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

Review this album

  1. Your Score
    0 out of 10
    Rate this:
    • 10
    • 9
    • 8
    • 7
    • 6
    • 5
    • 4
    • 3
    • 2
    • 1
    • 0
    • 0
  1. Submit
  2. Check Spelling
view
per page
  1. 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
  2. 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+
  3. 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
  4. critic_1
    Dec 15, 2011
    10
    Despite it's many faults, Demon Days still â
  5. 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.… Collapse
  6. 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.
  7. 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".
  8. 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
  9. 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.
  10. 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
  11. 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.
  12. 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.
  13. 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
  14. 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
  15. 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
  16. 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.
  17. colen
    Feb 4, 2016
    8
    Demon Days: the ape that could. Not afraid to be a little political and reeks of energy. Ugly, even, in a good way that is because it is like no other.
  18. Blanche
    Aug 11, 2017
    8
    When I realise that this album was released 12 years ago, I start to appreciate the forward-thinking, avant-garde quirks on it that extra little bit more. The record boasts a smorgasbord of genres with indie rock, hip-hop and electronic music all intertwining with each other to make for a remarkable, captivating experience. There are many varying singing styles here from Damon Albarn andWhen I realise that this album was released 12 years ago, I start to appreciate the forward-thinking, avant-garde quirks on it that extra little bit more. The record boasts a smorgasbord of genres with indie rock, hip-hop and electronic music all intertwining with each other to make for a remarkable, captivating experience. There are many varying singing styles here from Damon Albarn and co. Their vocals sit on top of impressive instrumentation with alternative flair. Trouble is, some of them grow tiresome quicker than expected and effectively become filler. Some fall flat from the first listen and never really recover.

    This album sneaks into my great category by the skin of its teeth. Despite its apparent flaws, it has many redeeming qualities. The most impressive quality being how well it has aged. Demon Days could be released this year and still be pretty good by today's standards.    … Expand
  19. LeoDiCaprioFan
    Apr 26, 2016
    9
    When I listen to the latest Gorillaz songs, their music gets better and better. This album can beat their first album into shreds because they always get better!. Literally I recommend the entire collection of Gorillaz for new Gorillaz fans!. So yeah
  20. than_Q
    May 16, 2016
    8
    Do not hate me for this, but walking into this critically acclaimed album I expected something amazing, however, when I started listening, I was confused for about the first 4 or so songs. The reason that I give an eight is because it got MUCH better when the 5th song, Dirty Harry, kicked in giving a funky synth groove. Where it falls for the first few minutes, it instantly recovers andDo not hate me for this, but walking into this critically acclaimed album I expected something amazing, however, when I started listening, I was confused for about the first 4 or so songs. The reason that I give an eight is because it got MUCH better when the 5th song, Dirty Harry, kicked in giving a funky synth groove. Where it falls for the first few minutes, it instantly recovers and delivers excellently.… Expand
  21. SuperJstar
    Nov 19, 2016
    10
    This is the best album by my favourite band of all time, I love all songs, I never skip one, this album just makes me Feel Good when I'm All Alone over DARE at the Green World.
  22. gorillaz123
    Apr 9, 2017
    10
    best **** album ever i was 3 when this came out and i still love it! i don't see why people can not like it its great and better then gorillaz. LOVE IT
  23. bdurmaz
    May 1, 2017
    9
    Magnum opus of the Gorillaz. While many were expecting them to disappoint after a really promising debut, Damon and Jamie manage to top it with a more creative and more polished record. One of the very best in its decade.
  24. HGorillaz
    May 2, 2017
    10
    Love it! A **** legendary album by Gorillaz and my fav album also! I really like the tracks, especially "Feel Good Inc.", "Kids With Guns", "DARE", "Dirty Harry" and more.
  25. benjigoo
    Dec 9, 2018
    8
    Very solid album. My only complaint is that some of the non-single songs were a little same-samey or boring, not bad but just kinda forgettable. Other than that, this album sounds fantastic. The lyrics are beautiful, and the album has a classic rock sound, with hip hop influence. I must also say though, this album is overrated in the Gorillaz community.
  26. md5fungi
    Jun 1, 2020
    9
    Demon Days is a superb evolution of its predecessor, a quirky, spastic hip-hop pop album masterminded by Damon Albarn of Blur. While Gorillaz's debut was the band figuring out exactly what its vision was, Demon Days sees something much more fully realized, with catchy, meandering, and interesting songs fleshed out by a number of guest musicians. The balance between experimentalism andDemon Days is a superb evolution of its predecessor, a quirky, spastic hip-hop pop album masterminded by Damon Albarn of Blur. While Gorillaz's debut was the band figuring out exactly what its vision was, Demon Days sees something much more fully realized, with catchy, meandering, and interesting songs fleshed out by a number of guest musicians. The balance between experimentalism and mainstream pop is subtle and expertly done, and we are left with a side project that is on the brink of rising to the musicality of its parent.… Expand
  27. spacebear1
    Feb 18, 2018
    8
    Gorillaz's sophomore album Demon Days is another fantastic, if not better, album by this incredibly unique and amazing band. The songs are even more catchy and fun to listen to. This album, in my opinion, is even better than the previous and I'm gonna give it an 8.7/10.
  28. Wafflepiegon72
    Jan 8, 2018
    10
    My favorite album by Gorillaz. I think it is their most political and dark album to date. They deal with many terrifying subject matters, such as abandonment, alchaholism, pollution, child soldiers etc. I find every track extremely enjoyable and it’s like a rollercoaster of insane songs. I love how it starts with an ominous intro and continues with hard hitting songs and as the end of theMy favorite album by Gorillaz. I think it is their most political and dark album to date. They deal with many terrifying subject matters, such as abandonment, alchaholism, pollution, child soldiers etc. I find every track extremely enjoyable and it’s like a rollercoaster of insane songs. I love how it starts with an ominous intro and continues with hard hitting songs and as the end of the album, it almost becomes angelic. Don’t get lost in heaven is sort of an escape from the hectic manors of the album and when Demon Days rolls in, its heavenly. It reminds me of coming in from a heavy rainstorm into a lovely warm place. I don’t know why I think that. So overall, Demon Days is the epitome of what makes a perfect album.… Expand
  29. Zedloof
    Jan 30, 2018
    8
    Demon Days is great! not my favorite Gorillaz album but is definitely high up there!
  30. TheLBacon
    Jun 11, 2018
    9
    This album is honestly one of the best I've heard. It doesn't stick to one specific genre such as hip-hop; it revels in mixing different genres or themes while all sounding similar to the Gorillaz style, such as mixing hip-hop and alt-rock in "Feel Good Inc", or the space-themed "Every Planet We Reach is Dead". The instrumentals are excellent with a lot of melodies and bass lines and theThis album is honestly one of the best I've heard. It doesn't stick to one specific genre such as hip-hop; it revels in mixing different genres or themes while all sounding similar to the Gorillaz style, such as mixing hip-hop and alt-rock in "Feel Good Inc", or the space-themed "Every Planet We Reach is Dead". The instrumentals are excellent with a lot of melodies and bass lines and the vocals of 2D (or Damon Albarn) being so varied in range, making each song memorable from lyrics alone. Speaking of which, the lyrics in most of the songs are great and have a lot of thought that go into a good amount of them, with the exception of "DARE" and others. Honestly, this album holds up a lot better than most others today and I think it deserves a lot of the praise it did back in 2005, with only 1 or 2 songs not being completely up to the same standard that the other songs make.

    Least Favourites: Last Living Souls, November Has Come, All Alone
    The rest are great in my opinion    … Expand
Page:

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
See all critic reviews »