Review

In The Abyss kicks starts off as if someone lit the fuse on a firework. The opening riff feels like a snarling hungry dog. The track is nice and fast and powers forward with plenty of rumbling double kick and heat in the bass and guitar work. The main riff sticks around for quite a large part of the sing so it would have been cool to it develop a bit. The solo is short and sweet and left me wanting more. From there are some harmonies where even the bass joins in. But while everything is going on in the song, the vocals are really in control leading the fire force!

Mind Reaper rips things open with its teeth. The song continues with double kick, the brutish rhythms and commanding vocal ideas. Everything feels very solid and focused, leaning on strength rather then flashy ideas. Just like In The Abyss the song uses the main riff to drive the song forward. However I do like the rumbling tom-tom section with a big ol’ metal scream to change things up! This is not long before it gets to an absolute smashing and stomping section where solo wakes up followed by more instrumental delight. I am certainly digging the vocal ideas on this song so great stuff!

Soul Stealers feels like your bones being rattled to begin with before the song transitions into a stripped back section of squeaky guitar riffs and vocals. Soon enough the music progresses into the verses, once again feeling focused and in control. Notably everything feels quite safe and straightforward and in all honesty there is not much exciting me about this song. There are some excellent moments of tumbling drums and riff flurries, not to mention a killer little solo section where you can feel the passion and love for for the music. But beyond that I would just say it is mostly simple, no thrills song.

Get ready to pump your fists and maybe get those necks moving with Powercast. It starts off nice and slow to warm you up before throwing you into a storming double kick frenzy and shouts of Powercast. This feels like one of those tracks on the album that is going to get people moving and joining in on the lyrics. If anything, a true strength of Darklon is their rhythm guitar work and this is clearly evident here. I wouldn’t want to get in its way that is for. If you want speed, fury and something to just go nuts too i think this track is going to that call!

The Mad Messiah opens with some spooky organs and a historic spoken passage, something which I dint expect. Soon enough we are plunged into some hard hitting and raging rhythm work. The kind of stuff which is textured and layered on thick. Like all songs before this tears through everything In its path but there is more play between tempos. Especially taking it down for the the chorus sections which opts for more of a walking pace style direction. There are some great little licks woven into the music and the solo section certainly fills fitting throwing a bit of spice into the mix! Personally the vocals performance is something that stands strong and gels with the music very well!

Shockwave breaks out with some squealing guitar notes before the hurricane hits! This will literally sweep you of your feet and the sheer force and speed of quick picking guitars, bouncing bass lines and thunderous drumming. There is a lot of power and determination just running through the veins of everything that is going on here. The vocals are commanding and the little harmonies that highlight certain lyrics are really a nice touch. I certainly think this is one of the stronger tracks on the album when it comes to structure and approach. Interestingly enough the song stops briefly before we are catapulted towards a big section where we come face to face with the solo and more musical madness. The song goes for another big chorus section before taking the album out.

Hell’s Heroes takes a different approach to start things off. We get a small drum section which feels like a solo before moving into some great paradiddles on the snare. All of this ends very quickly when the rest of the music comes crashing in. It feels like a blast to your ear canals. And one thing for sure is that Darklon do not slow done on Hell’s heroes continue the frantic speed and adrenaline. I feel like by this point, I can safely say that the second half of the album definitely shows a band opening up their creativity. The vocals ideas are excellent and I especially like the trailing ghost vocals which add a touch of darkness to the song. The solo section I would say feels well written and thought out matching the pacing and rhythms. Overall another strong track where the music and the vocals step things up to really wake up the room.

And so we reach Psyched Out which is the last track on the album. Guitar harmonies start things off which feel uplifting and bright but that soon takes a turn when the menacing tone of the rhythm work comes in. And holy cow, the riffs here are absolutely sinister and dark. I just felt a shroud pulled over my head and the clouds closed up. Like the devil arose from the underworld. Darklon take the pacing right down to walking kick drums and flowing rhythm ideas for the choruses before returning to the evilness and horror. You know how they usually they save the best for last. Well I certainly think that is the case here. There is an explosion of high pitched cries and rumbling musical Ideas before transition into another meaty yet fearless chorus section and outro section! Brilliant stuff.

Conclusion

Darklon’s album delivers a relentless barrage of rhythm-driven heavy metal, anchored by muscular riffing, commanding vocals, and a clear sense of purpose. While some tracks lean on repetition and straightforward structures, others like “Shockwave,” “Hell’s Heroes,” and “Psyched Out” showcase a band willing to stretch their ideas and embrace darker textures. The rhythm guitar work is consistently solid, and the vocal performances bring cohesion and fire throughout. It’s a record built for movement and volume, with enough variation in pacing and tone to keep things engaging right to the end.

TheNwothm Score: 7.5/10

Links

Bandcamp: https://darklon.bandcamp.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DarklonMetal

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/darklon_band/

Label: No Remorse Records