Hidden Hands of a Sadist Nation
2.5/4 stars
If you saw the members of Darkest Hour before hearing their music, you would think they were Thrice. However, Darkest Hour are nothing like Thrice -- unless Thrice has transformed into Swedish-infused metalcore much in the stylingof At The Gates, then sure, they sound like Thrice.
The band opts for epic songs and occasionally sounds as if they are striving to meet the five minute mark on Hidden Hands of a Sadist Nation (Victory).
The song "Oklahoma" is a fast-paced, melodic metal song complete with growling vocals, and stands out a notch above the other tracks. The album is a solid effort towards a brutal metal album.
Darkest Hour clearly wanted a Swedish sound, they invited Swedish vocalists to join in, including the lead singer from Soilwork. This takes away from the album. The band has a good sound, without trying to incorporate others' sounds (which was clearly their goal here). Plus, Soilwork is not a remarkable enough band to attempt to copy.
Hidden Hands of a Sadist Nation is a good metal disc, but would be better without the Soilwork (and the like) influence on a couple tracks.
Reach the reporter at chelsea.ide@asu.edu.
