Athenian heavy metal outfit Darklon were initially founded in 2017 and centred around a brand of classic heavy metal which has seen them put out one full length album in 2019 (Rise From Death) and got them enough attention to put them on the bill of some festivals which including sharing the stage with the likes of Angel Witch and Sorcerer. Being described as capturing the style and sound of early Savatage and Jag Panzer, the band also shows hints of NWOBHM flair and even hold their hammers high in respect to Manowar. With ‘The Redeemer’ being the bands second full length release, let’s see what is on offer.
Right off the bat you can tell that Darklon subscribes to the school of classic metal and heavy metal of days gone by. Their music has a very commanding presence which is strong enough to make anyone listening momentarily wish to be clad in armour so they can raise their sword and charge into battle. Raw and gritty vocals which have some melodic qualities bleeding through have a gripping power which help them vividly tell the tales woven into their lyrics. The guitar has a bite to it which has hints of Criss Oliva and Ross The Boss; fierce, pounding but also surprisingly cutting and melodic when needed. The bass packs all the low end rumblings and galloping this kind of music demands and the drums are tight as hell, pounding away with force and keeping it all tied down tight.
The titular titled opening track is an all-out pre-1985 Iron Maiden inspired blitz, ‘Rancor and Agony’ which follows shows more of the intricate compositional tricks the band have to offer with subtle emphasis on the low end in the fill and turnaround riffs whilst packing a punch with its surging pace and relentless rhythm display and ‘I Am Death’ has that catchy Manowar-esque vocal hook in its empowering choruses.
Just off the opening tracks alone, you begin to get a sense of just what Darklon has to offer and why they are getting more attention. The classic atmospheric work on ‘Lamashtu’s Claws’ is very much power metal in all its steel-clad glory. Huge sustained chords and commanding vocals create a lot of space for the bass and drums to do their thing and the pacing of the track is brilliant. ‘Iron Glory’ on the other hand is a gallop-driven surging metal charge where the bass really gets a chance to shine and ‘The Bloodstone’ is a big, groove-laden monster with a huge chorus and stylish lead guitar work which doesn’t suffer from the over-indulgence often associated with more prominent heavy metal lead work.
The same can be said for the penultimate track; ‘The Downfall’ which follows a similar compositional blueprint as its previous track. The closing number ‘Way Back Home’ is a different story. A more indulgent display with catchy vocal hooks, gratuitous lead guitar theatrics and an uncompromising rhythm section helps it draw comparisons with RAGE’s classic track ‘Higher Than The Sky’ which also features some slick leads, good rhythm and a big iconic sing along section.
In all, Darklon have done well with ‘The Redeemer’. It’s a no nonsense heavy metal album which pays homage to the early 80s school of playing whilst avoiding the pitfall of just sounding like a poor man’s Manowar/Iron Maiden/Blind Guardian/Savatage etc. Darklon proudly show their influences whilst retaining their own identity and they sound great whilst doing so.
(8/10 Fraggle)
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