Dark Hound-Dawning

Self-Release/Independent
2018

Dark Hound is a heavy/power metal band from Nashville, TN. The group has been around since 2009 and (as of this writing) it is comprised of vocalist/bassist ET Brown, guitarist Evan Hensley, guitarist Preston Walls, and drummer Josh Brown. Along with Megadeth, Testament, and some (pre-Black album) Metallica, Dark Hound is every bit as influenced by the N.W.O.B.H.M. sounds of Iron Maiden & Judas Priest as it is Pantera and Dream Theater. In 2014 I did a write up on the group's self-titled debut (link). I really liked "Dark Hound" so I had high hopes for this album. In now way, shape, or form did this release let me down! With a release date of January 19th, 2018, "Dawning" is the second full-length album from this progressive and melodic quartet that also has a 2015 EP to it's name ("Oceans"). It is a step forward in terms of growth and musical-evolution. The songs are more inspired and so do the individual performances of everything involved with this energetic release. With eleven tracks in all, "Dawning" is a fun listen and one hell of a enjoyable experience! Ultimately it is a must-have for fans of real metal!! If "Dawning" is any indication of what awaits us, 2018 is going to a great year for heavy metal fans and the scene as a whole.

Dark Hound-Dark Hound

Rampart Struggle Records
2014

Formed in 2009, Nashville-based Dark Hound is a technically-skilled, heavy (and yet oh so wonderfully melodic in all the right ways!) four-piece band made up of bassist/vocalist ET Brown, guitarists Elliot Gordon (Clorange) and Evan Hensley (Nightfall) and drummer Josh Brown (Enfold Darkness, Nashvillbilly). Chiefly a product of yesteryear's heavy metal heroes (Metallica, Megadeth, Slayer, Iron Maiden, Judas Priest, Pantera, Testament and Dream Theater just to name a few!) this Tennessee outfit has plenty of love for the scene's roots while offering up a more modern day approach to what a lot of people would just lazily label traditional heavy metal. More then anything though this cool band riff is just as awesome and diverse as that list of influences would suggest with the self-titled "Dark Hound" offering a hell of a lot of bang for the buck! The group's Facebook page quotes guitarist Evan Hensley saying how he'd love to see Dark Hound "put Nashville on the map for metal!" and with a stellar-release like this one under their belts that goal does not seem all that far-fetched! As someone who has been to Nashville and witnessed first-hand it's obsession with all things country and even blues it's great to see a band like Dark Hound pull off a bit of a coup and bring some much-needed killer metal to the scene! "Dark Hound" features well-written and superbly-crafted material with plenty of finesse and charisma so naturally this rock-steady affair comes with my highest recommendation!

http://www.dark-hound.com/