The World Is A Thorn

On Demon Hunter's fifth album, they're throwing everything they've got at the listener, hoping something will stick long enough for their pro-Jesus message to sink in. The fast, heavy songs ("Descending Upon Us," "LifeWar," the title track, "Tie This Around Your Neck") blend nü metal and metalcore, with Mudvayne-ish choruses; the slower tracks ("Driving Nails," "Feel As Though You Could," "Blood In The Tears") slather on the electronics and synthesized string patches, winding up in Linkin Park territory. The breakdowns and bottom-heavy riffing that dominated previous DH albums The Triptych and Storm The Gates Of Hellare still very much present, though the occasional rapped vocals of earlier years have been replaced by even more shouting (and a little bit more crooning). They're committed salesmen of spirituality, and they're clearly unwilling to take no for an answer.

Solid State http://www.solidstaterecords.com