So-called ‘anonymous’ bands seem to be all of the rage nowadays, with bands such as King 810, The Hell and Ghost BC attempting, and often failing, to keep their identities secret. Although this is often used as a gimmick, Darke Complex have definitely managed to use this to their advantage, intriguing metalcore fans from across the world and managing to create a loyal fan base. The mysterious band refers to each member as a number from one to four, so excuse the rather ambiguous review!
Opening track ‘Crows’ is full of grindcore-like riffs and heavy breakdowns, instantly proving the musical direction of Darke Complex. The filthy bass-heavy music merges perfectly with the harsh vocals of the anonymous vocalist(s), creating something both unique and exciting. There are so many different elements to this song which may seem like it would be disorientated, however, they merge together extremely well. If you played ‘Crows’ to someone who had never heard of Darke Complex before it is safe to say that they would either absolutely love it or completely despite it.
‘Frigid’ includes rap-style vocals, which fuses perfectly with the ominous and almost grime-like music. This track does not sound like metalcore music at all, but more like horror-style rap music. With every track sounding completely different than the last, it is clear that the Darke Complex are using their anonymous identities to explore many different styles and genres of music without any pre-conceptions.
Final song ‘Intrusive Thoughts’ is hard-hitting and furiously fast, proving that the Darke Complex do not like to slow the pace down. With such energetic music it would definitely be interesting to see exactly what the Darke Complex are like live: if it is anything like their Widow EP (Spinefarm) you should expect carnage!
If you are an open-minded metal fan who enjoys listening to something which breaks stereotypical genre constraints then you should definitely give Darke Complex a listen: even if you do not like their music you will probably end up respecting them for their experimental nature.
9.0/10
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JULIA CONOPO