Demon Days
by Gorillaz
  • Record Label: Virgin
  • Release Date: May 24, 2005
User Score
8.9

Universal acclaim- based on 589 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 551 out of 589
  2. Mixed: 9 out of 589
  3. Negative: 29 out of 589

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  1. EvilE
    May 25, 2005
    9
    good catchy fun beats and tunes, but is a bit boring at times. I do recommend it to anyone who liked the first album!
  2. AnthonyE
    May 27, 2005
    10
    the first gorillaz record was great, but this ones so much better.
  3. EmiliaH
    May 27, 2005
    10
    Excellent! Damon is incredible, his voice is amazing. The rythms are so different between one another....... but it isn't a problem, all of them are combined perfectly!
  4. RoloR
    Jul 24, 2005
    10
    This album was the best one ive bought this year, far surpasing any sound created anywhere the gorillaz have done it again and will continue i hope!
  5. jacobm
    Aug 29, 2005
    9
    Great album, but I must say that the hip hop is lacking. I love the 8-bit sounding beats mixed in... excellent sound!
  6. keving
    Jan 28, 2006
    10
    g
  7. SamiS
    Apr 23, 2006
    10
    This CD is the BEST!!!!! I listen to it all the time! I cant decide which song is my favorite, they are all so freaking cool!No matter what mood im in, I moving to the groove of the music, and my friends love it to!Great album,Great job,.....Great music!
  8. VidM
    Aug 13, 2007
    7
    An improvement over their debut. There's some really good stuff here, but there's still a ton of crap to sift through to get to it.
  9. FrancescoR
    Dec 23, 2008
    10
    It is impossible sayin' that this album belongs to a kind of music, because it is just a super-mix of everything, which makes a very pleasant listening. It is an album that will be remembered for years, for decades, and even if you don't know what's the meaning of the texts of the songs, you feel as if that innovative music, that the first time you heard sounded so strange It is impossible sayin' that this album belongs to a kind of music, because it is just a super-mix of everything, which makes a very pleasant listening. It is an album that will be remembered for years, for decades, and even if you don't know what's the meaning of the texts of the songs, you feel as if that innovative music, that the first time you heard sounded so strange and "different", tells you about something that you can't explain by words, something that we can feel in the air every day: it's just the life we live, in a world that too much times looks grey and empty...the world that we can find in "Demon Days"...ya, of course it is exaggerated, but the question is...how much?… Expand
  10. RickW.
    Mar 28, 2008
    10
    Probably my all-time favorite album...completely unique
  11. TurkRocks
    Nov 15, 2006
    10
    I think this is one of the most CLEVER things I have ever experienced. Only thing I really have to say about people who do not enjoy the simple yet so full hearted affect that these 4 wonderful characters have on us are bitter, stuck up, and probably alone. This, while it may be a steryotype - most the times will hold fact. While being human - my accusation will not be perfect, and have I think this is one of the most CLEVER things I have ever experienced. Only thing I really have to say about people who do not enjoy the simple yet so full hearted affect that these 4 wonderful characters have on us are bitter, stuck up, and probably alone. This, while it may be a steryotype - most the times will hold fact. While being human - my accusation will not be perfect, and have its flaws but that does NOT diminish the stunning, amazing, fantastic, wonderous, dazzling, splended, breath taking album and series. Gorillaz - Original, simple, beautiful.… Expand
  12. Paxster
    Oct 11, 2010
    9
    This album should be given its own genre. It's neither here nor there with any one genre and is so vast it can't even be taken down to 2 or 3. You've got something like 'Last Living Souls' which is eeary melancholy pop mixed with 'Don't get lost in heaven' which verges on symphonic gospel. This is really a masterpiece from Albarn. An apex of his imagination. He deserves all the acclaim he gets.
  13. Alex
    Aug 24, 2010
    6
    It doesn't beat any records in my opinion, but worth a listen. Some people are going to love this; others are going to view it as pointless rubbish.
    While it has its high points (DARE, Don't Get Lost In Heaven) it also has some more annoying, and rather stupid songs. These include Last Living Souls and White Light. Maybe you should listen to the previews on iTunes or Amazon before buying.    It doesn't beat any records in my opinion, but worth a listen. Some people are going to love this; others are going to view it as pointless rubbish.
    While it has its high points (DARE, Don't Get Lost In Heaven) it also has some more annoying, and rather stupid songs. These include Last Living Souls and White Light. Maybe you should listen to the previews on iTunes or Amazon before buying. It's not for everyone.
    6/10. Why? Although it can give an enjoyable listen, its music seems somewhat temporary. One has to be in the correct mood, and accept that the weirdness of some of the songs just aren't up to scratch. I don't feel it had much potential to fill. Nevertheless, an enjoyable listen.    … Expand
  14. Jessatay
    Sep 26, 2010
    9
