Darkness Descends

Darkness Descends
Studio album by Dark Angel
Released	November 17, 1986
Recorded	1986
Genre	Thrash metal
Length	35:03 47:06 (Re-release)
Label	Combat
Producer	Randy Burns
Dark Angel chronology
We Have Arrived (1985) Darkness Descends (1986) Leave Scars (1989)

Darkness Descends is the second studio album by the American thrash metal band Dark Angel. The album is the first to feature drummer Gene Hoglan. Rob Yahn was replaced with Mike Gonzalez by the time this album was released, however, Gonzalez was given credit over Yahn on the album sleeve. Darkness Descends was also Dark Angel's final album to feature vocalist Don Doty. The album is considered a landmark in the thrash metal genre.^[1]

Reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source	Rating
Allmusic	[2]

In August 2014, Revolver placed Darkness Descends on its "14 Thrash Albums You Need to Own" list.^[3]

Track listing

No.	Title	Lyrics	Music	Length
1.	"Darkness Descends"	Gene Hoglan	Jim Durkin, Gene Hoglan	5:49
2.	"The Burning of Sodom"	Durkin, Hoglan, Don Doty	Durkin, Eric Meyer	3:16
3.	"Hunger of the Undead"	Hoglan	Durkin, Hoglan, Meyer	4:16
4.	"Merciless Death"	Durkin, Doty	Durkin	4:04
5.	"Death Is Certain (Life Is Not)"	Hoglan	Durkin, Hoglan, Meyer, Rob Yahn	4:15
6.	"Black Prophecies"	Hoglan	Durkin, Hoglan	8:29
7.	"Perish in Flames"	Doty	Durkin	4:49

1998 Century Media re-release

Track listing
No.	Title	Lyrics	Music	Length
8.	"Merciless Death (Live)"	Durkin, Doty	Durkin	3:44
9.	"Perish in Flames / Darkness Descends (Live)"	Doty / Hoglan	Durkin / Durkin, Hoglan	8:27

Icarus Records 2010 Remastered Bonus Tracks

Darkness Descends on Philiadelphia - DFA Live at the Trocadero, October 23, 1988

Track listing
No.	Title	Length
8.	"The Burning Of Sodom"
9.	"Death Is Certain (Life Is Not)"
10.	"Merciless Death"
11.	"Perish in Flames"
12.	"Darkness Descends"

Darkness Descends on Resda - DFA Live at the Country Club April 22, 1989

Track listing
No.	Title	Length
13.	"We Have Arrived"
14.	"The Burning Of Sodom"
15.	"Death Is Certain (Life Is Not)"

Credits

Studio

• Don Doty - Vocals
• Eric Meyer - Lead guitar
• Jim Durkin - Lead guitar
• Rob Yahn - Bass
• Gene Hoglan - Drums

Live

• Ron Rinehart - Vocals
• Mike Gonzalez - Bass

Song Information

The song "Darkness Descends" is about the comic book characters known as the Dark Judges from the Judge Dredd comic book series, and even contains their famous statement, "this city is guilty, the crime is life, the sentence is death."

"Black Prophecies" deals with Nostradamus.

"Perish In Flames" deals with a nuclear apocalypse.

References

1. "The History of Thrash Metal". Metal and Horror Movies. Archived from the original on April 28, 2007. Retrieved December 7, 2011.
2. Darkness Descends at AllMusic
3. "14 Thrash Albums You Need to Own". Revolver.com. August 29, 2014. Retrieved August 30, 2014.