Darkest Hour
The Prophecy, Fulfilled (Art Monk Construction)
by Scott Hefflon
For some unexplainable reason, I think Darkest Hour are really cool. I mean, they’re silly, silly people who take themselves way too fuckin’ seriously, but there’s something here that’s just right on. Their bio is such metaphysical horseshit that I got no pertinent info out of it other than the band’s from the D.C. area, and while their lyrics are better left unread, there’s a melodic rock current beneath all the minor chords and howling. And when the band launches from some age-old slow mosh part into a thumpa-thumpa-thumpa part I’m sure they think is bad-ass, I have to grin and think, for very different reasons, these guys fuckin’ rule! Of the six songs presented, “Broken Wings” is a repetitive acoustic progression that’s probably supposed to impress us with the band’s breadth, and the last song, “Coda XIII,” is a windswept-castle-on-the-hill keyboard song that’s just so darn cute you can’t help but like these guys. Think the ending of Faith No More’s “Epic,” but with more wind. Very scary, fellas.
(PO Box 6332 Falls Church, VA 22040)