    After the success of their first album, they went farther in producing Demon Days, where this time it is set in a Apocalyptic world. This one fuses more pop than the last one, but less rap. They still have their great vibe, with the help of new guests on this album. Their a ton of great songs on this album, especially "Feel Good Inc." This wasn't the best album Albarn has produced, but oneAfter the success of their first album, they went farther in producing Demon Days, where this time it is set in a Apocalyptic world. This one fuses more pop than the last one, but less rap. They still have their great vibe, with the help of new guests on this album. Their a ton of great songs on this album, especially "Feel Good Inc." This wasn't the best album Albarn has produced, but one of the most inspiring albums. The end of the album wraps up the mood perfectly, when the basic strumming of the guitar on "Demon Days" tells what Damon has experienced himself. This album is easier to listen and get used to than the first album. Standouts : "Kids With Guns", "Feel Good Inc.", "DARE" Overall Score : 8.7… Expand
  15. Vampire25
    Jan 18, 2011
    8
    This album blends a bunch of musical elements together. I heard rap, rock, reggae, and funk. It's a great listen. The beats are catchy and the production is just great. Took me awhile to get into it but after a few tries, I really enjoy it now. All In All, a great album. B+
  16. bsurma
    Feb 9, 2011
    9
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. This unexpected mix of many (mainly the laid back type) music styles is really enjoyable and I recommend it to anyone who enjoys them. Of course, it's not perfect, but it's really good. My personal favourites are Feel Good inc. and O Green World. They really suck me in. The first is more fun and the beat is "clearly visible". The second, however, is more moody and the guitar kicks in most of the time. I like how Damon sounds good in many types of different songs.
    So, if you like having fun while listening to music, this album is for you, even if it lacks certain momentum from the first album. Try it for yourself and see!
    Score: 9.0    … Expand
  17. critic_1
    Dec 15, 2011
    10
    Despite it's many faults, Demon Days still â
  18. xHEISENBERGx
    Mar 20, 2012
    9
    Demon Days represents an amazing blend of genre's and styles. After Gorillaz hit in 2001, I instantly fell in love with the band and it style. And from then to the release of Demon Days I kept wondering in what direction the group would go in. Demon Days thrusts Gorillaz in a much more ominous atmosphere and tosses out some great tracks, mixing various collaborators for a mezmorizingDemon Days represents an amazing blend of genre's and styles. After Gorillaz hit in 2001, I instantly fell in love with the band and it style. And from then to the release of Demon Days I kept wondering in what direction the group would go in. Demon Days thrusts Gorillaz in a much more ominous atmosphere and tosses out some great tracks, mixing various collaborators for a mezmorizing journey through a snapshot in the gorillaz universe.… Expand
  19. dante_finn
    Jul 8, 2014
    8
    Another well done album by Gorillaz. My favorite song from this album is "Feel Good Inc.". The rock they have has become really modern if you know what I mean. It showcases alternative hip hop with funk rock and I like that. The collaborations are really cool though.
  20. ShankYouKindly
    Dec 26, 2013
    10
    The single most musically intriguing record I have ever heard, still stands up as my all time favourite album, ever. To describe it in one word, I would have to say that this album is "Perfect".
  21. TrilobiteG
    Nov 19, 2015
    8
    A few disappointing tracks, but Demon Days has some real classics in it. Some really innovative and majestic songs such as Dare, Dirty Harry and Feel good inc
  22. guitarmaniac004
    Oct 21, 2017
    8
    My fav from the Gorillaz Discography. It's got some hits, got some slow songs. And it's an emotional rollercoaster. Damon Albarn's vocals are the highlight of the album. It's punchy and beautiful.
  23. aran9
    Mar 27, 2013
    10
    I personally don't give a f*ck about what, these haters think, we're all aloud our opinion on things, but a lot of people are seeing this album as the type of music tailored for the average person to listen to as he or she is driving to work on their weekly grind. Its not. This music is an acquired taste sure, but not in the rotten fish sushi manner where some people say its delicious, butI personally don't give a f*ck about what, these haters think, we're all aloud our opinion on things, but a lot of people are seeing this album as the type of music tailored for the average person to listen to as he or she is driving to work on their weekly grind. Its not. This music is an acquired taste sure, but not in the rotten fish sushi manner where some people say its delicious, but its really just a pile of rotten fish. No, this album is a creation. Try and see it through Damon Albarn's eyes. A massive collaboration with many people, and a telling of the high concept band's story. Sure, there are some tracks that I wasn't that into, but with an open mind you can easily say that most of the songs are just as good as "Dare or "Feel Good inc." but simply passed under the radar and didn't make it as mainstream, playing-on-every-station hits. And lets face it, what was the last Album you bought where you loved EVERY SINGLE F*CKING SONG...I've never had such an experience. Looking at the reviews now, you'd think that it really is a love-it-or-hate it album. By the way, thank you if you're still reading this far, it means a lot that my opinion is so important to you. People are either to narrow minded to see the beauty of, and the brilliance, this album brings to the table. Its not perfect, nothing is, but compared to other albums on the market? Yes, it is perfect. Its hard to see how some of the songs like "All Alone" didn't make it to the charts.

