One unfortunate side effect of any band with a new sound breaking through to a wider fan base is that before long, without fail, the suits at the record labels start signing any sound-alike artist that the cat drags in to capitalize on their success. While this is just supply and demand, it also is one of the reason there are very few real, honest to God artists anymore. Nothing chaps my hide worse than hearing some new, no-name band mangle a style they lack the chops and/or musical understanding to play convincingly. Fortunately that is not something we have to worry about with Darkest Hour.
For the uninitiated, Darkest Hour helped pioneer what we now know as metalcore (which is a melding of 80's thrash and hardcore) back in the early 90's and they can truly be considered masters of the genre. After hearing so much diluted pop hardcore metal bands lately (you know who you are, you lame-o's!) it is refreshing to see that there is still life out there.
Undoing Ruin is the long awaited 4th album from Darkest Hour and it was produced by the most-talented Devin Townsend of Strapping Young Lad fame. The result is one of the tightest recordings of this style, period. I mean, this album is as smooth and precise as a Swiss timepiece, with nary a note out of place. The drums are pounding and relentless; the guitars intricately wail with their sonic fury; the bass lines snake between them forming a musical landscape as solid as bedrock, and over top of this formidable foundation the vocals growl and spit their venom like a king cobra.
Surprisingly, there are a few softer moments here too, such as the acoustic track "Pathos", but by and large this music is in your face demanding your undivided attention. This is how metalcore should be done, kids. This is the good stuff! Posers take heed, you have been given notice: Darkest Hour is back and roaring out of the gate, and they will surely leave a trail of pretenders in their wake.
Standout tracks: Convalescence, Paradise, Low
Darkest Hour - Undoing Ruin Review
