back to the future in 2004 - DEMON HUNTER - "Not Ready to Die"

"This is a song I've heard 2600 times. Im STILL not tired of it. It rocks!" -YouTube commenter zneely1113

After their tremendous 2002 self-titled debut album, Demon Hunter stepped up to the plate with a new sound on 2004's Summer of Darkness. To me, the debut captured a young, hungry band playing heavy, intense, and brutal sounds in which various American and European currents converged. Raw, loud, and unhinged, the album featured a harsh, "charging-rhino" energy that connected with fans.

"Not Ready to Die" is the first song on Summer of Darkness.

In my opinion, Summer of Darkness represents a new turn, a new adventure, if you will. There is a cliché that all bands have a lifetime to work on their debut album. What about this second album and the feared sophomore slump? Right away, I notice a certain sharpness and melodicism that catches my attention. Speaking for myself, I certainly don't hear a reduction in quality, but I don't know what the consensus was among critics back in 2004 regarding the album.

It is surprising how much more pronounced the melodic side of the songwriting has become. What accounts for this increased melodicism? Touring must have given them more experience and skills; working and sweating in front of an audience can do wonders for a band's abilities!

Right from the get-go, my ears tell me the sound is clearer. Wasting no time, they flex their skills on "Not Ready to Die." The intensity and high energy remain intact, but the melodic side, with singing, is loud and upfront: confident, full, and vibrant. The track features mid-range growls and heavy, chugging riffs paired with a catchy, melodic chorus. It feels big, direct, and anthemic. I find that the song continues playing in my mind long after it ends.

Years later, fans still love the track. Around the year 2020, a person on YouTube observed about this particular song: "When I was curled up in the back of my Explorer, detoxing myself off opiates, I had this song on repeat in my CD player. Now, with 7 years clean on July 30th, I was listening to it again. I will always give credit to this song for helping me get through that time.."

If metal bands love to glorify death (and you know they do!) because apparently nothing says "metal" like obsessively writing about death and the devil, then Demon Hunter is throwing a monkey wrench into the gears by affirming life and rejecting nihilism: "The weight of the world is a burden I've carried / The ashes of hope in a life that is buried / I'm looking for light in the heart of the shadow / A reason to fight in the heat of the battle ....I'm not ready to leave it all behind / I'm holding on to the life that I've known/ I'm standing my ground, and I'm not alone / I'm not ready to die."

By the way, how about that quiet segment of the song? The song transitions into a nice quiet segment, a really good contrast, beginning at 3:12 and just when you think you are already enjoying the quiet part of the song, there is an even quieter moment at 3:54-4:01. Whoah. So good; another surprise. They took the quiet right to the edge of silence.

"Not Ready to Die" is such a great start to the album. As they say in basketball: fantastic.

Demon Hunter

Summer of Darkness

Solid State

May 4, 2004

1. "Not Ready to Die" 5:03

2. "The Awakening" 4:11

3. "Beheaded" (featuring Mike Williams) 3:14

4. "My Heartstrings Come Undone[a][b]" 4:37

5. "Our Faces Fall Apart" (featuring Howard Jones) 4:51

6. "Less Than Nothing" 2:57

7. "Summer of Darkness" 3:10

8. "Beauty Through the Eyes of a Predator" (featuring Brock Lindow) 5:32

9. "Annihilate the Corrupt" 4:08

10. "I Play Dead" 5:20

11. "Everything Was White" 3:54

12. "Coffin Builder" (featuring Trevor McNevan) 4:01

13. "The Latest and the Last" 3:44

Demon Hunter "Not Ready To Die" (Official Music Video)

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