Review Summary: Took the year 2007 and spun it around- 10 years after their first release...
Darkest Hour is during
“Deliver Us”:
John Henry — vocals
Kris Norris — lead guitar
Mike Schleibaum — rhythm guitar
Paul Burnette — bass
Ryan Parrish — drums
The album was produced, mixed and engineered by Devin Townsend.
Date Of Release: July 10, 2007
Label As Produced: Victory Records
With a Thousand Words to Say But One
When one speaks about Darkest Hour, automatically to mind will come the fusing of genres that this band incorporates. If you’ve been around the forums or lived for the past few months it’s pretty apparent that Darkest Hour is splashing big waves amongst fans of different genres. Where other bands that swam in the pond of “mediocre-core” that made a joke of the sub-genre, Darkest Hour was one of the handful that really had something to offer. You’d expect such a high standard from a band that recorded it’s first album back in ‘96. Back in 1996 I was still in diapers at age 7 and the whole Gothenberg craze was sweeping over America. When you listen to the older Darkest Hour albums you get the crazy giddy up galloping guitars, the unique drum fills and John Henry’s brash out vocals.
Everyone fears that dreaded word in music, “maturity” and yes- Darkest Hour has entered a different phase in it’s career. They took a big step forward with "Undoing Ruin", retaining much of the AT THE GATES-style but would “Deliver Us” be a worthy follow up?
Deliver Us
“Doomsayer” kicks the album off in a light headed acoustic ballad intro that turns into a thick dissonance of guitars. After the technical acoustic work that both guitarists feed off each other the song turns into a “Sound The Surrender” thrash escapade. The transition is subtle and really kick starts the album with energy and life. From track 1 you can hear all of the production goodies that Devin Townsend provided. Nothing less than stellar.
Powerful and memorable choruses and sexual guitar solo’s already in the first track.“Sanctuary” continues the fast and frantic pace that the previous track grew into. The vocals just come out of the speakers in such a fierce, and in your face tone. By the interlude of this song the double bass slams and John Henry exhibit’s an almost yelled out vocal style that is very redundant in the genre but perfected in a great transition in this song’s case. If the first two songs couldn’t get you moving around or at least a foot tap, then I’m almost certain that there is something wrong with you.
“Demon(s)” is the first single off of “Deliver Us” and with good reason was one of the reasons why I bought this album. The vocals and relentless guitar work during this song has proven to be some of the bands best work ever. The song drives so much emotion into listener and never lets down. The vocal hook in the chorus is subtle and sweet. It feels like if I was at a live show it’s the part that everyone sings and knows. Darkest Hour has created more memorable lyrics and more personal ones at that during this album that we haven’t really heard from. It definitely went in the right direction from “Undoing Ruin” which exhibits much of the same in it’s beginning stages. Once again the lead solo in this song is nothing less than stellar.
If you’ve listened to Kris Norris’s work before this album there is no doubt that he has talent but he’s definitely up’ed the game during this album. “Ethereal Drain” starts off with a prolonged scream and turns into another thrash marathon. The thing about this song that struck me was the time changes between the verses and the pre-choruses which really shows off the maturity of this band and how they grew as musicians. Typically I would of expected the fast thrash pace throughout but they created a catchy aurora of slowing things down during the pre-chorus and chorus which fits in beautifully.
Another solo with sweep picking that would turn heads without a doubt, and confuse a band called Between The Buried and Me…
“A Paradox with Flies” has a weird introduction like no other that made me think of Jimmy Eat World for some reason. The guitar soaked in delay and chorus really seemed out of place for the introduction. The song quickly turns into tremolo winding octave chords and vocals that feel emotionally ringing. It’s hard to describe the vocals but on this song they really felt like it was screamed with pain. As you won’t see many different vocal patterns the rawness of them really captivates the listener to say the least. “The Light at the Edge of The World” is a short song that starts off with a volume swell and feels like a filler track. I could of done without it but the song indeed creates more atmosphere to the album. It only clocks in at 1:44 and if you’re a bass player this might be your only chance of hearing a bass line that doesn’t follow the guitars.
“Stand And Receive Your Judgement” is the song that’s going to hook everyone. It’s the trash metal that everyone loves from these guys and it’s more than less the second song I heard and instantly got hooked on. For people who aren’t looking for more of the melody and atmosphere creating side of Darkest Hour, this is the song that brings me back to “Hidden Hands Of a Sadist Nation”. It’s pretty obvious that this song was brought to just raise hell and kick people in the head. It’s a song that Avenged Sevenfold wishes they could write in their new era.
“Tunguska” without a second, third, or fourth thought is the best song off of the album. This is the song that should have been played during the movie 300- it’s honestly that epic. The construction of this song is just heavy in all aspects of this band. The drums and guitar parts really just take the album to a whole new level. The vocals retain it’s harsh tone and really fits in nicely. The song entwines into an acoustic interlude (this is the sex scene part of the movie) and then this solo comes out of no where. Call me a fan boy or what not but I basically couldn’t even keep it professional to words about this solo. I just came.
Title track “Deliver Us” sets the band off on a good note although they could have had better closure. I expected that the introduction was so strong and the climax made me came that this would be the song that would end the world. It wasn’t though. By the time this song came I felt like they really left the ends unbuttoned and got a little lazy. The riffs seemed like they could have been more diverse by now but still retained it’s strength. I just was waiting for an instrumental acoustic ensemble to really set this album off but instead I got more of the same… which is good… but not great?
Stand AND Receive Your Judgement
Still a devoted, thrashed-out death metal band whose Washington DC hardcore roots run deep. It’s obvious that this band is far from the other bands that really put a poop stain on the metal core label. Instead of the excessive amount of double bass and open palm muted breakdowns, they’ve pointed their headstocks out to the crowd holding them like rifles while shooting off sweeping solo’s and epic songs. As “Deliver Us” was an album that really astonished me it still leaves the door open for better and more which is what I hope for. The guitars, vocals, and drums steal the show but the bass player must have been a machine while recording since most of the lines are barely audible in most songs. I mean I’m a bass player and I just wish that with all of this maturity in the song writing that the bass could of strayed away and experimented more. If you liked previous Darkest Hour releases or are really looking to change your opinion on this “metal core” genre… then this would be a fantastic way to start.
Pros:
+ Vocals/Lyrics
+ Evolution in songs
+ Guitar Solos
Cons:
- Little diversity in vocals
- Bass inaudible
