![]() ![]() Squirrel moment: Jeez, how many times have we all had that WWIII thought over these past 30 years? We're almost desensitized to impending doom now, 'cause we only ever get the 'impending', never the 'doom'. Great minds, yo!), yet it might not ever be heard by anybody, 'cause we could be entering WWIII today!" I remember thinking, "And here WE are, recording the soundtrack to the apocalypse (and indeed, I remember using that exact term. We started tracking drums at the world famous Music Grinder Studios in Hollywood (anyone remember that maudlin tune, "That's What Friends Are For"? by Stevie, Elton, Dionne and Gladys? Recorded there.) on April 14, 1986. I can remember EVERYTHING about this whole period, way too much to fit right here, I tell ya. I was 18 when we recorded it, 19 by the time it was released. I figured I'd take a moment and reflect a little bit about the record, which happened to be my vinyl drumming debut. A 4 star (80%) rating is deserved.Y'know, somebody just mentioned that Darkness Descends came out 30 years ago TODAY?! Howling Christ, has it been that long? Well Jeez, I guess it has. If you come to the album with the right expectations you´ll be met with an onslaught of great aggressive thrash metal tunes though. The album is pretty much one-dimensionally aggressive, so expect very little with resemblance to melody here. "Darkness Descends" is arguably one of the most relentlessly aggressive and fast-paced thrash metal releases from the mid-80s and for fans of the more brutal, raw, and frenetic part of the genre this is mandatory listening. ![]() That´s thankfully the case here though as "Darkness Descends" features a very powerful, raw, and organic sounding production, which suits the music perfectly. So the songwriting is inspired and the musicianship strong, but that´s not always enough if you don´t pack your music in a powerful and raw sound production. The material on the 7 track, 35:22 minutes long album is very effective and for the most part furiously fast-paced and aggressive, but tracks like "Hunger of the Undead" and "Black Prophecies" do take the pace down to a mid-paced heavy groove, so while "Darkness Descends" certainly isn´t the most varied thrash metal album out there, Dark Angel do understand the importance of changing pace to keep things at least a bit varied. He doesn´t have the most distinct sounding voice and his staccato delivery is pretty typical for the genre, but his performance is both passionate and convincing. Lead vocalist Don Doty delivers a raw and aggressive performance that suits the music perfectly. Dark Angel were at this point a very well playing act. ![]() His fast and precise drumming style and the powerful bass playing by Rob Yahn (who left the band right after the album was finished) drive the aggressive and fast-paced guitar riffing forward in an incredibly powerful fashion. The addition of Gene Hoglan to the ranks, has provided Dark Angel with a much more intriguing and tight rhythm section, than the case was on "We Have Arrived (1984)". The traditional heavy metal elements from the debut are gone and "Darkness Descends" is a 100% raw and aggressive thrash metal release (not completely unlike "Reign in Blood (1986)" by Slayer or "Pleasure to Kill (1986)" by Kreator). Since the debut album there´s been a lineup change as drummer Jack Schwartz has been replaced by former Slayer drum tech Gene Hoglan.Ĭompared to "We Have Arrived (1984)", the music style on "Darkness Descends" has changed in a significantly more aggressive and fast-paced direction. The album was released through Combat Records in November 1986, almost to date two years after the release of their debut full-length studio album "We Have Arrived (1984)". "Darkness Descends" is the 2nd full-length studio album by US thrash metal act Dark Angel. ![]()
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