Album Review :
Bloodsport - Blackest Darkness
By Steven Cosand in Reviews | Comments closed
Artist: Bloodsport
Title: Blackest Darkness
Label: Dead Boy Records / New Justice Records
Release Date: 07/06/2012
Reviewer: Steven A. Cosand
- Bring on the Persecution
- Fear Me
- Warcry
- Carnage
- Criminal
- Kill Thyself
- Stillborn
- Blackest Darkness
- Bloodshed
- Annihilate
- Still Here
In all honesty I didn’t really have to listen to this record to know what it was going to sound like. The title of this record, Blackest Darkness, accompanied by the name Bloodsport gave me a pretty good idea. I love hardcore and I love punk rock. I love all different kinds of it, but beatdown hardcore can become a little uninspiring at times.
There is a lot of Hatebreed influence within Blackest Darkness. This record is driven by metallic and thrashy guitar licks. I wouldn’t exactly call this music creative, but it is delivered well and in a precise manner. The entire record clocks in under 20 minutes. It is a good short listen. Not nearly long enough to get boring. Blackest Darkness is short and straight to the point. The production of this record is perfect. The guitars are chunky and the drums are big. Nothing too fancy, but just perfectly dialed in.
The lyrical themes of Blackest Darkness are emphasized on faith and Spiritual Warfare. Beatdown hardcore isn’t exactly a realm full of bearded theologians philosophizing on the New Testament. I might even go as far as to say that sometimes the genre can get a little ignorant. With that being said I very much applaud this band for their passion and emphasis on Christianity.
Overall – If you like this style of hardcore then Blackest Darkness has it all. The Australian quartet has plenty of thrashy and metallic hardcore riffs, breakdowns, gang vocals and etc. Bloodsport is a Christian band up to par with their secular counterparts.
RIYL: Seventh Star, Hatebreed, Death Before Dishonor.
