Demon Hunter: “There Was A Light Here” Album Review

Demon Hunter has cemented themselves as one of top bands in Christian metal. Whether it’s the bold lyrics or gut-wretching guitar riffs, these guys have delivered incredible music for 25 years. I remember in 2007, Revolver Magazine released a story that featured four frontmen and their respective bands. One of those bands was Demon Hunter. Still one of my favorite magazine covers of all-time, as it featured four of the biggest bands in Christian metal.

Fast forward 18 years, Demon Hunter just released their latest addition to their discography with There Was A Light Here. To be honest, I stopped listening to Demon Hunter after they released The World is A Thorn. It wasn’t because I disliked the new material, but just like the weather, musical tastes come in seasons.

There Was A Light Here Album Review

Tracks: 12

Length: 56 minutes

Release Date: September 12, 2025

Label: Weapons MFG

After taking the time to listen to this new album, it’s safe to say that DH hasn’t lost a single step. The first track, “My Place in the Dirt” eases in with an eerie, gothic instrumental, reminiscent of the intros on The World is A Thorn and Storm the Gates of Hell. The album roars on with “Sorrow Light the Way.” Ryan Clark continues to show why he’s one of the best frontmen in the metal scene, executing seamless transitions from clean vocals to powerful screams. Among many great lyrics comes this gut-wrenching line from Ryan:

“I just watched my mother die. So, forgive me if I haven’t the want for this weight.” 

This leads to an incredibly heavy breakdown, which mirrors the heavy topic of death and losing a parent.

“Light Bends” has a unique, entertaining intro with an electrical, almost 8-bit vibe. The bass and drums drive this song and after diving deeper into the lyrics, this song is focused on leaning towards God taking the weight of everything onto His shoulders. Opening with a chunky guitar rhythm, “The Pain in Me Is Gone” is another song that highlights the talent of Jon Dunn on bass. My only critique of this song is how repetitive the chorus became.

The album continues with songs like “By A Thread,” “I’m Done” and “Ouroboros.” There’s a gothic influence that permeates this record, which is very apparent in the opening to “By A Thread.” Throughout this song, I enjoyed it as the screams seemed to be on rhythm with the drums. The guitar work on the track “I’m Done” is fantastic; it’s catchy, headbang-worthy, and wouldn’t sound out of place on the radio. “Ouroboros” sounds like a traditional Demon Hunter song with a mixture of screams and clean vocals. There is a slight part where I heard a hint of the guitar whine that was commonly heard in The Showdown’s music. Patrick Judge used to be the lead guitarist for The Showdown before jumping over to DH.

If you remember Storm the Gates of Hell, I’m sure you remember “Carry Me Down.” There’s a similar, familiar tone to the song “Breaking Through Me.”. As the album continues to convey a message of leaning on God in a time of grief, this song emphasizes that message with the lyrics, 

“I know your peace when it’s found me. Tear my sorrow to pieces.” 

“Overwhelming Closure” has a great guitar drive, lending to the pace of the album. “Hang the Fire” opens with a scream and methodical guitar riffs that push a constant beat. Lyrically, this has to be one of my favorites on the album.

“You know this world is your ending. No crown in defending your way. I hear your grave in the distance.”

To me, this line conveys a message of the battle between good and evil. It’s a battlecry knowing that despite the best efforts of the enemy, he will fall. Ryan continues to masterfully write these lyrics that speak on spiritual warfare. His boldness in his faith is encouraging to me, to see his faith put on display. 

The album offers a dynamic change of pace with “Reflected”,” introducing a grunge vibe with the mellow guitar riffs that are reminiscent of Nirvana and Alice in Chains. It’s a nice change musically, as it breaks things up and keeps the album fresh. Some metal albums have a tendency to blend together and you have a hard time differentiating between songs. But when you get a song that breaks that up, it really prevents the songs from blurring together.

This leads to the grand finale, “There Was A Light Here.” This song is a stunning, emotional ballad written in dedication to Ryan’s mother. The lyrics and simple guitar riff create this hauntingly beautiful melody. The song swells to a climax with a background choir, then slowly fades out. It’s raw and honest, the perfect track for a memorial, offering comfort to those grieving the loss of a loved one. This is a great song to help with the grieving process and a powerful way to end the album.

Overall, There Was A Light Here is a superb album. Given that I haven’t listened to much Demon Hunter for a while, I was surprised to hear mostly clean vocals over screams. I think that Ryan is one of those guys that blends those contrasting vocals so well. The band overall continues to deliver what fans expect with the deep riffs that show their passion in their music and their excitement in what they’re putting out. These guys know what they’re doing and show why they’re considered one of the best in Christian metal. I loved this album. Ryan wrote this out of a place of sorrow and mourning, but his faith was put on display as a conqueror. This is an aggressive album in both sound and lyrics, and it's certainly worthy of being added to your road trip playlist.