Darkest Hour has been working the fault line between Swedish melodic death metal and D.C. hardcore since the mid-1990s, and Suffer Divine — their eleventh studio album, due October 30 via MNRK Heavy — gives no indication the band is interested in softening that edge. The December headlining run that brings them to Empire Underground arrives after a fall North American tour spent supporting Fear Factory and Brotality, and marks the first opportunity for Albany audiences to hear the new material in a room built for it.
About the Show
Suffer Divine was produced by Mark Lewis, whose credits include Whitechapel and The Black Dahlia Murder, and guitarist Mike Schleibaum describes the record as exploring “the idea that you can derive self-worth and value from your own suffering” — built from what he calls “rage, anger and pain” while still carrying “so much hope” alongside the aggression. Vocalist John Henry frames the title track as addressed to “anyone who chooses to push and peddle hatred and division,” giving the album a pointed political edge that is likely to sharpen further in a live context. The band’s own biography describes Darkest Hour as “a rare case where an aggressive band mutates, growing stronger, more unstoppable and more menacing with every passing riff, scream and album” — eleven albums in, that reads less as promotional copy than as a defensible argument.
The Albany date, the ninth stop on a thirteen-show run, carries one of the fuller supporting bills on the tour. Judiciary — direct support on all dates — joins Nehemiah and Justifications for the final five shows, Albany included. Justifications brings metalcore lineage of its own: the band features current and former members of The Red Chord and has already released their debut single, “Urge To Kill.” It is a bill that takes the room’s tastes seriously.
Venue & Logistics
Empire Underground sits on North Pearl Street in the Capital Region, operated by After Dark Presents as part of the Empire Live complex. Albany’s newest live music venue in the downtown corridor, the club format suits a band whose music depends on impact over atmosphere — the kind of room where a Darkest Hour set can operate at the volume and proximity it requires.
Tickets
No ticket price was available from sources at the time of publication. Tickets go on sale Friday, September 25 at 10:00 a.m. local time. Buy tickets