Storm the Gates of Hell
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Storm the Gates of Hell is the fourth studio album by Christian Metal band Demon Hunter. The album was released on November 6, 2007 and was made available in three editions: Regular, Special, and Deluxe.
Vocalist Ryan Clark described in an interview that, for The Triptych, he recorded with a basic handheld microphone. While this allowed him movement and extra range, it consequently muffled or distanced his vocals. In recording Storm the Gates of Hell, Clark used a better handheld mic but mainly sat and crouched. He considered this a middle ground between the basic handheld mic and the standing, screened mic used for Demon Hunter's first two albums.[1]
Touring and promotion
Demon Hunter embarked on the Stronger Than Hell Tour in promotion of the album. The summer tour began in May 2008 and included Living Sacrifice, Oh, Sleeper, The Famine, and Advent.
Its lead single, "Fading Away", along with the title track and "Carry Me Down" can be heard on the band's official MySpace. A promotional site entitled "A Thread of Light" was made, where one can listen to samples of "Storm the Gates of Hell", "I Am You", and "Fiction Kingdom". Two weeks before its release, the album leaked into P2P networks in its entirety. On November 2 the whole album was put on the Demon Hunter's Myspace page for previewing. Storm the Gates of Hell started at #85 on the Billboard 200, selling nearly 10,500 copies in the first week.[2]
A music video was produced for "Fading Away". It was directed by Zach Merck, known for his previous work with Shadows Fall. The video has found considerable airplay on MTV2's Headbangers Ball. The music video for "Carry Me Down" also aired on MTV2.
Track Listing
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Storm The Gates Of Hell" | 2:44 |
| 2. | "Lead Us Home" | 4:24 |
| 3. | "Sixteen (feat. Bruce Fitzhugh of Living Sacrifice)" | 5:18 |
| 4. | "Fading Away" | 4:12 |
| 5. | "Carry Me Down" | 4:32 |
| 6. | "A Thread Of Light" | 3:35 |
| 7. | "I Am You" | 4:14 |
| 8. | "Incision" | 5:04 |
| 9. | "Thorns" | 4:06 |
| 10. | "Follow The Wolves" | 3:55 |
| 11. | "Fiction Kingdom" | 4:53 |
| 12. | "The Wrath Of God" | 4:06 |
| 13. | "No Reason To Exist (Special & Deluxe Edition bonus track)" | 3:23 |
| 14. | "Grand Finale (Special & Deluxe Edition bonus track)" | 4:37 |
Charts
| 2007 | Billboard 200 | #85 |
| 2007 | Top Christian Albums | #3 |
Credits
- Ryan Clark -- Vocals
- Don Clark -- Guitar
- Ethan Luck -- Guitar, Lap Steel
- Jonathan Dunn -- Bass Guitar
- Timothy "Yogi" Watts -- Drums
- Aaron Sprinkle -- Additional Keyboards, Production, & Programming
- Shaun Lopez -- Additional Guitars, Theremin, & Co-Production
- Chris Carmichael -- Strings
- Art direction by Invisible Creature
- Mixed by Machine at The Machine Shop (Hoboken, New Jersey)
- Produced by Aaron Sprinkle
Alternate editions
Three editions of the album were produced: Regular, Special, and Deluxe.
- The special edition contains a DVD, two bonus songs ("No Reason To Exist" and "Grand Finale"), and special packaging.
- The (limited) deluxe edition contains a DVD with extended footage apart from the Special Edition, two bonus songs ("No Reason To Exist" and "Grand Finale"), exclusive limited packaging including a large format booklet with exclusive studio photos, lyrics, liner notes and more, an exclusive band postcard set, a rare Demon Hunter necklace with a Skull Horn pendant, and a Demon Hunter sticker.
References
- ^ Stebila, Camaren An Interview with Demon Hunter lead singer, Ryan Clark The Christian Manifesto, (July 2, 2008). Retrieved 2-08-09.
- ^ Metal News - Demon Hunter Charts At #85 On Billboard ( Metal Underground . com )
- AThreadofLight.com The promotional site for the album "Storm The Gates Of Hell"
- [1] Opening Week Album Sales