DARKEST HOUR & UNEARTH collide for a night in the heart of Los Angeles: Review + Photos

A relentless outing that sparked a large crowd from the start.

Darkest Hour

All photos taken by Heaviest of Art at the 1720 on December 10, 2019.

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You have to appreciate the ability of a city like Los Angeles to consistently pack venues on a week night. Despite traffic, lack of parking, and the stresses involved with the previous two issues, people took to the streets and gave a warm welcome to DARKEST HOUR and UNEARTH on their latest tour stop in the city, filling the place and propelling with every breakdown that hailed from the stage.

The 1720 warehouse is no stranger to the intensity of metal shows, having hosted DEICIDE, RIVERS OF NIHIL, BELPHEGOR, DARK FUNERAL and CALIFORNIA DEATH FEST to name a few. From the acoustics to the spacious indoor area, circumstances are simply ideal and DARKEST HOUR made great use of it.

Mike Schleibaum, Darkest Hour

Opening with 2005's With a Thousand Words to Say but One, the D.C. quintet wasted no time and took to the stage with dominance. Mike Schleibaum came forth with ferocious precision, rocking around the stage as Travis Orbin shook the venue with cataclysmic drumming. A sea of horns is always a good indication of audience enjoyment and the below picture illustrates it all. Just look at Aaron Deal go!

Aaron Deal, Darkest Hour

Rapture In Exile and Love As A Weapon were felt by the hundreds present, riling up yet another charge towards the barricades. DARKEST HOUR were out in full force and the performance backing each of their tracks was high octane.

We were all treated to a pleasant surprise when frontman John Henry announced that a cover was coming, that being the iconic DEAD KENNEDYS gem Nazi Punks Fuck Off. You can imagine the frenzy that took off shortly after.

Michael Carrigan, Darkest Hour

It wouldn't be a DARKEST HOUR show without the staple that is Demon(s), which reigned supreme throughout 1720. Fans along the barricade chanted along with Henry as he sang through the renowned track in seamless fashion, proving that the band has yet to lose their touch over two decades into their existence.

The set contained tracks from across the band's discography, offering something for fans old and new. Henry and the team blazed through the set, belting the hymns out one after the next as mosh pits rose and energy remained consistently high. Metalcore may not be where it used to, but having DARKEST HOUR still alive and kicking makes it all worth while. Those who braved through traffic were glad to have done so, including us, who captured the below shots in a slideshow for your enjoyment.

Boston's own UNEARTH followed the metalcore giants with commanding stage presence, led by frontman Trevor Phipps, The sweat ran down the man's face not even one minute into the show, evident of the amount of heart that was put into every growl and scream. With a track like this This Lying World to kick off the festivity, it's inevitable that you'd be full of sweat by track's end.

Trevor Phipps, Unearth

The UNEARTH powerhouse are still fresh off of the release of Extinction(s) (2018), which was received to wide acclaim for its contributions to metalcore's ongoing existence. Hailing from that record were Incinerate and Survivalist, each exploding with every razor sharp Buz McGrath riff. DARKEST HOUR left the stage hot and UNEARTH was by no means going to let the crowd down.

Buz McGrath, Unearth

Unearth

Of the band's pummeling catalog, The Oncoming Storm (2004) had the highest presence, led by Black Hearts Now Reign. Momentum was high and hair soared with breakdown after breakdown. Flashing lights and purple/green hues added a nice visual for those taking the risk of recording mid-set.

My Will Be Done was offered to end the night on a glorious note, putting the finishing touches on a set that any metalcore fan would die to be at. The band raised their horns high in gratitude for the energy that Los Angeles brought that night. Crowd roars reflected that same gratitude, for the Tuesday night that DARKEST HOUR and UNEARTH came through, charred remains were left.

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The tour may be over but you can stream Godless Prophets & The Migrant Flora HERE.

Cover art by Shaun Beaudry