thorn (2010)
In late August 2009, Ryan Clark posted the following about their fifth studio album on the official Demon Hunter webpage:"At this point, I would say about 90% of the music has been written, and probably about 40% of the lyrics/melodies. As cliché as it can be to say, the album is shaping up to be heavier, faster, and more aggressive than previous Demon Hunter material (and there might be a ballad or two in there for good measure). As always, we're doing our best to maintain the classic DH sound, all while introducing some new and exciting ideas to keep things exciting."
The band started work with producer Aaron Sprinkle
Aaron Sprinkle
Aaron Sprinkle is an American musician, singer, songwriter, and record producer from Seattle, Washington.-Career:His career in music began in high school with a group called BellBangVilla. BellBangVilla became Poor Old Lu and they released a number of albums . Aaron Sprinkle also sang and played...
and mixer Jason Suecof
Jason Suecof
-Career:Jason is best known for his production and song-writing with the band Trivium. He produces most of his albums at his own Orlando, Florida based studio, Audio Hammer...
for their new album.
On December 16, 2009, an official replacement for Don Clark was announced in Demon Hunter's exclusive fan club, The Blessed Resistance, with the announcement of Ryan Helm
Ryan Helm
Ryan Helm is an American heavy metal musician from Winston-Salem, North Carolina.-The Ascendicate:Ryan Helm began his career playing guitar and singing back up vocals in The Ascendicate from 2008 to 2009...
, formerly of The Ascendicate
The Ascendicate
The Ascendicate is a metalcore band from High Point, North Carolina,, USA.-To Die As Kings :Formerly known as The7Method, a break-up forced members Eric Marlowe and Chris Wheat to retool and look for new band mates, eventually acquiring three other men who were playing in various bands at the time...
, as the band's new permanent rhythm guitarist.
The band released The World Is a Thorn
The World Is a Thorn
The World Is a Thorn is Demon Hunter's fifth studio album, which was released March 9, 2010. The album is described by the band as their "heaviest but most melodic" album yet...
on March 9, 2010. It features guest vocals by Dave Peters
Dave Peters
Dave Peters was the original guitarist for the band Eighteen Visions, and a guitarist in Throwdown. He is now the vocalist for Throwdown. He did guest vocal for the song "Unleash" by alternative metal band Soulfly and for the song "Feel as though you could" by Demon Hunter. He is straight edge.-...
of Throwdown in "Feel As Though You Could" and Christian Älvestam
Christian Älvestam
Gunnar Christian Älvestam is a vocalist, lyricist, guitarist, bassist and drummer for several bands from Sweden. He is, however, best known as the former vocalist for the Swedish melodic death metal band Scar Symmetry...
of Miseration
Miseration
Miseration is a Swedish death metal band formed in 2006. Their lyrics primarily deal with themes of inner struggles and religious conflict. The band is one out of a collection of collaborations with both Jani Stefanovic and former Scar Symmetry vocalist Christian Älvestam; for example, both also...
in "Just Breathe". Björn "Speed" Strid of Soilwork
Soilwork
Soilwork is a Swedish melodic death metal band from Helsingborg. They are currently signed to Nuclear Blast. Formed in late 1995 by Björn Strid and Peter Wichers, originally under the name Inferior Breed, the band changed their name in late 1996 to Soilwork .Their sound is a fusion of the classic...
featured in the single "Collapsing".
The album debuted at No. 39 on the Billboard 200 with first-week sales of 14,000.
The band joined As I Lay Dying
As I Lay Dying (band)
As I Lay Dying is an American metalcore band from San Diego, California. Founded in 2000 by Tim Lambesis and having completed their first Line-up in 2001, the band consists of vocalist Tim Lambesis, drummer Jordan Mancino, lead guitarist Nick Hipa, rhythm guitarist Phil Sgrosso, and bassist Josh...
on tour in March, marking the first time Demon Hunter ever toured as a support act rather than the headliner. Blessthefall and War of Ages
War of Ages
War of Ages is a Christian metalcore band formed during the summer of 2002 in Erie, Pennsylvania. They have five music videos: "All Consuming Fire", "Stand Your Ground", "Through the Flames", "Strength Within", and "Collapse". Aaron Harkness aka Aaron Martyr made an appearance in Stand your Ground...
were also on the bill.
