There is a disturbing trend happening with many heavier bands these days. This trend includes the wussing out of bands that hold a louder sound. On the opposite end of the spectrum, a lot of bands can’t seem to make their albums sound different. Being surrounded by these tendencies makes me thankful that there are bands like Darkest Hour to show the way to good progression. If a band starts out badly, it’s okay as long as they learn from their mistakes and improve on their next album. Darkest Hour has this technique down to a science. Albeit they started off almost as good as they are today, they have improved with every release. Not only that, but they have experimented, moving slowly through elements of thrash, metalcore, death metal and melodic metal. They have always done a good job of keeping their albums fresh as well as entertaining.
This time around, they mix together all the best aspects of their previous releases together into a big vat of face melting, beat the guy next to you metal. They capture your emotions one minute with soul wrenching, melodic riffs, and pump you up into a frenzy with metalcore style chugging the next. The whole time pushing through with a constant metronome of double kick that never seems to stop and insanely fast drum beats that make you wonder if the drummer has bionic arms. And don’t even get me started on the guitar solos. Ever since their debut LP ‘The Mark of the Judas’, Darkest Hour has enjoyed a healthy stockpile of arm ripping solos. And every album has been more and more impressive in said aspect. This album is no exception at all. In fact, I just have to give props to their lead guitarist. Because not only are there notable solos in almost every song on this album (most notably in ‘The Tides’, ‘Blessed Infection’, and ‘Transcendence’), but I can honestly say that he’s shredding better than most guitarists throughout the majority of the album. Seriously, I think he might actually be a Guitar Hero bot hiding inside a roadie’s body. Moving away from the guitars for a bit though, let me mention again how insanely fast some of the drumming is. Being a drummer myself, that is the bloodening speed that I hope to possess someday myself. And when he’s not exuding crazy lightning speed fills, the double kick he holds through all the songs really get my whole body moving in a hypnotic rhythm.
This time around, they mix together all the best aspects of their previous releases together into a big vat of face melting, beat the guy next to you metal. They capture your emotions one minute with soul wrenching, melodic riffs, and pump you up into a frenzy with metalcore style chugging the next. The whole time pushing through with a constant metronome of double kick that never seems to stop and insanely fast drum beats that make you wonder if the drummer has bionic arms. And don’t even get me started on the guitar solos. Ever since their debut LP ‘The Mark of the Judas’, Darkest Hour has enjoyed a healthy stockpile of arm ripping solos. And every album has been more and more impressive in said aspect. This album is no exception at all. In fact, I just have to give props to their lead guitarist. Because not only are there notable solos in almost every song on this album (most notably in ‘The Tides’, ‘Blessed Infection’, and ‘Transcendence’), but I can honestly say that he’s shredding better than most guitarists throughout the majority of the album. Seriously, I think he might actually be a Guitar Hero bot hiding inside a roadie’s body. Moving away from the guitars for a bit though, let me mention again how insanely fast some of the drumming is. Being a drummer myself, that is the bloodening speed that I hope to possess someday myself. And when he’s not exuding crazy lightning speed fills, the double kick he holds through all the songs really get my whole body moving in a hypnotic rhythm.
The album starts off very well, with a menacing mix of chugging guitar and their unforgettable vocals that I can never get tired of. A good, unique scream is never underappreciated. Then it moves into a fast, thrash type beat that warrants air drumming. It moves along like that until the minute-and-a half brutality that is ‘The Tides’ amps it up even further, giving you no time to breathe until the three minute point of their seventh song ‘Transcendence’ lets you pace the pit for a moment. Blasting through two more songs, they end off nicely with ‘Into the Grey’, which has that unwanted, but respected “end of album” sound to it. Once it’s almost over, you can lean back in satisfaction from just hearing an amazing album from an amazing band.
Darkest Hour has always written depressing lyrics, but this time it’s like they fell off the deep end into the emo pit of nagging. Example: lines like “You’re a plague”, “O death, pull me closer to your cold embrace”, “There’s no God, it’s all an illusion”. I don’t know who put the dirty syringe in their granola, but it kind of collides with the other side of their lyrics that seem to ring a tune of rebirth and starting over like “For I have been reborn”, and “Reveal my new skin to the open air”. This isn’t surprising since this album ends the bands contract with Victory Records. But they definitely seem to have a serious dislike for the standards the world has set…or maybe the label they’ve been stuck on? They seem to be suspiciously happy to get rid of them. I’m just spit balling though.
Darkest Hour has always written depressing lyrics, but this time it’s like they fell off the deep end into the emo pit of nagging. Example: lines like “You’re a plague”, “O death, pull me closer to your cold embrace”, “There’s no God, it’s all an illusion”. I don’t know who put the dirty syringe in their granola, but it kind of collides with the other side of their lyrics that seem to ring a tune of rebirth and starting over like “For I have been reborn”, and “Reveal my new skin to the open air”. This isn’t surprising since this album ends the bands contract with Victory Records. But they definitely seem to have a serious dislike for the standards the world has set…or maybe the label they’ve been stuck on? They seem to be suspiciously happy to get rid of them. I’m just spit balling though.
Compared to their previous albums, the only difference I can find in their new one is that it just sounds even better, as all of their releases have progressively done. In my personal opinion, I can find few flaws with this album. I think they could have benefited with a few slower parts to give listeners a break from punching whoever’s next to them. But all in all they are a very talented group of musicians that warrant a listen from anyone who likes basic American metal, metalcore, death metal, or melodic metal. They mix together the different styles quite harmoniously in a successful attempt at comingling all of their previous sounds.
I give this album a glorious 5 out of 5 napkins. It really impressed me.
I give this album a glorious 5 out of 5 napkins. It really impressed me.
Artist: Darkest Hour
Album: Eternal Return
Label: Victory Records
Release Date: June 23, 2009
Length: 34:53
5/5
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