DARK ANGEL - Darkness Descends 12" Vinyl LP Album

- Dark Angel's Thrash Masterpiece - Darkness Descends

Album Front Cover Photo of DARK ANGEL - Darkness Descends Visit: https://vinyl-records.nl/

Dark Angel's "Darkness Descends" LP, a thrash metal masterpiece, embodies the genre's raw power. Released on Under One Flag in 1986, the vinyl edition enhances the sonic journey with analog warmth and tactile allure. Each track, from the relentless title opener to "Hunger of the Undead," showcases the band's intensity. The album's enduring legacy cements its place in metal history, making it a coveted collector's item.

Table of Contents

Album Description:

Historical and cultural context

Mid-’80s metal was detonating: underground tape-traders, packed clubs, denim vests turned into armor. In 1986, the genre went sharp-edged and serious, with thrash drawing a hard line between radio gloss and pit reality.

Dark Angel planted themselves on the ruthless side of that line, speaking to kids who wanted the music faster, darker, and a little scary.

How the band came to record this album

After a raw debut and heavy gig miles from Downey to the wider scene, the band funneled road anger into songs that refused to breathe. Producer Randy Burns helped capture the violence without sanding off the bark, while the Under One Flag release pushed the blast across the Atlantic.

You can feel the momentum: a group with something to prove, running on caffeine, adrenalin, and stubbornness.

The sound, songs, and musical direction

The title track kicks like a door, all serrated guitars and whip-crack drums. Gene Hoglan doesn’t play so much as stampede, and Don Doty’s vocal is a siren—urgent, slightly unhinged, perfect.

"The Burning of Sodom" races like it stole a car; "Merciless Death" is exactly what it says on the tin; "Black Prophecies" stretches the band’s stamina with dread-soaked dynamics. It’s not polite; it’s compelling.

Comparison to peers in the year

Where the year’s big thrash landmarks favored architecture and polish, Dark Angel chose velocity and spite. Think less concert hall, more basement furnace.

If others built cathedrals, this one lit a match under the pews—and dared you to keep up.

Controversies and public reactions

Some listeners called it too chaotic, too raw, too much. Others turned it louder and found exactly what they were missing in tidy metal: danger.

The artwork’s hooded menace and the relentless pacing didn’t try to win over skeptics; the album made its own tribe.

Band dynamics and creative tensions

You can hear the push-pull between precision and frenzy—guitars trying to carve lines while the rhythm section sprints past the horizon. That friction gives the record its teeth.

It’s the sound of a unit chasing the perfect take at breakneck speed, daring the tape to snap.

Critical reception and legacy

Over time the reputation only grew: a cornerstone for anyone charting extreme metal’s evolution, and a rite of passage for drummers who want to suffer and smile.

The original Under One Flag pressing, complete with the custom inner sleeve, has become a collector’s handshake—proof you were there for the blast wave.

Album Key Details: Genre, Label, Format & Release Info

Music Genre:

Crossover Thrash Metal

Crossover Thrash Metal blends the aggression of hardcore punk with the speed and precision of thrash metal, creating a raw and intense sound characterized by fast tempos, shouted vocals, and politically charged or apocalyptic themes.

Label & Catalognr:

Under One Flag FLAG 6 / Combat Records / Take Out Music

Album Packaging:

This album "DARK ANGEL Darkness Descends" includes the original custom made inner sleeve (OIS) with album production details, complete lyrics of all songs, and artwork/photos.

Media Format:

12" Vinyl Stereo Gramophone Record
Total Weight: 230g

Year & Country:

1986 – Made in UK

Production & Recording Information:

Producers:
  • Randy Burns – Producer
  • Randy Burns – Record Producer & Sound Engineer

    He captured thrash when it still sounded dangerous, not "clean."

    Randy Burns is the producer/engineer I trust when metal has to hit hard without turning into mush. I clocked him in 1986 at Music Grinder, co-producing and engineering Megadeth's "Peace Sells... but Who's Buying?" with Mustaine: snare like a fist, bass tight, guitars sharp enough to shave with. He makes chaos readable, no fake gloss. His 80s run is a straight line of troublemaking: Suicidal Tendencies (engineer, 1983), Possessed "Seven Churches" (producer, 1985), Dark Angel "Darkness Descends" (producer/engineer, 1986), Death "Scream Bloody Gore" (producer, 1987), Nuclear Assault "Survive" (1988) and "Handle with Care" (1989), then Kreator "Coma of Souls" (1990).