Demon Hunter released an anthology of their first three albums on March 8, 2011 titled Death, a Destination.
Influences
Clark listed some bands that have influenced Demon Hunter's sound: "The melody comes from BritpopBritpop
Britpop is a subgenre of alternative rock that originated in the United Kingdom. Britpop emerged from the British independent music scene of the early 1990s and was characterised by bands influenced by British guitar pop music of the 1960s and 1970s...
. Everything from the popular Coldplay
Coldplay
Coldplay are a British alternative rock band formed in 1996 by lead vocalist Chris Martin and lead guitarist Jonny Buckland at University College London. After they formed Pectoralz, Guy Berryman joined the group as a bassist and they changed their name to Starfish. Will Champion joined as a...
, Radiohead
Radiohead
Radiohead are an English rock band from Abingdon, Oxfordshire, formed in 1985. The band consists of Thom Yorke , Jonny Greenwood , Ed O'Brien , Colin Greenwood and Phil Selway .Radiohead released their debut single "Creep" in 1992...
, and Travis
Travis (band)
Travis are a post-Britpop band from Glasgow, Scotland, comprising Fran Healy , Dougie Payne , Andy Dunlop and Neil Primrose...
to more obscure bands such as Elbow
Elbow (band)
Elbow are an English rock band. They have played together since 1990 and recorded five studio albums, the most recent of which is Build a Rocket Boys!, released in March 2011...
, South, and Soundtrack of Our Lives. Obviously the Heavy side of the stuff comes from bands such as Metallica
Metallica
Metallica is an American heavy metal band from Los Angeles, California. Formed in 1981 when James Hetfield responded to an advertisement that drummer Lars Ulrich had posted in a local newspaper. The current line-up features long-time lead guitarist Kirk Hammett and bassist Robert Trujillo ...
, Pantera
Pantera
Pantera was an American heavy metal band from Arlington, Texas. Formed by the Abbott brothers, Vinnie Paul and Dimebag Darrell in 1981, bassist Rex Brown would join in late 1981 with vocalist Terry Glaze. Looking for a new and heavier sound, Pantera had Terry replaced in 1987 with Phil Anselmo as...
, Sepultura
Sepultura
Sepultura is a Brazilian heavy metal band from Belo Horizonte, formed in 1984. The band was a major force in the death metal, thrash metal and ultimately groove metal realms during the late 1980s and early 1990s, with their later experiments melding nu metal, hardcore punk and industrial.Sepultura...
, Prong, Machine Head
Machine Head (band)
Machine Head is an American heavy metal band from Oakland, California. Formed on October 12, 1991, the group was founded by Robb Flynn and Adam Duce. There have been 4 member changes since their inception. The current lineup of the band comprises Flynn , Duce , ex-Vio-Lence guitarist Phil Demmel ,...
, and Living Sacrifice
Living Sacrifice
Living Sacrifice is a Christian heavy metal band that formed in September 1989 in Little Rock, Arkansas, U.S. The band has released seven studio albums, out of which the first three were recorded under R.E.X. Records with their original vocalist Darren Johnson as a more thrash metal and death metal...
."
Christianity
Many people have asked Demon Hunter if they are a ChristianChristian
A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...
band. Don Clark stated, "We get that question a lot. I guess we liked to ride the fence. Then we got a little older maybe wiser and you know what, we're a Christian band. We're five dudes, we're all believers, we really don't want to ride the fence anymore." Ryan Clark claimed, "When we officially started we wanted to be very bold about it, we didn't see any purpose of just beating around the bush."