    In conclusion, you will not regret buying this album if you love Gorillaz, hell even Damon Albarn's works in general, if you're not afraid to try new things or any way patient to savour music goodness. If you base your opinion of music on what people say and how distracting it is then you should probably get back to the weekly grind...    … Expand
  24. Jamison12
    Jun 6, 2013
    10
    10/10 is too low. But I can't go up to 20/10 so whatever.
    Demon Days is The Gorillaz follow up album to their mega hit. Demon Days easily is better, which is a testament to just how good this album is. Feel Good Inc. and Dirty Harry are cult classics and help this album rise to Cult Classic status.
  25. AudioGunblast
    Nov 27, 2013
    6
    NOTE: A 10/10 refers to a nonexistent perfect album. I don't toss excellent ratings around.
    Also, I'm not a hater, I went into this with an open mind, and think Gorillaz and Plastic Beach were excellent albums. Now, on to the review!
    Despite all its good tracks, Demon Days is unfortunately quite an inconsistent album, not at all meeting my expectations. Essentially it's a concept album    NOTE: A 10/10 refers to a nonexistent perfect album. I don't toss excellent ratings around.
    Also, I'm not a hater, I went into this with an open mind, and think Gorillaz and Plastic Beach were excellent albums. Now, on to the review!

    Despite all its good tracks, Demon Days is unfortunately quite an inconsistent album, not at all meeting my expectations. Essentially it's a concept album about sad things all the gloom, misery, and dystopia you can think of but it often gets repetitive, or sometimes it forms a cohesive narrative over two or three tracks only to abandon it completely at the next. For example, even though I did think the two-track finisher of "Don't Get Lost in Heaven" and "Demon Days" ended the album quite well, I don't know at all where the miners and the volcano came from. Earlier in the album, I thought it was going to be about the band gathering a rebellion to overthrow a dystopian government, if i'm interpreting the lyrics to "Feel Good Inc." correctly. Even if you think of it as the type of concept album which doesn't tell an actual story but simply describes the subject of being depressed, that isn't consistent either. I have no idea why they decided to keep "DARE" in here though it's decent as a single, it feels so out of place here. It might as well be the album's worst track if I score it based on how it fits in with the others.

    The guests are pretty good, though. Anything with MF DOOM on there is good. Feel Good Inc., which features De La Soul, has a nice performance by them as well, even if the maniacal laughing is a bit overdone. Roots Manuva is a skilled rapper, but not lyricist. I didn't, however, like what Shaun Ryder and Dennis Hopper contributed to the latter half at all.

    Sigh. Damon, you've made Parklife, 13, Think Tank, and the self-titled Gorillaz album, and you would go on to make your masterpiece with Plastic Beach. What happened with this? It's not by any means a bad album, but...

    I think I'll score it a 6. There are many good ideas, but more often than not, they just don't mix. At least Gorillaz and Blur have other great albums to their names.

