Dark Angel
Darkness Descends

THE REVIEW

We are in 1986, and Dark Angel, after their very good debut with "We Have Arrived", deliver their second work, that powerhouse known as "Darkness Descends", with which they confirm themselves as one of the best Thrash bands in the scene.
It's important to say right away that something has changed; in fact, in the rhythm section, bassist Rob Yahn and drummer Jack Schwarz (considered too lacking to manage the guitar riffs) are replaced by Mike Gonzalez and (hear, hear) Gene Hoglan, who in the future will be more known for having joined the great Death under the service of the magnificent Chuck Schuldiner.

Having said that, we can proceed with an in-depth analysis of the tracks: it starts with the title track and already it's a masterpiece. "Darkness Descends", with its fury and its devastating chorus, drags us into a tornado from which it will be impossible to escape, and the following "The Burning Of Sodom" is proof of that, where Dark Angel begin to stand out for their lyrics, which speak of the perversions suffered especially by Gene. The same can be said for the next track "Hunger Of The Undead", a classic steamroller track that deserves to be mentioned like all other tracks.
At this point, we must linger on track n°4... a monolithic bass line to which guitars and an unhinged drum are added, not to mention the high-pitched vocals: "Merciless Death" is truly one of the greatest Thrash songs of all time and it's only right that the dark angel wisely decided to include it again on this CD (with Hoglan, the difference is definitely noticeable!), but the masterpieces do not end here, since in "Death Is Certain (Life Is Not)" we find a less intense song than the others but always considered one of the best by the Californian band.
We are now at the end, but the pace does not slow down, and Dark Angel showcase all their skills in the penultimate "Black Prophecies", where for eight minutes the band displays the technical abilities of every member, and as the cherry on top, the album concludes with the colossal "Perish In Flames", also a great song that serves to beautifully close a great work.

Worth remembering is the excellent work done by the band, from Don Dotoy (although I preferred him on the previous album), to the duo Jim Durkin - Eric Meyer with their raw guitars, all the way to the new recruits Mike Gonzalez and Gene Hoglan, who from here on will be considered one of the best metal drummers of all time.
Honor, therefore, to Dark Angel, capable of creating a great album that die-hard Thrashers must surely make their own.