Album Review: Embrace The Black Light by 100 Demons
Album artwork for “Embrace The Black Light” by 100 Demons
Many old head hardcore bands have reunited in the past few years for select festival appearances (Kickback, Blood for Blood, Rise & Fall) but few have reunited with the intent to release new music. Relying on the albums and EPs that made them popular, it’s a surefire way to retain the legacy and get the bag, however, the likes of Deadguy, The Hope Conspiracy and 100 Demons have all made the point of proving their personal legacies are more than something they created many moons ago.
Dropping one record that is deemed a milestone and still held in high regard within multiple communities is a flex, but to drop another worthy of the same praise a couple of years after? Lunacy. 100 Demons cemented their place within hardcore and metalcore history with “Eyes of The Lord” and their self-titled “100 Demons” before disappearing for two decades. Empty boots were left behind and no one had the audacity to fill them and 20 years later it’s understandable why. The return of 100 Demons shows that despite their absence, they’ve still got it. “Embrace The Black Light” is proof of that.
Opening track, The Nightmare, sets the tone right off the bat. Ambient, dark and rallying as commanding vocal hooks whip you into shape and send you off into battle. An onslaught of kick rolls and unrelenting thrash riffs paint the picture that war has broken out against something otherworldly and Pete’s imposing voice has you believing you have a chance against whatever is waiting for you outside the trenches.
Made For Nothing speaks for itself. A track devout in reminding you that in the face of strife, without perseverance and strength you are powerless and truly made for nothing. Ruthless in its delivery, two steps parts with overarching lyrics that are akin to military sergeants drunk on power beating you down, the themes created within The Nightmare are enriched tenfold.
Leaning further into the occult, Through Seven Eternities speaks more of the aforementioned perseverance and the beginning of the embracing of the black light noted in the album title. The breakdown that’s teased within the first 20 seconds of the track is given to us in all its glory in the final 30 seconds and it’s every bit as crushing as it is required to be.
Out of nowhere the scene is treated to Meat of the Beast, the fourth track of the album and the first testament to Pete Morcey and co. still being able to deliver their signature 90s metalcore inspired heavy hardcore. An initial peek into themes of the occult, fantasy and strife that upon its release as the lead single made it clear they are taking no prisoners ahead of the shows they have locked in for 2026. Hearing Meat of The Beast outside of the full album was a great throwback, albeit not to their prime, but within the full track listing, it feels more fleshed out and will no doubt act as a pivotal moment in their current day live set that’ll show people, fuck with who they are now and not just who they were in the early 2000s.
Nail It Shut is relentless. Broken into two parts, it’s possibly the simplest track of the album. Punchy snare hits that accompany the same fast chord progressions over and over again before descending into another breakdown that doubles as an outro. Despite its repetitive nature and limited variety, Nail It Shut serves as the first change of pace before being brought to a sharp close.
The first and last feature of the album comes from brothers Colin and Taylor Young of Twitching Tongues and Gods Hate royalty on the aptly named, The Cold Wind of the Crossroads. The same aggression is kept while introducing church bell samples and the signature melancholic melodies that come with a Twitching Tongues feature. Feelings of betrayal, love lost and self-reflection expertly guided by Colin and Taylor’s question and answer performance appears to act as a palette cleanser but acts more so as a platform to show that 100 Demons are capable of more than just physically beating your ass like they have in the first half of the album.
Häxan Hammer. The second track that was dropped by the band in the leadup to the release of Embrace the Black Light which was met with considerable criticism. Trading breakdowns for singalongs and guitar solos that’ll no doubt lead to pile-ons and incomprehensible mic grabs if played live, Häxan Hammer is the next bout of exploration of sound the band indulges in for the first time in 20 years albeit not to the best of their ability as it serves as a low point of the album.
Returning to scheduled programming, Night Parade of 100 Demons leans even further into the occult as the eerie elements of Cold Winds of the Crossroads return. A masterful lyrical telling of otherworldly beings taking over the world as elements of hopelessness back pounding snare hits and palm muted riffs that transcend following the introduction of dissonant chord ring outs. The heavy hardcore trope of a slow drum pattern leading into a chunky bassline lead outro rears its head sending hardcore heads side to side waiting for the sleeper agent activation snare hit that they know is coming and my god do they deliver in the tracks final moments. Night Parade of 100 Demons is the standout track by far.
We’ve had our fill of hardcore throughout and better late than never, Foul lets 2000s metalcore take the wheel. Everything from the signature “we are the _____” lines in the form of “we can not escape _____”, traditional metalcore verse chorus verse structuring and the bass mirroring the guitar parts to the bitter end. No complaints despite its predictable nature.
Werewolves at the Wall embraces the metalcore elements that saw them through in Foul. More “we are the_____” lines that’ll be the make or break point for those who haven’t freed themselves from what they deem as cringe as 100 Demons commit themselves fully to the supernatural. We’ve seen a number of wild riffs throughout however, Werewolves at the Wall features some of the best that work perfectly as breaks between sections and as the driving force during two step parts. Aforementioned in Häxan Hammer, the singalongs aren’t their best and they’re made to look even weaker as the cleans during Werewolves… harken back to the cleans we saw All That Remains exhibit in the early 2000s (complimentary) before they entered the alt-right podcast pipeline. You’ll know what is meant when you hear it. The chord choice, the delivery, it’s there and it fits beautifully.
Entering the final 2 tracks of the album, Return to Zero refuses to take its foot off the gas. “The unseen world, return to zero, clean the slate, nothing is forever, but this pain”. The long drawn out chords and slower drum patterns that are introduced halfway through signal the eventual end of the war that broke out 11 tracks. It’s a message that even with the end looming, regardless of the strength and perseverance you possessed, the aftermath of war remains and everything you know has changed. “The unseen world” only became visible because of what you endured.
Ringing out on the word “pain”, Return to Zero sets the scene for Spiritual Obliteration. The final frontier, the last stand. Ascending guitar riffs and vocal hooks that emphasise the impending doom of the battle you’ve been spurred to fight. Reminders that your fate had been decided from the very start which serves as a bleak, if not evident, ending to bring the curtains down on Embrace the Black Light.
There’s love for an album that tells a story and the only criticism with “Embrace the Black Light’s” story is that it feels shallow despite the weight it places on its themes. On the surface it’ll go down a treat with those that want something to spin and swing to, and for those that are simply happy to see the return of one of the best to do it, it’s an accomplishment to see 100 Demons deliver yet another strong record. Although not as strong as its predecessors, it’s a satisfying listen that’ll have you looking up when and where you can catch them as they return to stages across the US.
FFO: Hatebreed, All Out War, Merauder, Death Before Dishonour, All That Remains
SCORE: 7/10
“Embrace The Black Light” by 100 Demons is out on all streaming platforms on Friday 5th June 2026, released via Closed Casket Activities.
Instagram | Apple Music | Spotify | Bandcamp
