Darkest Hour: new album release date announced
Darkest Hour, the Washington D.C. powerhouse metal quintet, will release its fifth full-length record, "The Eternal Return", on June 23 via Victory Records. The CD was produced by Brian McTernan (Senses Fail, Thrice, From Autumn To Ashes) at his Baltimore, Maryland studio, Salad Days. Commented guitarist Mike Schleibaum: "To put it simply, this is a metal record made by dudes who have dedicated half of our lives to aggressive, unrelenting music."
He added: "I am very proud of the hard work and passion that both the band and producer Brian McTernan poured into this. After 14 years, we've decided there's no reason to put out Darkest Hour records other then for ourselves and for the people that love this band. This record has no hidden agenda, no pop hit, or stylistic departure to broaden the fan base. Rather, it is a sick thrash, speed, melodic, metal record! It feels like it has all the aggression and speed of our 'Hidden Hands?' [2003] record, the melody and songwriting of 'Undoing Ruin' [2005], and the technicality and musicianship of 'Deliver Us' [2007]. We encourage anyone who has loved our records in the past or present to check it out. And if you've never found something that's connected with you in a Darkest Hour record before, then take some time to listen to this one, because this is a defining Darkest Hour record. We look forward to playing new songs on our upcoming European tour with Bleeding Through and on this year's Summer Slaughter Tour!"
Prior to the CD's release, Darkest Hour will head over to Europe as part of the Thrash and Burn Tour on a co-headlining stint with Bleeding Through, with support from Beneath The Massacre, Carnifex and more. Once the band returns to the U.S., they will head out in support of Necrophagist and Suffocation on the Summer Slaughter Tour.
HardTimes.ca conducted an interview with Darkest Hour guitarist Mike Schleibaum and drummer Ryan Parrish on February 8, 2009 when the band made a stop in Montreal, Quebec during its Canadian tour with Born Of Osiris. Watch the 15-minute chat below.
Darkest Hour has entered Baltimore, Maryland's Salad Days Studio with producer Brian McTernan to begin recording the band's new album, "The Eternal Return", for a summer release via Victory Records.
Things have come full circle for the group, which recorded its 2000 seminal debut "Mark Of The Judas" with McTernan.
Darkest Hour last year parted ways with guitarist Kris Norris and replaced him with Houston's Mike "Lonestar" Carrigan, who filled in for Kris during the Thrash and Burn tour.
Darkest Hour's latest album, "Deliver Us", was released in July 2007 via Victory Records. The follow-up to 2005's "Undoing Ruin" was recorded at the Warehouse in Vancouver, Canada.