Balance is a very important component in music, its easy whatever the genre, to create over complicated songs that are lacking and overall have no impact. Having been in the game now for just shy of 20 years Darkest Hour are by no means a new band, releasing their new record under the self titled monicker is a bold move itself. Writing a self titled album this late in the game often means either the band has become stale with ideas or is a rebirth, luckily this is the latter. With 2011’s very underwhelming The Human Romance we were shown a side of Darkest Hour that was boring slow and well nothing that the boys deserved.
From the word go in “Wasteland” the feedback seeps into our ears and we’re met with a different sounding Darkest Hour than were used to, with a slow thundering riff instead of scarily quick melodic death metal they’re reknown for. Originally I was very sceptical about the album, surely like the thousands of other metal heads, thinking they had sold out to become radio friendly. But with more and more listens the new breed of Darkest Hour, this finer tuned band seems to be one of the best incarnations there has been. Front man John Henry, whilst still retaining his inimitable snarl has a much more prominent part in the record, not only screaming but also for the first time singing. It makes for a fantastic contrast between both his vocal patterns and the instruments, not to mention that the hooks that come off of “The Misery We Make” and “By The Starlight” are monumental.
Simultaneously being the most melodic they have been, since possibly even Deliver Us, but also being just as heavy as they have been in the past. “Rapture In Exile” ensures that Darkest Hour although are growing up haven’t left what everyone fell in love with them about behind. Having 15 tracks on an album is a lot of material, often easy to blur the line in what is filler and stand out tracks. However this doesn’t happen here, with each song almost like a vignette showcasing some of the best song writing in metalcore in years. Some are definitely more radio friendly, but that does not in any way mean that it makes them band, the fist pumping anthem that is “Futurist” is sure to get some metal heads grumbling but its executed with class and surely will sate the shred metallers appetite with the excellent solo.
Throughout the album we’re shown different elements of Darkest Hour that have always been there but some times not so well executed, the hark back to Undoing Ruin era with “The Goddess Figure” with Henry’s absolutely infectious voice, whilst containing bite in the verse, the hooks soothe in the chorus. Signing with Sumerian was a bold move for the band, more often than not a lot of the bands that do sign with them are very radio friendly and are predominantly that horrible term, Djent. With their signing to Sumerian it seems it was the best thing the band has done, unleashing Darkest Hour showcases their full potential as musicians, as song writers but most importantly as a band. Whilst simultaneously becoming an almost altogether different band, there’s still that fantastic nostalgia. Having not only written one the years best comeback albums, but hands down the best album in metalcore this year. This is the new age of Darkest Hour.
