I like death metal. Although the cookie-monster type growling vocals usually tend to turn me off very quickly, I do like and listen to quite a bit of it. When done correctly, death metal vocals can add to the style and make songs feel even heavier. That being said, however, death metal vocals are not the way to deliver deep and meaningful lyrics. If you've listened to any amount of death metal, you know that the lyrical content is usually rather shallow, mostly about dismemberment and killing, kind of like gangsta rap, come to think of it. But I digress.

Darkest Hour are not your typical death metal band, though. Lyrically, they bring it on a wide range of topics, from the anti-war "Marching To The Killing Rythm" and "The Seven Day Lie" to the American media in "The Misinformation Age" to the world's perception of the American culture of fear and violence in "Sadist Nation." For someone dedicated enough to read along with the lyrics and figure out all the vocals, the band's message is definately there. For those a little less dedicated, there's a quick side-note for a few of the songs which briefly explains the inspiration. Obviously, this is a band with a little more to say than "kill them, rip them," etc.

Heavy is the order of the day for this band. Pounding double-bass, scorching guitar work and some electronics to add emphasis all combine to play songs that are extremely good. Incorporating elements of punk, speed metal and hardcore to come up with a unique sound, Darkest Hour really comes of age with this CD. Despite the cookie-monster style death vocals, this is a strong album from a talented band. The music is well-written and tightly played, the lyrics are strong and done very well (for death metal vocals, anyway).

The strongest song on the album is the instrumental "Veritas, Aequitas" where the band really shows what it's got, from complex melodies to rifling solos and even a haunting piano outro. There isn't a truly bad song on the CD, though, even if you don't agree with the band's politics. While it's not nearly as accessible or radio-friendly as many of the so-called "metal" bands that have sprung up in the last few years, this is a very good band playing the style they are good at and doing it extremely well.

The accompanying DVD is an confusing mix of home video-type footage of the band on stage, backstage and just hanging out as well as some in-studio footage when they were recording the CD. Parts of it are extremely interesting, particularly the still-picture collage that scrolls with the credits. Also included is the video of "The Sadist Nation," which is a nice touch since I don't think we'll be seeing it on MTV. The third and final segment is a weird acoustic gag-jam that doesn't make much sense to me and strikes me as some sort of inside joke. The DVD is a quaint addition, but nothing that would make a non-fan run out and buy the CD. The real value is the music on the CD.

rating: 8 of 10