DARKEST HOUR - "SO SEDATED SO SECURE" (VICTORY RECORDS)
Darkest Hour is a US band that have been around for about 6 years now, and I think "So Sedated So Secure" is their first full-length effort.
My feelings about this album are mixed. The bio claims the band is a the perfect mix between Gothenburg-styled bands and US hardcore, and that's exactly where my feelings mix as well. Musically the band is totally ace; they are very reminiscent of not-to-recent In Flames, without sounding like a copy. Each of the tracks has something going for it, especially "Another Reason" and the memorable "The Last Dance Massacre" (with a little My Dying Bride flavour at the end). My main gripe, as usual, is with the singer. John Henry screams his nuts off from the first to the last track, but where the competition grunts lower he kindof screeches. Whenever I go on about vocalists I usually drag into the discussion Dani Filth because I can handle that kind of extreme. John Henry, however, for me holds back the entire album.
"So Sedated So Secure" is an excellent album, musically, worthy of 4 out of 5 bullets. The vocalist prevents it from attaining more than 3, though.
RK
Written August 2001