Search - Demon Hunter :: 45 Days (CD/DVD)

Amazing Collection

Jonathan Toon | Louisville, KY United States | 12/01/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Having been a Demon Hunter since Summer of Darkness came out, I've always looked forward to the day that a documentary would be done on them. Then, when I found out about this collection coming out, everything I ever wanted put out about them all came out, in one package.



The documentary, lasting 90 minutes, covers Demon Hunter's most recent tour, the Stronger Than Hell Tour. The movie held many deep insights into the band's first major headlining tour in support of what some argue is their best material yet. Through extensive interviews, the band tells their story of how they got to where they are today. What makes the DVD unique is that it is filmed in black and white, and has a very raw feel to it. It becomes apparent that crispness and clarity weren't features the band sought for in this documentary. Demon Hunter simply wanted to tell a story in the simplest way possible. This sets this documentary apart from other bands, where a great deal of work is put into what the documentary "looks like," which can sometimes take away from the feature itself. Bonus features included are stories about pranks Demon Hunter pulled on the bands traveling with them, as well as other goofy reels.



The second DVD covers a live show from the Stronger Than Hell Tour that was recorded in Nashville, TN on June 26th at Rockettown. The live DVD is great quality, although it also possess the raw feel that makes the documentary DVD great. The show covers all four of Demon Hunter's albums, focusing on their most recent. Seven songs from Storm The Gates of Hell are present, including Bruce Fitzhugh of Living Sacrifice joining the band for the song Sixteen. Four songs from Triptych are present, two from Summer of Darkness, and one from their self-titled album. Overall, a great mixture of songs, although old-schoolers might have wanted a couple more songs from their first two albums. The crowd was really into the concert, singing (and screaming) along, and moshing to the music.



The third disc of the collection is a nice treat that has the soundtrack that Demon Hunter composed for their documentary. These pieces are very quiet and dark, but very nice to listen to. This is the first time I've heard of a band including a soundtrack from a documentary they have made, so this really helps this collection stand out. There are also two quieter pieces on the third CD: an acoustic version of Fading Away, as well as a piano version of Carry Me Down.



Overall, this is an awesome collection that offers deeper insight into one of Christian Metal's best bands out there. And the members of Demon Hunter make it known that they wouldn't be around if it hadn't been for bands such as Living Sacrifice that paved the way for them. The band shows a great deal of respect for bands that have helped lay the foundation that many current bands could follow. All in all, a great collection if you are an avid Demon Hunter fan. You won't be disappointed."