Customer Reviews

Mark of the Judas

5 star:		(10)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

It is true that all Darkest Hour albums sound similar, but it cannot be denied that all of their albums are flawless. All the riffs, vocals and overall sound structures on this album are excellent, even if they aren't the most original. I'm a huge At the Gates fan, and I must say that what Darkest Hour is doing is simply carrying on the torch. With At the Gates being defunct, a simple metal band like Darkest Hour is what the world of metal and hardcore needs. Darkest Hour absolutely blows away bands like Atreyu, Killswitch Engage, and Bleeding Through, sure those bands may have heavier breakdowns, but the emo parts in some of the songs absolutely ruin it. Darkest Hour is one of the first bands to use swedish death metal riffs in metalcore, and quite frankly they do it the best. Darkest Hour does this style better than all the rest.

Be warned, proceed with caution, and take aspirin accordingly if you're a virgin to the vitriol grail of deafening Death-Metal zeal. Literally roaring with blood flinging in every possible direction, Darkest Hour's "Mark of the Judas" is not intended or to be stomached by those bobbing their heads to the numbers of early vintage Rock. Hosting an in-your-non-threatening-face screamfest, comes an unceasing hemorrhage of parent-forbidding invigoration. Forcefully oversupplying an extraordinary void of brutal, ballistic aura, your muscles will tightened and the atrocious side of humanity sets free -- our demonic angle! Unleashing our authenticated untamed beast, the head-slamming, responsive atmosphere is enmeshed perfectly. As if crawling into a jungle of electrical barb wires, "Mark of The Judas" electrifies the soul. With its heavy-duty distortion, drunken banshee screeching, and echoing double-bass, Darkest Hour has been promoted as among the prominent generals of the Metal army. Fanatics of the burly genre needn't worry about the life support for striking Metal bands such as these. With a pulpit of first-class aggression, other bands should undoubtedly be inclined by the height of the gears Darkest Hour have lashed out. Bravura!

This is Darkest Hour's first full length and the band's best effort. The riffs are emotional and make the songs upbeat as well as thrashy. The drummer, Ryan shines so much on this album, it feels like he played and then passed out after every song. John is also a kick ass vocalist which actually makes the band sound darker. The bass is also good, although the guitars overtake it. These tracks are really "fun", thrashy, and kick ass and it never gets boring. This album is DH's best because the songs are unforgetfull and behold catchy ass hell choruses. Buy this now!!! Keep Shreaddin'.

Even though there are about 4000 miles separating the northeast coast of America and the town of Gothenburg, Sweden, you'd never know it when listening to many of today's new school hardcore bands. New England's Shadows Fall, Boston's Sevenday Curse and Vermont's Non Compos all bear the Swedish scene's trademark up tempo rhythms, punchy, barked vocals and dual melodic guitar harmonies that wouldn't sound out of place on any Iron Maiden record. So it's bands like In Flames, Entombed, Dark Tranquillity and the late, great At the Gates who practically constructed the scene that Virginia's Darkest Hour, who've been kicking around for nearly five years now, wish so dearly to be part of. So much so, in fact, that the quintet's second LP, The Mark of the Judas, could have just as easily been produced at Sunlight Studios with Swedish überproducer Thomas Skogsburg at the helm, though it was actually engineered with Brian McTernan (Cave In, Drowningman) at Salad Days studios in D.C. While their recording venue may give them some hardcore credibility, The Mark of the Judas is 100% metal through and through. Tight, polished, if somewhat samey, apart from the beautiful acoustic interlude of instrumental "Part II," Judas won't break down any creative genre constraints. Although it goes some way in demonstrating that big pants can be just as mighty as the old spiked armlet.

Even though the first of Darkest Hour's albums is early in their development (obviously) it does not leave you wanting anything. Awesome listen, great buy!

Darkest Hour is so metal. The guitar, the drums, vocals, everything about this cd is amazing. They take the best of gothenburg metal, and hardcore and blend it into an amazing album. Get this and you won't be sorry.

Wow! If you like Metal, hardcore, or... dare I say it... Metalcore. You *must* here this album. This is *definitely* a top 5 if not #1 album and artist for me. Every song is a winner. The music is abbrasive and heavy. The two guitarists use a lot of harmonizing. The drummer... is incredible... killer double bass, phenominal fills, and *fast*. The singer screams and makes you wonder why he's still alive and not lying on a floor with blood coming from his throat. What an amazing man. Bass? who cares, it's f'ing metal!! So do yourself a favor and pick up a copy.

Darkest hour sound like a mix between heavily distorted metalcore with a in flames vibe and a sort of converge/zao style singer, it is really awesome, some parts have all these grinding breakdowns and backng vocals ... So buy it .

Along with the other whom have reviewed this cd, I too am a HUGE swedish metal fan and have aquired a taste for the likes of In Flames, Soilwork, At the Gates, etc., so when I heard of a local band compared to the likes of these, I HAD to check em out. Well all I can say is I was overwhelmed! True they're not up to par with the aforementioned groups YET, they're an awesome band who is well on their way to the top. If it weren't for the fact that I rarely give debuts 5 stars, this one would've gotten the 5 star instead of the 4 star rating.
Peace,
MCL

Darkest Hour great. Why? Listen to the CD! It's great! Mix in Swedish-style thrash metal with new school hardcore, and you have the most violent form of music in the world. It's great! Fans of In Flames (think "December Flower") and especially At The Gates should take a liking to this. Some of it is fast and some is mid-paced, and the instrumental isn't bad either.
Some music that might, MIGHT relate in a way, to make shopping easier, could include All Out War, Soilwork, At The Gates, Entombed...