Review by Dominik on April 3, 2025.

What? The 612th review of Dark Angel's “Darkness Descends”? You've got to be kidding, right? Yet, here we are, staring down on the ultimate gem of thrash once again. And yes, while this may be one of the 612 perspectives you can find on this album, consider it less for you, dear reader, and more as my personal catharsis. This is the review I’ve always wanted but feared to write—not because I’m a coward, me, belonging to the fearless Germanic race and live in the territory of the ancient “Germania”, a part of Germany that had never been occupied by the Roman Empire. But I’m looking at a monument so brutal it could crack the foundation of your soul. You could be the bravest of the brave, hailing from a land the Romans themselves couldn't conquer, but “Darkness Descends”? Well, that’s a beast even the fiercest legions wouldn't have messed with.

Let me be blunt: some albums demand more from you than a mere description of the musical content. They strip you bare, claim your soul, and toss you into the abyss of your inner self to see if you can claw your way out. MA's greatest and most undisputed diplomat and metal lord (retired), Ultraboris, understood this. In his classic, utterly over-the-top review which truly blew my socks off, he tackled this album with words so aggressive they nearly ripped through the screen—an outburst of unfiltered, yet completely authentic emotion, that hit you like Doty's spitfire vocals. He nailed the core of what makes “Darkness Descends” not just another thrash record, but a testament to early thrash metal's untouchable supremacy. Now, here I am, daring to add my voice.

So, let’s take a moment to teleport back to 1986, a year that deserves to be carved into the collective memory of every metalhead. Slayer’s “Reign in Blood”, Nuclear Assault’s “Game Over”, Abattoir, Crumbsuckers, Ludichrist, and this—Dark Angel’s untamed beast. If you think that everything ends at the countless riffs, let me remind you of what 1986 was outside the walls of thrash: Chernobyl melting down, the Cold War cooling off but still ready to reignite, and me, personally, hurtling toward adulthood at breakneck speed. When I put “Darkness Descends” on the turntable today, it’s not just thrash I’m hearing—it’s a time machine revving up, evoking very strong emotional associations, and flinging me back to a moment in time that shaped the chaos of my existence.

But enough of my nostalgic, misty-eyed ramblings—what is it about “Darkness Descends” that makes it one of the greatest thrash records to ever rip through human eardrums? Allow me to share four out of many more highlights that cement this album’s legendary status.

First, we’ve got Don Doty. He may not have Paul Baloff’s wild-eyed street madness or Tom Araya’s unholy sneer, but Doty’s vocal delivery is nothing short of deranged perfection. He spits out lyrics so fast it feels like he’s running the track at 78 RPM when the rest of the band is stuck at 33. It’s like he believes if he crams enough insanity into every syllable, he’ll earn that "Merciless Death" at the end of the tunnel. And speaking of which...

Number two: “Merciless Death”. When I heard back then that Dark Angel was revisiting their standout track from their debut “We Have Arrived”, I was filled with dread. What kind of band regurgitates old material unless they’ve run out of gas and ideas? Turns out, I had nothing to fear. This reworked version of “Merciless Death” annihilates the original. It’s faster, tighter, and more ferocious—a rare case where the sequel obliterates the classic.

Then, there’s highlight number three: Gene Hoglan’s “insane” lyricism (disclaimer: this is me talking as a non-native speaker). His lyrical concoctions are sometimes like riddles wrapped in enigmas, and back in 1986, staring at those lyric sheets left me flabbergasted. What kind of metal sorcery was this? And on top trying to keep up with Doty’s machine-gun delivery was like trying to read Brother Grimm's “Hansel and Gretel” at warp speed.

Finally, we arrive at “Perish in Flames”. This track isn’t just the final climax of the album; it’s a sonic assault that feels like the skin of your face is melting off. The sheer power behind that drum fill still knocks the wind out of me (I am sure you know what I am talking about). And name me one other refrain that makes you feel like you're being scorched alive? I’ll wait. Hoglan’s drumming is practically a natural disaster—a force beyond comprehension, pulling you under like molten lava.

So, I wrote my piece, but did I add anything new to the conversation? Probably not. But if nothing else, I’ve scratched this thrash-metal itch that’s gnawed at me for decades. I won’t even bother trying to settle the endless “Reign in Blood” vs. “Darkness Descends” debate. Sure, “Angel of Death” has one of the most iconic opening riffs of all time, and yes, “The Burning of Sodom” could shove any Slayer track out of the way with its speed. But honestly, who cares? The thrash gods smiled upon us from 1985 to 1987, and we should all be grateful we got to bask in their furious glow.