Many non-Christian heavy metal music
Heavy metal music
Heavy metal is a genre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s, largely in the Midlands of the United Kingdom and the United States...
fans and bands have given respect to Demon Hunter. Clark stated, "Christian fans are very, very supportive of what we do, they love it, and they're excited that we're bold about what we do. They respect that we don't walk the fence between a non-christian and christian band. We also get respect from non-Christians and non-Christian bands, people in that scene, just because we're legitimate in what we say. There is something to be said for something and I think people respect that more than just standing in the middle."
Members
Current members- Ryan ClarkRyan Clark (musician)Ryan Clark is an American graphic designer and musician. He is best known as the lead vocalist of the heavy metal band Demon Hunter, which he co-founded with his brother, guitarist Don Clark.-Early life and career:...
– lead vocalsLead vocalistThe lead vocalist is the member of a band who sings the main vocal portions of a song. They may also play one or more instruments. Lead vocalists are sometimes referred to as the frontman or frontwoman, and as such, are usually considered to be the "leader" of the groups they perform in, often the...
(founding member) - Jon Dunn – bass guitarBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
(founding member) - Timothy "Yogi" Watts – drumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
(2004–Present) - Patrick Judge – lead guitarLead guitarLead guitar is a guitar part which plays melody lines, instrumental fill passages, guitar solos, and occasionally, some riffs within a song structure...
, backing vocals (2009–present) - Ryan HelmRyan HelmRyan Helm is an American heavy metal musician from Winston-Salem, North Carolina.-The Ascendicate:Ryan Helm began his career playing guitar and singing back up vocals in The Ascendicate from 2008 to 2009...
– rhythm guitarRhythm guitarRhythm guitar is a technique and rôle that performs a combination of two functions: to provide all or part of the rhythmic pulse in conjunction with singers or other instruments; and to provide all or part of the harmony, ie. the chords, where a chord is a group of notes played together...
(2009–Present)
Former members
- Jesse SprinkleJesse SprinkleJesse Sprinkle is a singer, songwriter, drummer, guitarist, and rapper. His musical career started as a drummer alongside his brother Aaron Sprinkle in the Christian alternative rock group Poor Old Lu. After Poor Old Lu amicably disbanded, Jesse moved to New York where he married...
– drums (2000–2004) - Kris McCaddon – lead guitar (2003–2005)
- Don ClarkDon Clark (musician)Don Clark was the rhythm guitarist for the Christian metalcore band Demon Hunter, which he co-founded with his brother, vocalist Ryan Clark. Before Demon Hunter, Clark was a former guitarist and co-founder of Training for Utopia with Rob Dennler.Clark also founded Seattle-based Asterik Studio with...
– Rhythm guitar (2000–2009) - Ethan LuckEthan LuckEthan John Luck is a guitarist, photographer, and drummer who has played in many bands, most prominently, the ska band The O.C. Supertones....
– lead guitar, backing vocals (2005–2009)
Touring members
- Randy TorresRandy TorresRandy Torres is a guitarist, keyboardist and background vocalist who previously played for the bands Project 86 and Crash Rickshaw. He has filled in as rhythm guitarist for the band Demon Hunter and as keyboardist, guitarist, percussionist and background vocalist for Anberlin on a recent tour...