    Randy Burns Wiki
  • Dark Angel – Co-Producer
    As co-producers, Dark Angel took creative control over the recording process to preserve their intense thrash metal sound. Their involvement ensured the raw energy of "Darkness Descends" stayed true to the band’s live performance style and underground reputation.
  • Steve Sinclair – Executive Producer
    Steve Sinclair is a record producer and engineer widely recognized in the Heavy Metal world for his work throughout the 1980s and early 1990s. He collaborated with numerous influential bands during the peak of the genre’s rise, shaping the sound of several key releases with his bold, high-energy production style. Read his story
Sound & Recording Engineers:
  • Casey McMackin – Sound Engineer
  • Casey McMackin – Sound Engineer, Producer & Musician

    The Music Grinder kid who made thrash readable without sanding off the danger.

    Casey McMackin is an acclaimed sound engineer, producer, and musician who learned the hard way at Hollywood's Music Grinder—starting as the gofer and listening his way into the chair. I hear his fingerprints on Megadeth (1986) where he engineered "Peace Sells... but Who's Buying?" and even tossed in backing vocals, then straight into Dark Angel (1986) on "Darkness Descends". He stayed in the pit with Nuclear Assault (1987–1989), jumped to Exodus as assistant engineer (1990), and helped steer Motörhead's grit on "1916" (1991) and "March ör Die" (1992). Later, he still popped up—producing/mixing C.I.A. (1990) and engineering a Lemmy solo cut (2006).

Album Cover Design & Artwork:
  • Ed Repka – Album Artwork
  • Ed Repka – Graphic Artist & Album Cover Illustrator

    He turned Cold War paranoia and death-metal gore into bright, rotten pop art.

    Ed Repka is the American graphic artist who gave thrash and early death metal its lurid, comic-book bite. I remember seeing his work hit the racks with Megadeth’s Vic Rattlehead—"Peace Sells... but Who's Buying?" (1986) and the colder, geopolitics-soaked "Rust in Peace" (1990). In between, he painted Death’s first three nightmares: "Scream Bloody Gore" (1987), "Leprosy" (1988), and "Spiritual Healing" (1990). He also lit up Nuclear Assault and Possessed in 1986, then kept the torch burning on shirts and posters for decades. He draws like Mad magazine with a switchblade: bright color, nasty detail, and a punchline that still hurts. Every corner is packed with little jokes and rot.

    Ed Repka Wiki
  • Mark Weinberg – Graphics Artist
    Mark Weinberg (Graphics Artist) worked during the 1980s for numerous heavy metal bands on art direction, design, and typography.
    His sharp sense of layout and composition gave many underground metal releases a professional, cohesive visual identity that enhanced their collectability and appeal to fans.
  • Sean Rodgers – Album Cover
    Sean Rodgers contributed to the album’s visual presentation, ensuring the artwork aligned with the dark, apocalyptic tone of "Darkness Descends" — a hallmark of 1980s thrash metal aesthetics.
Photography:
  • Ron Contenza – Photographer
    Ron Contenza captured the intense stage presence and raw atmosphere of Dark Angel through his photography, contributing to the album’s gritty and authentic visual tone.

Band Members / Musicians:

Band Line-up:
  • Don Doty – Vocals
    Donald Doty, James Durkin, Robert Yahn, and Mike Andrade all performed in the American Thrash Metal band "Shellshock." In 1983, "Shellshock" was forced to change their name and became "Dark Angel."
    Don Doty’s commanding voice and aggressive stage presence were key elements in establishing Dark Angel’s early reputation in the Los Angeles thrash scene.
  • Jim Durkin – Guitars
    Jim Durkin was the primary songwriter and creative driving force behind Dark Angel. His razor-sharp riffs and complex song structures helped define the band’s intense sound and influenced the next wave of technical thrash metal bands.
  • Eric Meyer – Guitars
    Eric Meyer – Guitars, Producer. Guitarist with the American Crossover Metal band "Dark Angel" from 1983 until 1992; during this period, he produced albums for Bloodlust and "Recipients of Death."
  • Rob Yahn – Bass
    Rob Yahn’s heavy, driving bass lines provided the rhythmic foundation for Dark Angel’s debut era, contributing to the dense and relentless tone that became their hallmark.
  • Gene Hoglan – Drums
    Gene Hoglan, later nicknamed "The Atomic Clock," became one of the most respected drummers in metal history. His precision, speed, and power not only elevated Dark Angel’s sound but also led to celebrated stints with Death, Strapping Young Lad, and Testament.

