Metal Bulletin Zine: REVIEW: Demon Hunter

Demon Hunter

There Was a Light Here

September 12, 2025

01. My Place In The Dirt

02. Sorrow Light The Way

03. Light Bends

04. The Pain In Me Is Gone

05. By A Thread

06. I’m Done

07. Ouroboros

08. Breaking Through Me

09. Overwhelming Closure

10. Hang The Fire

11. Reflected

12. There Was A Light Here

Before the full album came out, I had watched the official music videos for the songs "Sorrow Light the Way," "Light Bends," and "I'm Done." In addition, I had watched the lyric video for "The Pain in Me Is Gone." As it turns out, these songs are, in my view, accurate insights into where things stand in 2025 for the long-running American band. I would say that the most important thing for readers to know is that Demon Hunter has delivered an awesome, quality album worthy of their discography, their reputation, and their fans' loyalty. There are many components, from the top-level musicianship and production to the thoughtful lyrics and catchy songwriting, as well as the variety of songs and the multiple tones in the singing, both melodic and extreme.

The opening song, which I had not heard before the album came out, titled "My Place in the Dirt," starts with the band's signature melodic death metal sound. It begins with about one minute and twenty seconds of a mellow introduction before kicking the door open with heavy guitars, extreme vocals, a headbanging tempo, and generally a fast pace. There is some melodic singing, of course. The guitar solo is very nice. I feel like this song could serve as a great opener for the band's concerts.

On this album, expect some melodic death metal, but also expect the other elements heard in the first song to come out and make their presence known, as shown in the second song, "Sorrow Light the Way." Here, melodic singing is dominant. In a way, the second song is the inverse of the first. It is a mid-tempo to up-tempo song, with some growled vocals, but melodic singing characterizes it. On the other hand, the song has a heavy breakdown where the band goes hard with a groove metal sound as part of a heavy-duty segment. Throughout the album, there are various vocal approaches, as you can see from these two songs.

Actually, these two songs, taken together, set up the album very well as a landscape. The band takes things further in various directions. For instance, "The Pain in Me Is Gone" is essentially a ballad without being a traditional ballad. It is a mid-tempo song with melodic singing and no screaming, growling, or harsh vocals whatsoever. I think that if we were living in the 1970s or 1980s, this would be the song that record executives would focus on and say, "We have to get this song on the radio, like, right now!" It would be massively successful because it is so accessible. Like, the band would be stuck playing this song for the rest of their lives, and the audience would be very upset if they didn’t play it at concerts. The song is very ear-friendly and fan-friendly. I wonder if the band had debates or doubts about this song—I mean, they managed not to add any screamed vocals and found a way to avoid tempo changes or going in different directions. They kept the song simple and resisted the urge to add more. Wonderful.

Personally, I think I would be sad if I went to a Demon Hunter concert and the band did not play the new song "I'm Done." I find this song super catchy. It is very, very friendly to the ears. It is an up-tempo song with a fun, melodic solo and a generally fun vibe. It's difficult to stay still during this song. In addition, there are no extreme vocals; it is all melodic singing, with layered vocals, creating a kind of tapestry of the signature Demon Hunter melodic voice.

As an aside, I find the melodic singing on songs like "Sorrow Light the Way"—the part that says, "I've been suffering in silence ..."—or the chorus of "Light Bends" very pleasant to my ears. There is something in the voice, a unique tone that is peculiar to Demon Hunter’s singing, that you won't find in any other band quite the same way. It’s simply the recognizable—the "That's Demon Hunter!" moment—the element that makes you know it is Demon Hunter and no one else. You just know it when you hear it.

Lyrically, death in the family and the accompanying sorrow of losing a loved one seems to be a central theme. I am listening to the full album at the same time as everyone else. I have not seen the lyrics to the full album, nor did I have access to it before it was released; therefore, I am writing this review pretty much as I’m getting to know the album. Overall, I am very pleased with it. I have heard it in full several times now, and it only keeps getting better.

Demon Hunter "Sorrow Light The Way" Official Music Video