    STANDOUT TRACKS:: KIDS WITH GUNS, FEEL GOOD INC., EVERY PLANET WE REACH IS DEAD, NOVEMBER HAS COME, DON'T GET LOST IN HEAVEN, DEMON DAYS    … Expand
  26. Wuehltisch
    May 22, 2015
    10
    Instant classic, and even now, 10 years later it is still more modern than many many other artists. It is a timeless album, full of original arrangements, social critique and stellar mixing.
  27. stratagemmedley
    Nov 21, 2014
    9
    Demon Days is a fantastic follow up to Gorillaz's first album. However there is a slight problem, if you could indeed call it a problem, the album is very hard to quantify, to put into a genre. Demon Days takes influence from rap, rock, R'nB, pop and country however at the same time it manages to filter out the negative tropes of the genres, meaning both those who like or dislike theDemon Days is a fantastic follow up to Gorillaz's first album. However there is a slight problem, if you could indeed call it a problem, the album is very hard to quantify, to put into a genre. Demon Days takes influence from rap, rock, R'nB, pop and country however at the same time it manages to filter out the negative tropes of the genres, meaning both those who like or dislike the influences will still very much enjoy the music, for example I normally dislike the aforementioned styles of music, yet still fell in love with Demon Days, which is very much a hard thing to do.
    The fell of the album is also incredibly dark, without trying to be edgy, yet at the same time manages to sound fairly upbeat, which is a rare talent amongst artists. This album really is quite special, it manages to appeal to all without compromising, to have repetitive vocals without being annoying, to have every song sound different without it being forced or the quality being downplayed.
    Shortly put this really does manage to both have all the advantages and near none of the disadvantages, it's only once a while music manages to do this and with how cheap the album is, I absolutely recommend you buy this.    … Expand
  28. DDD99
    Oct 27, 2014
    9
    This album is (and was) an instant classic and arguably Gorillaz's best work. Nearly every track oozes with creativity and there are only two tracks that I would say are lacking overall (O Green World and All Alone). The production is amazing with nearly every track making fantastic use of a wide, wide array of diverse musical ideas and sounds. The only thing I could ask from this albumThis album is (and was) an instant classic and arguably Gorillaz's best work. Nearly every track oozes with creativity and there are only two tracks that I would say are lacking overall (O Green World and All Alone). The production is amazing with nearly every track making fantastic use of a wide, wide array of diverse musical ideas and sounds. The only thing I could ask from this album is: more please.… Expand
  29. heniu97
    Feb 26, 2017
    9
    Gorillaz. It's complicate. Their music is not for everyone for being unique and weird, but soon as you enter "inside" the songs, it's a complete masterpiece as good as the self-titled album and Plastic Beach.

    Feel Good Inc. is the only song all agree it's, at least, cool, and personally I think it's because it is the best song in the album that is so good, that even being weird, almost    Gorillaz. It's complicate. Their music is not for everyone for being unique and weird, but soon as you enter "inside" the songs, it's a complete masterpiece as good as the self-titled album and Plastic Beach.

    Feel Good Inc. is the only song all agree it's, at least, cool, and personally I think it's because it is the best song in the album that is so good, that even being weird, almost everyone like it. But it's not the unique masterpiece in the album. All the first half is full of amazing tunes, and the second, while presenting excellent songs, there are some more "normal" ones. But this con is recovered by the union of all the songs, that are like one hour story, telling you about loneliness, hedonism, self esteem, war and so many more negative things that happens in the world... and it's expressed incredibly well. For example, there is one song, Dare, that is very "happy" compared to other work in Demon Days, but that's because fits perfectly the message (improve your self auto esteem, to cheer).

    Then appears the Demon Days song, were it's an amazing finale for the album, telling you that besides all the sadness and crude true, there is hope and light to it, making a "happy ending" for the story.    … Expand
  30. jorgeyboy
    Aug 6, 2015
    10
    Gorillaz's most accessible album and their most successful. They turn up the rock and hip hop while adding other elements such as trip hop. Every track is brilliant, with amazing singles and a three-part finale that tells an epic tale.
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Awards & Rankings

45
#45 Best Album of 2005
18
#18 Most Discussed Album of 2005
2
#2 Most Shared Album of 2005

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
82

Universal acclaim - based on 37 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 34 out of 37
  2. Mixed: 3 out of 37
  3. Negative: 0 out of 37
  1. Uncut
    90
    A dazzlingly clever record--great beats, brilliant production, top tunes and some of Albarn's best singing. [Jun 2005, p.106]
  2. Amazon.com
    80
    Demon Days actually is even better than its predecessor.
    Read full review
  3. New Musical Express (NME)
    80
    Before you even consider the sonic and melodic innovation paraded through the album there’s so much crammed into each of these fifteen songs (without any one of them sounding overproduced or cluttered) that repeated listening is a must.
    Read full review
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