Demon Hunter Tour Concert Review
You can usually judge how excited you are to see a show by how far you're willing to drive to see it. I've found myself making a road trip the last two years to see Demon Hunter on their annual one-month live trek, and this year it was in San Antonio, Texas at the White Rabbit club downtown win an AMAZING 5-band bill that consisted of Becoming The Archetype, August Burns Red, Spoken, Zao, and Demon Hunter. How cool is that?
Becoming The Archetype was just phenomenal. They began their 3-song/15-minute set with two guitars, bass, drums, and keys for the intro and then seriously threw down with the 3-guitar army that they stay with the rest of the night. Those three guitars were searing, soaring, tight, crunching, and in total sync with each other. It was very fun to watch them fill up the stage. It was powerful. And one could not watch this spectacle without respecting the skill involved. They just plain killed with their full-on metal. Jason Wisdom growled with power and consistent tone (if you could call it that) and my friend and I attending the show think we discovered his vocal secret. About 30 minutes before they went on and shredded the place, he downed an orange milkshake at the local burger bar (hehe). The new Aletheian guitarist addition to BTA, which completes their 3 guitar outfit, Alex Kenis, shines bright with his new bandmates. Like a burst of pure energy, their 15-minute set was over in the blink of a thousand riffs, but it left a great feeling with the audience.
August Burns Red had a two-guitar attack, which were consistently heavy and solid. These guys also are doing it right -- killing the audience with intensity, not letting up during their short 15-minutes of fame, building a fan-base with quality tunes like a hard-working band does it. Both of these two openers are surely expanding their fanbase with this tour.
Spoken came on, and I tell ya -- I've seen this band too many times to count over the past I don't know how many years (more than a decade, maybe?) -- I have never seen them better. Matt Baird's vocals were just totally on, passionate, very strong (in all the right places), and their sound was full and dynamic. Their mixture of big hooks and power was dead on. For the first time I can remember, the entire band worked with each other and each did their part -- whether it was a drum fill here or sliding the fingers off the neck after a power chord (adding that little bit of great rock 'tude), all the pieces were cohesively making it happen. They haven't reinvented any wheels with their sound, but they're making melodic rock/post hardcore/whatever you want to call it -- emo/screamo influenced rock -- loud, fast, and infectious. Matchbook Romance or Disciple fans have something solid to hold on to with Spoken these days. I was dang impressed.
Zao was, of course, heavy, ominous, and energetic. Dan was "shy" with his back to the audience much of the time, or practically kneeling in blood curdling output at other times. Scott Mellinger's playing and singing was good, too. The dynamic between his clean vocals and Dan's worked well. Dan's reverting between high growls and low were clear and added good contrast on his own as well. The new drummer was indeed displaying the "chops" that Dan had been bragging about in the interview we did recently. In a rare move, the audience voted with cheers for "Angel Without Wings" over "Lies of Serpents, A River Of Tears," but the band played "Lies of Serpents..." a couple songs later anyway, much to the chagrine of us who "lost the vote."
Demon Hunter lived up to their top billing expectation, delivering a visually and sonically stunning show. Nothing over the top, but image and intensity worked together for a real good time. I would have to say, though, that guitarist Don Clark's hairstyle could place him very neatly right inside the Marshall Tucker Band, though. (hehe) The vibe was all in sync as the Mon Fuhrer like mass reaction had the crowd in full tilt right near the start with "Screams Of The Undead" and "The Light That Guides Us Home" towards the end. Marilyn Manson would've been proud of the rapid-fire fist-pumping throughout the 300-500 strong audience. The sweet melodies of "Not Ready To Die" and "My Heart Strings Come Undone" slid well over the guitar barrage the band dished out. "Infected" suffered a little bit in not getting the volume boost it needed to clear the distortion and low-end. "The Soldier's Song" went over great, with a cool dedication to the soldiers fighting in Iraq, and its drum cadence ending was doubly powerful live.
Overall, this whole package was just as solid and world class as about any tour out now.
[Photos courtesy Robert Taylor, DemonHunter.net]
© 2006 HM Magazine. All rights reserved.
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Comments
If there was a 'Tour of the Year' award, I think so far that one might take it. And you did an excellent job describing it. I was amazed at how good the show in Los Angeles was.
Yes, I was excited enough about this tour to drive 4 hours (by myself because my friends are lame) and get a hotel room for myself just to see them in Atlanta. What a show. Best of 2006- even bettert than Warped Tour in Jacksonville (which I saw 2 days earlier).
this has got to be the tour of the year as daniel said, i went to cleveland to see it (half hour drive) and it was amazing, i rocked my socks off, i have not rocked so hard in my life, all the bands were amazing and i would have paid three times as much to see this show.
this is prolly one of my top three concerts and i have been to alot of concerts.... and let me just say that yogi is one of the coolest guys that i have ever had the privilege to meet... i am also now officially a BECOMING THE ARCHETYPE fan... all of the bands rocked and it is so awesome seeing band rocking with the message that these guys bring...
I drove seven hours to see these guys in minniapolis with the guys in my youth group. great show, lots of energy, lots of fun.
I was at the San Antonio show and from start to finish was insane energy that these bands were putting out. The bill was an awesome bill one that will never ber forgotten. It was worth traveling from Houston to catch this show.
I was at the San Antonio show and from start to finish was insane energy that these bands were putting out. The bill was an awesome bill one that will never ber forgotten. It was worth traveling from Houston to catch this show.
We drive 4 hours to see them in Cleveland...the best show of the year! For not being a "touring band" DH is amazing!!! I think they could stand up next to any band out there. We liked them so much we drive another 4 hours the next day to see them in Dayton. Becoming the Archetype was also very, very good!
Can't wait till next time!
DEMON HUNTER ROOKS.GOD RULLS
I saw Demon Hunter at Cornerstone and they weren't that good. I was really looking forward to the show since I'm a huge fan, but I left dissapointed. The drumming ruined it for me. The drummer simply wasn't tight and he just dragged the music down. The other guys did a good job, but without good drumming it just doesn't work.
It was good to finally see Demon Hunter play live, but a little disappointing to see how much the band has mellowed since "Through the Black". Becoming the Archetype stole the show. They were absolutely incredible and Alex Kenis' (Aletheian)axework was shown off extensively. Spoken was good, as always- maybe a little out of place on this tour. Zao should have been the headliner, period. They've been legends for years and their performance only proved so. Dan Weyandt's "Andre the Giant" speaking voice is almost scarier than his growls and screams! The DH tour was definitely cool enough to take your unsaved friends to. I did.