Complete Track-listing:

This is where the needle digs in deep — " Darkness Descends" spins with that unmistakable analog bite. Each track bleeds into the next like smoke curling under a door.

Side One
  1. Darkness Descends
    Opens like a storm breaking loose — all distortion, fury, and the smell of hot vinyl.
  2. The Burning of Sodom
    Fast and merciless, riffs slicing through the room while the speakers gasp for mercy.
  3. Hunger of the Undead
    A haunting groove crawling out from the grooves themselves — the undead never sleep.
  4. Merciless Death
    A thunderous closer for Side One, the kind that leaves your stylus sweating.
Video: Dark Angel - The Burning Of Sodom (Live)
Side Two
  1. Death is Certain (Life is Not)
    Slow, heavy, drenched in existential dread — the vinyl hums like a warning.
  2. Black Prophecies
    A dark sermon carved into wax, echoing through candle smoke and late-night static.
  3. Perish in Flames
    The finale burns bright — guitars wailing, grooves melting, and silence waiting to return.
Video: Death is Certain (Life is Not)

Note: Track durations not listed. Vinyl pressings may vary slightly in tone and texture — that’s part of the charm.

Album Front Cover Photo
Front cover of the 1986 Dark Angel album Darkness Descends released by Under One Flag Records. The image depicts a glowing gravestone inscribed with the album’s title rising from a midnight graveyard scene. From beneath the soil, skeletal and burning human hands reach toward the surface as orange flames illuminate the darkness. The band’s purple and yellow bat-winged logo hovers ominously above, framed against black smoke and eerie green grass, capturing the raw and apocalyptic energy of 1980s thrash metal design.

The front cover of Dark Angel’s 1986 album “Darkness Descends” embodies the apocalyptic spirit of mid-1980s thrash metal. A tombstone rises in eerie blue light, carved with the album’s title in Gothic script, while hellish orange fire bursts from beneath the earth. Outstretched skeletal hands claw toward the night sky, their bones and flesh lit by the flames as if the dead themselves are awakening to the sound of furious riffs.

Above the scene floats the Dark Angel logo — purple wings spread wide, shaded into electric yellow and crimson — a visual scream that matches the intensity of the band’s sound. The graveyard fades into deep shadow, the edges consumed by blackness and mist, giving the composition its sinister tone. The cover captures motion and menace, bridging comic-book horror and underground rebellion.

Released by Under One Flag Records, this artwork reflects the era’s obsession with speed, chaos, and death imagery. Every visual element — from the glowing grass to the flicker of ghostly orange light — reinforces the sense of unstoppable energy. It’s more than a cover; it’s a promise of the sonic assault sealed inside the vinyl sleeve.

Album Back Cover Photo
Back cover of the 1986 Dark Angel album Darkness Descends released by Under One Flag Records. The design shows the album’s tracklist printed in red over a vivid background of orange and yellow flames rising in front of a partially obscured gravestone bearing the album title. On the left, five vertical photos of band members — Eric Meyer on lead guitar, Don Doty on vocals, Jim Durkin on lead guitar, Gene Hoglan on drums, and Mike Gonzalez on bass — capture the ferocity of their live performance. Production credits and recording details are printed to the right, including producer Randy Burns, engineer Casey McMackin, and artwork by Ed Repka and Mark Weinberg. The London address of Under One Flag Records appears at the bottom, emphasizing its original UK manufacture and Combat Records licensing.

The back cover of Dark Angel’s “Darkness Descends” explodes in molten color — an inferno of orange and yellow flames consuming the tombstone motif from the front cover. The title is barely visible through the blaze, hinting at resurrection and chaos. Printed boldly in red, the tracklist lists both sides of the album: “Darkness Descends,” “The Burning of Sodom,” “Hunger of the Undead,” and “Merciless Death” on Side A, with Side B delivering “Death Is Certain (Life Is Not),” “Black Prophecies,” and “Perish in Flames.”