Rating – you're looking for a rating? You moron, there's only one response: “Death Is Certain ((your) Life Is Not)”!

Rating: 10 out of 10

Review by Felix on March 30, 2025.

Dear friends, this is exactly the right album for those of you who want to be crushed by a heavyweight load that falls from a lofty height right on your head. Oh, great, I hear some of you say, this is precisely the way they want to die. I know. But we do not want to rush in this matter. For the time being, let's have a party with some outstanding thrash metal records. "Darkness Descends" is a real classic, a monolithic album whose only dubious detail is the crude colour combination of its artwork. Yet who needs his eyes in order to listen to good music?

"Darkness Descends" contains a number called "Merciless Death" and I cannot deny that this title hits the bull's eye. The guitar players shred their instruments without taking any losses into consideration, the epitome of the aforementioned heavyweight load, the mighty Sir Gene (or Lord Hoglan) behind the boilers and pots, tortures his drumheads and the overall sound scores with roughshod pressure. The term "Death" might be misleading, because Dark Angel plays pure thrash without integrating any elements of Chuck Schuldiner's invention. (R.I.P., master of gore and leprosy.) But I am sure you know what I mean when I say that "Merciless Death" characterises the entire work aptly. The band members plunder and pillage while being on a cataclysmic mission against all that is holy. "The Burning of Sodom" makes it abundantly clear. The word "bloodlust" is written in big letters all over it. Hoglan and his henchmen seem to be possessed by the will to terrorize their surroundings in the most brutal way. Consequently, they deliver a thrash metal express that knows no speed limit and no station. It's just a short, compressed outburst of lethal energy and velocity with sawing riffs, howling solo guitars and a somersaulting chorus.

By the way, "The Burning of Sodom" is the perfect prolongation of the opening title track, because of the brutal introduction with its catchy yet furious Sodom-and-Gomorrha chorus: "The city is guilty, the crime is life, the sentence is death, darkness descends". With regard to its slowly growing first sequence, the configuration of this biblical damnation seems to be copied from "Hell Awaits", but don't jump to conclusions. "We Have Arrived", the debut of the here-reviewed murderous horde, also began with a similar intro and Slayer's second work and Dark Angel's first album were published at the same time. Hence there is something of a chicken-and-egg situation here. Be that as it may, a mid-tempo part introduces the here-reviewed album and the second part of the opener delivers high-speed devastation. The restless hastiness of the band is impressive and the intensity of the tune is amplified by the dense, aggressive and robust production. Yet the greatest advantage of the mix is its timelessness. "Darkness Descends" can still go up against 99% of the modern thrash works. I wish I would know the sound engineer's recipe for eternal youth in order to use it for my own sake. Gene, send me a confidential message!

"Welcome to the Slaughterhouse" was a track of Dark Angel's debut. A good song, no doubt at all, but the true slaughterhouse experience is delivered by "Darkness Descends". It is amazing to see that lead vocalist Don Doty keeps his self-control in view of the high-speed sections that dominate the album. Only the monumental "Black Prophecies" marches to a different drummer, because mid-tempo parts shape the song about the crazy nutcase Nostradamus. What do I do wrong that my hallucinations do not attract the attention of countless generations? I have a lot to offer in terms of nonsense! However, these eight minutes are like a wildfire that burns everything to the ground, slowly but steadily. Nevertheless, rapid eruptions like "Hunger of the Undead" represent the typical pieces of "Darkness Descends" and therefore nobody will be surprised that the highly intense and fast "Perish in Flames" closes the cycle. The album clocks in at 35 minutes and everybody needs to take a deep breath after this celebration of annihilation. As soon as the blood flow in the brain restarts, one thing is clear: Dark Angel's second long-player is entitled to claim a prominent place in the encyclopaedia of classic thrash albums. The semi-legendary "Speed Kills" compilation honoured Dark Angel with the words "Slayer's closest rivals" - and back in 1987, this was definitely a compliment. Nonetheless, dear friends, "Darkness Descends" marks an exception. Stay away from any other kind of heavyweight loads in any case.

Rating: 9.3 out of 10