Dark Heart is a heavy metal band from the UK formed during the early eighties, releasing the band’s debut album ‘Shadows Of The Night’ in 1984 – the band broke up a couple of years later. Reforming after an incredible thirty years, Dark Heart released the band’s self-titled sophomore album in 2021 – and now, in 2024 a phenomenal forty years after the band’s debut, Dark Heart emerged outta the shadows with the third album ‘Out Of The Shadows’…
…featuring all ten songs from the band’s 2021 release, plus a re-recorded version of ‘Shadows Of The Night’ (taken from the bands ’84 debut). So I guess you could call it the band’s second “studio” album, a re-release, or even a compilation – but whatever you wanna call it, ‘Out Of The Shadows’ is a barnstorming retro yet modern traditional heavy metal album, Dark Heart oozing a gorgeous, all-conquering eighties metal and rock sound! Yes, readers – rock! The band are quickly into their stride with album opener ‘Darkest Eyes’ – the guitars buzzing like it’s still nineteen eighty fucking four! The sweet smell of old-school, traditional “foot on the monitor” heavy metal wafts through the air infecting every listener around the world. And this is one infection I doubt anyone cares about having! A simply stunning start to ‘Out Of The Shadows’, the album marches on with the thunder stomping ‘Cast To Stone’ – but only after a one-minute plus tension-fueled build-up, Dark Heart pounding the ground with an immense amount of force!
The opening brace reminds of the eighties just as much as Ghostbusters, Back To The Future, Pac-man, Atari video games and the Rubik’s cube – Dark Heart a child of the eighties alongside me. Although to be fair, I’m also a child of the seventies – having been born in 1970 I can lay claim to being a child in both decades! And if anyone wants to argue with me, just bear in mind the widely recognised age range for a child is between four, and twelve years! And if I could spell the sound of “blowing a raspberry” right now, I would! ‘Edge Of Dreams’ enters the fray to maintain the album’s phenomenal eighties aura, pounding the ground hard with a magical mix of heavy metal, and hard rock! Yes, hard rock, from a time when rock bands were placed under the banner of heavy metal – even bands such as Def Leppard and Whitesnake. I tell ya, it was a very different time forty years ago for metal and rock classification – a lot clearer too with only a few metal and rock genres. Unlike today, where there’s in excess of sixty! But thankfully, Dark Heart sit firmly and squarely in the traditional heavy metal genre, the band marching on with ‘Degrees Of Separation’, and a more hustle and bustle feel than anything heard so far. Not to mention the oh-so-familiar “metal gallop” synonymous with old-school heavy metal, Dark Heart flying the flag for metal very high indeed! And I have to say it, it’s a British flag!
Dropping a few gears and slowing the tempo, ‘Wings Of The Night’ strolls into view to adopt the mighty foot stomp associated with anthemic heavy metal, Dark Heart swinging their hips with a hymn-like swagger! The reined-in power here is palpable, fighting so hard to break free but the band won’t let it – ‘House Of Usurer’ opening with one hell of an eerie first forty seconds, progressing to assume the heaviest, power-driven foot stomp this side of a Judas Priest, Manowar merger! Demolishing buildings and devastating landscapes, ‘House Of Usurer’ is a monolithic masterclass in how to shudder the airways with a bruising barrage of thunderous heavy metal! And with a sudden upturn in energy, pace and purpose, ‘Break The Chains’ roars off at top speed, the band pressing the pedal to the metal with a vengeance! The head bangers of the world are gonna love ‘Break The Chains’, Dark Heart giving them a perfect opportunity for some serious head banging – top drawer melodic heavy metal taking flight with ‘Time To Fly’. The infectious level here has just shot through the fucking roof, the meld of hard rock and heavy metal shining brighter than a thousand suns!
‘Out Of The Shadows’ has been one helluva ride since it began, the heavy metal rollercoaster a non-stop joyous journey of jubilation that’s nowhere near over yet, ‘K.O.T.D.’ lumbering in with a more menacing feel than any other song on offer! The band are mean and moody here, mixing a melancholic backdrop with the band’s top-shelf melodious intent – yet despite all the weird ingredients, ‘K.O.T.D.’ is surprisingly infectious with a rabble-rousing sing a long style chorus! So come on everyone, all together now ” Whoa whoa, rising to be led, whoa whoa, king of the dead”. Simply sumptuous stuff from the British metallers – and I’m sure you’ve all heard the saying “leave the best ’til last”! Well, the band may have just done that with the glorious galloper ‘Night Won’t Let Me Go’ – the pace, power and oomph an absolutely perfect match to traditional foot-on-the-monitor heavy metal. The infectious level is sky high, the head bang ability even higher, Dark Heart ending their new album very much on a high! Oh no, wait a sec – there’s one more, the re-recorded title song of the band’s debut album ‘Shadows Of The Night’. And what a scorcher it is! I said the previous song was heavy metal perfection, ‘Shadows Of The Night’ (the song) takes perfection to an entirely new plane! A fucking terrific double to end ‘Out Of The Shadows’ (the album), Dark Heart have most definitely, left the best ’til last!
Overall, a non-stop rollercoaster of immensely infectious heavy metal, massively melodious and highly head bang-able.
TRACKLIST
Darkest Eyes
Cast To Stone
Edge Of Dreams
Degrees Of Separation
Wings Of The Night
House Of Usurer
Break The Chains
Time To Fly
K.O.T.D.
Night Won’t Let Me Go
Shadows Of The Night
Dark Heart: Facebook
Release Year: 2024
Label: Battlegod Productions
Category: Album
Country: UK
Reviewed by Iron Mathew for Frenzy Fire and Metal-Roos.