Along the left edge, five vertical live photos of the band members give a gritty, personal contrast to the fiery design. Eric Meyer and Jim Durkin are pictured with guitars mid-riff, Don Doty in full-throated vocal attack, Gene Hoglan pounding the drums, and Mike Gonzalez locking in the low end. The energy and sweat in these shots echo the music’s unrelenting pace.

Production credits name Randy Burns and Dark Angel as producers, with engineering by Casey McMackin and Eric Meyer. Artwork by Ed Repka and art direction by Mark Weinberg complete the visual assault. The layout closes with the Under One Flag London address, a nod to its UK manufacturing roots and Combat Records licensing. It’s a perfect marriage of sound and image — a visual warning that what’s inside is pure thrash fury.

First Photo of Custom Inner Sleeve
Original inner sleeve of the 1986 Dark Angel album Darkness Descends, printed with the full lyrics to all tracks in black serif type across an off-white background. The text is densely packed into columns covering both sides of the sleeve, including songs such as Darkness Descends, The Burning of Sodom, Hunger of the Undead, Merciless Death, Death Is Certain (Life Is Not), and Black Prophecies. Each section is labeled by song title, followed by verses, bridges, and chorus lines, presented in studio-order. The layout is simple but purposeful—designed for clarity and immersion, reflecting the band’s lyrical ferocity and dark themes while maintaining the minimalist aesthetic typical of mid-1980s thrash metal vinyl sleeves.

The original inner sleeve of Dark Angel’s “Darkness Descends” 12-inch vinyl LP is a visual testament to the detail and fury of mid-1980s thrash metal packaging. Spread across a pale off-white surface, the lyrics to every track are meticulously printed in dense black serif type. There are no graphics or distractions—just raw text, arranged in multi-column format that fills nearly every inch of the sleeve, echoing the relentless nature of the music itself.

Each song title, from “Darkness Descends” to “Perish in Flames,” serves as a heading, with verses and choruses carefully aligned in blocks beneath. The structure mirrors the band’s uncompromising intensity: fast, precise, and unflinching. The typography is formal yet harsh, contrasting the aggression of the lyrics, which explore war, apocalypse, and existential dread.

This design not only serves a functional purpose—providing fans with the complete lyrical content—but also reflects an era when physical presentation mattered as much as sound. It’s a page of chaos framed in order, a printed embodiment of the discipline and darkness that defined Dark Angel’s masterpiece.

Second Photo of Custom Inner Sleeve
Rear side of the original inner sleeve from Dark Angel’s 1986 album Darkness Descends, showing detailed production notes, writing credits, special thanks, and merchandise order form. The layout features black text on a white background with sections listing song-by-song music and lyric credits for Durkin, Hoglan, Doty, Meyer, and Yahn. At the bottom left is a printed mail-order form for T-shirts, posters, and vinyl memorabilia addressed to the band’s Legion of Darkness fan club in Huntington Beach, California. On the right, long paragraphs of acknowledgments and special thanks mention road crew, friends, and musicians from the thrash community. The design is minimalist yet dense, embodying the DIY ethos and fan-driven culture of 1980s underground metal.

The rear side of Dark Angel’s “Darkness Descends” inner sleeve serves as both a credit sheet and a time capsule of the mid-’80s thrash scene. Against a plain white background, every inch is filled with text — production details, lyric authorship, acknowledgments, and a merchandise order form that once connected die-hard fans to the band’s Legions of Darkness club in Huntington Beach, California.

The top left lists final lyrics to “Perish in Flames,” followed by a full breakdown of music and lyric credits: compositions shared among Jim Durkin, Gene Hoglan, Eric Meyer, and Don Doty. The right half is devoted to crew and fan acknowledgments, where the band expresses gratitude to managers, techs, label staff, and countless supporters who fueled their rise. Names tumble down the page in tiny type, reflecting a close-knit underground network where everyone played a part.

