Dark Heart are a heavy metal band from the UK forming during the early eighties, releasing the bands debut album ‘Shadows Of The Night’ in 1984 – the band breaking up soon after. Reforming thirty years later, Dark Heart released the bands self titled sophomore album in 2021, and in 2024 this was re-issued under the title ‘Out Of The Shadows’ featuring all ten songs from the original, plus a re-recorded version of ‘Shadows Of The Night’ (taken from the bands ’84 debut). And now in 2026, the band return with their third full length album ‘Evolution’.
The bands sound is rooted in the eighties metal and rock mix, although Dark Heart are not a retro band in any way shape or form, continuing to sharpen their sonic spear with old, new and inventive ideas, ‘Evolution’ containing eleven songs across a one hour run-time! Yes readers – one hour, the band setting the new album on its way with the bombastic opening salvo ‘Light The Flame’ – the sound of hard rocking, pounding heavy metal filling the air! And right from the off Dark Heart are in their element, delivering melodic metal to plant smiles a mile wide on the faces of everyone around the world – and by everyone, I mean all eight billion people on the planet! An all conquering opener to grab attentions very tight, ‘Cold Winter’ drops a gear but none of the heaviness of the previous song! The slower stride pattern of ‘Cold Winter’ blends balladry with anthemic metal and a hymn-like swagger, the ground shuddering under the bands feet as the oomph oozing outta the album right now is heavy enough to knock every listener into next week!
A barnstorming brace to open the album, Dark Heart march on with the mellower ‘End Of Tomorrow’, soulful vocals pouring forth as the band enter ballad country with this one, yet is it really mellow enough to raise lighters high in the air? Split decision for me, ‘End Of Tomorrow’ right on the cusp of the metal, rock balladry border – so I’ll leave it up to you what to do, I’m off to gently head bang to ‘Hands Of Fate’, the British metallers perfectly melding hard rock with heavy metal, fans of both metal and rock uniting in perfect harmony to salute an absolute corker of a genre crossing anthem. And just a quick word surrounding intensity, spot-on – the band maintaining their tight grip on everyone’s attentions with the up tempo and highly energetic ‘Spread Your Wings’. The marked upsurge in tempo and energy is instantly noticeable, Dark Heart bringing a little party atmosphere to the fore as ‘Spread Your Wings’ waltzes on by.
A glorious first half to ‘Evolution’, the second begins in traditional galloping style courtesy of ‘Ride The Highway’ – the nearest the album has gotten to the “old days” during the eighties, Dark Heart pleasing every metal traditionalist and fan over forty four years of age! And don’t worry folks, I’m in the over forty four year old bracket, and I’m still fucking loving it, ‘You And I’ stretching the bands sound even further by introducing a little heavy/power metal to ‘Evolution’, the primarily European power metal flair adding a touch of gloss to an already very polished album – an album that’s as unrelenting as it is unabashed, ‘Life To Crucify’ the next heavy hitter to emerge from the British veterans! Sorry guys, we’re all at veteran age now, ‘Life To Crucify’ a perfect example of just how fucking tremendous traditional heavy metal is! The galloping nature, the melodious intent, energy and oomph all at top shelf levels, Dark Heart embracing the sound of classic heavy metal to the full!
And when a band’s in the zone, there’s simply no stopping ’em – and there’s no stopping Dark Heart, they’re gonna get you no matter how far, ‘Eyes Of Light’ another hard rocking metal anthem to garner the attention of every metaller and rocker on the planet! And off the planet too, ‘Evolution’ an out-of-this-world offering to take everyone’s breath away, ‘Mortality’ taking the honour as the longest song on the album at six and a half minutes in length! And the majesty and elegance here is phenomenal, the band striding tall and proud across the heart of heavy metal territory, echoes of such legendary icons as Dio, Iron Maiden and Manowar reverberating all the way through ‘Mortality’. And if this were the album’s final song what a show-stopper it would have been, but there’s still one more to come – ‘Burned’ rounding ‘Evolution’ off in a fast paced fury! And to be honest, this is the first opportunity for some serious head banging!
Overall, a fabulous array of hard rocking heavy metal with an immense infectious level, ‘Evolution’ is an hour of majestic metal and rock.
TRACKLIST
Light The Flame
Cold Winter
End Of Tomorrow
Hands Of Fate
Spread Your Wings
Ride The Highway
You And I
Life To Crucify
Eyes Of Light
Mortality
Burned
Dark Heart: Facebook
Release Year: 2026
Label: Pride & Joy Music
Category: Album
Country: UK
Reviewed by Iron Mathew for Frenzy Fire and Metal-Roos.
