Demon Hunter - Outlive

First listen through impressions. First song is a set up song, very atmospheric, slow and heavy. Second song, Jesus Wept is great and pretty much shows their signature sound of heavy melodeath. Then there's five songs in a row that are average for DH, good but kind of run together. 
Best songs initially are One Less and A Fear I Used to Know, couple more like these and it'd be a top three album for sure. 
This is on first couple listens so things might change.

Black Rider wrote:First listen through impressions. First song is a set up song, very atmospheric, slow and heavy. Second song, Jesus Wept is great and pretty much shows their signature sound of heavy melodeath. Then there's five songs in a row that are average for DH, good but kind of run together. 
Best songs initially are One Less and A Fear I Used to Know, couple more like these and it'd be a top three album for sure. 
This is on first couple listens so things might change.

My first thoughts exactly gonna have to jam it some more though!

I like it better than I did a few days ago.

Sometimes great albums where I have a lot of expectations go through a series of love/hate days before they catch on. It's that "I was hoping for..." mentality with bands you like. That's what I'm hoping for and that I'll eventually love it. I've had some very disappointed days with all the clean vocals. With 14 songs I'm also trying to let the whole thing sink in. I think it'll still be awhile despite it being a week now. That's a lot of tracks to absorb and there is a ton of variety here!

On a somewhat related note it's hard having heard the first 4 full tracks prior to release. I wish I would have went in fresh without having heard anything. Having the first 4 already familiar (even though I gave each only one cursory listen) is also throwing me off.

Man am I loving this after more listens!

Been playing it non-stop and gotta say this whole album doesnt have a weak song!

Love Trying Times, being the sort of setup for the whole album
Jesus Wept is a heavy track that has what you expect from a DH song
Cold Winter Sun, Half As Dead, and Cold Blood, all are really solid songs that rock pretty great
Died In My Sleep is incredibly catchy
One Step Behind opens with some keyboards reminiscent of My Heart Strings Come Undone

Gotta say so far my 2 favorite songs on the whole album are Raining Down and The End
One Less is one of the heaviest on the album
Patience is a sort of ballad and Slight The Odds ends the regular version of the album on a solid note

The 2 bonus tracks are also really great
A Fear I Used To Know is easily the heaviest on the album
Savage is also more mid paced

Anyway thats my track by track so far
My mind may change as I listen more, but so far I love the sound!
It may not be as heavy as the past, but it is definitely the Demon Hunter sound either way

I was hopeful at the beginning of One Step Behind because the into was cool but it became kind of meh.

Gotta say, if you were going into this expecting a really heavy album, then you'll be disappointed

But if you were expecting anything else, than you will enjoy this!

Its got phenomenal guitar work, the bass is really solid throughout and Ryan's vocal approach is a really unique sound
The songs are hook filled and play back to the classic melodic sound of some of Demon Hunter's songs

It does have its heavy songs though

11razorwire wrote:

Hardcore Christian wrote:

Mysterious Gamer Dude wrote:Oh man you guys are lucky! I haven't been able to pick it up yet, but I sure am gonna pick it up when I can! Honestly my favorite DH releases are definitely True Defiance, Storm The Gates Of Hell, The Triptych, The World is a Thorn, and their first and self titled album which is my all time favorite DH release.

Hold up!

You literally listed every album except Summer Of Darkness and Extremist

Dude Summer Of Darkness is a beast of an album! Easily a contender for their best effort!

Summer of Darkness is probably my favorite DH album.

 Summer Of Darkness if my fave DH album and They Triptych is my least fave. I was expecting Outlive to be a heavier album than it was but I wasn't disappointed it. Lyrically Half Dead is my fave on the new album.

Anyone who expects Triptych or Summer Of Darkness again has not been paying attention to who Demon Hunter is now.  That being said, Outlive still has some very heavy moments, particularly with songs like the killer "Jesus Wept", "One Less", and one of the bonus tracks, "A Fear I Used To Know".  Personally, I love it after about a dozen trips through, and don't anticipate that it will fall off.


Arttie

loving the new album - watched the documentary tonight - I had no idea of all the personal struggles they were all going through (except yogi's house fire). Would have been nice to be able to pray for them along the way. Worth the watch if you are interested in the boys

I was a little concerned by the advance tracks that the album might be a little too melodic to still sound like Demon Hunter. After hearing the full album, I think everything works well together. Even though it was the melodic A Thousand Apologies that got me into DH, I really like Ryan's voice on songs like Crucifix, God Forsaken, Descending Upon Us, or on this album, Jesus Wept. I hope they never lose that element.

Got my copy today, just spinning the vinyl now..... sounds great so far!!!

Well after a week of solid listening, the verdict is........................

in my own opinion this is my favorite Demon Hunter release since Storm The Gates Of Hell

This is their best album out of the last 4 they have released

There ya have it!

I've had a chance to listen to this several times now. I can see it garnering some mixed opinions with the increased focus on clean vocals and even an occasionally noticeable electronic element. Fortunately, I was never into Demon Hunter strictly for how heavy they could be. Ryan's clean vocals sound great, and the lyrics are great as always. Even with less harsh vocals, there's also still enough heavy guitar licks to keep this generally sounding like the same band instead of something completely different. It's a bit early for me to decide where this ranks in their entire discography, but I'm enjoying it.

The drum work on this record is outrageous in spots. Absolutely insane...


Arttie