At the bottom left, a printed order form lists T-shirts, posters, and even vinyl stickers for sale, with mailing instructions to “Legions of Darkness” headquarters. This analog form of fan interaction predates the digital age — a direct bridge between band and listener. Its simplicity and authenticity make it a cherished glimpse into thrash metal’s pre-internet grassroots culture.

Close-up of Side One record’s label
Close-up of Side One record label for Dark Angel’s Darkness Descends, released by Under One Flag Records. The circular black label features the Under One Flag logo in bright sky blue lettering over an orange-gold tattered flag background, symbolizing defiance and unity. Printed at the top in silver are the album and band names, followed by the catalog number FLAG 6, speed marking 33⅓ RPM, and track listing for Side One: Darkness Descends, The Burning of Sodom, Hunger of the Undead, and Merciless Death. Beneath the tracklist, credits note songs published by Take Out Music, produced by Randy Burns, and issued under license from Combat Records in 1986. The layout’s crisp type and warm metallic tones evoke the raw energy and independence of mid-1980s thrash metal vinyl pressings.

This close-up of Side One’s record label from Dark Angel’s “Darkness Descends” captures the striking design aesthetic of Under One Flag Records in 1986. The background features a tattered orange and gold flag that appears to glow with metallic light, set beneath the bold blue Under One Flag logo — a visual statement of rebellion and unity within the thrash movement. Above it, the album and band names are printed in silver sans-serif text, giving the layout a crisp, industrial tone.

The lower half presents technical and musical details: catalog number FLAG 6, format speed 33⅓ RPM, and the four tracks that make up Side One — “Darkness Descends,” “The Burning of Sodom,” “Hunger of the Undead,” and “Merciless Death.” Songwriting credits appear beside each title, acknowledging Jim Durkin and Eric Meyer for most compositions. Below, the fine print lists Take Out Music as publisher, Randy Burns as producer, and Combat Records as the licensing label.

The design is functional yet fierce — bold typography over a dynamic backdrop that mirrors the album’s speed and aggression. Every detail, from the metallic glow to the tight track spacing, reflects a label proud to showcase underground intensity in polished form.

Side Two Close-up of record’s label
Close-up of Side Two record label for Dark Angel’s Darkness Descends released by Under One Flag Records. The black circular label displays the same blazing orange and gold flag design as Side One, topped by the band and album name printed in silver uppercase letters. The bright blue Under One Flag logo dominates the center, bold and dynamic against the fiery backdrop. Below it, the track listing for Side Two is printed in white: Death Is Certain (Life Is Not), Black Prophecies, and Perish in Flames, with songwriters credited beside each title. Fine print at the bottom lists publishing by Take Out Music, production by Randy Burns, and license from Combat Records, 1986. The clean layout and dramatic imagery reflect the precision and intensity of 1980s thrash vinyl aesthetics.

The Side Two label of Dark Angel’s “Darkness Descends” continues the visual identity of the Under One Flag series — fierce, minimal, and unmistakable. A scorched banner in molten orange and gold flows across the surface, filling the circular frame with a sense of motion and heat. The label’s typography, printed in silver and white, maintains the bold clarity of Side One, ensuring full readability even under the vinyl’s reflective sheen.

The Under One Flag logo cuts through the center in electric blue, creating a striking contrast against the fiery background. The tracklist for Side Two appears below: “Death Is Certain (Life Is Not),” “Black Prophecies,” and “Perish in Flames.” Each entry includes songwriter credits, reaffirming the creative input of Jim Durkin, Eric Meyer, and Gene Hoglan.

The lower rim bears the legal fine print — “All songs published by Take Out Music. Produced by Randy Burns. © 1986 Combat Records.” The design mirrors the album’s explosive tone, blending professionalism with underground aggression, a perfect symbol of thrash metal’s golden era pressed into wax.

Dark Angel's 1980s Vinyl Album Cover Gallery and Discography

Updated DARK ANGEL - Darkness Descends album front cover vinyl LP album https://vinyl-records.nl
DARK ANGEL - Darkness Descends

Darkness Descends (1986) is Dark Angel’s unholy blueprint for chaos — the moment thrash stopped pretending to behave. The guitars slash with machine precision, Don Doty howls like a man possessed, and Gene Hoglan turns the drums into artillery fire. The result is a record that feels less like music and more like a controlled detonation — raw, perfect, and gloriously merciless.

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