DARK ANGEL - LEAVE SCARS 12" Vinyl LP Album

- 1988 Rare French Pressing

Released in 1989, "Leave Scars" by Dark Angel is a thrash metal album with a more polished sound, featuring technical guitar work, powerful drumming, and dark lyrics exploring psychological themes of pain, suffering, and trauma.

This is the rare French release of "Leave Scars" the 1989 full-length studio album by the American Thrash Metal band "DARK ANGEL". This album includes the original light cardboard custom inner sleeve with album details, complete lyrics of all songs by Dark Angel and band photos.
 
Rare French pressing  

High Resolution Photo

Dark Angel's 'Leave Scars': A Thrash Metal Masterpiece Carved in Blood and Sweat
Album Description:

Hold onto your leather jackets and denim vests, metal maniacs, because we're about to dive headfirst into the mosh pit of sonic destruction that is Dark Angel's "Leave Scars." This ain't no bubblegum pop or hair metal fluff; this is pure, unadulterated thrash metal fury forged in the fiery depths of the late '80s metal scene.

The Birth of a Monster

Released in 1989 on Combat Records, "Leave Scars" emerged during a time when thrash metal was reaching its razor-sharp peak. Bands like Slayer, Metallica, and Megadeth were already carving their names into the annals of metal history, and Dark Angel was ready to stake their claim. This French pressing, a rare gem for collectors, captures the raw energy and intensity of a band on the rise.

Musicianship That Shreds Expectations

From the opening riff of "The Death of Innocence," it's clear that Dark Angel wasn't messing around. Guitarists Eric Meyer and Jim Durkin unleash a barrage of lightning-fast riffs and intricate solos that would make even the most seasoned shredder's fingers bleed. Gene Hoglan's drumming is a force of nature, a relentless percussive assault that propels the music forward with the power of a runaway freight train. Ron Rinehart's vocals are a guttural howl of rage and defiance, perfectly complementing the band's aggressive sound.

Lyrical Themes That Cut Deep

Dark Angel's lyrics weren't about partying or chasing girls; they delved into the darkest corners of the human psyche. Songs like "Never to Rise Again" and "Immigrant Song" (a bone-crushing cover of Led Zeppelin's classic) tackled themes of social injustice, war, and the harsh realities of life. This wasn't music for the faint of heart; it was a soundtrack for those who dared to confront the darkness head-on.

Studio Sorcery

The album was recorded at Morrisound Recording in Tampa, Florida, a studio known for its work with other thrash metal giants like Death and Obituary. The production, while not as polished as some of their contemporaries, captures the raw energy and aggression of Dark Angel's live performances. It's a sonic assault that's meant to be felt as much as heard.

Music Genre:

Hardcore Punk Crossover Thrash Metal Music

Album Production Information:  

Produced by Dark Angel / High-Speed Death Music

Paul Shenker - Executive Producer

Bernie Grundman - Mastering Engineer

  • Bernie Grundman – Mastering Engineer

    I trust his work when the groove feels wide but the cymbals stay human.

    Bernie Grundman is the mastering engineer who taught half of Los Angeles how to make a lacquer breathe. No fairy dust, just physics and taste. He cut his teeth at Contemporary Records in 1966 before A&M came calling. I followed him from 1968 to 1984 running A&M's mastering department, where his cuts powered 70s staples by Earth, Wind & Fire (1973), the Carpenters (1974) and Steely Dan's "Aja" (1977). In the early 80s he helped shape Prince ("Dirty Mind" 1980; "Purple Rain" 1984) and Michael Jackson's "Thriller" (1982). Post-1984, at Bernie Grundman Mastering, he kept bridging vinyl and digital, even crossing into hip-hop with Dr. Dre's "The Chronic" (1992), and later opened a Tokyo studio in 1997.

    Bernie Grundman Wiki


    • Michael Monarch - Sound Engineer, Producer

    Paul Gordon - Sound Engineer

    Earl West - Sound Engineer

    Chip Simons - Photographer

    David Bett - Art Direction

    David Bett - Art Direction during the 1980s responsible for around two dozen of heavy metal album covers.

    Ed Repka - Album artwor

  • 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

    • Patricia Lie - Design

    Bob Vessells - Logo

    Ed Colver - Photographer Ed Colver an American photographer who has photographed (during the 1980s) bands like: Nuclear Assault, Wasted Youth, Dark Angel, Wrath, Aversion.

    Record Label & Catalog-nr:

    Under One Flag FLAG 30

    Album Packaging: 

    This album includes the original light cardboard custom inner sleeve with album details, complete lyrics of all songs by Dark Angel and band photos.

    Media Format:

    12" Vinyl LP Gramophone

    Year & Country:

    1988 Made in France
    Band Members and Musicians on: Dark Angel Leave Scars
      Band-members, Musicians and Performers
    • Jim Durkin - Guitars
    • Gene Hoglan - Drums
    • Eric Meyer - Guitars
    • Don Doty - Vocals
    • Mike Gonzalez - Bass

    Donald Doty, James Durkin, Robert Yahn, Mike Andrade all four performed in the American Thrash Metal band " Shellshock ". In 1983 "Shellshock" was forced to change their name and renamed themselves into "Dark Angel".

    Eric Meyer - Guitars, Producer. Guitarist with the American Crossover Metal band "Dark Angel" from 1983 until 1992, inbetween he was music producer for bands like Bloodlust and "Recipients of Death":

    Complete Track Listing of: Dark Angel Leave Scars
      Side One:
    1. The Death of Innocence
    2. Never to Rise Again
    3. No One Answers
    4. Cauterization
    5. Immigrant Song
      Side Two:
    1. Older Than Time Itself
    2. Worms
    3. The Promise of Agony
    4. Leave Scars
    Album Cover Photo Gallery of: Dark Angel Leave Scars
    High Resolution Photo  
    Photo of Album's Back Cover  

    High Resolution Photo

     

    High Resolution Photo

     

    High Resolution Photo  

    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.

    Dark Angel - Leave Scars 12" LP
    Leave Scars 12" LP

    Under One Flag FLAG 30 , 1988 , France

    Released in 1989, Leave Scars by Dark Angel is a thrash metal album with a more polished sound, featuring technical guitar work, powerful drumming, and dark lyrics exploring psychological themes of pain, suffering, and trauma.

    Learn more
    Dark Angel - Live Scars 12" LP
    Live Scars 12" LP

    Back On Black – BOBV239LP , 2009 , UK

    Live Scars is a live album released in 1990 by Dark Angel, capturing the band's intense and chaotic energy during their 1989 tour. Featuring tracks from their previous albums, it is a must-listen for fans of their early thrash metal sound.

    Learn more
    Dark Angel - We Have Arrived 12" LP
    We Have Arrived 12" LP

    AXE Killer Records 7006 , 1985 , France

    We Have Arrived is the debut album by thrash metal band Dark Angel, released in 1985. It features raw and aggressive guitar riffs, fast-paced drumming, and lyrics exploring themes of violence and destruction, marking a strong entry into the thrash metal scene.

    Learn more