Reviewed by Tom Young

With Demon Hunter's two guitarists leaving the band between 2007's 'Storm The Gates Of Hell' and 'The World Is A Thorn', there was valid reason to be nervous about the outcome of this album. Despite the two replacement guitarists (Patrick Judge from The Showdown and Ryan Helm from The Ascendicate) being skilled stringsmiths there was still room for doubt. But 'The World Is A Thorn' does not disappoint. There is a more melodic approach to the songwriting than fans of the band may be used to but there's still plenty of the heavy, mind-blowingly fast riffs that they are best known for. Ryan Clark's clean voice is more frequent on this album then others, but songs such as the title track and "Just Breathe", go to show that in no way is the brutal growl of Clark taking a back seat. Yet again, Ryan Clark's lyrical work is of the highest standard, touching upon Christian morals, the world's decay and spiritual warfare with "LifeWar" being a particular standout. The final number, "Blood In The Tears", is a typical Demon Hunter closer - quiet and moving, whilst showing the broad range of the band's talent. This album may take a couple of listens before its quality is recognised, but it truly is another excellent Demon Hunter release.

The opinions expressed in this article are not necessarily those held by Cross Rhythms. Any expressed views were accurate at the time of publishing but may or may not reflect the views of the individuals concerned at a later date.

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