- For other uses of the words "darkest hour" see Darkest hour (disambiguation)
| Darkest Hour | |
|---|---|
| Origin |  Washington, D.C. |
| Genre(s) | Metalcore Melodic death metal (debated) Hardcore (early) |
| Years active | 1995–present |
| Label(s) | Victory Records |
| Website | darkesthour.cc |
| Members | |
| John Henry — vocals Kris Norris — lead guitar Mike Schleibaum — rhythm guitar Paul Burnette — bass Ryan Parrish — drums |
|
Darkest Hour is an American heavy metal band. Their 2007 album, Deliver Us debuted at number 110 on the Billboard album charts, with sales of 6,600.[1]
History
Darkest Hour formed in 1995[2] and initially consisted of vocalist John Henry, guitarist Michael Schleibaum, bassist Raul Mayorga and drummer Matt Maben.
The band released its first EP titled The Misanthrope in 1996 on a local label called Death Truck Records. In 1999, Darkest Hour released another EP titled The Prophecy Fulfilled on another label called Art Monk Construction. The addition of second guitarist Fred Ziomek, bassist Billups Allen and drummer Ryan Parrish saw the band release their first full-length LP The Mark of the Judas in 2000, on the now-defunct M.I.A. Records. Due to the shift from regular hardcore to melodic metalcore, the band ignores their first two releases and refers to The Mark of the Judas as their first record.[citation needed]
The Mark of the Judas was not widely promoted or distributed due to M.I.A. Records going out of business not long after the album's release.
Despite the fact Darkest Hour were left without a label, the band garnered enough exposure to catch the attention of Victory Records. Their Victory debut So Sedated, So Secure was released on August 7, 2001. After the release of the album, Billups was replaced by Paul Burnette and Ziomek left the band. The album was re-issued by Victory on March 7, 2006, and featured new artwork, re-mixed audio, re-recorded vocals and additional tracks.
The band continued to tour with Schleibaum's longtime friend Mike Garrity, filling in on lead guitar duties. Eventually, they accepted Parrish's old friend, Kris Norris as the new lead guitarist, and then began to write their next record.
While Garrity was the guitarist, the band was arrested and jailed in Roland, Oklahoma for alleged marijuana charges, also for "illegally imported" beer and for an open beer can. They were fined for $6000; Schleibaum was able to pay for himself, Burnette, and Garrity. Ryan and John had to stay for a couple of hours while the rest of the band had to get money to bail them out.[3]
Their second release Hidden Hands of a Sadist Nation was released on May 20, 2003. Produced by well-renowned Swedish record producer Fredrik Nordström, the album signaled a shift from the band's previous melodic metalcore style to a more melodic death metal style. As a result, the album gained strong mainstream attention, to the point where they were asked to participate at Ozzfest 2004. Notably, the album contained political lyrics, with several songs criticizing American militarism post-September 11. The album was re-issued by Victory on July 13, 2004, with a bonus song and an additional DVD containing bonus material.
Darkest Hour released their fourth full-length LP Undoing Ruin on June 28, 2005. The album was produced by Devin Townsend (Strapping Young Lad) at Greenhouse Studios in Vancouver. The album was the band's first to enter the Billboard 200 charts, debuting at #138 with first week sales of 8,484.[4]
In early 2007, the band was in Vancouver to work on their next record with Townsend. On March 7, 2007, Victory Records issued a press statement confirming the title of the album was Deliver Us; it was released on July 10.[5]
The band recently played in the 2007 Sounds of the Underground tour alongside GWAR, Shadows Fall, Chimaira, Every Time I Die, Job for a Cowboy, Goatwhore, The Devil Wears Prada, The Number Twelve Looks Like You, This Is Hell, Amon Amarth, The Acacia Strain, and Necro.
Now, they will be taking part in a European tour with As I Lay Dying and will return to the U.S. to participate in Unearth's headlining tour.
Members
- John Henry — Vocals (1995–present), Guitar (Only on live performances of Veritas, Aequitas)
- Kris Norris — Lead Guitar (2001–present)
- Mike Schleibaum — Rhythm Guitar (1995–present)
- Paul Burnette — Bass (2001–present)
- Ryan Parrish — Drums (1999–present)
Former
| Name | Instrument | Period | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Matt Maben | Drums | 1995–1999 | Featured on The Misanthrope and The Prophecy Fulfilled. |
| Raul Mayorga | Bass | 1995–1999 | Featured on The Misanthrope and The Prophecy Fulfilled. |
| Billups Allen | Bass | 1999–2001 | Featured on the untitled split 7", The Mark of the Judas and So Sedated, So Secure. |
| Fred Ziomek | Guitar | 1999–2001 | Featured on the untitled split 7", The Mark of the Judas, So Sedated, So Secure and Where Heroes Go to Die. |
| Mike Garrity | Guitar | 2002 | Did not appear on any recordings, as he was a temporary replacement between Fred Ziomek and Kris Norris. |
| Tom Lythgne | Guitar | 1995 | Played very briefly with the band before the initial lineup was set. |
| Kevin Lamiel | Bass | 1995 | Also played very briefly with the band. |
Discography
Major releases
| Date of Release | Title | Label | Billboard Peak | Notes |
| July 19, 2000 | The Mark of the Judas | M.I.A Records | - | Debut album, out-of-print. |
| August 27, 2001 | So Sedated, So Secure | Victory Records | - | Album re-issued March 7, 2006 |
| May 20, 2003 | Hidden Hands of a Sadist Nation | Victory Records | - | Album re-issued July 13, 2004 |
| June 28, 2005 | Undoing Ruin | Victory Records | #138 | - |
| October 3, 2006 | Archives | A-F Records | - | Re-issue of the band's first two EPs |
| July 10, 2007 | Deliver Us | Victory Records | #110 | - |
EPs
- The Misanthrope (1996), Death Truck Records
- The Prophecy Fulfilled (1999), Art Monk Construction Records
Splits
- A Split Seven Inch (1999) Split with Groundzero, East Coast Empire Records
- Where Heroes Go to Die (2001) Split with Dawncore, Join the Team Player Records
- Split Seven Inch (2004) Split with Set My Path, April 78 Records
Other
- Party Scars And Prison Bars: A Thrashography (DVD, 2005)
- Untitled DVD sequel (DVD, TBA)
Trivia
- Darkest Hour's "Marching To The Killing Rhythm" off Hidden Hands of a Sadist Nation is featured on the movie The Big Bounce starring Owen Wilson. The song is played in the movie for a total of seven seconds.
References
- ^ Blabbermouth.net, "Smashing Pumpkins, Darkest Hour, Danzig, Beatallica First-Week Sales Revealed", Posted July 18, 2007.
- ^ Kingtuts.co.uk "Darkest Hour biography", Posted December 10, 2006.
- ^ Party Scars & Prison Bars: A Thrashography
- ^ Blabbermouth.net, "SOUNDSCAN REPORT: CKY, MEGADETH, DEVILDRIVER, DARKEST HOUR, THROWDOWN", Posted July 6, 2005.
- ^ Blabbermouth.net, "DARKEST HOUR: New Album Title, Release Date Announced", Posted March 7, 2007.
External links
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