If Swedish melodic death metal had an American godfather, Darkest Hour would be the incumbent. Although they’ve spent years being grouped with Metalcore bands, they stand tall as a solid American variation on a well established sub genre. This past Saturday night at New York’s Gramercy Theatre, along with Veil of Maya and Periphery, Darkest Hour played a show to remember.
Periphery was the first band I caught, even though they were the third act of the night. I had been interviewing Darkest Hour drummer Ryan Parrish, transcription to follow. I’m not sure if they had as big of a following as it seemed or if the hardcore kids were out in force, but they cultivated one of the most violent pits I’ve seen in some time. From the rail all the way to the back of the pit, fists were flying, bodies were crashing and karate kicks were meeting chins. With 3 guitarists in their ranks they pummeled the ear drums of everyone in attendance.
Next up were the fan favorite Veil of Maya. With a direct support slot and a legion of fans, VOM sent wave after wave of violent energy pulsing through the Gramercy. Calling for circle pit after circle pit, they refused to let their fans rest until their set was over.
Finally, 15 year veterans Darkest Hour took the stage. For whatever reason, nearly 2/3 of the venue cleared out after Veil of Maya left the stage. For those that did, they missed the top performance of the evening. Being the professionals they are, Darkest Hour took the stage and conquered the remaining masses. Bringing out songs from every album in their catalogue, including some songs that have never been played live and others that haven’t seen the light of day since their underground days, DH flawlessly revisited some of their long favored and long forgotten material. An absolute highlight was the 13 minute instrumental, “Veritas.” Played in its entirety, this selection fostered a hugely positive crowd reaction, especially with the use of the acoustic guitars live and on stage. With their set lasting just about an hour, it was no holds barred from start to finish and flawlessly displayed the bands talent and love for the melodic death metal vein. For those that continue to lump them with Metalcore, they need to take a step back and take a fresh look and listen, because Darkest Hour’s talent is not so one dimensional.