Reviews

Darkest Hour is one of the most consistent bands out there. Every time I hear about an upcoming release from them, I know I can count on it at least being solid, if not stellar. For me, DH is right up there with Mastodon and Isis when it comes to ranking the best American metal bands. For their last album, the rightfully hyped and well-received Undoing Ruin, the boys stepped confidently into the realms of melodic thrash masters and held their own, thanks in no small part to a perfect pairing with production wizard and all-around madman, Devin Townsend. Townsend brought new elements to the DH repertoire, including the use of keyboards and a perfectly balanced sound that highlighted the strongest portions of the band - the inhuman guitar playing of Kris Norris, the signature screams and lyrics of vocalist John Henry, and the pummeling drums of Ryan Parrish. Well, DH is back with Deliver Us, and while it does not match the heights reached on its predecessor - which was a perfect melodic, metal album - it does continue to bring the beauty and the destruction that we’ve come to expect from these Virginia boys.
 
With Townsend once again steering the ship, Darkest Hour revisit a lot of their thrash past on Deliver Us. Don’t let the single, “Demon(s),” fool you; this recording is faster, heavier, and even more jam-packed with solos than Undoing Ruin. The album begins with what has now become a mainstay through a lot of DH records, the melodic tones of an acoustic guitar. Though, in the past, the acoustic guitar has been used to break up the album, while here, it’s used as a gateway into a thrash metal fan’s wet dream. One thing to note about Deliver Us is the message in the insert which states that “no keyboards were used in this recording.” I’m a bit disappointed in that. Keys were one of the things that Townsend got the guys to utilize on the last record and it worked wonders on some of their songs. Just listen to “Sound the Surrender” and tell me I’m wrong. Without the keys, though, guitarists Norris and Mike Schleibaum are forced to think a bit more outside the box when it comes to their guitar tones. While the album is incredibly crunchy and riff heavy, the use of reverb, occasional clean tones, and other production flares attempt to replace the now removed keyboards. I like the idea, but I think it falls a bit short in execution; there are certainly some songs on Deliver Us which could have benefited from an extra layer, especially in the choruses.
 
Of course, DH would not be DH without the howls of Henry. He’s in fine form again here and has even attempted to expand his vocal array by utilizing more of the throaty singing that popped up in short bursts on Undoing Ruin. I will say that I like Henry’s singing voice. He doesn’t try too much and keeps it simple, which comes off as passionate and honest. He might fall on it a bit too much, but when it really clicks in, as it does on the chorus to “Demon(s),” his new approach lends an extra dimension to the song. Lyrically, the album is what we’ve come to expect; songs about politics, songs about inner struggle, etc. I really think Henry will always find it difficult to top his lyrical masterpiece, Hidden Hands of a Sadist Nation, which spoke in brutal truth about the state of America and it’s slow decline. I won’t say that his lyrics have fallen off, they’re just not as memorable as those on Hidden Hands… were, though Henry does deliver an amazing performance on “Stand and Receive Your Judgement,” one of the heaviest and angriest sounding songs I’ve ever heard DH churn out.
 
Deliver Us is another great metal record from Darkest Hour. It’s straight ahead and suffers none of the pretension that other metal acts can stumble into (while I love you, I am looking your way, Mastodon). I really only have two small complaints; the removal of the keyboards and the pacing. Undoing Ruin was brilliant because it flowed perfectly, with two acoustic passages buried in the heart of the album which allowed the listener to catch his or her breath. On Deliver Us, only track six, “A Light at the Edge of the World,” offers some respite from the onslaught. But this track is more of an atmospheric one, ala “Aries” from Unearth’s The Oncoming Storm, though DH’s attempt is not nearly as effective. While Deliver Us does not reach the sublime heights achieved on Undoing Ruin, it’s still one of the best releases of the year so far and another fine addition to the Darkest Hour catalogue.