– lead and rhythm guitar (2009)
Albums
| Year | Title | Label | Chart peaks | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US Billboard 200 The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists... |
Top Christian Albums | US Rock | US Hard Rock | US Heatseekers Top Heatseekers Top Heatseekers refers to either of two separate "Breaking and Entering" music charts issued weekly by Billboard Magazine: the Heatseekers Albums chart or the Heatseekers Songs chart. They were introduced by Billboard in 1993 with the purpose of highlighting the sales by new and developing musical... |
|||
| 2002 | Demon Hunter Demon Hunter (album) Demon Hunter received overall positive reviews. Allmusic's Alex Henderson described it as "an album in which moments of intense brutality are followed by hauntingly melodic passages." He commended the band for its "complimentary" use of intensity and melody and noted the album as "imperfect" yet... |
Solid State Records Solid State Records Solid State Records is a Christian record label, a division of Tooth & Nail Records. Unlike Tooth & Nail, Solid State signs hardcore and metal bands. Like Tooth & Nail, Solid State is primarily a Christian label. However, they have signed several bands that don't label themselves as Christian,... |
— | — | — | — | — |
| 2004 | Summer of Darkness Summer of Darkness -Charts:-Credits:* Ryan Clark - Vocals* Jon Dunn - Bass* Don Clark - Guitar* Kris McCaddon - Guitar* Jesse Sprinkle - Drums* Aaron Mlasko - Drum Technician* Aaron Sprinkle - Producer* Brandon Ebel - Executive Producer* Demon Hunter - Art Direction, Design... |
— | 23 | — | — | 22 | |
| 2005 | The Triptych The Triptych -Charts:-Credits:*Ryan Clark -- vocals*Don Clark—guitar*Ethan Luck -- guitar*Jon Dunn—bass*Timothy "Yogi" Watts—drums*Aaron Sprinkle -- additional keyboards and programming*Lars Katz—additional guitars and assisting*Produced by Aaron Sprinkle... |
136 | 10 | — | — | 1 | |
| 2007 | Storm the Gates of Hell Storm the Gates of Hell -Credits:Demon Hunter*Ryan Clark — lead vocals*Don Clark — rhythm guitar*Ethan Luck — lead guitar, lap steel guitar*Jonathan Dunn — bass guitar*Timothy "Yogi" Watts — drumsProduction and additional musicians*Aaron Sprinkle — keyboards, production, programming... |
85 | 3 | 25 | 10 | — | |
| 2008 | 45 Days | — | — | — | — | — | |
| 2010 | The World Is a Thorn The World Is a Thorn The World Is a Thorn is Demon Hunter's fifth studio album, which was released March 9, 2010. The album is described by the band as their "heaviest but most melodic" album yet... |
39 | 2 | 6 | 2 | — | |
Singles
| Year | Title | Album |
|---|---|---|
| 2002 | "Infected" | Demon Hunter Demon Hunter (album) Demon Hunter received overall positive reviews. Allmusic's Alex Henderson described it as "an album in which moments of intense brutality are followed by hauntingly melodic passages." He commended the band for its "complimentary" use of intensity and melody and noted the album as "imperfect" yet... |
| 2004 | "Not Ready to Die" | Summer of Darkness Summer of Darkness -Charts:-Credits:* Ryan Clark - Vocals* Jon Dunn - Bass* Don Clark - Guitar* Kris McCaddon - Guitar* Jesse Sprinkle - Drums* Aaron Mlasko - Drum Technician* Aaron Sprinkle - Producer* Brandon Ebel - Executive Producer* Demon Hunter - Art Direction, Design... |
| 2005 | "Undying" | The Triptych The Triptych -Charts:-Credits:*Ryan Clark -- vocals*Don Clark—guitar*Ethan Luck -- guitar*Jon Dunn—bass*Timothy "Yogi" Watts—drums*Aaron Sprinkle -- additional keyboards and programming*Lars Katz—additional guitars and assisting*Produced by Aaron Sprinkle... |
| 2006 | "One Thousand Apologies" | |
| 2007 | "Fading Away" | Storm the Gates of Hell Storm the Gates of Hell -Credits:Demon Hunter*Ryan Clark — lead vocals*Don Clark — rhythm guitar*Ethan Luck — lead guitar, lap steel guitar*Jonathan Dunn — bass guitar*Timothy "Yogi" Watts — drumsProduction and additional musicians*Aaron Sprinkle — keyboards, production, programming... |
| "Carry Me Down" | ||
| 2010 | "Collapsing" | The World Is a Thorn The World Is a Thorn The World Is a Thorn is Demon Hunter's fifth studio album, which was released March 9, 2010. The album is described by the band as their "heaviest but most melodic" album yet... |
| "Driving Nails" | ||
| "Blood in the Tears" | ||
| "The Wind" | Happy Christmas Vol. 5 Happy Christmas Vol. 5 Happy Christmas Vol. 5 is the fifth album in the Happy Christmas series started by BEC Records in 1998.-Track listing:... |