Dark Angel (band)

Dark Angel is an American thrash metal band from Los Angeles, California. Their over-the-top style (extremely fast, heavy and lengthy songs with lots of tempo changes, lyrics and extended instrumental parts) earned them the nickname "the L.A. Caffeine Machine". Although Dark Angel had not achieved a mainstream breakthrough in their initial career, their 1986 album Darkness Descends is widely regarded as a landmark in the thrash metal genre.^[1]

After releasing four full-length albums and touring extensively throughout the 1980s and early 1990s, Dark Angel disbanded in 1992. They reformed in 2002. However, Dark Angel disbanded once again due to Ron Rinehart's vocal issues after an accident, which forced the band to cancel plans to tour further. After months of speculation, Dark Angel officially announced their second reunion in October 2013.^[2]

Biography

Early years (1981–1985)

Guitarist Eric Meyer joined Dark Angel in 1984, and is the only member of the band to appear on all their albums.

Dark Angel formed in 1981 under the name Shellshock in Downey, California, right around the time when the Bay Area thrash movement was beginning to take place. They were forced to change their name to Dark Angel in 1983 due to another band using the name. They played in local bars and clubs, acquiring a cult following in the metal underground. The band began recording and releasing several demos before releasing their debut studio album We Have Arrived in March 1985. Dark Angel promoted We Have Arrived with its first ever tour, opening for bands like Slayer, Megadeth, Venom, Savage Grace, Corrosion of Conformity, Possessed, D.R.I., Exodus and Agent Steel.^[3]

Critical acclaim and break up (1986–1992)

Ron Rinehart (left) joined Dark Angel in 1987, replacing original singer Don Doty. Bassist Mike Gonzalez (right) joined the band in 1986, just prior to the release Darkness Descends.

In November 1986, Dark Angel released their second studio album, Darkness Descends, which is widely considered to be their seminal release. Around the same, several other thrash metal bands such as Metallica also released seminal albums and started to gain more popularity. Although Darkness Descends did not initially reach the Billboard 200 charts or become a commercial success, Dark Angel spent most of 1986 and 1987 touring heavily behind the album.^[3] After the Darkness Descends tour ended in August 1987,^[3] Dark Angel fired their vocalist Don Doty and replaced him with Ron Rinehart, who would stay with the band until their breakup in 1992 and rejoin for their subsequent reunions. Dark Angel performed their first show with Rinehart at the Fender's Ballroom in Long Beach, California on January 29, 1988.^[3]

At this time, Megadeth frontman Dave Mustaine asked Eric Meyer to join Megadeth, but he declined in order to stay with Dark Angel. According to an interview in Voices from the Dark Side, Eric Meyer claims he did not feel comfortable with the situation.^[4]

In January 1989, Dark Angel released their third studio album Leave Scars, which was their first release with Rinehart on vocals and Mike Gonzalez on bass, and their last with guitarist Jim Durkin, who left the band before the tour and was replaced by former Viking guitarist Brett Eriksen. Leave Scars received positive reviews from music critics, and was Dark Angel's only album to reach the Billboard 200 charts, where it peaked at number 159.^[5] The band toured through much of 1989 and 1990 with several bands, including Death, Nuclear Assault, Acid Reign, Candlemass and Overkill.^[3] A live album, recorded at the Country Club in Reseda on April 22, 1989, was released in 1990 as Live Scars.

Dark Angel released their fourth and final full-length studio album, Time Does Not Heal, in February 1991. Time Does Not Heal showed increasingly progressive song structures (famously advertising its "246 riffs") and Hoglan's lyrics dealing with psychological issues and trauma. To promote Time Does Not Heal, Dark Angel embarked on the "Years of Pain" world tour, supporting such bands as Exhorder, Mordred and Re-Animator.^[3]

In 1992, despite working on a fifth album,^[6] Dark Angel announced they were breaking up to pursue individual careers.

Post-break up (1993–2001)

Since 1993, Hoglan had been collaborating on a number of musical projects. He achieved greater attention during the mid-1990s playing with Death, at the same time that bandleader Chuck Schuldiner was taking that group into a more progressive style. Subsequently, he recorded one album with the thrash metal band Testament, and made the acquaintance of Canadian multi-instrumentalist Devin Townsend, forging a lasting friendship. He has since recorded several albums with Townsend, both as part of the speed/industrial/death metal band Strapping Young Lad and under Devin Townsend's name.

