Dark Angel - Leave Scars (1989)

Dark Angel, vastly underrated yet on record almost matching the heavyweight evil and atrocity of Slayer's finest moments. Dark Angel were complex, vicious and gargantuan thrash, with lyrics that delved deep into the human subconscious, and which stalked the seedy streets of every sinister city. Dark Angel were at once furious, pounding and true, breathing a supreme intelligence and arrogance into the thrash world.

The first few records were decent assaults but 'Leave Scars' was banging on the door of the Big Four, being Slayer, Megadeth, Metallica and Anthrax, yet Dark Angel were certainly more in the Slayer field, 'Leave Scars' and especially the human drum monster, Gene Hoglan, blasting through a series of unkempt yet tight tracks, murderously executed, Rinehart's furious vocals somehow cramming a horde of perverted, wicked yet extremely sociological lyrics into a backbeat that, at times, resembles Slayer's fastest, most pummelling moments, for instance, check out that stamping introduction on 'The Death Of Innocence', and those feverish solo's, immense stuff.

'Never To Rise Again' is about the closest Dark Angel get to a three-minute thrash battering ram, but third cut 'No One Answers' is what Dark Angel are all about, a seven-minute mammoth that stomps for a minute, crushing all in its wake before heading into piledriving speed, pure insanity, bringing to mind the dark assault of Possessed.

'Leave Scars' is Dark Angel's second best album, the next offering, 'Time Does Not Heal' being their milestone, yet tragically the band would not last, but age has treated their sound and status well, because music wise 'Leave Scars' is still a fresh and consuming blackness, ensuring that Dark Angel have their place in metal history.

8.5/10