Get the new FREE JFH MP3 compilation -- Vol. 13!
Get the new FREE JFH MP3 compilation -- Vol. 13!

JFH Music Review


Darkness Divided, Written in Blood
CLICK COVER TO ENLARGE

Darkness Divided
Written in Blood



Artist Info: Discography
Genre(s): Metal
Album length: 11 tracks: 33 minutes, 34 seconds
Street Date: August 19, 2014


While not a Christian label in any way, Victory Records has a long history of signing the occasional Christian acts in addition to the bigger-name secular bands that usually populate their roster. Some recent Christian bands that found their way into the Victory fold are Close Your Eyes, Corpus Christi, and These Hearts. Now, San Antonio metalcore act Darkness Divided join these ranks with their debut LP, Written in Blood.

At first listen, Written in Blood seems like a fairly typical metalcore album. There's the expected harsh vocals in the verse followed by clean vocals in the chorus. There are a variety of breakdowns scattered throughout. There are plenty of simple, chugging rhythm guitar lines as well. If I didn't have to listen to the album multiple times for the review's sake, I may have never gone back to Written in Blood for a second listen, simply because it seemed so typical.

Nevertheless, it's the small details that really separate Darkness Divided from a lot of similar acts. One of the biggest things this album has going for it is some really solid lead guitar. This is an area that many metalcore acts neglect, preferring to focus on an overload of chugging rhythm guitars and breakdowns. Darkness Divided don't settle for that, and instead sprinkle some really compelling lead lines throughout the album. They even go so far as to throw in an honest-to-goodness guitar solo in "The Hands that Bled," and "Divine Mercy" is a great example of an effective lead line.

In that sense, perhaps the strongest element of Written in Blood is the songwriting. It's all too common for metalcore bands to release albums where every song sounds an awful lot like the one before it. Written in Blood avoids this problem fairly well, and consequently, it doesn't get boring nearly as quickly as many other albums do. The only songwriting elements that are perhaps under-developed here are the chorus melodies. For the most part, they aren't particularly memorable from track-to-track, which makes many of them seem like a compromise when compared to the ferocity of the verses. The one notable exception to this is "Withering Kingdom," where the chorus has a melody strong enough to make it as musically epic as the rest of the track.

I was pleasantly surprised by Written in Blood once I had spun it a few times. While it seemed a little too generic at first, it developed into a well-rounded, diverse metalcore album upon multiple listens. It isn't a game changer by any means, but it's a really solid release that will deserve a spot in any metalcore fan's rotation.

- Review date: 8/19/14, written by Timothy Estabrooks of Jesusfreakhideout.com



(JFH Sponsor Spot)

Purchase Original Art Prints, Drawings, Buttons, Stickers, Bookmarks and more from JFH's own John DiBiase! Save for the holidays with code JFH20 at checkout!

 

. Record Label: Victory Records
. Album length: 11 tracks: 33 minutes, 34 seconds
. Street Date: August 19, 2014
. Buy It: iTunes
. Buy It: Amazon Music (MP3)
. Buy It: Amazon.com

  1. Severance (0:59)
  2. The Shepherd's Hands (3:43)
  3. A Well Run Dry (3:56)
  4. The Hands That Bled (4:05)
  5. The Descent (1:37)
  6. Eternal Thirst (3:27)
  7. Withering Kingdom (3:30)
  8. Remnants (3:24)
  9. The Will Of Man (3:11)
  10. Interlude (1:09)
  11. Divine Mercy (4:39)

 

Leave a Comment

 

 

go to main Album review page
go to Album review archive

 


(JFH Sponsor Spot)

 

 

                 
Purchase Original Art Prints, Drawings, Buttons, Stickers, Bookmarks and more from JFH's own John DiBiase! Save for the holidays with code JFH20 at checkout!

Search JFH




This Tuesday, October 29, 2024
SINGLES
Pipe Bomb Hate Club - Single [The Charon Collective]

This Thursday, October 31, 2024
ALBUMS
Neon Horse Habit of Creature - EP [Velvet Blue Music]

This Friday, November 1, 2024
ALBUMS
AWZY Sinners and Saints - EP [DREAM]
Forrest Frank Child of God (Deluxe) [river house]
Future of Forestry Symphonic Christmas (Live) (independent)
Influence Music It's All About You (independent)
The Kingdom Heirs No Better Time [Sonlite]
Limoblaze Young & Chosen (Power Pack) - EP [Reach]
Paul & Hannah McClure Christmas Morning (Re-Release) [Bethel]
Planetshakers Winning Team: Songs For Church (Live) [Venture3Media]
Skillet Revolution [Atlantic]
Sam's the Hero Charlie Cox - EP [Small Step]
Jim "Soni" Sonefeld Light of Joy - EP [Vere]
Ivan Theva Waiting Here for You - EP [Descendent/Provident]
John Van Deusen Anthem Sprinter [Tooth & Nail]
Phil Wickham Hallelujah! It's Christmas! [Fair Trade]
YWAM Kona Music Missionary Anthem - EP [Integrity]

SINGLES
Ayo Shamir, YP aka Young Paul Aaron Judge - Single (independent)
Gabby Barrett O Come, O Come Emmanuel (feat. The Piano Guys) - Single [Warner Music Nashville]
Brennley Brown Mary, Did You Know? - Single [Provident]
Lauren Daigle Then I Will - Single [Centricity]
Dreamers The Reason - Multi-Single [DREAM]
EJ Swavv I Hate Lucy - Single [Syntax]
Jess Ford This is My Jesus - Single (independent)
FYR FYTR So Simple - Single (independent)
Michael Monroe Pour It Out - Single [Provident]
Seph Schlueter We Sing (Joy To The World) [feat. Leanna Crawford] - Single [Provident]
Skye Peterson, Ben Shive Keep the Feast - Single [Getty]
SNT. VINCENT Confession - Single [Syntax]
Cyndi Thompson Silent Night - Single [County Line]
Thrive Worship Hark - Single [Integrity]
Tauren Wells Making Room - Single [Capitol CMG]

VINYL
Skillet Revolution Vinyl [Atlantic]

Next Friday, November 8, 2024
ALBUMS
Gabby Barrett Carols and Candlelight [Warner Music Nashville]
CXMMXNS CXMMXNS Chapter 1 - EP [Essential Worship]
New Hope Oahu There Is One - EP [DREAM]
Neal Morse & The Resonance No Hill For A Climber [InsideOut]
TAKE Time Bomb [Resuscitation Records]
Lauren Talley A Lauren Talley Christmas [Horizon]

SINGLES
Cory Asbury I Hope You Dance - Single [BEC]
Jordan Kauflin, Laura Story Approach, My Soul - Single [Getty]
Sam Bowman & GLADDEN Misfit Toys - Single [DREAM]
Wavorly Enemies - Single (independent)

VINYL
Michael W. Smith Every Christmas Vinyl [Rocketown]
Stryper To Hell with the Amps Vinyl [Frontiers]
TAKE Time Bomb Vinyl [Resuscitation Records]

DVD
Stryper To Hell with the Amps Blu-Ray [Frontiers]



For all release dates, click here!
 



Check out the new album from Taylor Holland Armstrong!



Listen to the new Single from Second Adam and the New Creations!

Check out depositphotos for royalty free images