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To begin I would like everyone to know I am not a frequent reviewer, so your feedback would be helpful and appreciated, thanks.
After picking up Darkest Hour's new realease, Undoing Ruin, I have decided to go back and review Hidden Hands of a Sadist Nation. Only once in a while does one hear an album, that leaves his jaw dropped in amazement and his hand searching for the repeat button. Darkest Hour's 2003 release of Hidden Hands of a Sadist Nation, is one of those album's. Previous album's by Darkest Hour are good in their own, but in no way compare to an album such as this.
Breaking it down piece by piece, one can see how good this album is. To start with the guitar work, is absolutely wonderful. The solo's flow, but do not take center stage of the songs which in my opinion is a good thing. They come in exactly where they are needed, and end at exactly the right times. The overall flow of the guitar work is superb as well. It flows so well from quick, rapid picking, to slow melodic sections with ease and such percision. Being a guitar player myself, I can see that this is not ranking extremely high in the skill department, but nonetheless, is wonderful guitar work and song writing skills.
The drumming is much like the guitar, very percise and ever changing. The drum work does a great job of not just playing along to the music, but to actually playing the drums as an instrument. The fills are constantl and very pleasing to listen to. The drummer does a great job of using the whole drum set and not just sticking to the snare, bass and high hat's, which in my eyes is a huge plus to this album.
Also of sheer greatness are the vocals and lyrics. The vocals do not have a wide range of tone, but still does a great job and is able to keep me interested. The vocals are more of a shout and not so much a growl or scream. It is between the two and is absolutely perfect with the music. Lyrically, DH writes really good lyrics, almost poetic. Many sections on the CD are perfect to chant along with which is another bonus.
The bass work on the album is what kept me from giving out a 5. Although the bass work is good, it seems as though it just follows the guitar's line and does not really stand out. There is very few sections, if any that contain bass as the focal instrument. Although this does not make the song writing worse, it would be a lot more interesting if they could in corporate more bass sections in their future efforts.
Overall, this album still amazes me today and I have owned it since it has came out. I'm not going to do my review like other's and say "...... is the best song," because they all offer something and every person will most likely have their own personal favourite. This album is an essential hardcore/metalcore album for any fan of such music and as clicheic as that may sound, I honestly believe that almost all fans of said music will enjoy this band and more specifically this album.
q
| other reviews of this album |
shredAway (3.5)
On the surface, Hidden Hands of A Sadist Nation is brutal and daunting; however, underneath the slit...
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Nice review, but seriously you kids need to wake up. Every new, cool, "creative" metal band (save for a few - Between the Buried and Me, The Red chord, Converge among them) are just horrid rip offs of older, better metal bands. Who did darkest hour rip off? The most influential melo-death band of all time, At the Gates. Everyone here who listens to darkest hour, download Slaughter of the Soul (song not the album) and compare it to Darkest Hour's "The Hollow"... Now do the same for ATG's "Into the Dead Sky" and Darkest Hour's "On Broken Wings"... For christs sake darkest hour even ripped off ATG's drum effects. It's not only Darkest Hour either, the list goes on and on of what are referred to in the Death Metal world as "At the Gates clones".
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Im not a huge fan of this genre but Ive heard alot about these guys cuz they a are from Washington DC like me. Then, I saw them live. They are insane!!! Great live band. Kinda repetitive though.
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Undoing Ruin is so much better. I couldnt agree more with mordecai but still, it sounds good
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what? thats coming from someone with a between the buried and me song for a username, tho i do have to somewhat i agree with what you said.
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I like "Oklahoma." The singer is amazing.
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this album is amazin and you cant compare them to at the gates cause if u compare this band to at the gates you have to compare all the metal bands today(btw btbam and the red chord and bands such as them are tech metal or grindcore) you can compare at the gates riffs more to the black dahlia murder , darkest hour has more of the gothenburg chord progressions
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umm... at the gates clones? not quite, just gothenburg influenced id say. these guys have a more hardcore feel wheras ATG were pretty much straight up death metal gone thrash with melody thrown in, at least on the later stuff.
| | | Album Rating: 4.5
I quite like 'Darkest Hour'. I have 'Undoing Ruin' but this is quite a hard album to find. And I agree with 'canadapantsman'...in no way do they clone 'At The Gates'. 'The Black Dahlia Murder' are a better example of a band that took major influence from ATG - but they are also awesome.This Message Edited On 02.14.06
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Did it ever occur to you (Mordecai) that maybe, the "kids" who like Darkest Hour and all the new "metalcore" bands might like At The Gates as well? I for one do, and i like these newer bands because they have evolved on the At The Gates sound, not everything new sounds like At the Gates anyway.
| | | Album Rating: 4.0
i agree with showdown. i like at the gates as well
| | | Album Rating: 4.5
I hope what Priestmetal said about these guys being a great live act is an opinion I share in the future - might be going to see these guys soon.
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[quote=Mordecai]Nice review, but seriously you kids need to wake up. Every new, cool, "creative" metal band (save for a few - Between the Buried and Me, The Red chord, Converge among them) are just horrid rip offs of older, better metal bands. Who did darkest hour rip off? The most influential melo-death band of all time, At the Gates. Everyone here who listens to darkest hour, download Slaughter of the Soul (song not the album) and compare it to Darkest Hour's "The Hollow"... Now do the same for ATG's "Into the Dead Sky" and Darkest Hour's "On Broken Wings"... For christs sake darkest hour even ripped off ATG's drum effects. It's not only Darkest Hour either, the list goes on and on of what are referred to in the Death Metal world as "At the Gates clones".[/quote]
It's a good thing that Darkest Hour formed in 1995 and has been playing the same style since their first EP The Misanthrope in 1996.
They were really similar to At The Gates before Undoing Ruin came out, but if you look at it, ATG only had Slaughter of the Soul in this style, whilest almost all of DH's albums are this style.
It's like saying In Flames ripped off Dark Tranquillity because The Jester Race and Skydancer are both folk influenced Gothenburg metal albums.This Message Edited On 04.15.06
*****
In my opinion the album is great, an the similarities to other Gothenburg bands can easily be explained by the collaborations with members of At The Gates, Soilwork, etc.This Message Edited On 04.15.06
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i'm a massive fan of darkest hour. i'm not goiing to disagree with any of the above because everyone's made valid points. the only thing i wish to say is this: this is a fine, rounded, and brutal metal-core album. a good benchmark for any new band starting out in a similar style. 4/5
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hey to the guy with the BTBAM song for his user name the song "Slaughter of the Soul" by ATG sounds nothing like DH's "The Hollow" but ya know what im sick of everyone saying OH THAT BAND RIPPED OFF AT THE GATES! sheesh ATG made ONE MELODIC DEATH ALBUM sheesh everyone acts like because a band sounds similair there ripping off ATG its called BEING INFLUENCED but its funny everyone complains about melodic death metal bands but you never hear anyone complain about straight out death metal bands copying each other?!
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im with chickenfish, damn , rip off as much as you want they still have talent
| | | Album Rating: 3.5
The vocals don't stand out a lot as he stated in the review, but i saw these guys live and i honestly loved what i heard... the drummer is fucking insane also, and that is always a plus for me. good review, cool album.
| | | Album Rating: 2.5
chickenfish and pinelake26.....u guy say rip off as much as you want?....they still have talent?
Sure Darkest Hour are a nice band....but wtf are u guys on about??
| | | Album Rating: 4.5
I'm looking forward to their upcoming release.
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Oh yeah...what is called again? It's the cover with a girl on it right?
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Phch nevermind, i just saw it. Deliver Us.
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