Rinehart formed the band Oil in 1997 after converting to Christianity.^[7]

First reunion and second hiatus (2002–2005)

After a 10-year hiatus, Dark Angel reformed in 2002 with a new lineup featuring Ron Rinehart on vocals, Eric Meyer on guitar, Danyael Williams on bass and Gene Hoglan on drums.^[8]

During the reunion, Dark Angel performed the Metallica song "Creeping Death" which appeared on the 2004 Metallica tribute album Metallic Attack: Metallica - The Ultimate Tribute.

By 2005, Rinehart had begun suffering health problems. According to Danyael Williams, Rinehart didn't recover from his injury and was forced to retire from music because the doctors told him he shouldn't sing again if he wanted to talk, thus ending Dark Angel's reunion.

Second reunion (2013–present)

On August 10, 2013, it was reported that Dark Angel had reunited with original vocalist Don Doty, and would headline Keep It True XVII festival in Germany in April 2014. It was also reported that drummer Gene Hoglan, guitarists Eric Meyer and Justin Zych, and bassist Mike Gonzalez would be involved in the reunion.^[9]

On August 16, 2013, six days after the "reunion" was announced, Doty and Hoglan released statements addressing the "reunion rumors" in an attempt to "put any confusion to rest." Hoglan admitted that he and the members of Dark Angel had been "talking about doing something" in 2014, and stated that some shows could be in the works, but "right now it's just speculation." Hoglan also stated that, due to his commitments with Testament and Dethklok, the band is "moving forward s-l-o-w-l-y." Doty also commented on the reunion rumors, stating, "When talks are complete, a statement will be given. We will know more in the months to come. We will let you know as it unravels."^[10] Asked on August 21, 2013 about the reunion, Hoglan replied, "The latest is that we are talking about doing one. We will definitely keep everybody posted when there is something solid to talk about."^[11]

On September 4, 2013, Dark Angel's management confirmed that the band would be reuniting for "limited number of appearances in the U.S. and select festivals in Europe" in 2014, and added that the dates were "still pending" and had "not yet been booked at this time." Their management also confirmed that the lineup for the "rare and unique, select 2014 shows" was Gene Hoglan (drums), Jim Durkin (guitar), Ron Rinehart (vocals) and Michael Gonzalez (bass).^[12] On the following day, it was announced that Dark Angel had been dropped from the Keep It True XVII festival due to multiple issues with the reunion.^[13]

On October 13, 2013, Dark Angel confirmed that they are officially active again, and posted a 17-second rehearsal clip, titled "DFA is back!", on YouTube.^[2]

On November 1, 2014, it was announced that Dark Angel was working on new material.^[14]

Band members

Current members

• Jim Durkin – guitars (1981–1989, 2013–present)
• Eric Meyer – guitars (1984–1992, 2002–2005, 2013–present)
• Gene Hoglan – drums (1984–1992, 2002–2005, 2013–present)
• Mike Gonzalez – bass (1986–1992, 2013–present)
• Ron Rinehart – vocals (1987–1992, 2002–2005, 2013–present)

Former members

• Mike Andrade – drums (1981–1983)
• Rob Yahn – bass (1981–1986)
• Don Doty – vocals (1981–1987)
• Jack Schwartz – drums (1983–1984)
• Bob Gourley – drums (1984)
• Lee Rausch – drums (1984)
• Jim Drabos – vocals (1987)
• Brett Eriksen – guitars (1989–1991)
• Cris McCarthy – guitars (1991–1992)
• Danyael Williams – bass (2002–2005)

Timeline

Discography

Studio albums

• We Have Arrived (1985)
• Darkness Descends (1986)
• Leave Scars (1989)
• Time Does Not Heal (1991)

Live albums

• Live Scars (1990)

Compilation albums

• Decade of Chaos: The Best of Dark Angel (1992)

Demos

• Gonna Burn (1983)
• Demo II (1983)
• Live Demo (1984)
• Live Demo From Berkeley (1985)
• Atrocity Exhibition (1992)

Singles

• "Merciless Death" (1985)
• "Act of Contrition" (1991)

Videos

• 3-Way Thrash (VHS) (1989)
• Ultimate Revenge 2 (VHS & CD) (1989)

Other appearances

• Metallic Attack: Metallica - The Ultimate Tribute (Creeping Death) (2004)

References

External links

• Official Website