When it comes to thrash metal you can not just leave one of the most important albums of the entire genre. Darkness Descends, by the american Dark Angel, expresses the maximum violence, power and speed of a certain type of thrash, with sounds that wink at the German scene of Sodom, Destruction, etc.. and harded sounds, influenced by Slayer, showing that the american thrash is not only Bay Area. Consisting of seven tracks of pure sonic annihilation, the disc opens with the title track, very well made, and continues with the unique Burning city of Sodom, easily one of the best of the whole disk. The only flaw is being too short, but never mind. In songs like these we can clearly hear how powerful and technical the group can be. The rhythmic section is provided neatly from the group, that constantly keeps it cohesive and at high levels. The next Hunger Of The Undead, in pure Slayer’s Hell Awaits style, runs smooth and pleasant to Merciless Death, another piece among the best. Here we find the band at its peak, with great riffs and effective time changes. A true anthem of thrash. Death is Certain (Life is not) opens with a quick drum intro and continues in a basic riffing in the style of the band. The track runs nice, but is not one of the peaks of the album. Black Prophecies is the longest track of the and it opens with an instrumental introduction before leading to the singing. Here too we find an original songwriting while remaining fully in their compact and precise style, with slow rhythmic parts and sharp fast sections. Also here you can find the influences of the german school of Kreator and Sodom. The track, while lasting a little more than the average, is still very enjoyable and never boring. I would surely rank this among their bests. Perish In Flames ends the album very well. In this one german thrash enbraces a more american style, and the result is an ultra fast thrash gem, earning the title of the fastest track of the entire album with Burning City of Sodom. In conclusion, this is one of those albums that must be in the collection of every thrash maniac, preferably in vinyl format, and it’s certainly a perfect entry point for those wishing to learn more about the genre. Rating: 8.5 / 10