Band:	Darkened
Album:	Defilers Of The Light
Style:	Death metal
Release date:	June 2024

01. Waves Of Desolation
02. Defilers Of The Light
03. Those Who Dwell Below
04. In Praise Of Shadows
05. Just Close Your Eyes
06. Echoes Of Solitude
07. On We Slaughter
08. Dead Inside
09. Masses Of Vain Observance
10. As Apocalypse Dawns
11. Final Sanctuary

With their best work to date, Darkened have solidified their position at the head of the modern death metal pack, presenting equal amounts of atmospheric melody and addictively fun heaviness.

I’ll just cut to the chase and say that this album has made me a big fan of Darkened, and, if you're a death metalhead worth your salt, I guarantee that you too will have a blast with their newest record, Defilers Of The Light. But, before you go running off to give the album your undivided attention, let me just say a few words to get you primed and ready.

In death metal, there exists a plethora of approaches a band can take, whether it's slow and swampy, fast and aggressive, technical, blackened, or progressive. Darkened’s style combines that satisfyingly buzzing sound of the old Swedish death metal masters like Dismember with the chugging, captivating energy of Bolt Thrower and Memoriam that makes you feel like you're marching into a glorious battle of the ages.

This was already enough to draw me in, but Darkened also exhibit another facet that I especially appreciate in metal acts: the ability to balance savage heaviness with delicate harmony. On Defilers Of The Light, Darkened’s third studio album, the melodic atmosphere is most prominent in the melancholic, acoustic guitar playing of the two purely instrumental tracks (the opener “Waves Of Desolation” and “Echoes Of Solitude”, which marks the half-way point of the album) as well as in the short and sombre concluding track. But these aren't the only moments of elegance. Practically every song is infused with melody, whether it's exquisite, clean guitar solos or catchy, singalong choruses.

Now, that's not to say that Darkened are some soft radio rockers—this is still death metal, after all! Just as much as they can dial down the pace to bring some mournful melodies, so too can they strike back with full-throttle metal fury. The ever-engaging vocals provide both rumbling gutturals as well as blackened shrieks, while the guitars effortlessly entertain with variations of mid-tempo groove, crushingly heavy plodding, and fast-paced intensity.

Overall, with addictive, fist-pumping, head-banging rhythm and plenty of singalong lyrics, every song presents a healthy balance of heaviness and catchiness. The interspersed melodic elements add a pleasant variety to the mix, giving listeners a moment to catch their breath, before diving back into the furious metal storm. It's hard for me to choose a favorite song among this consistently quality tracklist (and, no kidding, every song is super enjoyable), but, if I were pressed to choose, I'd probably pick either “Defilers Of The Light”, “Dead Inside”, or “Masses Of Vain Observance” as all three songs showcase basically everything I could ask for in a metal song: a memorable main motif, powerful vocals, epic atmosphere, rapid-fire energy, and dazzling guitar solos.

Defilers Of The Light is by far the band's best effort to date, presenting mature and masterfully performed death metal that's so damn fun to listen to. Thus, I dare say that Darkened are one of if not the best death metal band there is right now. So, what are you waiting for? Go hit “play” and let the headbanging commence!