June 26th, 2009 
James Shotwell 
Artist: Darkest Hour
Album: The Eternal Return
Genre: Hardcore
Label: Victory
In recent years, Victory has slowly been losing bands they made huge and it’s taken a bit of a toll on how people view the label. I won’t lie, I’ve always been a supporter of the music [not the business] of Victory, but I too have noticed a slight slump in the caliber of music that’s been signed and released as of late, but luckily the label still has a few gems in their pocket. One of these gems being Darkest Hour, who, just released The Eternal Return this week which, to be it simply, slays.
Now, before I dig into this record, let me just state that I’ve never been a fan of Darkest Hour. Their style of metal meets hardcore has never really grabbed me, but I’m aware that I am in the minority when it comes to this thought. However, before “Devolution of Flesh,” the first track, end, I was completely into this album. It takes a lot to grab my attention, especially if I was never fond of your music before, but Darkest Hour did it with flying colors. The music is taken to a new, yet familiar level for the group. Yes, the riffs are huge, but I feel the overall composition has moved forward from the constant 1-2 drumming the band has been using for years.
Digging deeper into this release, “The Tides,” aka, track 3, quickly became my favorite track on the album. It’s a pummeling number that finds vocalist John Henry pushing his voice deeper and sounding fuller than ever before. Also, the guitar work on this track has hints at classic metal, but the finger work about halfway through really meshes current and classic metal trends perfectly. This also flows flawlessly into the equally stunning and long made public, “No God.” Lyrically, this track takes the cake for the record with its intensity and thought provoking speech.
I think at this point, it almost goes without saying that I tremendously feel I’ve underestimated Darkest Hour in the past. I found myself second guessing previous assumptions just over halfway through the record, but then I found a few tracks that reminded me of my previous distaste. I’m all for keeping the original sound of the group, but the constant verses of quick tempo drumming over quick guitar work does get old. “Death Worship, “Bitter,” “A Distorted Utopia,” and “Black Sun” all fall victim to this overly redundant sound that’s even more annoying given the point at which the band stands in the career. This isn’t some band finding thier footing, but young metal/hardcore legends who obviously don’t want to disappoint old fans, but could and have done much better than these simple structures. Sure, some of the guitar and vocal work on these tracks stands out, but nothing gets anywhere near the credit it probably should due to the constant barrage of the same drum work over and over again.
I would like to make note that “Into the Grey,” the closing track, is one for the band’s best of compilation. It begins with the swirling of epic sounds and then builds into a pulverizing track that is simply relentless in its delivery. Seriously, this is the one to check out if you’re unsure of the release. Trust me.
Having never been fond of Darkest Hour, I can say that this record truly opened my eyes [and ears] to their sound in the best possible way. Throughout The Eternal Return the band is continuously evolving and pushing their sound into a very energetic and at times epic sound that I feel this scene truly needs. Though I count it as a bad thing, there are tracks to keep the old school fans satisfied, but they are in small amount. If you have any passion for the heavy world of rock and roll, this is a record you must pick up.
Score: 8/10
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I really dug this CD, too! And yes, one of the gems that Victory still has.